Cara Carroll

Ice Cream, Graduation, & Summer’s Almost Here!

Right after end of year testing, we gear up for graduation.  Seeing their sweet little faces topped with graduation caps is almost too much.  Especially when it’s your own child.  This happened today….
He graduated from Kindergarten.
I cried.
A lot.
I love that kid.  And to think about everything he’s accomplished this year academically, socially, emotionally…well, darn.  It makes me one proud and overwhelmed momma!  
We were blessed with such a GREAT year…for both my boys.  
But the year’s not over yet.
8 more days.  But who’s counting?!?!?
Speaking of graduation, I had my kids start our graduation writing today.  This has to be one of my favorites in the history of ever.  Her invented spelling KILLS me!!!!!  Aaaahhhh!!!  I LOVE IT!!  Can you just hear her sweet little Texas twang?!  And I died that she said “exciting activities”.  This is why I LOVE Kindergarten!!!  This little sack of sweetness came to me knowing 9 letters, a couple of letter sounds, and no idea how to write her name.  I.AM.FLOORED.
  These little pieces will go in their Kindergarten Writing Journals that we send home at the end of the year as a little keepsake for the parents.  FILLED to the brim with writing {AMAZING to see the growth since August!!!} and fun little craftivities and keepsakes.  You might remember me blogging about this same little writing activity last year.  If you’re still looking for a little something extra before the end of the year, you can check it out by clicking the pic below.
And while we’re on the subject of keepsakes, have y’all seen this one?!  I ADORE this ridiculously brilliant/cute/easy idea from Katie over at Little Warriors.
I will definitely be doing this and adding each one to my end of year slideshow, too!!!  LOVE IT!
I’m also assembling a little summer take-home packet to send with my kids to get them…and their sweet parents {bless them}…through these next few months 🙂  My boys have already staked their claim on their own copies 😉  
In fact, Landon has already been working on his…
Sweet boy loves his work.  
If you’re looking for a little something to send home with your kids, you can check out this little packet of math & literacy fun in my shop.  It also includes 3 writing prompt calendars {June/July/August} to keep my kids encouraged to write throughout their long-to-them/short-to-us summer months 🙂
Moving right along…
I had an entire week of theme days planned for my kids this week, but I’m about to get real with y’all.  It just didn’t happen.  GREAT intentions, but poor follow through.
We started out the week with Ice Cream Day.  FUN, FUN, and more FUN!!!!  And I didn’t even have a bite {darn #3weeksnocheats}.  On Tuesday we were all set for bubble day.  But I left the bubbles…at the store 🙂  Whoops.  Then our pod graduated on Wednesday and my little man graduated today.  SO we’re getting back on track tomorrow and doubling up.  Popcorn for the first part of the day, and watermelon after lunch.  I actually have everything ready to go…patterns cut…copies made…groceries in the car.  The kids are SO excited!
As you can imagine, they got such a kick out of ice cream day.  We did lots of ice cream themed activities and finished the day making sundaes. 
The kids invented new ice cream flavors and wrote about them.  It was such a HOOT to read what they wrote.  SO many of them were writing to persuade me to try theirs!  I LOVE IT!  I have this little activity in my Ice Cream, You Scream, We All Scream for Ice Cream packet.
My kids love, love, LOVE any kind of craftivity they can get their hands on.  I typically like to cut out all of the parts and have them assemble the project so it doesn’t take away too much instructional time.  They were SO excited to make their little ice cream guys and they couldn’t wait to show them off 🙂
Toward the end of the day, the kids got to make sundaes {on a Monday :)}.  
 

Through the whole process, we compared what they liked to what their friends liked on top of their ice cream.  We graphed the results and compared data.  Then we stretched our “fun” into a little how-to writing activity. I love that my kids use words like “inform” and “expository” when we write like this.  Their vocabulary has grown by leaps and bounds this year!


 8 more days, people.
8 more days.  

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Comments

  9. Sarah Kirby says

    I love the idea of sending home a summer review packet with some supplies! I've been trying to think of what to do for my firsties as an end of year gift. This might just be a fabulous idea! 🙂 And I imagine when my son goes to kindergarten in a couple years that I will be a hot mess when he's done! I'm already a hot mess about him going to preschool next year, haha!

    Permanently Primary

    Reply

  11. Rachel Mullen says

    Hello! My name is Rachel, and I am brand new to the teacher blogging world! I just graduated from college, and am starting my first full time teaching position in a few days. If you have any tips or advice for a new blogger, please let me know. Also, feel free to check out my blog and let me know what you think! Thanks everyone!!!! 🙂

    -Rachel
    Teaching, Coffee, and Aloha

    Reply

  14. Think Wonder Teach says

    Ahh! Your little one is too cute! I wish we still did graduations for Kinder here but nope…. my boys all missed it. I am holding out for a 6th grade graduation for my little two but I may just have to wait until the oldest one graduates high school. I love all of the fun ideas you had and especially the summer packet!

    Misty

    Reply

  17. Jodi says

    Do you have any packets available in your TPT store for the days other than ice cream and lemonade? I am starting to add packets to my TPT cart that I want for next year and would love to incorporate those days into my end of the year schedule. LOVE your stuff! 🙂

    Reply

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