Dollar Tree Finds...Yeah, I'm Already Shopping for Next Year

Yep, I am already keeping my eyes open for any great deals for next school year.  Let's be honest though...I never really STOP looking and shopping for school!  One of my goals is to construct many of the centers and games that I have pinned and downloaded, so I have started to gather some of the materials for that chore. 

These are some pencil cases with a plastic window and lima beans.  I plan to make the idea I pinned that came from here and use it as a word work center.  I will write sight words on the beans and then seal the bag.  As students flip and turn the bag they will search for sight words they can read.  They will highlight the words they can read on an accountability sheet.  Perhaps I will have them highlight the words they find but cannot read with a different color.  The activity could serve as a self-assessment tool in that sense.  The other items may seem a little confusing....ice cube trays and muffin tins...hmmm?  Well, I remember seeing some great ideas about using these items in a center for word work or math.  Put a word family chunk in the bottom of the section and toss a cotton ball.  Students then have to create words for that family.  You could also put numbers and create addition and subtraction sentences.

The next two pictures show the baskets I found.  The Dollar Tree has all kinds of great colors out now with their summer merchandise.  I know, I know, I know....went a little crazy with the baskets!  However, we all know this is what happens when you have an idea of what you want to do, but you are not solid in exactly HOW you want to do it!  Anyway, I had to get them now or they would be gone by the time I figured it all out!  (insert nodding husband here) I believe I will use the larger ones for some type of center storage and the smaller green and blue ones for individual book baskets.

The last two photos show some of the extra things I found.  First I found the dry erase schedule posters I used this year.  I needed to buy them again because I put the other ones on the window sill after they fell and they were totally faded!  We have two different daily schedules (every Wednesday is an early release day for PLCs) so I got two colors to help me remember which is which.  The other shot is of some really cute items for displaying student work.  They were called paper grabbers (or something like that) and they hang on the wall with a student's paper under or beside it.  They had several cute designs so I got a few.  Again....not sure exactly what I NEEDED, so I bought what I liked just to be SAFE!  Besides, there were 15 in a pack and at a dollar a piece you can't beat it!  The last little package in the picture is a set of writing templates to describe a field trip experience. 

Well, I guess that sums it up!  My first of many school-related shopping trips of the summer.  Everything I bought was from the Dollar Tree (except the beans), so I think I got a lot for my money.  I just need to remember to check out this store during the school year when I need odds and ends.