Wow. That was fast! Summer came, and now is nearly gone. Soon students will pour through your doors and await the launch of a brand new school year. Our newly updated catalog is designed to make it easier for you to get everything you need for the new year in one convenient place.

In addition to art and craft supplies, stickers, and room decor, you’ll also find over 650 new items plus hundreds of new products from Staples, too.

Throughout the catalog there are simple craft projects to help foster creativity and give you a turn-key project. For example, to give your students an invigorating kinesthetic experience, try the Make-Your-Own Clay Creations Project in the Arts & Crafts Modeling section of the catalog (in the purple section). You’ll see a couple of finished products along with a suggested supplies list making it easy to find everything you’ll need to launch your project.

While you’re paging through the catalog, be on the lookout for our Smiles Scholars. These are teachers who volunteer to try out new products and give us their feedback on how to use them effectively in the classroom. You’ll see a picture of all of these wonderful teachers when you open the catalog and then you’ll find them individually throughout the catalog. They share insight on their favorite products as well as ideas on getting the most educational value from games, crafts, activities, and more.

School is just around the corner. Please let us know how we can help you get ready for school with lots and lots of smiles!

Another school year is upon us and we’re here to help you with ideas to decorate, educate, motivate and save.

Start off the school year with Scholastic’s NEW Monsters Back To School Bulletin Board Set. These cute Monsters will brighten up your classroom and give a warm welcome to your students on those first days back at school. We have a coordinated trimmer, chart, notepad, and computer paper too!

Games make learning fun! Check out our large selection of games and activities to use during lessons and recess.

Are you looking for rewards that motivate? You’ll get a stamp of approval from your students with these fun NEW stampers.

We’ve also expanded our catalog by 40 additional pages filled with over 650 new products from Staples to make it easier for you to get all your school supplies.

Though it’s the middle of summer, we’re working hard to help you be prepared for a brand new school year (next month, right?)!

As a father of six—a homeschooling and traditional schooling dad—and a student wrapping up the classes for a doctorate in education, I truly appreciate the role SmileMakers plays in the classroom! That’s one of the reasons I enjoy working with SmileMakers and meeting teachers at schools and conventions around our region.

In this video I give a real SmileMakers package to my own children and then film them, unscripted, opening it.

The most rewarding part was watching them decide amongst themselves how they would divide everything. Fortunately, the rubber band bracelets come in a quantity divisible by three!

Teachers tell us they feel the same way whenever a SmileMakers package arrives in their classroom. If you’d like to “try out” a Sampler SmileMakers package, take a look at our Prizes & Rewards Samplers. The Small Try Me Sampler has 210 toys in it and the Sensational Super Ball Sampler has 140 balls in it. You’ll get LOTS of smiles from those two samplers! [Here’s a link to a page showing all available SmileMakers Samplers

Whew! That first week of school is over and the dust is beginning to settle…well maybe just a little. Now that you’re beginning to get back into the groove of the school year, here at SmileMakers, we wanted to remind you that we’re here for you every step of the way.

SmileMakers is dedicated to providing a place where educators like you can find quality solutions for your classroom for grade levels preschool through 6th grade. Plus, we have everything you need to educate and motivate your students as well as organize, supply and decorate your classroom year round.

SmileMakers understands that time and budgets are limited, so we make ordering quick, easy and affordable.

Bookmark this blog as a reference for news and information regarding our Teachers department, as well as a community for teachers to relate and engage. as a reference for news and information regarding our Teachers department, as well as a community for teachers to relate and engage.

Time Required: 1 Lesson

Materials Needed:

• Various Examples of US and World Maps #SCH923 - Large Laminated World Map
• Word Strips #TCH523 - Post-it Multicolor Word Strips
• Working Writing Journals #CFT167 - White Blank Books
• Scissors TCH623 - Child Safe Scissors

Key Words for Lesson:

• Map Skills
• Parts of a Map
• Reading Maps

Students will be able to:

• Identify the various parts of a map (key, title, scale, compass rose)

Procedures for Lesson:

• Begin the lesson by creating a hotdog-style flip chart using large chart paper. Have students create one in their journals just as you are on the chart paper. (How to make student chart: fold outside of page towards the bind of the journal leaving about ½ inch before the bind; cut folded part in ½; cut two halves in ½; you should now have 4 equal sections on your flip chart.)
• Across the bottom of the chart write “Parts of a MAP” and on each of the four flaps write one of the key parts (ie. Title, key, scale, and compass rose). Lay this aside as you will use this once you begin working through each part.
• Then read the Cat in the Hat book regarding maps entitled There’s a Map on my Lap!: All About Maps by Tish Rabe. This is a cute look at maps and their necessity in our lives. Throughout the reading, be sure to stop and point out parts of the book that the children may not have seen or heard before. Ask questions and locate specific parts of the maps throughout the story. Upon completion of the book, review the main points, find out what the students learned that they did not already know about maps.
• Using your classroom wall maps or any large maps you can locate for this lesson, begin walking through each of the four main parts of a map being sure to answer the question “What’s it for? Or Why do we need it?” for each part.
• As you discuss each part, have the students draw an example of the part on their flip chart. You may also want them to answer the “What’s it for? Or Why do we need it?” questions on the chart as well.

Follow up Activity:

• Place students in groups of two and have them go on a Parts of a Map scavenger hunt. Using their journals, they are to copy the form (Click Here for the form) that will have them list the location, title of, and use for, each map they can find that has one of the four main parts of a map. Award a prize or recognition to the partnership who locates the most maps. You may also want to include a visit to the library to incorporate the reference section and atlases they have there within this scavenger hunt.

Wrap-Up:

• Provide each student with the Parts of a Map assessment sheet. You can use this as an informal or formal assessment. You may also choose to end the lesson by having each student answer the question “What are the four main parts of a map?” on a sticky note as their “Ticket out the door”.

Time Required: 1 Lesson; Could also be used as “filler” at the beginning or end of a day for review

Materials Needed:

• #SCH990 - Write On/Wipe Off Demonstration Clocks
• #TCH534 - Dry Erase Markers with Erasers
• #TCH363 - Write On/Wipe Off Dry Erase Locker Boards

Key Words for Lesson:

• Telling Time
• Reading Time

Students will be able to:

• Read a clock in order to tell time.
• Write the correct time given on an analog clock.

Procedures for Lesson:

• Begin by listening to the Telling Time song by Jennifer Fixman. The words to this song can be found at www.songsforteaching.com/jennyfixmanedutunes/tellingtime.htm and you can order the “We Love Math” with Miss Jenny CD that includes this song. The children will enjoy its fun pace as they learn to tell time.
• Place students in partnerships throughout the classroom. One partner should have a dry erase marker and dry erase board. The second partner should have one of the demonstration clocks and a dry erase marker.
• Instruct partner A to put a time on their demonstration clock. Once the time has been determined by partner A, partner B should look at the clock and write the time on their dry erase board. Partner A will check partner B’s work and if partner B was incorrect, write the correct time on the bottom of their demonstration clock.
• This activity can be timed, partners can be instructed to each practice 4 different times, or each partner practice once, whichever is most needed within your classroom environment.

Follow up Activity:

• You could have students work in pairs and create telling time matching cards. For example, they would take an index card, cut in 1/2, then write a time on one piece and draw a clock with that time on the other piece. Have them create about 15-20 sets, mix them up, place on the desktop and swap with another partnership and try to match correct telling time pairs. Cards could be made over a period of a week for homework.

Wrap-Up:

• You could also have bags with predetermined times already included on index cards. Each partnership could be given a bag and they must pull a card and match the demonstration clock to the card drawn.

Additional Activity:

For additional practice on a consistent basis, you could also have one large analog and digital clock in a “Telling Time” station within your classroom. Change the time on both clocks daily and have the students write the correct time(s) on sticky notes using words and/or numbers and place on a poster board nearby. Take a few minutes each day to check answers and discuss elapsed time for each.

Time Required:  To be done in one lesson or stretched out over several days.

Materials Needed:

Frog Life Cycle Mini Dots (100 Stickers/Unit 600 stickers in all @ $5.99/ea; LCFR [rolls]; LCFR7 [box])

Large sheet of white or light colored construction paper (Assorted Construction Paper 300 sheets @ $9.99; (CFT174)

Writing Journals

Key Words for Lesson:

Sequence Writing

Life Cycles

Frogs

Tadpoles

Science

Lesson Plans

The Life Cycle of a Frog (The Life Cycle Series) by Bobbie Kalman and Kathryn Smithyman

Students will be able to:

Describe the six main stages of the life cycle of frogs

Retell the stages in correct order

Follow simple directions

Procedures for Lesson:

• Begin by reading The Life Cycle of a Frog (The Life Cycle Series) by Bobbie Kalman and Kathryn Smithyman. Have students respond in writing upon completion of the read aloud to let you know what knowledge of a frog’s life they already have. For example, create a K-W-L chart, write a connection to something in the story, or choose their favorite part of the frog’s life.
• Provide each student with a large sheet of construction paper and one sheet of frog life cycle stickers.
• The students will create a life cycle flow map using their stickers and adding an explanation paragraph of each life cycle stage; the students may also choose to extend the illustration of the sticker to a full pond for extra visual effect on their flow maps.
• Upon completion of the flow map, the students will present their flow map to their small group; you may also choose to display their works in a frog’s life cycle bulletin board created by the students

Follow up Activity: Provide each student with a frog popper (#NTY742) and put students into small groups. Within their small group, they are to predict which color will take the longest to pop, which will pop the highest, etc. You may choose to provide the winners with their very own frog pencil as a culmination as well (#PCL267)

Wrap Up: Have students create a bulletin board of the frog life cycles and create large pictures similar to the small stickers used during this activity.

Assessment: Students retell and describe in correct order the life cycle stages of a frog.

Time Required: Quick writing prompt - 1 Day; Lesson can be expanded by having children write a short story about their “Make-Your-Own” piece; Could also have students research the topics of pumpkins or scarecrows and use within a research piece for higher grades.

Materials Needed:

MYSW - Make-Your-Own^TM Scarecrow Stickers

ADJ - Make-Your-Own^TM Jack-o-Lantern stickers

Student Writing Journal

A Read aloud on scarecrows (Suggestions: Scarecrow Pete by Mark Kimball Moulton; Scarecrow by Cynthia Rylant; The Little Scarecrow Boy by Margaret Wise Brown)

A Read aloud on pumpkins (Suggestions: Five Little Pumpkins by Public domain; The Pumpkin Runner by Marcia Diane Arnold; Too Many Pumpkins by Linda White)

Key Words for Lesson:

Sequence Writing

Step-by-step Writing

Creative Writing

Language Arts

Pumpkins

Scarecrows

Halloween Writing Prompts

Fall Writing Prompts

Students will be able to:

Creatively develop either a scarecrow or jack-o-lantern using step-by-step stickers

Write a short story about the scarecrow or jack-o-lantern they have created

Read aloud their completed story using correct presentation skills in front of their peers

Research a topic using various reference materials, including the internet

Collaborate in a small group in order to complete a short research project on one topic

Procedures for Lesson:

1.      Begin by recalling prior knowledge and peaking student interest with a read aloud (Suggestions given above in the “Materials Needed” section)

2.      Provide each student with either a scarecrow or jack-o-lantern sticker sheet

3.      Each student is to create their figure as they choose using their stickers

Writing Suggestion 1: Have the students write the steps to creating their figure below the figure in their journals. (ie. First, place the body of the scarecrow on your journal. Then, give Scarecrow a green shirt so his arms will be warm and protected from the crows sharp claws. Next, dress him with his jean overalls so he is fully clothed and protected from the sun.) This is a great opportunity for giving students practice with using a variety of transition words in their process writing.

Writing Suggestion 2: Have the students create a narrative story from the perspective of the figure created. (ie. Using jack-o-lantern stickers they can use a prompt of “Please don’t pick me” and write a persuasive writing from the jack-o-lanterns viewpoint with reasons why a buyer shouldn’t pick him/her from the pumpkin patch.)

Once writings are completed, have students practice their oral speaking skills by retelling their pieces to their classmates.

Follow up Activity: These sticker sheets also provide a good stepping stone towards some introductions or further practice with research. As a class or in two separate small groups, use the topics of scarecrows and/or jack-o-lanterns and create topic sentences, use a graphic organizer to develop three main details and use various reference materials and the internet to search for information of the beginnings, uses of, and reasons for each.

Wrap Up: Draw out a large pumpkin and scarecrow on bulletin board paper. Allow each group or as a class, write out the research report on the figures. Create a bulletin board using the research information and then allow each of the students to create their own pumpkin for the patch or scarecrow to display on the board.

Time Required: Should be completed in a week upon completion of a class novel or personal book of choice.

Materials Needed:

Large Finger Paint Paper People (CFT97)

Student writing journal

Read aloud or chapter book of choice (Suggestion: The Year of Miss Agnes by Kirkpatrick Hill)

Key Words for Lesson:

Characterization

Story Structure

Lesson Plans

Students will be able to:

Retell specific aspects of a main character from the story

Present his/her findings using a pre-cut life size paper character

Procedures for Lesson:

1. Begin by reading a short story of choice with vivid characterization. As a class choose one of the characters from the story and create a “character map” of that character to model what items to look for when describing a character in a story.
2. Have each student choose a character from either a class novel already read, or from a story they read themselves.
3. Have the students follow your modeling and create their own “character map” of their chosen character.
4. Provide each student with a life size paper character. Using their written character maps, have them recreate their character using the various art tools.

Follow up Activity:

Have each student create a “nameplate” for their character. Provide them a 3″ x 9″ card that they can write their character’s name and the title of the book from which they came.

Wrap Up:

Hang all of the characters and their nameplates along a wall in the hall or the classroom. Allow the students to describe the individual character straits based on the way the characters are portrayed in the art form. Then have each student tell about their chosen character being sure to share the specific traits they tried to exemplify in their paper figures.

Assessment:

Students will complete a paper figure and nameplate of a chosen book character and be able to retell specific character traits of the individual chosen.

Additional Resources and Activities:

You could also utilize the paper figures by having the students select an author or even a prominent historical figure and recreate their chosen person on their paper figure.

Time required: 1 Lesson; could also be used as “filler” at the beginning or end of a day for review

Materials Needed:

#SCH990 - Write On/Wipe Off Demonstration Clocks

Dry Erase Markers

Cleaning Cloths

#TCH363 - Write On/Wipe Off Dry Erase Locker Boards

Key Words for Lesson:

Telling Time

Reading Time

Students will be able to:

Read a clock in order to tell time.

Write the correct time given on an analog clock.

Procedures for Lesson:

• Begin by listening to the Telling Time song by Jennifer Fixman. The words to this song can be found at www.songsforteaching.com/jennyfixmanedutunes/tellingtime.htm and you can order the “We Love Math” with Miss Jenny CD that includes this song. The children will enjoy its fun pace as they learn to tell time.
• Place students in partnerships throughout the classroom. One partner should have a dry erase marker, cleaning cloth and dry erase board. The second partner should have one of the demonstration clocks, a dry erase marker and a cleaning cloth.
• Instruct partner A to put a time on their demonstration clock. Once the time has been determined by partner A, partner B should look at the clock and write the time on their dry erase board. Partner A will check partner B’s work and if partner B was incorrect, write the correct time on the bottom of their demonstration clock.
• This activity can be timed, partners can be instructed to each practice 4 different times, or each partner practice once, and whichever is most needed within your classroom environment.

Follow up Activity:

You could have students work in pairs and create telling time matching cards. For example, they would take an index card, cut in 1/2, then write a time on one piece and draw a clock with that time on the other piece. Have them create about 15-20 sets, mix them up, place on the desktop and swap with another partnership and try to match correct telling time pairs. Cards could be made over a period of a week for homework.

Wrap-Up:

You could also have bags with predetermined times already included on index cards. Each partnership could be given a bag and they must pull a card and match the demonstration clock to the card drawn.

Additional Activity:

For additional practice on a consistent basis, you could also have one large analog and digital clock in a “Telling Time” station within your classroom. Change the time on both clocks daily and have the students write the correct time(s) on sticky notes using words and/or numbers and place on a poster board nearby. Take a few minutes each day to check answers and discuss elapsed time for each.<–>