WHAT IS PICK-A-STIC?

Pick-A-Stic is an activity tool meant to inspire and motivate students to channel their inner greatness and be the best that they can be. 

“With over 70 inspiring quotes, reminders and life tips this powerful tool empowers you to catch your greatness and conquer your day!”

“Designed for all ages. Children, teens and adults will gain valuable insight and motivating wisdom that supports and nourishes the tremendous potential inside each of us.”
– Pick-A-Stic Website

One thing that I personally love is that these sticks are color coded to show three different categories, quotes, reminders and life tips. The quotes are helpful for provoking thoughts, the reminders are great for boosting perspective and the life tips help cultivate a positive mindset. 

Pick-A-Stic activities are perfect for building classroom community and brightening your day! Keep reading to learn 10 ways Pick-A-Stic can be used in your classroom.

10 Ways to Use Pick-A-Stic in Your Classroom

1. Morning Meeting: Use Pick-A-Stic to start a class discussion in the morning.
2. Partner Chats: Put students in groups of two or three and have each group pick a stick and talk about it.
3. Store on Your Desk: Pick a stick from the jar whenever you need a pick me up!
4. Social Emotional Learning (SEL): Use as part of an SEL lesson. Pick one stick, discuss what it could mean and how it could be applied to everyday life.
5. Dismissal: Use while students are waiting for the bus or to be picked up.
6. Calm Corner/Kit: Allow kids to pick a stick whenever they are having a difficult moment.
7. After Lunch/Recess: Use for a moment of mindfulness bring back focus when energy is high.
8. Writing Prompts: Students can write a sentence or two (or more!) sharing their interpretation of what the stick is saying to them.
9. Professional Development: Teachers need to be inspired and motivated too!
10. Family Time: Why limit these to the classroom? These sticks are perfect to use in your home to bring your family closer together.

That’s it! To check out these sticks and purchase them for your classroom click on the button below! 

How do you plan to use Pick-A-Stic in your classroom? Please share in the comments below!

The post Inspire and Motivate Your Students with Pick-A-Stic! first appeared on Smells Like Teach Spirit.

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School will be ending in a few short weeks and it’s time to thank those parents who’ve spent so much time volunteering in and out the classroom. I’m excited to share some cheap parent volunteer appreciation gifts from Dollar Tree!

It always means a lot when parents or family relatives volunteer their time to help with events such as field trips, holiday parties or even just to cut laminated papers or read a book to class. Acknowledgement goes a long way. It shows that you appreciate them and encourages them to continue volunteer in the future.

I was looking on Pinterest for cheap parent volunteer appreciation gifts and I saw expensive pre-made gift baskets and I thought why not make one myself! This gift basket includes 13 items, 15 items if you include the basket and the gift bag. So I spent a total of $15 dollars at the Dollar Tree store. I felt that was an okay price since I had only one parent to buy a gift for. If I had more parents, I would have limited each gift to $5-6 dollars. I decided to go with a tropical summer theme with a blue summer scheme. I’m very happy the way this gift basket turned out!

1. Coconut Chips

I tried to put a semi-healthy snack in the gift basket, you can also choose not to put any food in their at all.

2. Journal

I imagined parents during the summer relaxing and a journal came to mind. I liked this journal in particular because of what it said on the front, which described my parent volunteer very well.

3. Chocolate Candy

Chocolate because who doesn’t love chocolate? Actually these are my favorite so I had to put them in there, I almost ate them myself!

4. Chewing Gum

Gum for when you need to freshen your breath.

5. Ice Cream Cups

I thought these ice cream cups were the cutest! They could also serve as yogurt cups, fruit bowls or whatever you want it to be!

6. Napkins

Napkins to go along with with the ice cream bowls!

7. Tin Pail

The Dollar Tree had an assortment of pails to choose from, I thought this matched the theme perfectly. It could be used for anything.

8. Spinning Flower

A flower because it’s cute, lol. Oh and it spins too!

9. Plastic Tumblr

You can never have enough cute cups!

10. Nail Polish

This parent volunteer was female, so I figured what girl doesn’t love painting her nails?

10. Candle

I love candles, they can be used pretty much for any reason. I love just lighting a candle and letting its fragrance flow throughout the house.

11. Fan

A fan for those hot summer days. This fan is battery operated so I went ahead and put batteries in the fan.

12. Lei

Honestly, I don’t know why I put this in the gift basket, lol. I guess it goes along with the tropical theme I was going for.

13. Gift Bag

I wasn’t planing on putting the gift basket in this gift bag but I saw this when I was walking around the store and thought it would be a nice finishing touch.

And there you go, an idea for cheap parent Volunteer appreciation gifts. Let me know what kind of gift basket you plan on making!

Click here if your interested in my list of 10 cheap end of year gifts for students.

Click here for more classroom ideas!

The post Cheap Parent Volunteer Appreciation Gifts first appeared on Smells Like Teach Spirit.

1. Distance Learning End of the Year Student Awards

I love that these awards can be awarded online and the sunglasses idea is great too! How cool would it be to host an awards ceremony via Zoom?

2. Bitmoji End of the Year Awards

Who can go wrong with Bitmojis?

3. Distance Learning Student Awards (Digital & Print)

These awards are specific to distance learning, so this is great to use when all of your students are participating in the online activities and video calls.

4. Class Card – Editable Distance Learning Gift

Isn’t this the cutest thing ever? I love that pick the kids that resemble the kids in your class. And the little note on the picture is very sweet!

5. End of the Year TECH BOARD (Distance Learning) Digital Activities Board

Just like it says below, “one great memory after another”. I love this resource because it includes May/June activities that can be sent via Google slides and involves minimal prep!

6. End of Year Slideshow Templates | Digital | Google Slides | Distance Learning

I love this idea of a digital memory book! You don’t have to worry about printing anything out, just upload the pictures into the google slides and send them to the students to view. No more lost books along the way, this will be something they keep with them for a long time.

I hope you have a wonderful end of the school year with your students! Do you have digital end of year gifts for students prepared? If you have more ideas for digital end of year gifts for students, please share them in the comments below!

The post Digital End of Year Gifts for Students first appeared on Smells Like Teach Spirit.

1. Smart Cookie Gift Tags

I love these treat labels, it sure to put a smile on your student’s faces. Heres the perfect box of cookies to go along with these cute labels.

2. Editable Classroom Memory Book

I just love this yearbook! The kids will love and treasure this book with all their heart! All their precious memories from the school year in one place to reflect upon. Click here if you’re in need of prepunched paper, and click here if you need spiral coils.

3. End of Year Gift Tags (Editable)

I love these sweet and simple notes from the teacher. Print these notes on cardstock and laminate to make sure they last a long time.

4. Gift Tags & Thank You Cards

What I love about this resource is that there are gift tags for every occasion. Don’t forget the ribbon for your gift tags!

5. Editable Water Bottle Gift Tags

This is the perfect gift for students heading into summer vacation. A great reminder to stay hydrated. Check out these colorful bottles from Amazon!

6. End of the Year Gift Tags – Pineapple Theme

These are so cute! Pair these with pineapple fruit cups and you’re done!

7. End of Year Gift SUNGLASSES GIFT TAG with Customizable Bitmojis

The kids are going to love this gift! They’ll feel so cool in their new shades! These sunglasses for kids are pretty cute!

8. End of the Year- Gift Tags (Hope Your Summer *BUBBLES* With Fun!)

What kid doesn’t love bubbles? These bubble wands are great for summer fun!

9. End of Year Summer Gift Tags

Students will be excited about their own popcorn bag and bucket. Pop on this cute label and you’re ready to go! Get your popcorn bucket here and your microwave popcorn here!

10. End of Year Awards EDITABLE- 80 Color and B&W

These awards are my favorite because there is something for every student. With 35 different certificates there is something that each student can be recognized for. Tape the awards to Astrobright Colored Cardstock for a more official look!

I hope you have a wonderful end of the school year with your students! What do you think of my top 10 cheap end of year gifts for students? If you have more ideas for cheap end of year gifts for students, please share them in the comments below!

The post 10 Cheap End of Year Gifts for Students first appeared on Smells Like Teach Spirit.