Thanks to all who stopped by our booth at the PTO Today trade show in Chicago and Columbus!

Here are the links to the "how to's" for the items we had on display.

Teacher Appreciation Ideas:

Melted Crayon Art

Pencil and marker vases

Crayon frame

Post It Note cube

Dry erase frame

Paper clip bookmarks

Inspirational clipboard

Hiliter Flowers

The Write Stuff is a flexible back-to-school supplier... we tailor our programs to fit your needs.  Send us your supply list today! 

In our continued month long blog series of "products we love" we are paying homage to the Sharpie Marker.  Who doesn't love a Sharpie?  Did you know the fine point came in 39 different colors?

Each year while attending our trade show series through PTO Today, we often give away Sharpie markers.  The look on attendees faces is always like that of a kid in a candy store.  Everyone loves a Sharpie!

The Sharpie web site is an artist's virtual playground.  There are tutorials on "how to" draw as well as availability to upload your own creations (made with Sharpies, of course) to share with other artists.  You can comment on their work, and they can on your too.  It appears to be a very supportive community.

The Write Stuff sells Sharpie markers in their school supply kits as well.  Many schools require it for their students; in fine, ultra-fine, twin tip, and the super Sharpie.  It is a dependable, long lasting, quality product.

Stop by our booth at the next show (Chicago) and get your free one from us!

Ok, who doesn't love Elmer's glue?  It has been around as long as I can remember, and it can be used practically anywhere. 

I remember paste in grade school.  We used it in kindergarten.  When you got older, you graduated to glue.  Liquid glue you could squeeze out and it oozed out the side of your project.  Good stuff. 

According to the Elmer's web site timeline the glue stick was invented in 1980.  This is a popular product The Write Stuff sells in our school supply kits.  New this year is the Elmer's School Glue Naturals.  These glue sticks are made from over 88% natural ingredients- plants! A rapidly renewable resource, and just as safe and non-toxic as Elmer's School Glue Sticks.

Elmer's web site if chock full of craft ideas.  You can even submit yours! There is a teacher blog, and a parent resource center too.

Elmer and Elsie, the company cows still represent a great product! 

For February, we are spotlighting some our our favorite products... and the first is the Post It Note.  In 1968, the inventor of the "low-tack" adhesive actually was trying to create a super-strong adhesive, and came up short.  He tried to promote his product, and it was not received well until 1978 when 3M distributed free samples of the "yet to be named" Post It Note, and 94% of those who received one stated they would buy more.  In 1980, 3M launched the Post It Note... and you all know the rest of the story! On our Pinterest page we have a link to 35 uses for the Post It Note in the classroom.

The 100th day of school is right around the corner for my (Jennifer's) children -9 more days! - so I'm told.  Most schools do some form of counting to 100 activities leading up to the "big" day. 

Here are some actvities we've experienced in our school.  Always a fun day for a blah month in the midwest!

Math:   Teach grouping, tally marks, Roman numerals, written numbers, and more.

  PE:     How long is 100 seconds?  What can you do in that amount of time? sit ups, push ups, jumping jacks.  Great for indoor recess too!

Science:  Predicitons... how long will it take me to:  select age appropriate activites and use stop watches.  Predict what weighs 100 grams/kilograms (metric system) or pounds/ounces (standard system). 

Social Studies:  What happened 100 years ago in time?  What do you think 100 years in the future will be like?

Language Arts:  Write about "what would you do with $100?" or 100 _____?

Reading:  Read a book that was written 100 years ago.

Music:  Sing songs from 100 years ago.

The ideas are endless!  We have some more ideas and down-loadables on our Pinterest page as well.  Check it out!

Happy 100th Day!

On January 21, President Barack Obama will be sworn in for his last term in office as the Presdident of The United States.  My son, a seventh grader, has recently taken the United States Constitution test, and today, is taking the Illinois Constitution test.  So, government trivia has been discussed at our house recently!

This led me to research past inaugurations, as I recall some quirkly stories I have heard over time.  So, these are the ones I found:

George Washington's was the shortest inaugural address at 135 words. (1793)

William H. Harrison's was the longest inaugural address at 8,445 words. (1841)

The first inauguration to be photographed was James Buchanan's. (1857)

Abraham Lincoln was the first to include African-Americans in his parade. (1865)

James Garfield's mother was the first to attend her son's inauguration. (1881)

William McKinley's inauguration was the first ceremony to be recorded by a motion picture camera. (1897)

William Taft's wife was the first one to accompany her husband in the procession from the Capitol to the White House. (1909)

Women were included for the first time in Woodrow Wilson's second inaugural parade. (1917)

Warren G. Harding was the first president to ride to and from his inaugural in an automobile. (1921)

Harry Truman's was the first to be televised. (1949)

Ronald Reagan's second inaugural had to compete with Super Bowl Sunday. (1985)

The first ceremony broadcast on the Internet was Bill Clinton's second inauguration. (1997)

On the second day of his presidency, Barack Obamawas sworn in a second time by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. because, following Roberts's lead, Obama improperly recited the oath. He said, "I will execute the office of president to the United States faithfully.” The word "faithfully" belongs between "will" and "execute." (2009)

The president will be officially sworn in on Jan. 20, 2013 in a small ceremony at the White House. Since that day falls on a Sunday, a public star-studded ceremony will also take place on Jan. 21. 

Battling the Effects - 
Negative Peer Pressure

"No child is immune to peer pressure"

~ Kathy Hudson   

The main consequence of saying "no" to negative peer pressure is not just withstanding "the heat of the moment," as most adults think. Rather, it is coping with a sense of exclusion as others engage in the behavior and leave the adolescent increasingly alone. It is the loss of the shared experience. Further, the sense of exclusion remains whenever the group later recounts what happened. This feeling of loneliness then becomes pervasive but carries an easy solution -- go along with the crowd. ~ Michael Riera, Uncommon Sense for Parents With Teenagers

As an educator, you see the results of negative peer pressure every day. You may have noticed the individuals most affected by negative peer pressure are those with low self-esteem, lack of confidence, overly controlling parents, poor school performance, and/or few friends. There are things that can be done in the classroom that will give students the tools to combat negative peer pressure. When severe, the intervention of administrators or counselors may be warranted.

Some ideas to assist your students in coping with peer pressure:

• Help students build their confidence. Attempt to change a failure into an opportunity. Teach them to think for themselves by considering consequences for their actions.
• Create an atmosphere of teamwork in the classroom. Encourage students to continue developing socially acceptable interactions.
• Establish peer-led groups to discuss examples of negative peer pressure. Role-play can be useful during these discussions.
• Help low-achieving students find additional help.
• Make generic, bad decision-making examples (from such sources as literature, movies, and current events) a cornerstone for learning opportunities.
• Ask students to write down examples of negative peer pressure on slips of paper and place them in a bowl. Have students take turns drawing a slip from the bowl and explaining how they would respond if confronted by that pressure.

Negative peer pressure is an undeniable part of a young person's life. Addressing it on a regular basis will give your students the confidence they need to resist falling into bad or possibly dangerous behaviors.

One of the best defenses against negative peer pressure is positive peer pressure. Encourage students to find a group of friends that promote healthy choices and positive, friendship-building activities.  

This idea came across our desk, and we just had to share.  The Gratitude Jar!

What a beautiful activity for the whole family!

Thanks to one of the blogs we follow, Making Time for Mommy, for sharing!

Have a wonderful day!

In the wake of the east coast tragedy "Sandy" we are taking a moment to recognize the nameless superheros. 

We are located in the midwest, so we can only begin to understand the pain and suffering inflicted by this storm.  The images we see on the news and internet remind us of scenes from movies created by Hollywood.  We need reminding though that these are real.  Those are real people, who lost their real homes, and need real help.

Here is where the nameless superheros enter the scene.  We are witnessing many random acts of kindness that are thankfully being recognized by the media.  From the man who spent 12 hour shifts pulling people and animals to dry land in his canoe, to the marathon ruuners who volunteered to climb twenty flights of stairs with supplies to people trapped on upper floors in apartments.  Another woman was organizing efforts in a neighborhood to make sure everyone was okay, to the mayor of Newark who is using Twitter to reach his residents.

We cannot forget the national guard, the police, and fire departments.  Their efforts have been heroic and the days and hours of work have been long.  The utility departments have worked around the clock to restore power to millions of people.

What residents are feeling, we can only imagine.  The frustration, a whole week later, starts to wear thin on nerves.  Food supplies dwindle, tempers flare, and from what we have read it is cold- who wouldn't be short tempered?  We hope a nameless superhero will help everyone in some way. 

Our only request is that when you receive their help, take the time to thank them. 

The Write Stuff extends its sympathy to the schools on the east coast.  Thousands were closed yesterday and today, with unknown reopening dates.  We hope the efforts of all the communities can come together to return the schools to working order soon.