I give credit for using reinforcement holes to construct a snowman to my fellow teacher Anita.  Mrs. Kosack's has lots of cute ideas for her kindergartners.  I've used reinforcement holes in the past for the various shapes, but this is just too cute. I revamped her concept with this idea just in time for 100 Day!

• Run off the 5x7 circle template on blue construction paper, or if you want your picture’s background bigger like mine, make circle templates from a file folder and students can trace larger banner-size backgrounds, or a room helper can have these traced for younger students.  Make sure to remind students if they are tracing that they need to leave a gap in between the circles.

• Students or a room helper can punch the mini dots or you can use micro sticker dots for this part.

• If you opt to use the hole punched dots, put a dollop of glue on a paper plate.  Using a toothpick, students put tiny dots of glue on their picture.  Using a different toothpick, they put the smallest dot of glue on the tip, to pick up their mini dots on the edge of the circle, and then press them on the little glue specks.

• You can keep things simple for younger students and have them just follow the circle outlines and make only a reinforcement hole snowman. They can then add details with colored chalk.

• You can also stop with the micro dots as shown in the photo, or turn this into a 100-Day activity, and have students dip the end of their pencil into a tiny amount of white paint. Press the eraser on the blue background to make 26 snowflakes. 
• If you’ve followed the amount of dots and reinforcement holes used on my picture they will equal 74.  74 + 26 snowflakes will give students 100 dots to spot!

• These look nice hung on an aluminum foil background on your bulletin board, or punch a hole in either corner, add a yarn tie and hang back-to-back from the ceiling or in a row along the top wall in your hallway.  Brrr-illiant!

Click on the link to view/print the 100 Day Reinforcement Hole snowman patterns, pix and directions from this article.  Would love a comment if you print or download my freebies.  I truly enjoy hearing from you! diane@teachwithme.com

Be sure and pop back tomorrow for another 100 Day idea!   Click on the link to view other 100-Day Freebies!

Counting To 100-Day Continues...

Here are ideas 3 and 4

Drop something into a jar!

100-Day Jar:

• The Dollar Store sells all sizes of plastic jars.
• Buy TWO and have them be your “Counting our way to 100-Day!” jars.
• Decide what “thing” you want to count and then put them in the jar.

•  I like the look and feel of marbles and so do my Y5’s.
• I’m also fond of saying: “Don’t lose your marbles!” for a variety of reasons. (We have the games Hungry Hippos and Hungry Frogs! Arggg to the noise, but they love them.)

•  Print off my labels. One label says: Counting our way to 100 Day.  The other label says: Counters for !00-Day. 
•  Think of something easily accessible, that won’t break or spoil and is cheap.
• You might also want to consider what your “theme” if any, will be, that you are counting to 100 around.

•  Perhaps you want it to be something the children can have as a prize to be divided among them when it’s 100-Day, or perhaps you want your students to be able to eat what’s in the jar!
• Put your jars by your calendar center as it’s a nice part of the day to run this into.
• Click on the link to view/print the 100-Day counting jar things.

Add A Piece To A Puzzle Each Day!

100-Day Puzzle:

• Buy a 100-piece puzzle at The Dollar Store. I just bought a Spiderman one because my Y5 boys LOVE Spiderman and I toss him in during our spider unit. 
•  The caption over the puzzle will be “We’re caught in a web of learning!” It will be a hint about what the puzzle will be, so they can enjoy making guesses.
• Also buy a piece of tag board (They sell it there 2 for a Dollar.)

•  Put the puzzle together on the poster board.
• When you’re done, flip the puzzle over.


• Number the pieces.
• Slide the puzzle off the tag board and trace each piece.
• Number the pieces on the tag board.

• Write “Puzzling Our Way To 100 Day” on the poster, or hang up my mini poster.
• Click on the link to view/print it.

• Put 10 pieces in snack Baggies and number the baggies.
• Keep the snack Baggies in 2 large baggies in a basket under the puzzle.

•  Each day pick a child to put that day’s puzzle piece on the board with a glue dot.
• If you use peel off glue dots you can re-use the poster.

•  Since this is so easy and inexpensive I toss the students’ “It’s My Turn” Popsicle sticks in a basket, and have someone choose one. That child gets to take the puzzle home as a 100-Day prize.
• I let them know this ahead of time so that they can look forward to it.
• You can also make guessing what the puzzle is, while they are counting up to the big day, a prize thing too.

•  Scroll down if you want to see the last mini-sub article about 100-Day pennant-banners and posters!
  

One of the things I work on during the summer is getting my things ready for counting up to 100-Day. I’ve listed some of the “stuff” that I do.  I hope you get a few ideas for your students and become excited for back-to-school.

I’m endeavoring to keep my articles short, so I will post only two ideas on a page.  There are 6 ideas, so keep scrolling down for two more “mini-sub articles” if you want to read all of the tips for this topic!

Index Card Booklet:

• Make an index card-number flip book. You can buy spiral bound, 50-page index packs, at any office supply store. 
•  
•  Some come in packs of 2, so you can make one for a special teacher-friend as a surprise gift.

• Tuck in a note that says:  “I’m so glad I can count on you!  Here’s wishing you 100-Days and more, of fun this year!”
•  
• I like the index cards that come in pastel or neon colors.

• Office Max has them in a two-pack for $4.79.
• I made several covers for you to choose from.

• Print one, cut it out and glue it to the front of the index card.
• Number them from 1-50 with a WATERCOLOR marker as all others, including a flair, will bleed through.
• Then flip the pack over and finish writing the numbers 51 to 100 on the back pages.

•  I’ve also made the little friend note if you opt to buy a two-pack.
• Tie some curling ribbon around the book, and make someone feel appreciated.
• Click on the link to view/print the 100-Day index card things.
  

 Sammy Snake:

• Count your way to 100-Day With Sammy! 
• Click on the link to view/print this adorable alliterative tongue-twisting story about Sammy and how he sneaks to school with Sally.

•  He will slither his way into your heart.  Make an easy sock puppet pal too!
• Counting to 100-Day with Sammy Snake
• Scroll down if you want to see the 2^nd mini-sub article about 100-Day jars and puzzles.