Red Writing Hood

Look out, that's all I can say! I have recently downloaded John Mayer's new album from itunes! I have found that listening to John whilst I am designing and creating is almost essential for me now. I am so excited to have some new music in the background (although I love all his stuff), and it will no doubt assist with some new product development! I am not sure what it is about the music that assists me, but I love it. I can only describe it as 'syncing' in very well with my creative mind.... as is a little bowl of chocolate and perhaps a hot cup of tea (it was red wine, but alcohol been off the table for the last year or so).

I have been working for a while on 'people' graphics. People are hard to get right! I think I am getting there, and in the process came up with some characters from Red Riding Hood. I created a file of character webs, which you may like to look at on TpT or my website.

And these FREE writing pages. I was motivated by one of my earliest and most popular posts - Big Bad Wolf writing pages. The file contains worksheets in NSW Foundation Script as well as a standard font, for my Australian friends :)

This Red Riding Hood set has the same range of worksheets (as the Big Bad Wolf Set) to help cater for a range of learning abilities in your classroom. Check it out at TpT and download it for free.

And while I am talking about Fairytales and FREE stuff you HAVE To check out the FREE graphics posted by Lita Lita at TpT They are called 'Once Upon A Time Clipart' and they are adorable. I can't wait to use them.

If you want an entertaining read, hop on over to Teaching with a Twist of Liam' blog. I love reading his posts, and he has finally blogged again after a little rest ;)

 It is refreshing to read a teaching blog from a male teacher and also from someone else south of the equator!

I hope you like my Red Writing Riding Hood resources!

Thank You 1000!

We were so very excited this morning, to notice that the number of followers in our Graphics From the Pond store, has jumped over 1000. Last time we looked it was around 700, which we thought was remarkable.

I am speechless - although I should have trusted that the wonderful teaching community would be so supportive!

I started the graphics store as I was giving away some free graphics through our main TpT store, and they started to 'clutter up' the store a little. I thought it would just be a good way to organise things, I never expected that it would begin to get more visits than our resources store.

I am especially appreciative of all the lovely bloggers that have helped to spread the word, with kind shout-outs and notes of appreciation. I do enjoy seeing our graphics as I browse the collection on TpT, and my husband laughs as I scroll through Pintrest and yelp out in excitement as I see so many thumbnails that feature our graphics. It is pure joy that I have been able to help so many people to put their creative works into the world teaching arena for the education of our children.

It really proves to me, what I have always believed - that if you do what you love, put your head down, work hard, been open, generous and find joy in the success of others - good things will find you. It also proves that life is full of surprises, and whilst you think you are heading in one direction, the journey that you end up taking can be the one you never planned and least expected.

Thank you and please download this cute little 'Summer Scribbles' set for FREE at TpT now!



Cup Animals for World Turtle Day!

I just had to stay up late tonight to blog about our latest creations! Tomorrow is World Turtle Day (23rd May). The aim of the day is to promote respect for turtles (and tortoises) globally, and to encourage humans to behave in a way that helps these special creatures survive and thrive.

I wanted to get a craft ready to do with my daughter - she loves animals and I am anticipating that it will be 'all things turtle' for the next week or so after I tell her about World Turtle Day.

So it started with a turtle - and you can see how it turned out. Clearly you may be starting to guess that I don't do things by halves... he he he.

These 'Cup Animals' are so simple and so effective. I have included a colour set and a black/white set in the file, so that your little ones can paint or colour.

Start with empty clean foam cups. Paint them - I used student acrylics. It gave the cups a little bit of a glossy finish.

Cut out the pieces from the templates provided - colour if necessary. Cut small slits in the top and sides of your cup to allow your pieces to slide in. Too easy - no glue, no mess!

We have provided templates for little 'writing cards' that you can stand up next to your Cup Animal. Students could write a story about their new creation or list some facts about the animal.

The only hard part is trying to figure out which one is my favourite. Look out for a second set, I am already planning.....

Click HERE to find them in our TeachersPayTeachers store.

More Scrappy + Some Popcorn

I am pleasantly surprised to learn that I am not the only one quite partial to the word 'scrappy'.. I must come up with a list of my top favourite words. I am a words-kinda-girl. The written word particularly. I think 12 years teaching K-2 have put the breaks on my use of them though. I tried to play boggle on my i-phone the other day. 99% of my words were cvc words. The other 1% were ccvc words. O the shame. I need to teach adults for a while, perhaps my once-quite-wide vocabulary would be reinstated. My daily word use has narrowed further, now that I am on maternity leave. Little man 11weeks hears be babbling on with "mumumumumu" and "dadadadadadad" and the occasional "bububububububub".

Click on the image above to download another scrappy border. You can use it on your classroom resources, or resources you sell/give away provided you give a credit in your document - like this:

"Graphics From the Pond - http://frompond.blogspot.com"

Too easy!

My latest resource file is called 'Pop Measure'. It combines two fun things - popcorn and using the equal arm balance. Did you love using a pan balance when you were at school? I did. And we only got to use it once or twice a year. I understand now as a teacher, that this must have been when 'measurement' came up in the text book!

I purchased an equal arm balance for my home, so that my children could have unlimited use and play with one. Why wait for a turn at school? He he ;)

The benefit for me was....it got me to thinking....... And 'Pop Measure' was born!

First I asked my daughter to take a handful or corn kernels and count them. Well, to make it easier, we grouped them into little piles of ten on this popcorn-themed counting mat. We then found the total.

The we counted out the same number of kernels for the other side. We found that they do not weigh the same! Must be the different size and shape of each kernel we hypothesised! We then added more kernels to one side, so the two bowls weighed the same.

We then did the best bit - popped one side of the kernels, put them back on the balance - and found that the weight was again, different!

I explained to my daughter that is was because each kernel contained water that vaporised when it popped - hence the lighter weight.

We then tried to find as many little object sets that we could, and found our how many of each it took to balance out with the kernels. We were surprised - only 4 cubes for 82 kernels!

Here is the little book that I have included in the file for your students. My daughter is too young, she just enjoyed the "experiment" part. They would be perfect however for Kinder-Grade 2. On each page the students would draw and write their predictions and observations....

In the classroom, you could do this "lesson" over a few days or a week, rather than all in one session. Click HERE to find it!

Just a Scrappy Little Border

Don't you just love the word 'scrappy'. I always wished I was a scrappy girl. My heart was scrappy, but my mind has always been neat and organised.... a theme that seems to permeate my life - two opposing sides at war with one another. Someone once told me I had two guardian angels - one strong and forthright, the other a soft delicate sweetheart. They both influence me apparently.....

Anyhow....back to scrappy. Just so you k now I am still alive....here is a free download. Hope you can get scrappy with it :)

You know the drill - not for resale, please give me credit (as follows) if you are selling a document or item with it - Graphics From the Pond http://frompond.blogspot.com



Cupcake Counting and a FREEBIE

We have just listed these fun number worksheets in our TeacherspayTeachers store. They were so much fun to make, and we think they will be just as fun to complete - perfect for revising number concepts and for maths centers and groups.

Here is a sample worksheet from the 1-10 set and

a sample from the 11-20 set - you get all worksheets 1-20 in this file!

 Click HERE to find them!

We know you love freebies, so listed this cute number card file as well! Use the cards for number matching activities, games, centers and displays in your classroom. Enjoy!

Click HERE to find them at TpT

Paws and Puppies

Sunday 20th May is Million Paws Walk in NSW. My daughter and I made this cute little puppy from foam cups this morning, after being inspired by both the Paws Walk advertising and Pintrest! How cute is that! It was super easy too - just two foam cups, googly eyes and a pom pom. I drew shapes onto thin card for all the pieces.

We also made a 'Triangle Puppy' picture. I have a little art group, with preschoolers at my local church - and this will help us to think about the Million Paws Walk and dogs and animals in need.

My daughter LOVES doing paper craft like this, she enjoys thinking about which way and order to arrange all the layers - great workout for her developing mind! It is also good to help learn about triangles in different orientations. It is very easy to make, just use triangles and rectangles of paper. You could tear the pieces, and use sticky dots to make a spotty dog!

If you would like the template pieces, I have listed it for FREE with TeachersMarketplace. I can list with Katie at TeachersMarketplace so quickly, the website is so fast and efficient. I will get to list it at other places when I have some more time. You can find it HERE for now.