Did you have your Parent/Meet the Teacher/Curriculum Night yet?
Although I had my Parent Night at the beginning of September, I am just getting around to posting the pictures now!
As the parents enter the classroom, there is a table with the curriculum night packets. I also have a little display where the parent can pick an apple (or two) and donate some supplies to our classroom.
I used scrapbook paper and the apple die cut to make the apples. I printed a list of supplies I use throughout the year with my students on Avery labels- different colored pens for writing, Avery labels, cardstock paper, composition notebooks, and stickers.
*****Update*****
This year, I used THIS idea for classroom donations:
(Later, I send the parents a “thank you”note!)
I then have the parents walk around the classroom and try to guess where their child’s desk is. Prior to the parents coming, I have my students fill out a “GUESS WHO SITS HERE?” paper. The students wrote some clues about themselves and drew their portrait. The parents had to read the riddles and find their child’s desk!
I also had some animal crackers and a “Wild about Learning” note attached to the desk. (Scroll down for this freebie!!!) Our parent night was from 6:40-8:30 (I wish I was kidding-it was THAT long!) and I thought they might get the munchies!
As I began my presentation, I passed out the “Guess who WAS here?” paper and told the parents to take out their child’s markers and crayons. As I was giving my presentation, the parents wrote a sweet little note back to their child. The parents papercliped the note over their name tags.
The KIDS WENT CRAZY with excitement when they walked in the next day and saw a note from their parents! Some parents were even so kind to leave behind some of those animal crackers!
One other activity I did with my students in preparation of parent night was just for fun! The students filled out their “Top 10 Things for My Parents to Learn at Parent Night!”
I love how this little girl wrote for #1- DON’T STEP ON THE CARPET!! (We have a SPECIAL no shoes, only socks carpet that we use for SPECIAL occasions!)
I also like how this student wrote #10- FIND NUGGET ON THE TEACHER’S DESK! For those of you who are wondering, that is my hairy Golden Retriever. His handsome face is on a picture frame on my desk! Only one month of school and we already know each other so well!
If you are looking to post the “wild about learning” sign with some animal cookies, click below to download the file for free on my website.
Another option for you…
Your students can color these and leave them on their desk.
Click on the download button below…
One last idea….
Check out your local screen printing shop to see if they can make your team a t-shirt to wear on Parent Night. Since we only used one color ink, the shop printed them for only $10! The parents loved seeing all of the 2nd grade teachers wearing them! We even got a little rock star treatment! Many parents wanted to take our picture together. An hour after Parent Night ended, our team picture was already on Facebook (added by one of the parent paparazzi!!).
Looking for more ideas?? Read my blog post here:
*** UPDATE as of August 16, 2015*****
I created a Curriculum/Parent Night file, with all of these ideas included!
File Description:
Curriculum Night and Parent Night Resources- Whether you are a newbie teacher or a veteran teacher, the ideas presented in this file will knock the socks off the parents listening to your presentation for Curriculum Night.
There are two parts to this Zip file. The PDF file allows you to print the pages exactly as you see them presented. The PowerPoint file is available for 23 pages, and provides you with the opportunity to add your own text boxes to customize your text. All the slides in this PowerPoint file are saved as a JPEG, which protects the intellectual property of the clip art designs included in this file. I included personalized examples from my own Parent Night handouts, to give you an idea of what to include, but the opportunity to type your own text.
File includes:
1. Creative idea to display student writing for back to school bulletin board- includes colorful posters
2. A creative way to request donations for the classroom- includes posters to print for a cute display
3. My very own Parent Night handout, with blank templates for you to personalize and make your own
4. Fun ideas to for your students to get involved with Parent Night (student reproducibles)
5. Fun ideas to get your families involved (example-parent homework)
6. Two different ideas and resources to providing a sweet treat for your families.
*****Many of the pages have a black and white or color option
Click HERE to purchase the Parent Night file from Teachers Pay Teachers.
Save 10% by purchasing the Parent Night file directly from my website.
Any other ideas for Parent Night out there!?!
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15 Responses
I like the same grade level shirt idea! My teammates and I had shirts made this year too and we wore ours on Open House night. We got so many compliments on them and parents wanted to buy them for their kids!
Thanks for your ideas for Open House! I am definitely going to do the "guess who" activity next year!
These are such great ideas! I love that you were on facebook before the night ended!! And what a great idea with the "picking apples" to collect supplies.. I'm saving this for my future classroom!
The labels are brilliant! I used to just write them out with a sharpie on apples that I bought from a teacher store, and then I would forget to make a master list, and I'd be thinking up new things for the next year. Labels would mean I could just print them out each year… what time that would save!!!
Our open house was a while ago (the first week of school) and since this is my first year teaching I had NO idea what I wanted to do. I followed the other teachers and did a scavenger hunt around the room. It was fun, but I felt like if I had more time to think about it I could come up with something better!
I will definitely put these into my plans for next year!
I just found your AWESOME blog! I am your newest follower (also on Pinterest). So glad I found you. Thank you for the free printables…love the apples for open house.
I do a "monkey" theme, so my families "pick a banana" for donations! I include a parent scavenger hunt with a checklist for them to follow. In addition, I created a Back-to-School powerpoint presentation that loops so that late families will have a chance to see it also. That leaves me free to circulate the room. LOVE the Top Ten Things……definately borrowing that one!
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15 Responses
I like the same grade level shirt idea! My teammates and I had shirts made this year too and we wore ours on Open House night. We got so many compliments on them and parents wanted to buy them for their kids!
Thanks for your ideas for Open House! I am definitely going to do the "guess who" activity next year!
I love all these ideas! =)
These are such great ideas! I love that you were on facebook before the night ended!! And what a great idea with the "picking apples" to collect supplies.. I'm saving this for my future classroom!
The labels are brilliant! I used to just write them out with a sharpie on apples that I bought from a teacher store, and then I would forget to make a master list, and I'd be thinking up new things for the next year. Labels would mean I could just print them out each year… what time that would save!!!
http://onehoosierteacher.blogspot.com
These are great ideas!!
Our open house was a while ago (the first week of school) and since this is my first year teaching I had NO idea what I wanted to do. I followed the other teachers and did a scavenger hunt around the room. It was fun, but I felt like if I had more time to think about it I could come up with something better!
I will definitely put these into my plans for next year!
Thanks for sharing
http://teachingwithflare.blogspot.com/
These are all awesome ideas. I will have to remember this for next year!
I just found your AWESOME blog! I am your newest follower (also on Pinterest). So glad I found you. Thank you for the free printables…love the apples for open house.
Love these ideas! Thanks for sharing :) I also teach second grade :)
What a great blog! Thanks for sharing..
I LOVE your blog! You've got a new follower. You have such amazing ideas for Back to School Night! Love, Love, Love it!
Jen
http://www.AdventuresinMrsMartinsRoom.blogspot.com
I love these ideas and I am totally stealing, er, borrowing them for MY upcoming back to school night!!
I do a "monkey" theme, so my families "pick a banana" for donations! I include a parent scavenger hunt with a checklist for them to follow. In addition, I created a Back-to-School powerpoint presentation that loops so that late families will have a chance to see it also. That leaves me free to circulate the room. LOVE the Top Ten Things……definately borrowing that one!
What a great idea to have your powerpoint presentation loop for those late arrivals!! Best of luck as you head back to school!! :)
I love your idea of using a power point presentation loop during back to school night! What kind of things did you have in the presentation? Thanks!!
hilary2427@yahoo.com
Love these!! Can't wait to use them. Thanks so much for sharing!