Encourage Student Writing with Old Calendars

The teacher's lounge. The place we kick back and put up our feet (haha), collaborate with other teachers, share our joy, and voice our frustrations. It is also the place that people DUMP THEIR STUFF! Seriously. Every time someone cleans out a closet, moves, or just plain needs to get rid of stuff it all goes in the teacher's lounge. Anyone else have this happen? 

Well, I am HORRIBLE at HOARDING things because they look awesome and I just know I can use it someday. The teacher's lounge dumping spot is something I try to avoid. HOWEVER...I found some awesome CALENDARS in there the other day and I knew I could put them to instant use. Fun Friday was coming and I knew they would make a great center. 

The calendars.....well I didn't take a before picture but you know what type of calendars I mean. Lots of pictures of cars, beautiful scenery, animals....the type of calendar that people give away as a business. At the end of the year they dump them all because really, who can use an old calendar? 

Kindergarten students that's who! 

I put the calendars at a cutting station for Fun Friday and let their creativity fly. We have some large writing paper that I hoarded years ago so I set that out too. Here are the results: 

Each student found a fun way to use the calendars. The boys loved all of the cars and motorcycles, the girls went for all of the pretty sunset pictures, and a few just put together a mod podge of pictures because it was fun to cut them all out! 

 Vegas was a very popular theme this fun Friday!

This little guy is so talented but doesn't always write a lot. This was huge for him! 

At first I was sad this student didn't really write anything and then I noticed the cutting around the car. This was awesome fine motor practice. 

I love the science connection with this one. "That family is going to look for food". Yes, that is exactly what it looks like! 

I got more writing out of all of my students because they weren't distracted by the drawing. The student that might be too intimidated to draw a detailed picture didn't have to worry about that with this project. All in all it was a great addition to our centers this week. 

Are you a hoarder too? Then you probably have some of these calendars laying around. Try this out!