I know many of you are so close to the end of the school year, but here in NY, we are just starting our countdown! Today was our first day of our ABC Countdown to the End of the Year...aka Summer Vacation! I had some fun Alphabet Clips from Dancing Crayon Designs that were screaming to be used and they worked out PERFECT for our countdown door- they look like they are 'in lights!' I originally went to school for Art Therapy and had wanted to be an art teacher, so 'art' is near and dear to my heart. Today was all about creative juices...and boy were they flowing! Through the year I have a scrap bucket- it gets picked at, but never has it seen the LOVE it got today! The kids were SHOCKED that I literally DUMPED it in our meeting area- and then told them to make WHATEVER they wanted! At first it was a MAD DASH for the bits of gold, neon and other 'specialty' scraps, but that quickly faded and the real creating came into play! Look at some of these creations: Each were as unique as the next! As much as I would have LOVED to keep them and hang them, I never let them take projects home the day we create them, so I knew it was only fair to say 'and don't put them out in the hall- leave them at your seat because you are taking them home today!' WHAT? WHAT did she just say? We can REALLY take them home?! YES! I wanted them to share their art with their families for A is for Art Day! At the end of the day we put a 'check' on 'A' to show it was done (I SOOO love crossing things off a list- checks are just as good!) I had thought about ripping each letter off, but thought it would be more meaningful for them to see what we had done and how much more we have to go. I know you may be WELL past your '26 day countdown' but I did put my template (copy of what I used and a blank editable copy) as well as the fun countdown letters (and a clip art 'check' [I had made mine from construction paper] into a FREE download! You may not be able to use it this year, but simply pin this image to remind you for next year: and it will bring you right back to this post where you can find the download! I'd like to credit and thank the following clip artists and font creators that I used in the free download: Dancing Crayon Designs (ABC Clipart) Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah Designs (Summer Border) Educlips (Check Clipart) KG Fonts (KG Miss Kindergarten and KG Red Hands Fonts) Tomorrow we are ready for a fun BINGO day for 'B'! I am hoping to take pictures and post our most 'glorious' days to share with you all! Enjoy your last few days, weeks or month with your students! Until next post,