These are a few of my favorite things for Back to School- btw I know you are singing just like Julie Andrews

With just one week to go before the start of school, I was perusing some of my older posts and decided to do a little best-of products and ideas summation.

Favorite Lunch Box:Planet Box
We are now on our third year of using Planet Boxes.  These are stainless steel meal boxes that might remind you of an old-school frozen dinner plate.  But it is much more than that.  Using the Planet Boxes has made making lunches sooo much easier and quicker.  It helps to create a balanced tray that doesn't look visually cluttered or overwhelming.  Since their inception into our daily routine, my picky eaters come home with empty lunch boxes; which did not happen before.  Though expensive initially, the Planet Box has probably saved me more money in food waste and a gave me a priceless peace of mind that I am making my kids balanced eaters.  Not only that, I have not had to purchase another lunch box for school.  I just purchase new magnets for $3.95 for the beginning of school and the boys are thrilled. Since my first post about this lifestyle change, they have added another version, the Shuttle, which is slightly smaller and would be perfect for preschool and daycare.  I have the Launch, and the boys have the Rover. I get lots of comments at work while I am eating (and logging my treatments).   These are truly an investment for building solid eating habits and organization.  Bonus factor, kiddos with fine motor challenges or sensory challenges can easily access these boxes to open and shut them.

Favorite App:Writing Wizard
L'escapadou hit the ball out of the park with this app.  It is still my favorite app to support good handwriting habits.  The customizability of this app is outstanding.  Many of the teachers that I have introduced to it have incorporated it into independent work stations and vocabulary lessons.  Because you can easily input words and record the pronunciation, it provides a multi sensory learning experience for those with learning challenges.  But because it is visually fun without being nauseating, kids enjoy using the app.  What I especially love about the app is that during the tracing activity, it prompts correct letter starting points and formation.  Though I use Handwriting without Tears formation, the app has D'Nealian and Zane-Bloser formation too so you can choose what works for your classroom.  Overall, this app is well worth the $2.99

Favorite Office Supply:3M Post Its.
I put them on my forehead, my shirt, my IEPS, my computer, basically anywhere I need the cue to remember to do something.  But I also came across Avery See Through sticky notes which are so convenient to have around to help visually highlight reading words or math problems so that homework doesn't seem so overwhelming.

Favorite Math Game: Think Fun! Math Dice
Any version of this game is a great go to for independent or group stations. It is easily differentiated for all levels of learners and abilities. From Math Dice Jr. to Math Dice Tournament Kit, students will be immersed with skills from number recognition to exponents.

Favorite Reading/Language Game- Think Fun! Zingo
Zingo! is bingo with an (educational) twist.  Early readers can benefit and begin to associate words and pictures as they match the tiles to the boards. Or for emergent readers, and even for small group resource time, use Sight Word Zingo to increase and fluency with sight words.

Favorite Mom Item- True Lemon, Lime and Orange

Nope, not coffee. But these True Lemon packets make me drink.  I have to be motivated to drink water. So when I finally added these little packets of bliss into my Thermos, my hydration levels improved. I don't need it sweet; I just need a little essence of citrus to make me suck it down. So not only is a caffeinated mommy a happy mommy, so is a hydrated one.

What are your favorites back to school things?

Five Bucks or less: Homework Helper

Do you or someone you know find it difficult to attend to homework assignments because it gets visually overwhelming?

I found these Avery See Through Sticky Notes at the Recycling for Rhode Island Eduction Center, and immediately thought of a variety of uses because of a couple of unique properties. First, they are sticky notes and are easily removable, no real left over tack noted. Second, they come in a couple of colors and shapes, so depending on the preference of the child, you can accommodate pretty easily. Third, you can write on them. Note, if you write or erase vigorously, the color can come off. And depending on the writing implement you use the ink may rub off onto your hands.

So here are some quick uses for homework:
1. Place it on the math problem you need your child or student to focus on or copy.  The highlighting color draws attention to the problem and helps to alleviate some of the stress when there are multiple problems to complete.

 2. The child can then either write directly on the highlight sheet to complete the work, then copy it over if neatness is an issue.

3. Use the highlight to make a reading assist.  Trim the sticky note to the size of the font/spacing in a book the student is reading. Then the child can focus on the line(s) at a time and can follow the left to right, top to bottom reading, without skipping lines.

There's a Fly Guy in my Soup by Tedd Arnold

4. Same theory as above, teachers could stick these highlight papers in the big books they read to children as a cue for a new word.

Now I found them at an educator's discount place, noted above, so I paid 10 for $1.  But if you don't have access to a place like that, then these sticky notes can run anywhere from $3.50 and up for a package of 50 sheets.  But it may be a small price to pay to increase confidence and decrease stress during those pesky, and visually overwhelming assignments.

If you have more ideas on how you can use these See Through Sticky Notes, please post them on the blog response or my Facebook page.  I would love to add more ideas to my mental rolodex!