Category Archives: Back to School

Teacher Week 2015: Make Ahead Teacher Meals

Today I’m linking up with Blog Hoppin’ to share some quick and easy make ahead meal ideas. For me I know that when I’m hungry I need to eat…and I mean RIGHT AWAY! So I can’t mess around with a lot of prep at meal time. I would rather put the time in on a different day, when I’m not so hungry, and basically have a grab-and-go type meal during meal times.

I love quick, easy, healthy meals like this quinoa spread. Here’s the recipe!

Quick and easy food doesn’t have to compromise delicious flavor and nutrition (unless we’re talking fast food and then..well all bets are off).

One of our favorite quick weekly lunch ideas is salad jars. I love that you can make them any type of salad you want and then store them in the fridge and grab out during the week when you’re ready to eat. Good-To-Go!

My favorite salad to make is taco salad. I put all of the wet ingredients at the bottom of the jar (beans, tomatoes, etc) and then put the lettuce at the top so it doesn’t get too soggy. Then I grab a baggy of chips to bring along and during lunchtime just mix them all together on a plate and VIOLA insta-delicious and nutritious lunch. Our salad jars usually keep in the refrigerator about 4 or 5 days.

Specifics to remember when making salad jar meals:

1. Put your dressing on the bottom. (This will keep your salad from getting too soggy)

2. Layer in your heartier veggies or toppings next; beans, cucumbers, carrots etc.

3. Then, place your lighter ingredients like quinoa, tomatoes, strawberries, mandarin oranges, onions etc.

4. On the very top stack your favorite greens. My personal favorite is a mixed salad greens that includes spinach. Yum-O-Me!

For Dinners we like to follow a general “theme nights” schedule like this one:

We also love and use Plan-to-Eat weekly to make our menu. It automatically generates your shopping list for you and you can store your recipes on the site too. I love that I can set it up to cook and meal prep right from my iPad or phone. If you become friends with us on the site you can see all of our recipes and menus too. It’s pretty cool!

If you want a free trial check it out HERE.

I would love to hear what you do for easy meal prepping during the week. Comment below with your favorite quick and healthy meal idea.

New School Year- New Beginnings

TpT Back to School Sale 2014

Change Your Mind!

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Have you ever considered the power of a single thought? I just love the quote by Henry Ford that says, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t–you’re right!”

I remember as a young girl hearing my mom say, “Change your attitude Michaela” (not that I ever had a poor attitude growing up…HA). I remember thinking, How can I just go and change my attitude? This is how I’m feeling, and this is how it is.

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OWL-standing Behavior {An Owl Themed Behavior System}

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Click on the picture to purchase the Owl Clip Chart System

I know I know, I have an owl obsession! There is just something about themes and those cute little owls that are so exciting to me. I love when everything matches and flows together. This OWL-standing Behavior System, came from my desire to give the students a visual of the choices they were making. Then I figured if they could SEE that they were headed in a downward spiral, they would have more of a chance to change their behavior for the better. After much research and years of card charts, stop lights, treasure chests and more, I landed on this clip chart idea. I loved so much how it gave the students plenty of visuals and opportunity to be responsible for their own behavior and choices.

OWL-standing Behavior Clip Chart (2 color options), Parent Letter, Student Behavior Log, Owl Themed Punch Cards, Reward Binder Cover and over 25 Reward Insert Pages!

Since I have an owl obsession, I adapted the clip chart to an owl theme and created an Owl Themed Rewards Binder. The rewards binder is full of fun “experiences” rather than things. From “Whooo’s Desk is it Anyway?(Trade desks with a friend for a day) to “Owl Just Pass”(Get a free pass for no homework) students will get a hoot (couldn’t resist) out of the fun wording and rewards they can earn. Meanwhile, I just loved not having to buy any little trinkets for a treasure chest or handing out candy as rewards. The students get punches on their owl themed punch cards and save them up to purchase the Owl Rewards that they want.

The Owl Clip Chart at work in Angie’s Classroom!

I hope you all have an OWL-standing year and that this Behavior System can help you manage your classroom smoothly this coming year!

Happy Teaching,

Michaela Peterson

10 Exciting Back-to-School Gifts!

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I {heart} back to school time! It’s such a hustle and bustle time of year for parents, students and teachers. I’m always looking for cute, and fun ways to welcome students back to school. Here are 10 exciting back to school gifts that you can give your students, or even make for your own child to ease the first day jitters!

You’re oFISHally a ______! Gift Tags

These oFISHally Gifts Tags are my personal favorite (maybe because I made them!). You can attach this little gift tag to a baggie of swedish fish or even goldfish crackers. My students couldn’t stop saying “I’m O-FISH-ally {insert cracking up with laughter} a first grader!” Click on the picture for a free download!

Sweet treat pencils

Aren’t these sweet little pencil treats just the cutest? You could even attach little gift tags that say something like “What a “sharp” group of “sweeties” I have this year!” or “You’re so ‘sharp’!”

S’more Treat Bags

Who can resist S’mores??? These sweet treats are sure to bring smiles on the first day or week back. Click on the picture for her free printable labels (soooo cute!).

You’re so sharp!

These “You’re so sharp!” gifts would be a perfect “non-candy” way to welcome your kiddos back. I love how colorful the gift tags are too.

LUCKY Gift Bags

What a colorful way to let the students know how lucky you are to have them in class!

Back to School Gift Bag

You could do a whole gift bag for each student. This gift bag has a poem attached and inside the bag she put eraser’s, pencils, etc. that went with the welcome poem on the outside of the bag.

Glow Sticks “We’re going to have a ‘bright’ year!”

Here is another “non-food” gift that is affordable and fun. Glow sticks with tags attached that say “We’re going to have a bright year!”

Calculator Gift

How fun is this giant calculator gift?!? I thought it would be a perfect gift for students in the middle/upper grades.

Smarty Pants Gift

I die! Look at those little smarty pants!! 🙂 You can put your smarties candies in there and attach a tag that says something like “Welcome to First Grade Smarty Pants!” HA. Too cute!

You’re One Smart Cookie

I MUST have food on my mind with all of these treat gifts. “You’re one Smart Cookie” can use a variety of different cookies to attach to (you could even make your own).

Teacher Survival Gift

Let’s not forget the teacher! Here’s a super cute Teacher Survival Kit, that has most of the items found at the dollar store.

Hope you all have a wonderful first day/week back at school and that you find the perfect welcome back gift for your students!

Happy Teaching,

Michaela 🙂

Owl Theme Classroom {Top Seller!}

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All you need to start off your OWL-Standing year!

So I screamed today! Yes out loud! I think I scared my husband a little bit. I was scrolling through the top 100 products on Teachers Pay Teachers for the week, and imagine my surprise and delight when I saw my Owl Themed Classroom in the top 100 list!! AAAHHHHHHH!! There I go again.

The Top 100 Products!

My husband was quick to point out that it’s in the PreK-2 category which is one of the most competitive areas (LOVE that guy!).

So of course I had to take a few screen shots to document this amazing day! God is GOOD!

There I am, #88!

I looked at this screen for several minutes. Top Sellers on all sides of MY Owl Unit! (If you are a TpT Seller you will KNOW what I’m talkin’ about.)

So Ok. Enough about that. I thought, under the circumstances, that today would be the perfect day to share about my Owl Unit. It really has been one of my favorites to make so far, and the CA-UTE little Owl clip art is to die for.

My awesome friend Angie, from Teach and Re-Teach, is going back to teaching Pre-K and K this year at a fun little school by Seattle. She has two little ones of her own, and is busy busy busy, but still wanted to have a fun, cute owl theme in her classroom this year. She gave me a few of her ideas of clip arts she liked and a few things she wanted included in the packet. After I saw the amazing clip art, I was inspired and took off with creating this Owl Theme Classroom.

Inside the Owl Theme Classroom

This set includes Name Tags, Behavior Chart, Word Wall Letters, Calendar Pieces, Newsletter Templates and so much more! It even includes 15 Editable pages that you can type your own text right into.

Calendar Items

Table Numbers, Number Posters 1-20, Centers Posters

Whoo’s in Our Class?, Girl’s/Boy’s Pass, Behavior Chart, Job Chart

Click on any of the pictures if you’d like to purchase my Owl Theme Classroom {Back to School Essentials}!

Happy Teaching,

Michaela 🙂