Teaching Ever After

I am sure I am not the first person or the last person to say I <3 PINTEREST! This site has changed my life. Ok maybe not my life, but it at least changes the way I plan for a party, decide on what to take to a gathering, or way I teach certain things in my classroom. My most recent find was a Valentine's Day craft. It was a monster box that would be used as a Valentine holder at the class party. The thing that bummed me out was the pin led to a picture that had a website written on the side and the site didn't exist. I decided I was crafty enough to put this thing together without any direction. So I tried it and it was very easy and just as cute or cuter than the original pin! My students spotted it and immediately began asking if we were going to be making it. I thought to myself this could go VERY bad and I will probably totally regret this after it's done, but I have to do it now since they are so excited. So we did it... and it was the best craft I have ever done with my class! They were the cutest little Love Monsters ever! Here is how I did it.

I first had everyone paint an empty tissue box ( I had a TON of boxes saved up because I typically do a Boxcar Children activity in the Fall, but since I was on maternity leave they were just piling up). This was the part I was most nervous about. Can you imagine 24 second graders painting at the same time??? It was my only option though otherwise this project would take FOREVER! We are fortunate enough to have a hub with tables in it. So I set up 4 painting stations. I gave them a choice of pink, purple, red, or blue. I only allowed 4 students to go at a time to each station, but it actually worked out due to absences. This part actually could not have gone smoother. They were so thrilled to be painting that they just quietly got the job done. I put them on the counter to dry and we called it a day.

The rest of the project went relatively smoothly. It was interesting trying to teach them how to cut out paper hearts, but most of them got it and those that didn't got help from their friends. They needed 6 hearts about 3 inches or so for the eyes, hands, and antennae toppers. 2 accordion folded arms, 2 pipe cleaners that I had them twist around a marker, and two buttons (the original pin used googly eyes).

They were able to attach everything themselves except the antennae. I taped the paper hearts to the top of the pipe cleaner and hot glued the bottom of the pipe cleaner to the box. I probably could have hot glued the paper heart to the pipe cleaner too, but it didn't occur to me until just now. They were so proud and excited to see how differently everyone's Love Monster turned out!