Money is Money!

Happy Show and Tell Tuesday! Today I'm going to share two things... well, actually two similar things... so really one... but who's splitting hairs. Thanks to Stephanie for the linky!

We have a friend who is a financial planner. He sometimes shares advice, and one of his regular quotes is, "Money is money." That's his way of saying make it and save it when you can because even small amounts add up.

I think of him as I share info on two money making programs– Ziggedy and EBates. I use both of them because they are so darn easy and they do help put real money in your pocket. Ziggedy is a program that helps teachers raise money for their classroom. Every time I shop online a little Ziggedy reminder pops up when the store site is part of their program. I click the button, then shop, and then a small percentage of my total purchase amount goes into my account. I get a check every quarter. This program is only for teachers, and the money is to be spent on the classroom, but what you actually buy for the classroom is up to you.

You can ask parents and others to sign up to support your classroom but you don't have to. If you do, when they shop a small amount of their purchase amount goes into your account. I don't have a lot of supporters- a few parents and a couple close friends. I have been doing the program less than two years. I have received just over $100. I bought some iPad covers and am about to buy an external microphone for recording with the kiddos. Not grand, but appreciated.

EBates works the same way, but you don't need to be a teacher. Anyone can sign up and usually get between 1 - 6% of the amount of purchase. I have been participating with EBates for less time, but because they give you a ten dollar bonus when you sign up, I got a small check even starting the first quarter.

Ziggedy and EBates get the money they pass on to you by charging the participating companies a referral fee. I have yet to run into any kind of hassle with either program. No excessive amounts of emails or reminders, or anything. And you don't have to hustle or sell anything. You just get small checks for the shopping that you'd do anyway.

You can check out either program by clicking on the Ziggedy or EBates buttons in my sidebar to the right. I don't do advertising on the blog– maybe I'll change my mind in the future but I really can't stand to run into advertising when I'm reading. I don't begrudge people who write good content some compensation, I just find the advertising annoying to look at. I would be remiss not to share something that has worked for me, though. If you don't want to click on the buttons, which will give me five bucks if you join up, then that is alright, too. But do google and check them out... unless you don't do ANY online shopping, or you don't need ANYTHING for your classroom, it behooves you to know about them. And remember you don't have to be a teacher to participate in EBates.

Money is money, after all.

Now click on back to Forever in Fifth Grade for more Shows and Tells.

Thanks for stopping by!

Teacher Finds!

It's all my fault. You can blame me. I put my snow boots away on Monday and NOW look what came back!

Those are big fluffy flakes of snow coming down!

Grrrr.

As I write this it has turned mostly to rain, and nothing is sticking outside. But still. Some Spring Break. sigh

Enough on the weather. I link with Doodle Bugs Teaching today to share something I did for spring break... I went shopping! Check out what I found at both Dollarama (yep, I crossed the border) and IKEA. The IKEA items you will only find at IKEA, I think. But if you don't have a Dollarama nearby, I bet many similar items are in your local Dollar Store or Five Below.  If nothing else, reading today might just give you some new ideas on how to use common items. Buying new classroom stuff to spice up the last quarter of the year for not a lot of money makes my teacher heart happy, and will make my kiddos happy, too, when they get back from break. And I do have to admit, today's Five for Friday is more of a Quick Ten for Friday– there's lots you don't want to miss!

1.  I picked up a few cheap bunches of silk flowers.

They were $1.50 each, I think. The kids will enjoy a spring theme in their small world play.  I cut them up so there are little flowers to scatter about on the "green grass," and the stems and leaves can be turned into trees with a little plasticine to hold them up. I found these big leaves that will make trees and habitats, too. Plasticine bricks were also at the Dollarama– rather good sized bricks of one color, as opposed to packs that hold several colors, and which the kids muck together to make brown anyway. 

    

2.  These little shells will be fun in small world, loose parts, and our counting jars. I will use the cute jars for something else.

   

3.  I LOVE these letters, especially the small ones in the tray. 

There are four of each letter and they were only four dollars. I would have gotten more, but they only had two trays left. Letters are always handy for letter and word learning, but I think I'm going to put them out in loose parts play, too.

4.  More for small world play. 

The cutest little character erasers. Look! The pandas have already escaped from their neat plastic test tube jars... something else I will put to further use later.

5.   Google eye magnets? Are you kidding me.

I can see these popping up on the white board, the kids lap boards, lots of places. The pack was just $1.25.  It always feels like, somebody's watching me...

6.   How fun are THESE! 

Colorful emoji tacks. They belong on a special bulletin board display... which I have yet to make up– snort. But I Will! 

7.   I sure hope these are not just a Dollarama thing because I'm going to regret not getting more.

Very handy and inexpensive gadget bin boxes to keep bitsy bits in. One has adjustable compartment sizes, too– loose parts all the way. And only three bucks. Whoot! 

8.   I don't know about you, but I need lots of attractive trays and bins to use when I put out all these little parts, whether they are for small world or loose part play. 

I have round compartmentalized snack dip trays to use on our round tables. They are easy to find for just a dollar at the dollar store. However, we have two rectangular tables, too, and the round trays take up too much room. These long trays and the compartment bin trios were exactly what I was looking for. They will work well when lined up right down the center of the tables.

9.   Now for a couple IKEA items. Our green grass bases in small world play comes from this throw rug from Ikea. I didn't buy it on this week's trip, but I share it here because I saw they still have them and took a snapshot. Isn't it a lovely green grass color? And the knapp height is grasslike, too.

I cut the big piece into six pieces, making each about 10 x 15 inches, and less than two dollars a piece. And the back is really neat and easy to cut in straight lines. Even with lots of kid play they have not frayed at all. 

Here is a piece in action. 

10.  And this last little share I am really excited about. I know I have seen these at IKEA before, but just never thought about them. 

Note the size– 8.5 x 11. The exact size of a sheet of plain copy paper. My kiddos use this paper the most when creating freestyle in the Light Bulb Lab. Their creations will fit perfectly in these frames. I think I am going to find a place to hang two to highlight the "Artists of the Week." This little gallery won't be juried and everyone will get a chance to put things in, but it will be a little nudge for the kidpeople to do their personal best work, and give them incentive to look with a reflective eye at what their best work is. Teacher Happy!

AND I took off the backs and plexi on six of the frames and spray painted them black. (IKEA might very well sell them in black, but they didn't have any the day we were there.) 

These I'm going to use as simple empty frames. When put them out on the table top as part of loose play it defines the space nicely for kids and pushes them to design more in the space. The plexi pieces from the frames will be handy for some other project, knowing me. 

And BEST of all these frames are just THREE bucks each! Nice wooden frames, at this large size, and only three dollars. Whoot! 

Well, there you have it. Some people get out of town to warm and sunny places– I drive over the bridge in cold and dreary weather to shop for teacher finds. So much fun.  I HIGHLY recommend checking out Dollarama if you can get into Canada, or even look for these things in the States. If they exist in the world, they'll be coming to a Dollar Store near you soon! And as most of you know, IKEA is a teacher treasure trove and worth the trip. 

Hope you found some new ideas! Don't forget to PIN so you remember later. Scoot on back to Five for Friday now and see what other ideas you can find. Thanks, Kasey, for your weekly linky.

Thanks for stopping by!