"Kid-Created" Alphabet!

Hey everyone!

I want to share with you one of my favorite activities that I have done so far this year.  I have to start by explaining that I firmly believe in having students create or at least take part in creating most of the things that hang in my classroom.  I am trying to move away from commercially-bought products and focus more on things that we create in class together.  Which leads me to my new alphabet line that I am completely in love with!  I can't take credit for the idea, I saw a student-made alphabet line in one of my amazing colleagues rooms who teaches 3rd grade and I fell in love with the idea!

I had been using this alphabet line (pictured on the right) for the past few years, and it was fine, but the kids didn't have a connection to it.  I feel like anything that is already hanging on the walls when the kids come to you just becomes part of the background to them and they stop noticing it.  That is why I chose not to hang an alphabet strip for Meet the Teacher Night and the first few days of school (gasp, I know!).  They have their own personal alphabet strip on their name tags anyways so I didn't think it was the end of the world, and now I'm definitely glad that I waited.  When they saw their very own alphabet hanging on the wall, they were so excited!

Here are some pictures:

I LOVE how colorful they turned out!  When you walk into my room, it is the first thing that your eyes are drawn to, and the kids are so proud!

If you would like to do this project with your own class, click HERE or the image below to download the alphabet cards for free from my TPT store!  All I ask is that if you download, please follow this blog and my TPT store!

Thanks!  Happy teaching!