Sudoku Interactive Bulletin Board Tutorial

Do you have students who need some movement after they have finished working or just need a brain break activity? Sudoku is your answer! I have always loved Sudoku because it deals with numbers but it doesn't involve math. According to Merriam Webster Dictionary, Sudoku is defined as "a puzzle in which missing numbers are to be filled into a 9 by 9 grid of squares which are subdivided into 3 by 3 boxes so that every row, every column, and every box contains the numbers 1 through 9". I tell my students they are using deductive reasoning to complete the puzzle. When I tell them there is no math involved they are game to play!

This post contains affiliate links. 

Here is how you can make your own giant Interactive Sudoku Bulletin Board for your classroom. Click here to purchase the kit.

CLICK HERE to see some teacher shared pictures of how they have used this resource to fit their classroom!

Step 1:
Print numbers one through nine on white paper. These will serve as your "original puzzle". These are the numbers the students will not move. Then, print numbers one through nine on colored paper. I like to print mine on nine different colors! You will then print the playing board which is a nine by nine grid. I highly recommend laminating so your board will last for years!

Step 2:
You'll need a way to store your extra numbers for students to grab to put on the board. I love these mini file folders to organize them on the board. Click here to get your own.(Affiliate link) I write the numbers on the tab and use double sided tape to place a number on the outside. I also laminate these folders so they will hold up to wear. I use the folders for the "original puzzle" pieces (the white numbers) and store in a quart sized baggie in my desk. 

Step 3:
Next you'll need a way for the numbers to stick to your board. In the past I used thumb tacks on the side of the board. That board lasted four years and could have been more but this year I used Velcro Dots on the back of the numbers. I think this will last longer than the thumb tacks. Click here for the Velcro dots I used.(Affiliate link) I suggest putting the soft side on the back of the numbers and the tough side of the Velcro on the board. 

Step 4:
Staple up your title, game instructions, and number folders. Put up the original puzzle(the white numbers) and let your students start thinking! 

Tips for using the board:
I usually allow for this during homeroom, warm-up time, coming into or leaving the class, or other down-time. I do not allow them to get up during instruction or while working on an assignment. You can use this as a reward too! Be sure to explain and model how to place numbers on the board. Remind students that they do not move the white pieces. I do not let students hover over the board. I tell them since they can view it from their seats to get up when the time is appropriate. I do not allow more than three students at a time to be at the board. 
In the beginning when students are just learning I usually check that the number is correct before allowing them to place on the board. I also love having them explain how they figured out the number to put up. 

Click here to get the Sudoku Bulletin Board Kit for your classroom!

I hope you enjoy and have fun! I'd love to see your completed board! Tag me on Instagram @activityaftermath Let me know if you have any questions! 

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DIY Classroom Labels

#LabelAllTheThings

I love having my classroom organized and being able to quickly know where something is located which also helps my students stay organized. I am lucky to have a science classroom with drawers around the perimeter instead of bookshelves for storage. 

I saw a short video of this method on Facebook labeling jars in the pantry. I thought there is NO way that works. Well, first day of pre-planning while staring at a sea of drawers with no labels got me thinking. These labels have held up for two solid years already and aren’t going anywhere. These labels work on any smooth surface! This could be done on plastic tubs, windows, dry erase boards, desk tops, etc. 

Supplies:

Printer, Clear packing tape, Scissors, Craft Stick, Water, Bucket or Sink

Step 1:

Create your design in Word or PowerPoint. You can insert clip art and use any style of font you want. I kept the same style of font and set up for each label. Print out your document on regular white copy paper. *Tip: Create a table in PowerPoint or Word to keep your designs around the same size and layout. Eliminate the table borders before you print.


Step 2:

Get your clear packing tape and carefully tape over the words on the paper. If your design is larger than one width of the packing tape you can overlap the tape just a little. Be careful not to have any bubbles or creases in the tape.

Step 3:

Use a craft stick or the handles of scissors to rub over the words. This is super important! You will see the ink “sink” into the tape’s adhesive. The ink goes from cloudy to super black.

Step 4:

Cut out your label. I like the label to be rectangular.

Step 5:

Put all your labels in a bucket, sink, or cup of water. They will curl up all together. Let the labels sit in the water for about 3 minutes. This step is important because the longer you let the label sit the easier it is to get the paper off.

Step 6:

Start rubbing the back side of the label (the side with paper) with your thumbs. The paper will start peeling off. Keep rubbing at the paper until it is all off and in the water and you are left with a clear label with all your design transferred! The label will not feel sticky from the tape while wet, but it will after it dries. 

 

 

Step 7:
I go ahead and place the label on the drawer and smooth out any bubbles or creases before it dries. I like to wipe off the label with a paper towel.

 

-->Here are some awesome things about these DIY labels:

• They look like vinyl labels but without having to use vinyl.
• They are able to be moved. Easily pull them off without leaving any gross residue on your cabinets, walls, desks.
• I can use any font and clip art I want in any size I want!
• It looks professional on your things instead of handwritten labels.
• Students know exactly which drawer something is located in.
• Kids do not mess with them. (Maybe I should knock on wood…!)
• You only have to buy clear packing tape which you probably have sitting in a drawer somewhere so they are super cheap.

Here is another quote sign I made using A Perfect Blend's Font for the corner of my dry erase board!

 

I hope you have fun creating and labeling all the things this super easy DIY way! I’d love to see any labels you make for your classroom. Tag me on Instagram @activityaftermath

Let me know if you have any questions! Happy Teaching!

How to Make an AWESOME #Hashtag bulletin board!

There are some great back to school signs out there for those #firstdayofschool moments with your children and/or students. I thought why can't we make these for our middle school students? I can't say I have a first day of my eighth grade year picture anywhere(nor do I think I even want to see one! Yikes!). This is a great way to use a bulletin board in the hallway or commons area for students to use as a backdrop for their pictures! Get one of each of your students and let them take some pictures with their friends! This will be up for Open House night so my students can even have their parents take their picture with them!

I printed these letters out on gorgeous Astrobrights paper. I like that it was already a theme of colors that are coordinated. I couldn't go wrong here. I alternated colors because I like the way it looks. You could do one solid color paper. We do not have color printers and I don't want to spend the money to get them made so this is a cheaper alternative!   

The next step is to cut out those letters! Take your time. Trust me. You don't want to cut too much off. I like to leave a small sliver of colored paper on the outside of the black lines.

Next is to laminate! *This is also optional! I sometimes don't have time to laminate so I simply staple the letters right up knowing I won't be able to use them again next year. If you want it to last-laminate the letters! 

Be sure to lay out your letters on your floor or a counter to be sure you have everything spelled out (correctly!) and it looks how you want.

I am using a navy fabric to back my bulletin board. This will prevent fading from the sun or students writing something on the butcher paper. Be sure to measure your bulletin board's length before you shop. Most bulletin boards are 4 feet tall. Fabric is usually 45 inches wide. You can see that the edges of the fabric at the top are jagged. This works because you will cover the gaps with your border. I did a double layer of border to add dimension. I simply hot glued the solid border to the silver edge of the bulletin board! *Forgive the bad lighting!

Staple your letters up high enough so if students are standing in front of the board it will still show in the picture.

Staple your letters onto the top portion of the board! Add a side decoration and that is it!

I chose to do lots of paper rosettes in the same paper I printed the letters on to match and have a large decoration off to the side. I have seen these online and in craft stores already made. I took the long route and made my own. Click here for the EASY tutorial on how I made my paper rosettes. 

That’s it! You are done! I’ve made a hashtag for each grade level as well as a few others. Click here for the Hashtag Bulletin Board Kit. 

I'd love to see your completed bulletin boards! Tag me on Instagram @activityaftermath