Friday, June 18, 2010

Craft Storage Ideas




My dream closet!



I don’t know about you, but my CCD craft supplies are taking over the house. Hubby says I’m hogging the closets and our guest room doesn’t look like a place anyone in their right mind would like to stay. Craft supplies can be big and bulky and can get out of control especially when you have to collect objects to make some of the crafts (example: Welch’s Grape Juice plastic containers, toilet paper rolls, glass jars, etc.). My parish craft supplies are limited so I provide most of my own for my classroom. I also have several samples of crafts to show the students so they will understand what we are making.

So what can we do? We can’t get rid of our craft supplies.



Crafts Storage Ideas:

familycrafts.about.com- Tips for Storing and Organizing Your Craft Supplies

familycrafts.about.com- Top Craft Supply Storage Ideas

goodhousekeeping.com- Easy Organizing: Craft Supplies
(Just click on the slide show and ideas will pop up beside it on the right side.)

thriftyfun.com- Organizing Craft Supplies In A Small Space

giverslog.com- Organizing Kid’s Art and Crafts Supplies

hubpages.com- Organize Craft Supplies! (pictured is the inside of Martha Stewart’s Craft Armoire)

marthastewart.com- Making a Craft Armoire (you can make this in a spare closet or shelves on a wall)

bhg.com- The Perfect Craft Cabinet (you can make this in a spare closet or shelves on a wall)
*Also known as “My Dream Closet”.

homemadesimple.com- Craft Area Storage Tips

containerstore.com- White elfa Crafts Closet



*Time for me to get busy and clean up my craft mess. I’ll be sure to post what I finally come up with.





Monday, June 14, 2010

Pro Life: Look Who's Growing Dominos (game)



This game is free, however it is only to be used for classroom and personal use. It may not be published on any websites or other electronic media, or distributed in newsletters, bulletins, or any other form or sold for profit. Reproduction or retransmission of any materials, in whole or in part, in any manner, is not permitted. All graphics/images/clipart etc. used on all activities are not my own and are from various internet sources.



Look Who’s Growing Dominos: A fun way to educate young students that babies grow into adults to help promote Pro Life.

Introduce the game by discussing how babies grow after they are born. Example: What happens to babies after they are born? Do they stay the same size? Do they become bigger? How big do they grow? What do children become when they get older? What do they look like? What do you call someone who is all grown up? Etc.




4 pages of dominos




Look Who’s Growing Dominos Game- Shuffle/mix up dominos and place them all face down on the table in one pile.

For a two player game, each player should draw 4 dominos at random, for a game with more players; each player should draw 3 dominos. Do not let the other players see your dominos.

The youngest player should go first by laying any domino on the table. In the typical game you'd lay a double (one with the same image in both squares, but this is optional in the easy version -- I find it a tough rule to explain to the little ones and usually results in my having to look at their cards).

Player two tries to lay a domino on the table with an image that matches either end of the domino. If you cannot go, pick a domino from the pile and miss your turn. The next player may try to match the first domino image or try to match the end of the second domino image. Only one domino may be played per turn. Should the last domino be drawn with no play possible, the player passes and tries again on his/her next turn.

Play continues until one player has used all his dominos or until no one can play. The player with no dominos or with the least number of remaining dominos wins.



Sunday, June 6, 2010

CCD Registration Form






Before a student can attend CCD, the parents must fill out a registration form. The form differs from parish to parish, but most are relatively the same. Each year a new registration form needs be filled out by the parent to keep it up to date.

*NOTE- Having a registration form for each student (one form per child) makes is easier for the DRE and the office to keep records for each child.



Each registration form is usually on one or two pages and may consist of:


General Information- Student’s name, sex, birth date, age, address where they live and who they live with, parent’s name and address, religion, phone numbers (cell, home, work, emergency, etc.), e-mail, etc.


Medical- Any medical information that the program should be aware of (food allergies, taking medication, medical needs, etc.)


Child’s Physician- Name of physician and contact information.


Special Needs- Does the student have special needs? (Physical, Learning Disability, etc.)


Sacraments Received- Chart of the sacraments received: (Baptized, First Penance/Reconciliation, First Communion, Confirmation). The chart should include: Sacrament, Year, Church, City/State, Copy of Certificate Attached. Having this in a chart makes it easier for the DRE to see what the child has completed and what needs to be done.





Choice of Day/Time Preference of CCD- Class assignments are usually made on a first-come, first-placed basis in regards to the first choice of sessions. When to register for CCD classes depends upon the parish. Catechists, aides, and volunteers may have the opportunity to register their children during a pre-registration period in the spring. Following pre-registration, those families with children currently enrolled in the program may receive an application for registration. All completed applications usually need to be hand delivered or mailed to the Religious Education Office and include payment in full before they can be accepted.


Fee- If the parish has a fee for CCD, full payment is usually required before the child is accepted and assigned a class. The fee can be $15 - $75 for one child and can reach up to $150. Additional children from one family are charged a lesser fee usually according to how many children they have. Sacramental classes are sometimes an added expense and charge an extra $25 to $50, sometimes more. Catechists usually can register early and their children can sometimes go free. In some parishes by registering early, families can receive a discount. Financial Aid may be offered for those families that can demonstrate a true need. Decisions regarding financial aid are typically made by the DRE in consultation with the priest.


Concerns of Parent(s)- medical, educational, etc.


Emergency Medical Release Statement - Parents are sometimes required to sign an emergency medical release statement: As a parent and/or guardian, I do herewith authorize the treatment by a qualified and licensed medical doctor of the following minor in the event of a medical emergency which, in the opinion of the attending physician, may endanger his or her life, cause disfigurement, physical impairment or undue discomfort if delayed. This authority is granted only after a reasonable effort has been made to reach me.


Picture/Name Permission- Parents can choose whether or not they give the religious education program permission to take pictures and use the name of their child.


CCD Program Parent/Student Handbook- Before your child can attend CCD the CCD Program Parent/Student Handbook must be read, signed, and dated by the parent(s) and the child.


Signature of Parent(s) and Date- By signing this it verifies that I understand the information in the registration form and that the above information that I provided is correct.



*What else could be in the CCD Registration Form? Please leave a comment and add to the list.