We delivered our 1st Boxed.PD! What is Boxed.PD?

Today we delivered our first Boxed.PD. ... (we are still trying to figure out a better name but we aren't letting that stop us for now, if you have suggestions please leave a comment below!)...

Our first recipient was an Instructional Coach in the area who asked for a box focused on Coaching/Mentoring. Tyler Hellmann and I worked with Michelle Vaughn who helped us gather a couple resource focused on Coaching/Mentoring and more specifically observation which is what this coach asked us to focus on. It was nice to collaborate with others in our agency to create something like this!

I am glad I had Crystal Marshal's (@crystalmmarshal) help me with this process! She was nice enough to send a box to for me to check out what they send and it gave us great ideas for items to add to the box and formatting of the documents. Here is the blog post from edSurge that gave us this idea.


Our goal for these boxes is to Design, develop, and implement professional learning programs (i.e. Boxed.PD) to promote digital age best practices in teaching, learning, and assessment. (Aligns with the ISTE Coaching Standards #2 d)

We are already creating out next box, we will stick with Coaching/Mentoring but this time the focus will be building relationships and ideas for pop-up PD's. If you have any resources that you think would be helpful for this topic please add them to the comments below!


Here is the final project that was delivered today! We can't wait to get feedback from our recipients!

Spark Creativity with Osmo Monster!

I love seeing the joy and excitement my son shows while working with the Osmo this week.

Here are some great resources to help integrated Osmo - Monster into your preschool or early elementary classroom.

Updated TPT Products and Store Name!

Be sure to check out my updated products in my TPT Store!

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Digital-Play-Learn

I am also in the process of changing over the title of my blog to Digital Play Learn, I updated my TPT Store name tonight.

Here are two of my latest product updates.

Preschool-1st Grade Date Notebook Artifacts

Reaching Benchmark Goals (which is also a part of the file above)

New Logo - New Name --- Follow my on Instagram! @DigtalPlayLearn

Elementary Device Expectations - Poster FREEBIE Included

Many classrooms are adding devices (iPads/Chromebook/Tablets) and as we do that we need to remember that it is just as important to teach expectations for these new devices as it is to teach students how to use the sand or water table (if you are lucky enough to still have one of those in your classroom.) Just because students have access to devices at home they may not have the same expectations as they would in the classroom.

Below I created a Device Expectation poster to help remind and teach the students how to use devices in the classroom.

Link to Poster 

Making Makers - Christmas Cards

Every year I begin....  right after Halloween (sad to admit)..... searching through Christmas card designs to find "The Perfect One", "The one that will stand out from the rest".  I refuse to pay a fortune because let's be honest they end up in the garbage after the New Year. I want it to be unique, creative, and to share pictures of my family we take every year. (If we didn't get family pictures taken every year there wouldn't be pictures of me with the kids!)

The winning design? The kids create it! The past two years I have had the kids color pictures to add to the Christmas cards. I LOVE using Powerpoint to design my own cards and with the kids help we do it together. Here are the final projects from the last two years.

Here is 2016 Front and Back

Here is 2017 Front and Back. While I wish the colors the kids choose were different (this was a task I gave my husband to do with the kids) I had to leave my perfectionist quality (only when it comes to digital publishing) aside. 

I hope my kids remember these little things they created and continue to be makers themselves! 

PS We make all of our own Thank You cards and Birthday cards as well. I can't wait to share with you after winter break.