Being a preschool teacher, I’m constantly laminating for classroom projects and displays. The school where I teach has a laminator for the teachers to share but it seems we are always needing to laminate at the same time. Receiving a Fellowes Saturn2 95 Laminator last week was a dream come true! Having my very own laminator will enable me to complete so many more classroom projects at home and avoid having to spend extra time waiting in line to use the school laminator. Our classroom is currently welcoming new students and kicking off the new school year with fun back to school activities. In addition to the many projects I have already used my laminator to create like my Behavior Management Dry Erase Chart for home, this week I put up a new weekly weather display in my classroom.
The Saturn2 95 Laminator is easy to use and heats up quickly unlike most laminators I’ve used before. Using a laminator with preschool aged students in the classroom could be very dangerous but the HeatGuard™ Teachnology keeps heat inside so the the laminator is not hot to the touch. The Advanced Temperature Control provides hot and cold laminating capabilities to ensure consistent smooth results. Have you ever tried to laminate something you spent time making only for it to jam in the laminator? It’s happened to me before and I was very happy to learn my new laminator has a release lever to permit easy removal or re-centering to prevent jams.
Learning about the weather is exciting at four and five years old. Each morning during our classroom circle time we talk about the weather and make daily predictions. With back to school just kicking off I made a new helper chart. We used each student’s photo on the top of a popsicle stick to create helper sticks to use when they are the classroom helpers. Every morning each student is assigned a helper job. The students have been very excited to get picked to be the weather helper for the week.
At recess time the weather helper sits outside with friends and draws a picture of the weather along with practicing writing their name. During our next circle time the weather helper gets to share their picture with the class and talk about predictions for the next day. We have seen some very creative drawings and heard silly predictions.
Instead of simply sending the drawings home each day, I made a weekly display to help teach the days of the week and give us an opportunity to further discuss the accuracy of our weather predictions. I printed the words in a Word document and cut out weather shapes from construction paper. I laminated each piece of the display and stuck them to our bathroom door in the classroom with sticky putty.
At the end of the week our weather helpers get to bring home a book full of their weather drawings. Parents have really been enjoying seeing the creative drawings.
The weather display would be a fun addition to a playroom at home too.
Learn more about Fellowes by connecting with them on Twitter and Facebook. You can find project ideas at Fellowes Idea Center and Fellowes on Pinterest. The Fellowes Classroom Creativity Board has plenty of classroom ideas for teachers and homeschooling parents. You could also use your laminator to make practice sheets to reinforce all the new skills your children are learning when they go back to school this year. My Preschool – Back to School Board is where you’ll find projects and ideas I plan to use in my own classroom this year and at home with my four year old daughter.
Does your child have a teacher that has made a noticeable impact or maybe you remember one of your own favorite teachers? I grew up in a small mining town and was not strongly encouraged to attend college. If it wasn’t for one of my high school math teachers and mock trial coach, Mr. Hull, I might not have had the confidence to leave my small town to go to Arizona State University. The choices I made in my education have given me great opportunities and I’m very grateful for the support and encouragement I received from Mr. Hull. Fellowes is currently running a “Celebration of Superstar Teachers” contest through September 30, 2013 on their Facebook page where you can nominate exceptional teachers to win a Fellowes classroom prize pack. Be sure to share your experiences and let a superstar teacher know how they have made a difference in your life.
The Saturn2 95 Laminator is available for purchase at Staples and Staples.com for a suggested retail price of 159.99. Fellowes has a wide variety of laminators to suit a variety of needs. Fellowes products are also available at Walmart and Amazon.com.
One lucky Brie Brie Blooms readers will win their very own Fellowes Saturn2 95 Laminator!
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well minded says
What an awesome giveaway! And that weather chart is fantastic. I love the drawings.
Mary (MsMary'sWorld) (@msmary1962) says
Picture cards and helper cards for each student and job
Patrick says
It woukd definitely keep some of the boys school and artwork well taken care of.
Terra Heck (@partymix25) says
I’d first laminate my children’s favorite artwork so I can preserve them for a long time. Thanks.
partymix25(at)hotmail(dot)com
gabrielle says
Laminate work from students first and second week of school!! They would love a professional looking display wall!
Rachelle Anderson says
I would laminate some of my daughter’s artwork.
Sharon says
i have lots of old papers, ticket stubs, etc in a box and i would like to keep those preserved
Heather Manu says
Maybe some artwork or picture projects.
Jen says
My bulletin board at school
Brandy fisk says
Worksheets for markers.
Dorrie Turner says
I would tackle the evergrowing pile of school and baby pictures that go in specific places, then the folder of artwork. I was thinking recipe cards as well so they don’t get messy. Awesome!!!!
burningmoonproducts says
I would laminate some of my daughters art work to keep in protected!
Kendra Gillilan says
Photos, thanks
Austin Baroudi says
I would laminate all the important papers I keep in my desk. My daughter targets them when I’m not around and I’ve lost a lot of them to excessive crayon scribbling and spills of every nature! This would prevent any important paper from it’s untimely demise by 3 year old 😛
sarahacool says
I would love this because i like making bookmarks and having them laminated would def be a plus!!! And i do alot of crafting projects that would be great to be laminated
crazyweirdo33@yahoo,com
Maria Gagliano says
My daughters love notes. I want to keep them forever
Harmony B (@hburmeister) says
I would make practice printing sheets for my son
Misty Woods says
I would make party decorations
Stephanie Gossett says
I would laminate school supplies. As a homeschooling mom of 4, this would be a dream come true for me!
lemongreen915@gmail.com
takisha a. says
i would make flash cards with the laminator.
Ashley wheeler says
My daughter will just be starting preschool so I would laminate some of her work
Jenette White-Rausch says
Protect recipes and crafts
Katie Contests says
We’d make nametags
Tegan says
I would laminate the decorations I made for my 5mo son. Then I would give it to a friend. She’s a new 1st grade teacher this year. Love the weather chart idea!
amanda whitley says
i would laminate my recipes
Nancy says
I might laminate some art work!
christine says
I would laminate things for my pre-k classroom 🙂
christine says
I would laminate my kids first pictures.
Holly Mitkowski says
picture cards for my developmentally disabled consumers 🙂
Laura I. says
I would laminate photos of my daughter to give to family members
fancygrlnancy (Nancy Partin) says
Alphabet practice pages
Kristie D. says
I would laminate some signs for work and some recipes and newspaper articles. kristiedonelson(at)gmail(dot)com Thank you.
Sheila Hall says
I would laminate bookmarks for myself.
hannah says
I’d laminate labels for my medicine cabinet
Michelle S says
I would laminate the recipe cards I got from my grandmother
Catherine says
The first project I would do is make and laminate some of my daughters best art work, photos of my children, and a calender I can put on the fridge so I can use it as a white board.
Jane Ritz says
The first thing I would do is make some practice sheets that my 1st grader grandson son could use to practice writing his name with a vis a vi pen. You absolutely can’t read his writing. I think he would find this fun and it would work with him. Thanks for the opportunity.
Robert Brown says
my daughter’s artwork from school and home
Roe says
After spending hours making awesome looking letters for my Back to School bulletin board I couldn’t wait to get to school to laminate them…..the film in the laminator is out and they have no idea when we are getting more in! But, if I had my own laminator it would not be a problem!! It would also be great to laminate my students’ schedules to keep them intact for at least a week then my students won’t get lost (I teach special ed and it’s very confusing for the students who are new to the school). So, if I win, I will be really busy laminating!!!!
@kjmaje says
I would laminate my kids’ artwork they make in school so they are preserved
Rhonda Grisham says
I would laminate insurance cards and my granddaughter’s art she has made for me.
Kelsey Apley says
My recipes cards hands down!
KH Bride says
laminate cards and art work
Damini M says
My first project would probably be laminating some of my favorite poems 🙂
Kim Tucker says
I would love to laminate my grandmothers old recipe cards, important papers…certificates, awards, etc., and some of the kids art projects they’ve made….thanks for the opportunity…
Noreen says
I love the weather ideas. I will probably use them to laminate the Girl Scout promise and law for my Girl Scout troops (I have three)
Jackie says
The first project I would do is to make flash cards with the laminator if I won.
golden storm says
I would laminate some pictures and newspaper clippings
Dawn Monroe says
Ive lost so many keepsakes from my kids. Id laminate those and pictures.
aimee m says
multipication cards
Tabathia B says
I would laminate some older photos and my degrees from college