The many uses of a Dollar Spot Bucket/ Pail

I promised I'd be back and while it took me 2 and a half weeks I kept my promise. :)

Back in June, while I was unpacking, I posted a picture on Instagram of just half of the Dollar Spot mini buckets I own. This isn't even half of them.

I mean there is really no reason to have THAT many mini buckets. What is even crazier is that I got rid of none, and have purchased many more since this pic. #ObssessedTeacher I think every time I walk into Target I leave with mini buckets.

I got lots of question about what I do with all the buckets. If I am honest, half or more of them are in a cabinet. They went with my old theme, but I hesitate to throw them away because they can come in handy in a pinch. Plus I still love them.

HOWEVER, that got me thinking, what DO I do with them?

Here is what I came up with.

1. Pencils

This is the obvious one.

Erasers too! 

Easy way for students to get to them.

I have different sharp pencil buckets around the room for workstations too. All the dull go into the same bucket so I can sharpen them.

2. Crayons

This year I decided to do away with my glad container, that the students could never close, and always made a mess of the crayons, and use these mini buckets. 

They are the perfect size. The students take the bucket out, use their crayons, and then put it back when the activity is over. Super clean, just the way I like it.

They would work great for makers and color pencils too.

3. Math Manipulatives

I don't teach math so I don't have a pic. Whomp whomp. However, you can use your imagination. All those little pieces that are always all over the place would go nicely in these little buckets.

4. Letter or word sorts

Again, no pic, BUT with my kinder kids I have them sort capital magnetic letters in one bucket and lowercase in the other. For my Firsties, I have them sort by vowel pairs, digraphs, long and short vowels, you name it.

5. Gifts

They make great gift bags.

6. Birthdays
They are great for birthday snack, or cutlery.

 

I know lots of teachers have a little treat for their students birthday. 

7. Student Name Sticks and Clips

You know those popsicle sticks or clothes pins that you write your students name on, they fit perfectly in the mini pails.
8. Table Arrangements
Ok, this one is not really classroom related, but I thought it was nice. Maybe you could do something for the teachers lounge.

9. Craft Supplies.
This person put them on a Lazy Susan for easy access to all her craft supplies.

I think you get the point.
I don't think there is a bad way to use the pails/ mini buckets.
Do you have any other ways YOU use the mini pails/buckets.

8:30 wake up call

Maybe I should have called this Surprise Target day.

I started the day early, well early for a summer vacation day. I got a wake up call and was up at 8:30am. However, I had some motivation... I was going to Target.

I was there, at 9:40am, and they were just filling the dollar spot's section with teacher goodies. Truthfully, I didn't find much there, but I did find some.

Some purple pocket charts.

Star erasers and stickers.

I have PLENTY student white boards but I caved and got some of these sentence strip like mini whiteboards for use during guided reading or small group instruction.

Notice I only got 2 sets... so only 4. I am trying to purge and not keep collecting more stuff.

Then I found my way to the back of the store, That is right the back, so that I have to go through every other section picking up all sorts of other goodies that I have no business picking up. However, I did make it there and was able to purchase quite a bit.

Who doesn't need two pocket folders? Both with and without prongs.

Some black binders for myself.

I got some pencil boxes for color pencils to replace some older ones.

Some index card boxes for the Bulletin Board centers I previously wrote about.

One of my favorite purchases are these rainbow colored boxes, both large and small, to organize my desk and teacher table items.

Here is my splurge item. Some half size neon index cards on a ring. Totally not necessary, way over priced but so darn cute I couldn't resist.

But my ultimate favorite purchase of the day are these roll up, slap bracelet rulers. I don't usually need, use, nor want rulers in my class. However, my friend loved them and decided to purchase them and donate them to my room when I said "but we don't use them." I am glad she did because I just adore them!

The best part was I didn't spend as much as I thought I would. I am sure I will be back before school starts because there are a few items I am waiting to go on sale.

What kind of school items are on your shopping list this year?

Buddy Room Bags

Hi everyone,

Several months ago, maybe longer, I wrote about BIST and today I am back to share a stolen, borrowed idea I am using in my room next year that will help with a  component of BIST, the Buddy Room. The best part is that you don't have to know or use BIST to use this with your kids. All you would need is a partner teacher who is willing to help you out.

So a brilliant teacher I work with came up with this idea and it is such a great idea that when I saw these bags...

...at target I thought they were a perfect fit. I got them at Target, and was able to get the matching pencil pouches too.

So the history behind the Buddy Room is that when a student is being particularly disruptive in your room, you have given them a redirect, have gone to the Safe Seat in your room and is still struggling to get it together you then send the student to the Buddy room.

A Buddy room is just a classroom outside of their own but where they are still in a learning environment. They are to sit in the Safe Seat in that room until they show they are ready to return to their own classroom.

They don't go with nothing though. That is where the Buddy Room Bag comes in. So in each bag I have...

1. a spiral notebook.

2. box of crayons

3. pencils (2)

4. eraser

4. scissors

5. some leveled readers

Basically anything that the student will need to calm down and/ or complete their assignment. I would put all the small items in the matching pencil pouches so they don't slip out of the bag.

So I thought that these cuties were perfect for the job.

For when a student is upset I got "Mr. Happy."

 For those talkers I got "Little Miss. Chatterbox."

 For when someone is hurt I got "Mr. Bump."

 And for those naughty moments I got "Little Miss. Naughty."

Because I teach multiple grades and levels I was thinking of having books with different levels in them but I think I will just put a variety of levels in each bag. So it won't matter which bag a student picks up.

On a completely different note I finally ordered my classroom goodies for this coming year and have received 1 out of 2 packages. As soon and the second arrives today, (YAY!) I will link up with Kristen's Summer Shopping List Party. So keep an eye out for another post from me... soon.

Hope your having as fabulous and quiet a summer as I am.

V-day Target Find

As I am sure you guessed, those last 6 files are still not done. No worries, I promise to get them done after I write this post. While avoiding school and house work today I decided to go to Target. Especially because I got a Target gift card for the holidays. I thought I might find some Christmas items on sale... Nope! To my surprise they had cleared EVERYTHING Christmas out. :/ There went my bright idea. However, the cloud has a silver lining. The Dollar Spot was STOCKED with Valentines day and other cool items too. 

I had arms full of items, put them all in my cart and decided I should put half of it back. While I had tons of ideas for all the goodies I chose I reminded myself that I had tons of stuff from last year. Here were some of the items I picked.

I found some super cute fruit and veggie magnets. I plan to use these when we talk about food groups.

There were the encouraging pencils I found for the 100th day of school.

I got these two paper holders for a new project I have in mind. I will use them to hold papers I currently have stacked on my desk/ table. You will see, I have a post planed for it, with a freebie, sometime next week.

Here is what it looks like from the side. Please excuse the mess of my new purse, hat, scarf and fleece jacket back there. I was so excited to take pictures I dropped everything down and took pictures. I am really into gray this year. Aren't they cute?

I found this cute triangle and thought it would be a great attention getter in the class.

When I saw these, my first thought was, "I can make those!" but once I started thinking about it I didn't want to do the work. I figured $4 dollars for 32 was a good deal. Time = Money. I plan to laminate and put all my students V-day goodies in here for them.

Here is what is going in the heart envelops... pencils, erasers and stickers.

This is my favorite find today. Glow bracelets! I am going to use them to create Lindsey, The Teacher Wife" You make my heart glow" goodie. That's right no more candy, no sugar, just something fun. :) However, I think I might get them some strawberries, for fun. If you haven't visited The Teacher Wife you better go right away. Lindsey is awesome and she even has a freebie for this!

However, I think I might get them some strawberries, for fun. :) I was looking for these and just happened on them, on my way out of Target, and was SOOOO excited. I think I scared some people.

I also found these super cute Betty Boo pencils, for myself. :)

 

The last item I got for my class was this mesh file folder holder. I was really looking for a "light" cardboard box like one, which I didn't find, for another project. :/ However, I wanted this exact one a long time ago. I will share what I create with it mater this week, but I will give you one clue... it has to do with organization. :P

Right now it is storing all my school goodies. The best part? Everything but the last file holder was just $1.00!

I bought some other great items, but they were not at all school related so I left them out. I do have to say that there are tons of great items I put back, that I just know you guys could do WONDERS with. So if your looking for some great stuff, head on down to the Big T.

Now I am off to work on those last 6 ELL files.