Organization: Individual vs. Team Supplies

Hello Ladies and Gentlemen!  This day feels like it flew by... I messed up and looked at the calendar earlier and realized I only have 3 1/2 weeks until meetings start - and 2 1/2 weeks until I have access to my classroom.  I've been working though on trying to get as much done as possible - at least the stuff that I can tackle at home.  Linking up with Kristen and Elizabeth today to share what I've been up to.  

Individual vs. Group/Team Supplies

Now in past years in 4th grade we have sent home a list of stuff for students to pick up.  This year we are changing it up and doing what 2nd & 3rd grade do - we are asking for a monetary donation of $20 and the teachers take care of picking everything up.  I love it!  I loved it back when I taught 2nd, it's just been a challenge this summer since I don't have the things in storage.  (When I taught 2nd I would always shop the teacher sales and store them for the next year.)  Oh well, it's a chance for me to go shopping.  :) 

In my classroom each student has their own pencil box.  Over the years I have tried out binder pouches, ziploc containers, etc... and it boils down to them needing a pencil box.  I switch up groups and seating arrangements - so we don't always have tables that we can share materials.

Each student starts out the year with a pencil box (I chose the large size from Walmart 97 cents - the cheaper ones felt like they would fall apart the first week of school), a box of crayons, glue stick, 4 pencils - 2 already sharp, 2 cap erasers, a pencil sharpener that has a container to catch it all, 2 bic pens, and a highlighter.  They are getting a whiteboard (from the Dollar Tree) that has their first whiteboard marker/eraser attached to it.  

The other day my boys and husband helped me stuff the boxes.  It was an assembly line.  I love the help!  Then I realized that these fancy boxes had a circle on them that fit Tara's (from 4th Grade Frolics)  Homework Club number set.  I love the colors, so I hot glued the laminated circles onto the top of the boxes.  Those numbers aren't going anywhere.   

You probably noticed that the boxes do not contain scissors, wet glue, or markers.  Well, that is what I'm so excited about.  I AM SO SICK OF KIDS HAVING SCISSORS at their desks.  Every year I have 2 or 3 children that feel the need to cut tiny little pieces of erasers and keep them in the pencil tray in their desks.  It drives me nuts.  Since the kids do not need scissors at every moment of the day, I am going back to team supply bins for those moments.  A group of 4 kids will share these baskets.  Now these aren't completely done yet - I still need to add their team numbers to them - planning on making up some ones that correspond to my apple themed classroom.  

From Dollar Tree they had the red bins and the little green baskets.  The green baskets are for the Tiny Tidy Tubs that Rowdy in Room 300 mentioned last summer.  Basically a tiny tidy tub is for a group to put those tiny little pieces of trash in so they do not go flying on the ground during an activity.  I have done supplies like this in past years and love it!  It was just when the kids brought in their own supplies that I felt weird taking away their scissors... 

Well, that's basically it.  Hope it helps someone.  :)