It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year... for classroom behavior?!

I want to share an oldie but goodie with you today and I'm linking up with my friends at i Teach Second.  One that I just absolutely love.  We do "bucket filling" at our school, but to do this, you don't NEED to be using it to be successful!

So, the biggest challenge going back after Turkey break--is the impending excitement of December.  I mean, what kid DOESN'T get excited about December, no matter what holiday they celebrate?  There's excitement all around, and in little bodies it's just harder to contain than in our bigger, adult bodies.  ;)

This is a quick, easy idea to get students thinking about others.  I created a little pack for filling STOCKINGS.  The pre-made recording sheet makes it simple for even the littlest-little to complete.  One extra step that I do is that I type up a class list of names for each student.  They circle their own name, so we know who's list it is when I find it on the floor it gets misplaced.

I realize that I do not have an example of the writing the kids did.  {I was out on maternity leave last year and didn't snap pics, obviously... and I'm unable to locate any from 2 years ago.  BUT-this pack is free, so feel free to download and decide for yourself if you think it's something you'd like!}  Click {HERE} or on the picture below to download your freebie!

Make sure to check out all my other friends' great ideas!

An InLinkz Link-up

Fill A Basket--Bucket Filling for Easter!

This is our first year into Bucket Filling in my classroom and school.  I like to mix things up a little, to keep things interesting with the kids all year.  We've been busy completing our missions from my Bucket Filling Friendship Club packet.  It has been a great way to get discussions going during our class meeting times as well.

This month I created a little "basket filling" activity.  It's just like my "fill a stocking" packet from Christmas time.  This month we are filling baskets.

Well, I should stop there.  We aren't filling baskets.  I recently received a lot of fun goodies from Creative Teaching Press.  Among them are buckets!  I laminated them and wrote the kiddos names on each.  I then cut paper bags down a little bit, to be "bucket" size and and taped the buckets to the front.  Next year, these will be up all year.  The writing paper will be what changes.

{Bulletin board, using Creative Teaching Press Chevron cut out letters, buckets and fun and festive border!  It also includes our "anchor" chart that we created from my packet at the beginning of the year, as well as our posters about each "sentence starter"}

{Simple bucket bags.  Just laminate the bucket from Creative Teaching Press, write the students' names and tape to a bag!}

 

{Our bags are taped to the wall below our bulletin board and chalkboard} 
 

Check out the great "basket fillers" that we have in our class!  (We use sentence starters with our class meetings to compliment our friends.  Those starters are what is included in my packet.)

If you'd like to give it a try, click {HERE} to grab yourself a copy of the writing page and a basket!  (Baskets can be colored and attached to paper bags as well).  If you'd like the buckets, click {HERE} to find them at Creative Teaching Press!

Bucket Filling---Christmas idea Freebie!!

Well, this isn't an incredibly new and wonderful idea, but thought I would share what I'm doing this month.

*****I know that many of you do NOT use the bucket filling ideas within your classroom.  I kept that in mind making this packet.  This packet actually has 2 sections.  The first one has "Bucket Filling" and the second is a duplicate, however the words "Good Friends and Bad Friends" as well as Kind friends.  The club they will be in is called the "Friendship Club"***

First, we started a school-wide Bucket Filling program this year.  I was actually going to start it in my own classroom but the school-wide part is now an added bonus!  I love how it gets kids {and adults!!!} thinking about others and how their actions can change how people feel.

Well, since starting, my kids have become a little.... um.. comfortable with each other, and well, the bucket filling has since become bucket dipping.  So, I had to do something about it.

We started off by rereading the book and discussing what it's like to be a bucket filler and a bucket dipper.  We created this little anchor chart to remind us:

 Next {we'll start this when we get back}, we will discuss different ways to give compliments to others.  I hate when kids can only think about literal, not-so-sincere {though, sometimes needed!} compliments as, "you look pretty today" or "I like your shirt..."  We will discuss three different ways to start a compliment.

They will also complete a "Bucket Filling Buddy" Application!

During our weekly class meetings, we will go through a scenario from my packet that gets them thinking of what happened, if there was bucket filling or dipping as well as what would they do differently.  Many of the stories are from my own observations of them this year!  Some from years past and some just made up.

Each week we will have a challenge where students will be looking for things to fill buckets.  After a few weeks, I'll start accepting members into our club and they'll get certificates!  They will not be "inducted" all at the same time.  I want to make it something special and have them realize how they are capable of filling other buckets all the time.  I want the excitement of being a "member" to stay too!

For the month of December, we will be filling each others STOCKINGS!  We created our stockings before heading off to our Turkey Day break.  I hung them after they left {I had 12 hours of conferences to put in...}  When we get back, students will be filling "stockings."  These stockings will go home right before our holiday break.

Now, for those wondering.  What about those kids who don't get a lot of "notes?"  Well, my solution is simple.  I will be printing out a small class roster for each student.  They will cross off the person they write to.  Once they wrote to everyone, then they can start over!  {I'm sure I'll have a few overachievers}

 Click on the picture below to grab your freebie if you'd like to have a copy of the stocking template and stationary to write to friends.