Brag Tags

We have a program at my school where students are encouraged to set weekly goals, and long term goals. I find that after a while, kids set the same goals week after week. "I want to pass my math fact test" or "I want to read x number of minutes." I am also a teacher who likes to present extra optional challenges to my kids, and sometimes they are accepted, and other times ignored. We also do the MindUP program, which encourages qualities such as optimism, gratitude, perspective taking, happiness, etc. Some tricky concepts for some children! If only I had some way to motivate them... and then voila! A friend introduced me to brag tags, which she will be using with her kids for their goals this year. So, here are my first few sets of tags for homework and their weekly/monthly goals. I am super excited to start using these this year!

UPDATE!
I have created SO many more of these as the year went on, and I've added many to my TpT store. To see all of the sets, click here.

Weekly and Monthly Goals
Work Habits (Handwriting, Cleaning up, Determination, Focused, etc.)
Character Traits (Character traits from A to Z)
Books Read (20, 30, 40, 50 book milestones)
Mindfulness (gratitude, optimism, generous, persistent, etc.)
Homework
Interactive Notebooks
Egg Drop STEM Challenge
... and more!

I've also decided that I like to call them SWAG Tags instead of Brag Tags... It fits my classroom better, I think.

I also have sets created for Geography, spelling, math, pencil challenges, genre challenges, NaNoWriMo... the possibilities are endless! They're easy to get set up, too. I print out the sheets, laminate them, cut into strips, hole punch with a super small craft punch, cut into individual tags and store. Time consuming to hole punch and cut, but it's easy work that can be done in front of the TV while binge watching the latest show that I'm into.

Here are a few photos of them in my classroom!

Each child has a hook for their chain. They start with one tag with their name on it.

Just a small sample of the tags in my collection!

My storage bin... I picked this container up on clearance at Staples and they fit PERFECTLY with little dividers made of cardstock.

The SWAG Tag sign

Birds of a Feather...

One of my biggest pet peeves about classroom jobs is the kids not doing them regularly (my custodian agrees when the trash cans aren't put out into the hall at the end of the day!) So, when I started the year, I decided to put job descriptions right on the job cards! I also wanted to include some more challenging jobs for students who wanted to go above and beyond in the classroom. And so, a new set of jobs was born... 9 regular jobs (green with yellow name tags) which would be changed every two weeks, and the 5 specialist jobs (pink) which would be changed every month.

The 9 regular job titles have all students rotating through them. Some jobs can or should be held by more than one student:

* Movement Coordinator - 1
* Caboose - 1
* Attendance Secretary - 1
* Office Supplies Manager - 1
* Librarian - 1 or 2
* Homework Secretary - 1
* Substitute - 1
* Bloggers - 2
* Clean Up Crew - As many as needed

There are also 5 specialist jobs which students can apply for if they feel it is an area of interest. A 6th job was added when we studied the 13 Colonies and American Revolution. I wanted to tax the students to give them a sense of what it felt like to be a colonist, so I first had to pay them! A banker job was the perfect way to hook them into the ticket payments, and the job was taken away soon after the tickets and taxes ended. In order to hold a specialist job, students must first apply by filling out the application form. I must say, I have been really impressed with some of the answers the kids have given! These jobs were revealed a few weeks into the school year, once students were comfortable with their regular jobs and had a chance to apply.

*Classroom Photographer
*Technology Specialist
*Absence Assistant
*Receptionist
*Deputy
*Banker

Here is my original "Birds of a Feather WORK Together" board in August before the kids names were put up, and before the specialist jobs were revealed.

If you would like to use these jobs in your own classroom, I have shared them on TpT. I have included all 15 jobs cards and blank name cards, 2 extra blank job cards so you can create your own jobs, the Specialist Application, blogging instructions, a reminder card to hang by the phone, and a title card for your bulletin board.

STAR Binders and Agendas

My students have a S.T.A.R. (Students Taking Active Responsibility) Binder where they keep all of their homework, goal setting sheets, reading logs, spelling assignments, notes to home, etc. We started the year with a simple agenda sheet where they would write down homework, and the agenda has evolved as they have come up with different ideas of what they would like to include to help them stay organized.

Throughout the year, the students have given suggestions on how we could change the agenda to make it more useful. I have put together a file with all of the different iterations of the agenda (a one-page weekly homework sheet, and 3 different two-page versions) and the STAR Binder cover sheet. The agenda sheets should be copied front to back and stapled together to create a small booklet. I usually copy extras of each sheet one-sided to make the front and back of the booklets. There are spaces to write in helpful websites (class websites, school lunch menus etc.) on some of the forms before copying.

If you would like to use them with your students, you can find them in my TpT store. Enjoy!

Happy Birthday

I love walking through the clearance aisles trying to find something I can use in the classroom.  I was at Kohl's and found this photo holder, which was on sale for $1.99.  I had been planning to buy a little sparkly party decoration to sit at a child's spot when it was their birthday, but this turned out even better!  I created some little pictures to go on the side of the cube, modge podged those and some little confetti stars on the base, and then bought a premade bow and tied it around the top.  It still has the picture holder stems, which is where I plan to put a homework pass (created with Vistaprint) for the birthday student on their special day!

 

Teachers Pay Teachers Store

Well, I finally got my TpT store up and running with a few items!  So far the following items are posted:

Two versions of a peanut free/nut free sign for the classroom.

A set of 190 brainteasers and riddles.  I plan to use these daily by posting them in the morning and giving the answers at the end of the day.  Maybe I'll give out clues throughout the day, or give the kids a place to record their guesses.  I think these will be a fun challenge for some students, and will serve as an extra way to introduce different vocabulary for the ESL student I will have.  And, I just enjoy riddles and brainteasers!  One of the perks of moving up to third grade, right?

Brain Breaks!  Whenever the kids need a little break, I tend to go back to the same old activities, over and over and over... I get bored and the kids get bored!  Hopefully this will help to keep things fresh.  It will also keep me from using things like "Sick turtle" which my Kindergartners LOVED... but I'm not sure 3rd graders would be thrilled to lay on their backs on the hard floor, flailing their arms and legs around in the air, until I said "Attention on deck!"

You can click on any of the images above, or just visit my store... I'll hopefully be adding more soon!