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How the Lost Property Bucket Saved My Sanity

June 26, 2014 By Rachel

A quick and easy tip for keeping your student's area and classroom clean and not losing your sanity in the process! www.rachelatalldrinkofwater.com

Do your students find stuff and give it to you?

“Here Miss Vincent, I found a crayon.”
-Um…thanks?
“Miss Vincent, is this your glue sick?”
-No…my glue never gets stuck in the lid
“Here’s some dirt.”
-What?! 
Ok…that last one never happened.  
But you get the idea!
My students USED to give me all the stuff they found!
And forget about anybody actually claiming something on the ground if I asked whose does this belong to?!!
Enter the Lost Property bucket!

A quick and easy tip for keeping your student's area and classroom clean and not losing your sanity in the process! www.rachelatalldrinkofwater.com
Now before you get too excited…
It doesn’t actually stop your students from trying to give you stuff.
(It’s not a magic bucket!)
BUT…it gives a place for all the stuff to go!
“Miss Vincent, here’s a crayon.”
-Put it in the Lost Property bucket.
“Miss Vincent, I found somebody’s glue top.”
-Put it in the Lost Property bucket.
“Miss Vincent, I can’t find my scissors!”
-Check the Lost Property bucket.
“Miss Vincent, I don’t have a black marker.”
-See if there’s one in the Lost Property bucket.
Some kids start to do this without involving you!
Which is awesome!!
But you always have those few who never stop bothering asking you!
  • Rachel
  • Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Classroom, organization

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Elementary Engagement says

      June 26, 2014 at 7:19 PM

      I started a "Missing Parts Bucket" last year. I love it! I also love your quote – so true!

      Mary
      Fit to be Fourth

    2. Alison Rose says

      June 26, 2014 at 7:38 PM

      So I notice that "don't freak out" is not written in that positive thought. No wonder I've been doing it wrong the whole time. I need to live by this. I guess I need a lost property bucket instead of saying…"What do you want me to do about it?" hahahaahahahahahah
      Alison
      <a href=" rockinandlovinlearnin.blogspot.com'>Rockin' and Lovin' Learnin'</a>

    3. Alison Rose says

      June 26, 2014 at 7:40 PM

      What in the world did I do wrong?? Never mind…I see my error! Oops!
      Alison
      Rockin' and Lovin' Learnin'

    4. Unknown says

      June 26, 2014 at 9:11 PM

      I LOVE that idea!!!!!!! I always ended up putting all of that stuff on my desk and made more of a mess!!! 🙂
      Lori
      Mixing it up in Middle

    5. Ana says

      June 26, 2014 at 10:10 PM

      Your missing property bucket is a great idea! Kids sure do want to give you everything, even if it's a piece of trash…haha! I also love your quote. I needed that today! Thanks for sharing.
      Ana
      Mrs. Bentin's Blackboard

    6. Teach With Laughter says

      June 27, 2014 at 1:46 AM

      Your missing property bucket is a wonderful idea! Thanks for sharing!!

    7. Jennifer Laffin says

      June 27, 2014 at 12:10 PM

      I love the idea of a Lost Property bucket! That also helps kids realize that they can't keep things they find that don't belong to them. I'm sooooo doing this!

      Jennifer

    8. Unknown says

      June 29, 2014 at 12:28 AM

      Love the Lost Property bucket! I can see *some* independent, helpful ones using this without interruption too! Thanks for sharing!

    9. Ms. Smith says

      June 30, 2014 at 11:41 PM

      Love your bucket! I can TOTALLY relate!

      Excited to find your blog. =)
      Ms. Smith
      Adventures of Ms. Smith

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    msrachelvincent

    Rachel | 4th Grade Teacher
    How long is your students’ attention spans? I o How long is your students’ attention spans?
I only have about 10 minutes before I lose them! 🤪
And I don’t know about you but my lessons are typically longer…so I try to mix it up every 10 minutes with a Think-Pair-Share or some kind of movement
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#teachersofig #iteachtoo #iteach4th #iteach456 #teachersofinstagram #teachingelementary #attentionspan #minilessons #thinkpairshare
    6 ways to get your students participating in your 6 ways to get your students participating in your lessons!
1️⃣ Think Time - giving your students time to think about the answer keeps your over achievers from answering all the questions 
2️⃣ Movement - Stand/Sit if this is your answer
3️⃣ Turn & Talk - Everyone shares their answer with a partner
4️⃣ Hand Signals - Perfect for multiple choice questions
5️⃣ Think-Pair-Share - Combines the think time with turn & talk 
6️⃣ Repetition - repeat important information to help it stick
🗣🗣Which number are you trying this week?!
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#teachersfollowteachers #igteachers #iteach #teachergram #iteachfourth #iteach345 #teachingstrategies #studentparticipation
    Do you have these 4 teacher goals?! 1️⃣ Instr Do you have these 4 teacher goals?!
1️⃣ Instructional Goal - How are you improving your instruction?
2️⃣ Relationship Goal - How are you building relationships with students or coworkers?
3️⃣ Balance Goal - How are you trying to have a better work-life balance?
4️⃣ Non Instructional Goal - What other area are you trying to improve?
Here’s my 4 goals!
1. Vocabulary Instruction 
2. 2 Positive Notes a Week
3. Leave by 3:00 3 out 5 days
4. Clean off back counter once a week
What are your goals?
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#teachersfollowteachers #igteachers #iteach #teachergram #iteachfourth #iteach345 #teachergoals #teachergoals🍎
    Coming back from break is a lot easier than the fi Coming back from break is a lot easier than the first day of school!
Less teacher talk 🗣
More student talk 👥
1️⃣ Give your students time to catch up with each other. Even adults like to chit chat about what we did during break!
2️⃣ Review procedures by playing a fun game. Charades is a great way to act out procedures to see if other students can guess what they’re doing!
3️⃣ The halfway point of the school year is a great time for students to set goals!
What’s your favorite thing to do after a break?!
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