Dollar Store Deals

I don't know about you, but I always sometimes get into trouble when I go to the Dollar Tree or stop at the Dollar Spot in Target.  I think the difficulty of leaving the store without at least $20 worth of "stuff" comes from my teacher mind going into overdrive...not to mention the always fully stocked teacher aisle.  Here are just a few of the wonderful things you can find there and some ideas of how you can utilize them in your classroom!

First Thing's First:

• Stock up on classroom rewards and small gifts.  My students love decorative pencils.  Every holiday that comes around, they get a new pencil.  I can always count on the Dollar Spot to have seasonal pencils (packs of 12), and the Dollar Tree will too, but usually only a 10-count in a bag.

• DIG for the good stuff.  The party favor section in the Dollar Tree is a great place to find some pretty good little prizes...usually at the bottom of the bin.  I hit the scenty-eraser jackpot in the Dollar Spot at Target back in the spring, but that also meant I had to stand on my head for about 5 minutes to dig through the other junk to find them.  DIG - it's worth it in the end. 

• Have a purpose.  Don't break the #1 rule in dollar shopping -- HAVE A PURPOSE FOR AN ITEM BEFORE YOU BUY IT.  Otherwise you are going to end up with a ton of stuff you thought you could use, and people are going to start whispering the word "hoarder" behind your back.  Space is something we as teachers lack, so don't fill up what little space you have with things that were half a thought.  Make sure the items you DO have a plan for have a clear and fitting space in your classroom before you buy as well.  Trust me on this #speaking-from-experience.

** I'm more for the free-prizes (wear your slippers in class, bring a small stuffed animal, computer time -- a post on that to come soon), but sometimes little incentives and prizes are necessary for other times in my classroom (like when the Organized Owl checks out cubbies or desks).

Mini Pocket Charts

• Lunch Count / Status of the Class - Put their lunch cards (or name strips) in the chart and have students move their name under their choice for the day.  Quick and easy way to take attendance.  Also, have students' names in a chart and have them move their name to one side when they finish an assignment to get a quick visual for the status of the class.

• Objectives / Schedule - Cut sentence strips in half and put your objectives, "I Can" statements, or schedule in the chart.

• Vocabulary - Display spelling or vocabulary words in the chart for students to refer to.

• Poem of the Week/Day - Print your poem out and put the verses in the chart.

• Use as a Center - (See Image Below)  Construct a simple and inexpensive pocket chart stand for students to use during centers to sort things or play different games.  [I could totally see my kids using this during a math center to sort angles or match equivalent fractions! #4th-grade-moment]

Here's a tutorial on how to make the PVC pocket-chart-stand.

 

 

Mini Accordion Files

 

Check out "Tattling to the Teacher" (Laura's blog)

 

• Storage for Flash Cards and Other Center Materials

• Classroom / School Economy - My school uses "Blaze Bucks" as positive behavior slips.  Students write their name on the back and then turn them in with their "passports".  The student in the class with the most Blaze Bucks at the time passports are collected gets to choose a prize from the administrative team.  [I love Beth Newingham's classroom economy!]

• Reader's Toolkit - Store index cards with different strategies, post-it notes, pencil, sticky tabs, etc. Store in students' reading bins so they can have access to them during independent or guided reading.

• Combination - Using Laura's idea, the students use them as personal containers for flash cards and their classroom economy.

Small Tupperware Containers

• Dice - Put a die or dice in the container for students to use during centers.  Dice won't clank and roll all around the classroom, and you won't have to replenish them!

• Counters - Store counters or Bingo markers for each table in your classroom.

• Money - Store coins for students to use at their desk or at a center.

• Craft Storage - Glitter, sequins, and googly eyes are all small things that can become quite annoying to sort out when trying to do a craft of some sort.  Have them already sorted and make crafting that much easier in the classroom.

 

More to Come Later!