Classroom Kits

In a previous post I chatted about the gift baskets I put together for my students.  I do something similar in the classroom, but on a smaller scale for each table.  I have 7 tables in my classroom and organize them by color.  The baskets I use really make this easy!  Over the years I have organized the 'stuff' in different ways.  We have used 2 drawer carts, picnic baskets, caddies, or a combination.  It really all depends on the age that I'm working with and the space that I have.  (I've discovered over the years that I'd rather have more floor room for my kiddos to move around and work in.)

We start off the school year with each table having an empty 3 compartment caddy from Really Good Stuff.  As workshop routines and expectations are taught as well as materials introduced, they quickly begin to fill up.  One compartment is used for pens, pencils, and highlighters.  While another is used for coloring supplies, and another for glue, post-its, rulers, dices, cards, and counters.  Last years I had a separate kit for the math materials and stored the iPods right in these caddies, but I found that a lot of the math materials were necessary throughout the day and had to just do one basket.  

Then I also have these baskets from Really Good Stuff to hold their agendas and homework folders (if I had my way we wouldn't even use them), and their math / inquiry notebooks.  And then we have these beauties from Steps to Literacy to store our books and  Readers'/Writers' Notebook.  I ❤ these because they travel nicely from school to home, continue the reading and writing life, and they have lasted now for 3 years with minimal replacements!  I wouldn't trade the book baggies for anything.  They also have a zipper compartment in the back of the bag which are great for pens, post-its, and bookmarks.  Not to mention they fit the Fountas-Pinnel Readers' Notebooks (which I make a combined Readers' / Writers' Notebook) and 6 books from our classroom library.