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Classroom Mini Economy

This past year I worked at a pretty amazing school where they had a school wide mini economy that everyone participated in. The fifth graders, who were in charge of all of the product selling, sold items to all of the younger grades once a month.

Once a month we'd go to the cafeteria where the fifth graders had their stores set up, had their mini economy money in hand, their business license clearly placed, and their negotiating techniques practiced and ready to implement to anyone who walked past their stores. It was great! I loved every single time we went because there was always something new. There was always someone trying to out do their competitor; which was a great way to show how companies advertise to the masses and how they get their products into the hand of consumers over the other products.

The year before teaching at this school, I taught in another classroom that had some pretty severe behavioral issues. I racked my brain on how to tame them because it was a constant battle of wills, would it be me or the children running the class?

This is when my mini economy was born...I belong to quite a few teacher sites because I love collaboration. I wrote a little blurb about the issues I was having and got a response that changed my whole outlook on how I could run my classroom. The post led me to a variety of resources about starting a mini economy in my classroom. I purchased quite a few things to get this started because the school and the classroom I was in was not really financially able to help at the time. I was in the middle of a maternity leave and well, they don't exactly hand out money to someone who is just "filling in." I of course did not think that way and I treated those kids as if they were my own, in my own classroom.

So the work began on setting up my class store, bank, and how I would implement my mini economy with the challenging classroom full of kiddos who wanted nothing to do with me. I introduced the idea to the kids, and they LOVED it! I hadn't seen them excited about anything all year. The mundane, boring happenings in the classroom were just NOT working.

We worked together on naming our store and our bank and voted together on who would be the banker and the cashier at the store. Each student filled out a job application and were given a list of jobs that they'd apply to. We then created our money, it was very generic, but worked for what we were trying to do.

Here are some photos of our little store and how we ran things! I made an entire packet for my TPT store that will help other teachers implement their own mini economy. Check it out here!

When you start your mini economy, you'll definitely need to teach about all of the elements that go into working and saving, but that's all included in the packet I made! Let me know how you like it if you use it and if you need any help with what to do, contact me here! Your kids will love it, plus its a great behavioral management technique for any classroom!

Here is the classroom job application and description of all of the jobs we had. You can send this home with the kids and have them fill it out with parents. I also had them write "letters of recommendation" to help them in the decision of what job they should get!

I created these cute little checks and money to use for your mini economy! If you decide you want to fill the checks out online, contact me and I can tailor them to fit your classroom and needs!

Again, check out the full product on my TPT store here and please let me know how I can help you implement this in your classroom!

Melissa

New Primary Resources!

I have been working on quite a bit lately. Since I haven't found a permanent placement yet, I figured I'd work on resources for those who do!

Here's a link to my newest primary resource!

My Color Book

It's a color book that I made, in part, because I wanted to help my son and I wanted to have some things available just in case I end up in kindergarten! The color book isn't exactly like any other color book because it also incorporates writing and thinking skills into the lesson. Students will color each picture then write each word. At the end of the book, students will write out each word and an object or animal that they associate with that color. Finally, they write what their favorite color is!

It's a pretty simple packet, but very beneficial for students who need that extra oomph in the beginning of the year!

Here are a couple of photos of the packet! Let me know what you think!

Here's the cover! You can put the book all together for your students, or use each page as a morning work or learning center activity!

Here's a page within the book where students must color each picture, then write their color word.

Here's the last page where students write their color words, an object or animal associated with that color, and then finish with their favorite color!

I hope you enjoy this packet as much as I did creating it!

Melissa

Things I've been working on...

This summer has been much like last...trying to find a permanent position! No luck yet, but, I'm slowly understanding that I can't just wait around for things to happen, I just have to do them! I've been applying to every position I see that posts and I hope that in August, the calls really start to come. I've been working on some common core resources and really been educating myself on all of the common core curriculum standards. Whatever grade I end up teaching, I want to be knowledgeable in every single one. I am thinking of going back to get my masters degree, both in reading and common core instructional strategies. We will see what this year holds, wish me luck and say a prayer for me!!!


Here are some products that I created for my TPT store! These are all 3rd to 6th grade, but I'm working on more primary stuff that I've been able to use with my son Max ;-) Let me know what you think!

Here's a unit I created for my 4th graders last year. Many of them were not writing very descriptive sentences and some of them did not even know how to add commas or any punctuation for that matter to their sentences. This is a comprehensive look into how to teach word usage, grammar usage, and putting it all together to make a sentence. You then can teach how to write a paragraph and write a detailed one at that! You can find this packet here!

Another packet I've completed over the summer is my Comprehension and Fluency Folders. Before I started the 4th grade position this past year, I worked as an interventionist for the 4th grade. I noticed that many of them were not familiar with their fluency and their comprehension was poor as well. This is something that you can introduce to your students at the very beginning of the year and use it throughout the year to improve in these particular areas. You can find this packet and everything that's in it here!

Well that's it for now, I have much more to share with you, but not enough time to do so! Hope you are all having a great summer and remember me in your prayers! I know the right position is out there, I just have to be patient enough to wait for it! God bless!

Mrs. Bushnell

It's Over...and I'm anxious for the future!

Last Friday was my last day in the current position I have. It was bittersweet to be honest with you, I love those kids, yet, I'm so anxious to be in MY OWN classroom this upcoming school year. I want to know where I'm going to be and what I'm going to be teaching so that I can prepare to the best of my ability! I LOVE teaching and I had some amazing times with the kiddos this year. I'd have to say that this position was one of the best I've had because of how much I was pushed to be better, do better, and to constantly keep learning.

As an educator, I know that you can never really learn enough and this experience made that more evident than ever.

I'm so thankful to the kids, my teaching team and to the amazing parents I had that made me feel so incredibly appreciated my last day!!! Here's to the kiddos and their families, have an amazing summer and thank you for making feel like the most appreciated teacher in the world!!!

Mrs. Bushnell

Spring Break and other FUN stuff!

So I can't believe that it's spring break already! My maternity leave will end soon and I'll begin that journey again for my quest to find a permanent position. I don't really look forward to that this summer, however, I do look forward to putting the experience I've gained onto my resume!

Yesterday at school we had a few serious activities, like DOL and spelling, but the rest of the day was filled with pizza, ice cream, cookies, mini economy and my favorite, Just Dance on the XBOX Kinect! The kids had so much fun, they didn't want to leave! As a teacher, obviously that makes my heart smile, but seeing the kids dance it up and wanting me to join in was such an uplifting event for me. I've been having such a hard time with keeping up. In January 2010, I was diagnosed with Graves Disease and since that diagnosis, my body has been in turmoil with itself. This of course was the time that I received my first maternity position in kindergarten and throughout that time, I was miserable. Like most graves patients, medication is the number one thing that could help get my life back, however, I still have not received the needed medication that will help my fatigued body. I get done at school and I am beyond exhausted. I barely have the energy to play with my son let alone grade papers, make lesson plans, and do all of the other countless things we do as educators. BUT, yesterday was a turning point for me...seeing my kids love what we are doing in school, grasping every thing I say to them, and just having fun, that's what it really is all about isn't it? School shouldn't just be "school," it should be filled with learning and fun experiences in both the learning world and social world.

We are on spring break this week and I'm going to take this time to relax and focus on my son. I of course will do my final grades, final grading of some last minute assignments, and hopefully add a couple more lessons to my repertoire. Whatever you are doing this week, whether its spring break or your back in school, enjoy your kids and remember, they are kids. They are doing so well and trying their best. Instill that love for learning in them not only with academic lessons, but fun, social engagement!

Happy Spring Break!

Service Project

I haven't blogged in quite a while and I'm incredibly sorry for that! I've been CRAZY busy with school and getting caught up with everything after Christmas break!

Over break, I got inspired by the Sandy Hook Elementary tragedy. It was incredibly heartbreaking and it has really taken over the way I think about life, my family and the way that I teach. I was inspired by Ann Curry's 26 Acts of Kindness campaign that you can check out here at her twitter page. This movement has taken the nation over and I've decided to bring it into my classroom.

I've been in contact with an organization called, Soldier's Angels. This organization is based out of Nevada and was started by a mother of two soldiers. They provide service men and women the opportunity to have a civilian "adopt" them. The adoption requires that you send one letter a week, and one care package a month throughout the deployment of the soldier. A small task to do for those who are protecting our world as we know it. So I came up with a project for my students to write letters and create care packages to send to the men and women overseas. Take a look at the website and see if you might be able to help this organization. These men and women are protecting us and deserve to be treated as so. Take a look at our #26 acts that we are completing in our classroom!

#26 Acts of Kindness