This is one of the best ways I've seen to use these storage bins. I know many classrooms use them for individual students. They may be used as individual mail boxes or like a portable desk with scissors, crayons, glue, etc. stored in the bin.
In the second grade classroom of Mrs. Q the bins are not used for individual students. She has them set up for team materials (white bins),
class supplies (red and yellow bins) and lesson materials (blue bins).
Here's how the bins are organized:
White Bins
Each
team had a white bin in which materials used every day are kept. They have
access to this bin all day. It is often brought to the team table so
everyone can share the supplies. At the end of the activity or the day,
the materials are put away neatly and returned to the storage shelf. Did
you notice the scissors? They're kept in a little dollar store sliding
box. Love it! Now they aren't scattered throughout the bin. I also
love having the scissors kept in the bin, not student desks. No more tiny
cut up pieces of paper ready to fall on the floor or students going home
missing a lock of hair!
Blue Bins
The
lesson bins are my favorite! This is where you can work smarter, not
harder. Let's say you'll be teaching a lesson about place value this
afternoon. That morning you take out all the lesson bins and place them
on a table or counter. Next get you place value blocks. In just a
few minutes you can put the blocks each group will need for the lesson into the
blue bins. You're all prepped for the lesson! When the lesson
begins you can ask the team leader to go get their blue bin. Quick and
easy!
Red and Yellow Bins
The rest of the bins are used to store supplies needed for the rest of the year. This is where she keeps all those pencils and glue sticks that come in at the beginning of the year and keep your fingers crossed that they last through the year? You can also keep the materials that are not used very often, like rulers, glue bottles, protractors, compasses, etc.
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