Oh, Spring. I love Spring.
The weather is getting warmer, state testing is almost over, and summer is right around the corner!!
Just look at how GORGEOUS my sweet little island city is.
I did not grow up here, I moved here, making me an "IBC" meaning "Islander by Choice". If you're not an IBC, you're a "BOI" which means "Born On the Island". This may seem weird that we classify ourselves... I thought so too when I moved here. Five years later, it is what it is... Lol. I'm proud to be an IBC. After experiencing island life, I'll never leave my little strip of paradise!
I also dislike Spring...
Because this season starts to bring out the crazy in my classroom... My sweet little fourth graders start to act more like 5th graders. Behaviors start getting a bit more obnoxious because they sense the year coming to an end. So to combat the cray, I introduce my students to BINGO DOTS.
What are bingo dots you ask? Well, they're stamps made from bingo daubers. I purchase my bingo daubers at the Dollar Store. $4 and some change later, I'm armed and ready to capture my student's attention and get their behavior back on the straight and narrow.
All you need are these handy-dandy bingo daubers and a scrap sheet of paper for each students. You're ready!
I give away bingo dots for EVERYTHING.
- Working hard in class? Bingo dots.
- Quiet in the hall? Bingo dots.
- Showing strategies? Bingo dots.
I also play the "Give me 5 Game"
When the kids are rowdy, or I want them to get ready to switch classes, I say "*insert student name*, Give me 5!" That student gets 5 bingo dots, then walks around to find a quiet classmate to give 4 bingo dots to. The student chosen for 4 bingo dots gets to walk around and find someone to give 3 bingo dots to. Then that students finds someone to give 2 to... All the way down to 1. End result? SILENT CLASS. ALL SITTING PERFECTLY.
My FAVORITE thing to do though is give away giant amounts of bingo dots....
Sometimes I get caught up talking with a teacher, dealing with a student, parent, whatever. YOU KNOW that as soon as the teacher's back is turned, kids think it's a free for all... WHY, I DON'T KNOW. Anyway, while I'm handling a situation and they're acting cray, I simply find one student who's behaving and say, "*insert student name*, 20 bingo dots". DUDES. The way the rest of the kids snap to is simply amazing. TRY IT!!
Why are these bingo dots so amazing? Two reasons:
1) The kids get to stamp themselves. It's thrilling for them. And less work for me :)
2) Bingo dots EARN REWARDS!
Most teachers have a reward system in their classroom. I have several.
--> TREASURE BOX (answer "exit tickets" correctly, you get a ticket. Ticket goes into bucket. Draw from bucket for treasure box)
--> EARN A TILE (get a compliment in the hall or from specials/rotation, you get to draw a letter that eventually spells out a classroom reward - check it out in my TPT store for more details)
--> BINGO DOT REWARDS. Students save up their bingo dots and redeem them for rewards.
5 Bingo Dots: fun eraser
15 Bingo Dots: piece of candy
30 Bingo Dots: homework pass
40 Bingo Dots: QR Reward Card THEY GO CRAZY FOR THESE!!! Check them out in my TPT store
50 Bingo Dots: 15 minutes of choice time
I'm seriousl, y'all. Bingo Dots are THABOMBDOTCOM!!!! You've got to try them.
Bingo Dot Tips:
- I tell my students keep up with your Bingo Dot papers. If you lose them, too bad so sad. Just get out another piece of paper and start over
- Let the kids stamp themselves. It's a reward in itself. I've only had a few students try to "over stamp" but the other kids kept them honest... They will rat each other out in a heart beat for stealing bingo dots!!
- Have several different bingo dauber colors. It makes it more fun and HELLO, THEY'RE ONLY $1!! So have a rainbow of 'em!
I REALLY want you to try out this Bingo Dot Madness in your classroom so you can see how fun it is for you and students... So here's my FREEBIE! Bingo Dot Reward System Templates!!
The product includes the poster I use in my classroom and three editable templates for you to personalize of your own classroom. Just click the link to be taken to my TPT store! PLEASE leave feedback and follow my store while you're there! :)
Enjoy and PLEASE let me know how they've worked for you!! I love to hear feedback and any upgrades you've made!
Thanks SO much for reading this post! I hope you've enjoyed. As a reward to yourself for BEING AWESOME, enter the fantastic giveaway below!! YOU DESERVE IT! Happy Spring!!
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