Book Boxes

Here's a quick and easy teacher tip for those who use Daily 5 or Reader's Workshop in your classroom.  At the beginning of the year all of my students get their own "book box." Inside of their book box, are all of the materials that they will use for the entire literacy block.  Since the students have everything that they need for independent work, small group, or buddy reading in one place this really saves us a lot of time!

Of course there are books 

(on their independent reading level)...  

a marker board, dry erase marker, and eraser for independent use and during small group instruction...

a making words folder and letters...

headphones for listening to reading at the computer...

and a journal for reading responses and reflections.

All of these materials are stored in boxes (from Dollar Tree).  At the beginning of the year, they just have books.  As the year progresses and I introduce new activities they get the other items.  By the mid-year point they have a book box complete with all of their literacy tools.  We call them our "literacy tool kits."  This cuts down on getting up, roaming around the room, and misplaced items!


In the next few weeks, once my students become really proficient at using the "mini-boggle" games, we'll include those in the boxes.  I'm sure there are many other reading tools we could include.


Here are a few books that I love to use at the beginning of the year to help the students think about their reading tools and to build excitement about becoming better readers and writers. 

Do you have any time saving tips 

for teachers about small group/literacy instruction?  I'd love to hear about them!