Making the Most of Your Small Group Materials!

It's my FAVORITE time of the month again - Bright Ideas Link Up!!  Spending my weekend going through over all 100 blogs and getting these amazing ideas is so overwhelming, but in such a good way!!  After reading through my post, make sure to check out the rest of the amazing bloggers as well!  

So I'm already going into my 3rd FULL week of school.  We are in full swing.  I already have papers to grade and everything - any takers ;)  I plan on taking them with me this weekend and grading them while watching my home town's 'parade'.  Can we say multi-tasking!?  I think that's every teacher's middle name!  Anywho...  while looking around my room wondering what to blog about, I started thinking about what was something NEW I had done this year that someone else may like to hear about.  This may already be a 'popular' thing to do and I was the one out of the loop and if so, I apologize - but I LOVE this idea!  Small Group Materials Baskets!!  

I, as most teachers, have kids working in groups all the time.  At least once a day at some point.  And each time they need something different to complete their task - i.e. markers, crayons, dice, scissors, etc.  I spent my mornings getting all of the materials ready they needed OR they spent time during the lesson getting this out and that out.  So over it!!  So I decided to make pre-ready - small group materials baskets.  They are pre-made with materials that small groups use the majority of the time.  Since I've taken the pictures, I've added a few more things (listed below).  

Like I said, not much in them in the photos, but since then I've added a few more items:

*Dice

*Scissors

*Glue

*Magnifying Glasses

*Markers

*Feedback Fans

*Timers

These baskets have seriously transformed my time spent gathering things the kids need.  I don't have to worry about it and neither do they.  They don't have to waste time getting anything out either.  Also, if I have a specific material (i.e. base 10 blocks) that I need, all I have to do is plop them into the basket and away they go!  

I have them all sitting up front in my room ready to go.  When I assign groups, one person is in charge of getting the basket and making sure its organized when they bring it back.  I haven't had any problems with them yet and hope not to!  

I'd love to hear what you think!!  What would you put in your baskets??  Make sure to check out the rest of the link up below!!

An InLinkz Link-up