Cleaning Cards Update

So, if you read my post about creating these cleaning cards, I had to tweak it a bit.

They still work great.  However, some lazy (yes, I don't mind using that adjective to describe them) kids like to just do their job and then continue to chit chat or goof off.  So... the cleaning was done but I didn't love the end of day routine.  It wasn't as smooth as my anal self wanted it to be...especially when I'll be having a long term sub in a couple of months.

Solution???  See my slides below:

I put together these slides for my end-of-day cleaning routine.

• Left: I got some ideas on teaching kids the WHY through this pin on Pinterest.  We really discussed working together to help each other and to take pride in our room/area.
• Right: The order of what we will be doing.  Basically, they will clean to music after they take care of their desk area.  While they are organizing materials to take home/cleaning their area, that's when I will go around passing out cleaning cards.  It doesn't take some of them the whole time to get their "job" done, so the key was that they had to HELP pick up/clean when done since there will be a 30 seconds off their recess for every piece of trash I find on the floor.  
• "Rockin' Robin" for cleaning 
• "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" for packing and Learning Log reflection time; half the class starts with their reflection and the other half packs up (to avoid hallway/cubby traffic), then they just switch tasks as they get done





These are the Learning Log bags I have up all year.  Students get a slip of paper, date it, and write down 3 things they learned or have a reflection on for the day.  I also add a picture of them "thinking" on the front of the bag with their name.  It's fun to go through them at the end of the year.

• "Inspector Gadget" theme song for my two maintenance workers to do one last pick up & line kids up

 

This, combined with the cleaning cards, have been working awesome this past week!  I'm hoping the novelty doesn't wear off.  I'm being extra picky these first few weeks since they will continue to be attentive if they lose recess time to clean (6 little pieces of trash = 3 minutes of recess time owed). 

Students also like listening to & singing along with the music, and it keeps them from talking as much.  If they are off task at all (again, I'm being extra watchful/picky), they immediately pull a card (consequence).

Right before the bell rings, I've got a clean classroom, packed up students already in line, and a little less than one minute to note any last minute reminders before I dismiss.  Yay for creating solutions!!!