The Bucket Theme

Last year at the school I taught third grade in, we had a theme based on the book, "Have You Filled a Bucket Today" by Carol McCloud. This is a wonderful book about what it means to be a respectful and kind friend to family, friends, and even strangers.
My mentor teacher and I centered our classroom theme around the idea of filling one another's buckets. This is such a great topic for third graders, who are becoming more social in school. Furthermore, we all know how large an issue bullying is. Running with the bucket theme, we brainstormed some of the following ideas (I wish I had pictures for all of these!):

• Hanging buckets right outside the door from the ceiling. My teacher found clear plastic paint buckets from A.C. Moore for $1. We used colorful tissue paper to put inside the paint buckets, and then we tied them with matching colorful ribbon to the ceiling! They definitely added height to the front of our door!
• Bucket-filling notes.
• Bucket-filler message in the hallway. Can send a clear message at the start of the school year.
  

"Fill Your Bucket and Make Today Great!"
-Try something new
-Say something kind
-Be a good friend
-Have a good day
-Be nice to each other
(Cut-out polka-dot letters and kids/paint cut-outs from The School Box)

• Making a Third Grade Bucket List. This was an idea I thought would help the children visualize their goals for third grade. Near our classroom door is where students' paper cubbies were located. My teacher wanted something on the back panel of the cubbies. I thought about putting something that would be meaningful our students for the whole school year. So that's when I decided that our students should make a bucket list. Adults make bucket lists, so why shouldn't third graders? :) We had a bucket die-cut in our school work room of buckets, and I gave each student two or three buckets. They had to write things that they would like to learn or accomplish before the last day of third grade. I gave them some ideas, and I told students that these goals did not necessarily have to be school-related. Some of the bucket list ideas students wrote were: division, civics, cursive, learning about space, and learning about animals. I was very impressed! I had students share their goals, then we taped them on the back panel of the cubbies.
  Whenever our class would line up to go somewhere, they noticed the buckets with their bucket list goals for third grade! It was a consistent reminder of what they have already learned, what they would yet to learn, and what goals they could explore more if interested!
• Writing assignment. I had students write to the principals of our school addressing the issue of bullying/ what it means to fill people's buckets. We ended up getting positive responses back from the principals. It really made our students feel important and valued in the school knowing they were writing to the principals.
  

I loved this theme because it was very different from the typical ones you would find a classroom having. I'm more than likely going with a stars/Hollywood theme this year due to a garage sale haul of star die cuts and classroom materials I got a year ago...first year = broke = gotta use what I have!
I truly credit Thriving Third Grade for her classroom ideas on a Hollywood theme, which I absolutely adore! I love the blogging world when it comes to sharing ideas! :)