Instead of a marble jar....

My friend, Ammie over at Giggles and Squeals, suggested that for my Up themed classroom I might want to have my class earn badges.

My first thought was 7 year old me earning my girl scout badges and all I could think was up keep (18 kids x 35 badges x coloring x pasting on to something= me going crazy)..... then I remembered that I had bought these new snazzy markers (that I'd been looking for-for the last 6 years, literally- 6 years).

They are Crayola magic writers which I found at Target and were marked--made especially for Target (I should have bought 2 packages, I digress....) So I made my badge sheet and then "colored" some of the badges with the "magic" marker, that is white and colors clear.

(You could use the "Overwriter Markers" by Crayola just make sure they always use the color end and not the "white end".)

Now when the whole class is on task, make it to the carpet, sign up for lunch etc. I choose a name from our cup of sticks and that person gets to color any badge of their choice. IF they color a badge and changes color the class earns an instant prize (class game, free time, extra computer lab, homework pass). Although not always instant, can't just go barging into the computer lab unannounced but we write the reward on the board until it's done. When the whole badge board is filled, we earn a reward day (game day, pajamas, a movie etc.)

I have to say, my students are loving it. I'm loving it and not having to be emptying and filling the marble jar all the time is nice. This is total self sufficient on the kids :)

Class Badges