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How to Create a Bucket Filler Classroom

by Angie Olson 8 Comments

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Create a bucket filler classroom and set up a positive and encouraging environment for your students to work hard, push themselves, and feel successful. This post provides activities, printables, and a book that will do just that!

I am a firm believer in positive and encouraging classroom environments.  Students who feel safe and encouraged are being set up to take risks, challenge themselves, and work hard.  There are a few ways that I achieve this in my classroom.  This post will outline how to create a bucket filler classroom so your students can feel successful and work hard.

How Full is Your Bucket

Every year I read the book  How Full Is Your Bucket? For Kids. This book explains the concept of each of us having an invisible bucket. When our bucket is full, we feel great. When it’s empty, we feel awful. It goes through the importance and impact of our words and actions towards others. It also describes how when we fill others’ buckets, in return, it fills our own.

Some other bucket filler books that I love to read throughout the year include:
Have You Filled a Bucket Today?: A Guide to Daily Happiness for Kids (Bucketfilling Books)Bucket Filling from A to Z: The Key to Being Happy
Fill a Bucket: A Guide to Daily Happiness for Young Children

Bucket Filler Anchor Chart

After reading the story, we move into some class discussion.  I ask my students the question, “What are some positive choices we can make this year?”  Then I instruct them to “turn and teach”.  At that point the kids turn and face their turn and teach partner and they take turns telling their partner ideas for positive choices.  After approximately 1-2 minutes, we return to our whole group conversation and the students share some of their ideas aloud.  At that point I add their ideas to the anchor chart you can see below.

Create a bucket filler classroom and set up a positive and encouraging environment for your students to work hard, push themselves, and feel successful. This post provides activities, printables, and a book that will do just that!

I would recommend hanging this anchor chart on your classroom wall for the first month of school.  You will see why I recommend this next.

Time to Implement

Here’s where the fun begins.  The kids now understand some of your classroom expectations and the behaviors and actions they should strive towards.  They also understand the importance of using words to fill their classmates’ buckets.  Now they get to put this all to action.

At the beginning of the week, each student gets the name of somebody in their class.  It is their responsibility to look for something positive from that student.  It can be something that was written on the anchor chart that is displayed on your wall or something different.  On the final day of the week, the students create their bucket filler tag.  This is a fun and rewarding experience for your students.  They choose the tag that matches the compliment.  They can use pencil, markers, or crayons to get creative.  Then they deliver their tag to the student.  Give them about 5 minutes to share with each other about why they chose to compliment them on that specific behavior.  At that point, the students put their tags on a necklace, binder ring, library pocket, take home folder, brag tag book, or even in their pencil box.

Where do you get the tags?

I have created some tags for you to print and use in your classroom.  You can access any of my brag tag bundles by clicking your preference below.

Click a bundle to take a closer look

If you found this post helpful and would like to save it for future reference, feel free to use the image below to pin to your Pinterest board.

Create a bucket filler classroom and set up a positive and encouraging environment for your students to work hard, push themselves, and feel successful. This post provides activities, printables, and a book that will do just that!

This post contains affiliate links for Amazon. By purchasing an item on the Amazon site using these links, I will receive a small commission on your purchase. For more information about my Disclosure Policy, please visit this link.

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Comments

  1. Gladys Doherty says

    September 17, 2016 at 9:06 pm

    Thank you for sharing your work with us. I just ordered the book How Full Is Your Bucket? For Kids and can hardly wait to receive it. This book was shared within our district a few years ago but never quite caught on. I didn’t have my own copy but could borrow it from the principal. Now, I want my own! I believe in creating a positive classroom environment where every student feels wanted and safe, and to understand that words can help or harm. This will add to the fun and enjoyment of our classroom community.

    Reply
  2. Marjorie says

    June 10, 2017 at 4:09 pm

    Love the suggestions

    Reply
  3. Angie Holt says

    July 12, 2017 at 12:08 am

    Love, love these. I used this last with fifth grade. Instead of using dog tags (because their teacher couldn’t find any dog tag chains) we used shower curtain hooks from Dollar General. Hooks can be hooked on bookbag, belts loops or….drum roll please… as earrings, a trend started by a group of FIFTH grade boys. Yeah, true story, I can’t make this up. I plan to use your booklets for my I CAN standards this year.

    Thank you and God Bless.

    Reply
  4. Terri Gibson says

    June 14, 2018 at 7:38 pm

    I am assuming this is for older kids. We have preschoolers, but I think we can adapt it for their level

    Reply
  5. Kathleen says

    July 11, 2018 at 1:35 pm

    I like the idea of students paying attention to their peers; looking for great things they do. Are there “blank” brag tags? Something the students could “make” their peer at the end of the week?

    Reply
    • Angie Olson says

      February 27, 2019 at 8:44 pm

      Hi Kathleen!

      I do have a package of Editable Brag Tags available for purchase through TpT that could be used this way. I have placed a link below for you to look over! Thank you!
      https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Brag-Tags-Editable-with-School-Images-45-templates-2745640

      Angie Olson
      Lucky Little Learners

      Reply
  6. Jodi says

    December 31, 2018 at 8:40 pm

    Hi – I realize this post is a few years old, but where can I find the brag tags pictured? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Angie Olson says

      February 27, 2019 at 8:05 pm

      Hi Jodi!
      I’m not sure if these are the same as the ones pictured but I have placed two links below that will direct you to the brag tags I have for sale through TpT! I hope this is helpful! Thank you!
      https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Motivation-Brag-Tags-3222771
      https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Brag-Tags-Editable-with-School-Images-45-templates-2745640

      Angie Olson
      Lucky Little Learners

      Reply

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My name is Angie Olson and I am the teacher, author, and curriculum designer behind Lucky Little Learners. I created Lucky Little Learners as a way to connect with other teachers around the world. I develop lesson plans, printables, centers, interactive notebooks, activities, and resources for other teachers.

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