With two weeks left before school starts, I’ve been working on my looong to-do list! Today’s project was to put together B.E.E. Books for my kiddos!
Do you use a B.E.E. Book in your classroom? Maybe you use a Moose, a Frog, or even a Kangaroo! Whatever you call it, these student-to-home folders are GREAT organizational tools for our little ones! And you can include as little or as much inside as you want!
Just in case you don’t know what a B.E.E. is, this little acronym stands for “Bring Everything Everyday.” B.E.E not the word you’re looking for? Click {here} for a HUGE list of acronyms that you can use!
For my BEEs {I’m losing the “.” because it’s getting annoying to type lol}, I like to use 2-pocket poly folders with fasteners. I buy a bunch of them on sale from an office supply store– this year, it was Office Depot.
I put a cutesy label on the front:
And little labels on the inside too:
The left pocket of the folder is for papers that should be LEFT at home. The right pocket is for papers that should come RIGHT back to school. I also include a 3-hole pencil pouch in the BEE that should be used for money and notes:
Thank you Office Depot… $0.01!!!
Like I said, you can include whatever you want in your BEE. I keep mine really simple: I use the fasteners to hold a page protector that houses a homework/weekly skills sheet. I 3-hole punch my behavior calendars and pop them in the BEE, too. You can add reading logs, reference sheets, a parent/teacher communication section… anything!
If you want to make your own BEE using the labels above, click {HERE} to pick them up, FREE, from my TpT shop!! I also included a view binder cover sheet, in case you want to use a binder instead:
I didn’t only buy *every* yellow folder that Office Depot had, I also bought *every* purple folder, too! Hey, I can’t pass up good deal! I am using the purple folders as my class work folder… which I am now renaming the “sticker book!”
I saw this idea while blog stalking the other day, and I LOVED it! Amy from What Happens in First Grade posted about it on her blog, and even has freebie labels so you can make a set for your class!! The sticker book is really a class work folder, with labels on the inside for finished/unfinished work:
And it doubles as a place for my kiddos to put all those stickers I give them!! Now I won’t find the stickers stuck to the desk, the floor, their heads…. 😉
How do you keep your students organized? I’d love to get more ideas!!
Oh my gosh, Office Depot had the pouches for a penny!? What a deal! I've used these notebooks in the past & it was a great way to keep it organized! I love it! Our school purchased home to school communicators this year so I'm hesitantly trying their folders. I think I'm going to end up going back to your method though. 🙂
Lisa
Learning Is Something to Treasure
You're on your way to organized!! Way to go cupcake!!
"BEE" utiful….now I am going to barf at my my pun. but seriously. Bee Proud. They look great!
Awesome blossom! Super cute. Thanks for sharing, friend.
Lyndsey
I bought the 1 cent pencil pouches for my BEE books from Office Depot too!!!! They are a totally different kind than yours, how weird!
Marvelous Multiagers!
Love your BEE books…so cute!
Gladys
http://teachinginhighheels.blogspot.com
Those home folders look great! My 3rd graders have a binder they take home with their planners, h/w calendar, Super 6 math weekly h/w, and pencil pouch. It is so nice to have it all organized!!
Erin
http://adventuresinthirdgrade-brown.blogspot.com/
Love the idea, I'm going to try it out!
Jenny
Thank you so much for posting about the sticker books. Here is the link to my post.
http://whathappensinfirstgrade.blogspot.com/2012/08/back-to-school-organization-free-labels.html
I'm so happy your babies will have a place to "stick" their stickers (and the rest of their stuff).
The clean desk fairy will be happy!
Amy
http://whathappensinfirstgrade.blogspot.com
You are such a bargain hunter!
They look GREAT!
Mary
Sharing Kindergarten
I love it so much! I haven't heard of B.E.E. before!
Michelle
Apples and ABC's
I love it so much! I haven't heard of B.E.E. before!
Michelle
Apples and ABC's
Very clever 🙂
Elizabeth