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I think any teacher teaching in the modern-day classroom can agree on one thing: social emotional learning and classroom management is an important priority. Personally, I always enjoyed teaching SEL (social emotional learning) lessons in my classroom. The students are typically very engaged, it helps build a classroom community and teaches expected behaviors in a positive manner.

There are some amazing books that cover the topic of being a “bucket filler.” One of my favorites (and a title my class always enjoyed) is, “Have you Filled your Bucket Today?” by Carol McCloud. The book teaches children by using a metaphor of a bucket and a dipper. The author explains how when a child is kind to another, it “fills up their bucket” or on the contrary, if you are mean, you “dip into their bucket.” This book and all other books that focus on bucket filling teach empathy, kindness, and treating others how you want to be treated in a child friendly way!

Every year, at the beginning of the school year, I would read the book described above. After reading, my class would make an interactive anchor chart. It’s simple:

Step 1: Divide your Anchor chart paper into 2 equal parts by drawing a line straight down the middle. On the left side write, “Bucket Filler” and on the right side write, “Bucket Filler.”

Step 2: Have some scenarios ready. You could write these down on post it notes, paper, or I have some premade ones to help you save time! Bucket Filler Activity Set. Have about half of scenarios be bucket dipping examples and the other half be bucket filler scenarios. As a whole group lesson, you can read the scenarios to the class and call on students who want to come up and glue/tape them to the correct side of the anchor chart. Who doesn’t love an interactive anchor chart that gets students up and moving?

Step 3: Review anchor chart and your goals of your lesson! Ta-da! Nice and simple!

Now that your class has a solid understanding of what it means to be a bucket filler/dipper, your class can engage in other activities like writing about being and how to be a bucket filler, discussing how our actions make each other feel, etc.

As a teacher, you can also now start rewarding students who are “caught being a bucket filler.” Any time I saw a student do something outstandingly kind, I would print them off an award card, and they’d get to wear a fun headband for the day. Every child wanted to get the reward and have a cool headband to wear. I was truly shocked to see my classroom behavior drastically improve.

The concept/idea of being a bucket filler is something that I referred to often throughout the entire school year- not just the start of the year. It truly can be implemented at any time and used as a classroom management tool for the rest of your school year!

If you’re interested in a comprehensive Bucket Filler activity set that includes printables, worksheets, a craft, headbands, reward cards, anchor chart activity and more: I have the perfect set for you HERE: Bucket Filler Comprehensive Set!

Happy Teaching!

-Meredith (Miss Meredith Made)