Beach Bucks

Aloha friends!  I am so happy I have only 3 days until Spring Break! Hurray!!  I actually really only have two teaching days left.  On Friday I have a sub.  I have to take my van into the dealer and the only day that works is Friday.  So I guess I am getting an early start.  

I know that I should probably get a new car, but I love the old beater that I have. It's filled with beach gear, sand and surfboards.  What more could you want on the North Shore of Hawaii?

Speaking of the beach, who is ready for warm weather and sunnier days?  As we head into the last quarter of school I wanted to share something I do with my kids for the last part of the school year.

Every year after Spring Break my kiddos get a little crazy.  Summer is just around the corner, they are used to the same old routine and start to test a little more, right?  Well I have been using this money system for awhile and it works wonders in my class.

This is a money system that I use to help my kiddos stay happy and engaged, and let me tell you it works!

Basically my students get paid for the work they do for the last quarter.  They get paid for their classroom jobs, homework and classwork.  It is a mini-economic system in your classroom.

Kids get a weekly salary, get paid by check, cash it at the bank, and go shopping in the school store.

There are specific jobs for all of this, and the students run the whole thing.

Today I posted the classroom jobs that kids could apply for.  I explained each one and told them that they were going keep this job for the rest of the year.  Here are some of their applications.

Notice the second one.  Do you have a problem with kids going to the bathroom ALL the time? This student will get $5 from each child who has to go the bathroom.  She is thinking ahead to all the $ she will earn for this job!!

Once we all have a job I post up our job board.

Each week they will earn $100 for doing their job.  On Fridays they get a check. Whoo Hoo Payday!!

They also have homework coupons that they earn over the week.

My bank tellers cash checks and then students can go to the school store.

The bank is a pretty crude affair with the money just sitting out on the desk.  We keep the rubber bands on because the wind blows everything away!!

My bankers have to be pretty good at counting out money in order to have this job.

 After the check and coupons have been used, my assistant banker stamps the check to show it has been paid and places it in our money box.

Now that they have cash they can head to the school store.

My storekeeper can use the cash register to add it all up.  They do have to be able to make change, which can make this job challenging.

The kids love this cash register.  It is perfect for our school store.

I purchased this through my Scholastic Bonus points a few years ago, 

but I know you can get them on Amazon too.

My kids love using our Beach Bucks.  We even make origami wallets to keep our money in.  

Many of them bring their own wallets from home.

Click on the pink wallet to take you to a tutorial.

Kids get paid for their work, but they can also lose money!  The money bucket is on my desk.

If you break a rule then you have to put $$ in the bucket.

Kids that show good behavior earn raffle tickets and can win the bucket of money at the end of the week!

At the end of the quarter I have a class auction for the kids to spend their money.  

I have used this system for the last 10 years and have finally put it all together.

I am sure many of you already use a money system in your classroom.  Hopefully some of these ideas will help you to add a bit more to it.

If you want the whole system you can pick this up in my TpT store. 

I also have two other themes that are the exact same system.

A fun Super Hero theme

and a Western theme.

Hopefully one of these fun themes will help keep your classroom running smoothly for the rest of the year!