Must-Have Teacher Supplies - Sticky Notes

When it comes to gathering school supplies, there are two parties to keep in mind: you (the teacher) and your students.

 

While some of these items may seem obvious to have in your classroom, I figure it does not hurt to mention them based on my personal experiences with these items as well as the frequency of using them and the quantity I needed.

 

Originally, as I drafted this blog post by hand in my trusty notebook (very old school, I know), I intended to do one blog post that was all-encompassing of every item I hold near and dear to my heart as a teacher.  As I began typing this post, I realized it would be easier for my readers to process (and would be more visually pleasing) if I dedicated one post to each item.

 

Warning, there might be a seemingly infinite number of follow-up posts as I inevitably think of additional items 😊

 

Here we go, let's start with sticky notes – aka one of the best inventions, in my opinion!

 

Sticky notes have served me well for many years, both in my personal life and in my professional life.  For now, I will focus on their use in the classroom.

 

Textbooks And Literature

One use of sticky notes is that they make great bookmarks.  The adhesive greatly lowers the risk of the bookmarks falling out of the books.  Sticking with the topic of books, sticky notes are great for you and your students to make annotations in the text you are reading.

 

The quick reference allows the reader, whether it be you or one of your students, to efficiently find the noteworthy quote, text evidence, or self-created comment or question to share in a discussion or a written activity.  

 

Do Nows And Wrap-Ups

Sticky notes can also be used for Do Now activities or Wrap-Up activities where you ask your students to write a brief response/feedback to a prompt or question and place the sticky notes on the board.  Responses can be anonymous or authored and reviewed at the deemed time.

 

Studying

A pack of sticky notes can also serve as a study resource.  For example, if trying to remember the order of a process or the chronology of events, that information can be written within the stack of sticky notes.  I recommend holding the pack sideways, with the “spine” of the pack on the left so that the sticky notes can be flipped in the manner of a flipbook. 

 

Another means as a study tool is as an alternative to index cards.  On a piece of paper, students can write definitions, and then write the terms on the sticky notes.  Each sticky note would then be placed over its corresponding definition to conceal it. 

 

This concept can also be done vice versa – terms on the paper and definitions on the sticky notes.  Either way, the students must focus to recall the other half of the information.

 

One suggestion for this graphic organizer is for you, the teacher, to create a template by tracing sticky notes on the paper so that students have the boxes they need on the paper.  An 8-1/2” x 11” sheet of paper will fit six boxes.

 

Journal Prompts

If you like to incorporate journal writing in your class, sticky notes can play a role there.  Remember, journal writing is not only for English Language Arts class 😊

 

Have your students write a variety of prompts on sticky notes – one prompt per note.  The prompts can be teacher-assigned or student-created or a combination of the two.  Ask each student to stick the notes on the inside cover of his/her journal.

 

When it is journal time, allow your students to pick prompts.  Each student must remove that sticky note and throw it away after writing a response.  Disposing of the sticky note forces each learner out of his/her comfort zone to generate a response to a new prompt each time.  This activity can take place during class time or for homework.

 

Positive Messages

One of my favorite uses for sticky notes is to write feedback and inspirational messages.  You can preemptively fill a stack of sticky notes with kind words, such as "You're doing awesome" or "Great job staying on track" to hand out during independent work time.  Of course, the messages can be customized in real-time to grant specific accolades.

 

Whenever I quietly walked up to a student's desk and gently placed one of these notes on it, his/her eyes would light up and a genuine smile would take shape.  Disclaimer, the first day I did this, each student who received a sticky note had a look of confusion fused with concern.  It was only after they realized that the delivery of a sticky note was a reward that the self-satisfied smiles appeared.  

 

My students often kept these sticky notes in their notebooks as signs of pride and recognition for jobs well-done.  Also, receiving the sticky notes sparked friendly competition and motivation as other students saw their classmates receive something special.

 

Receiving a sticky note that says "Excellent Job Focusing On Today's Activity" might seem trivial, but to a kid (especially a kid feeling down that day), it can mean the world.  Plus, the gifting of these kind words can help you earn respect as your students will appreciate that you recognize their hard work.

 

It can also grant you their full effort to do what is being asked of them.  You may notice students trying a little harder than they usually do in your class all for the hopes of you noticing them and placing those sticky notes on their desks.  The simple act of handing a student a handwritten note of recognition speaks to your character and that of the student receiving it.

I am sure I will think of even more uses for sticky notes after this blog post goes live.  If/when that happens, I will be sure to update this post.   

 

How do you use sticky notes in your class?  Share below!

 

 

Check out my Teachers Pay Teachers store for a variety of versatile products for all grades and subjects!   

 

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Peace.  Love.  Reading & Writing.

 

💗 Miss M