Neat Freak Treats

My thumbs are sore from peeling crayons but I have a lot to show for it and have re purposed a huge container of broken bits.   My students love re purposed crayons.  This all started in the fall as I revamped my classroom management.  I added a new job to my job chart called "neat freak".  The neat freaks job is to help clean up all the tools that were dropped on the floor or misplaced and not put back away correctly.  After everything has been cleaned up, I call the neat freaks, one from each table to locate a mystery item.  I used to write down what the item was on a post-it before they began but now I just keep it in my head.  For example, it might be the pencil that rolled under the table or a shelf,  scissors that were left piled down somewhere instead of returned to their place or even just a paper that was dropped on the floor and not picked up.  I think this is the highlight of each class because the winner receives a prize.  I began the process thinking I would pick  up pencils, cutesy erasers and such at the dollar store for the prizes but stumbled on the idea to re purpose crayons when I found a silicone baking sheet of pumpkins back in the fall.  They were an instant hit so now my only out of pocket cost is for the array of baking forms I have added to my collection.  Just google silicone baking sheets and you will see what I mean.  I will be able to reuse the baking sheets for years so my investment has dropped to zero.  Now I spend my evenings and weekends peeling broken crayons.    I will either develop the strongest thumb muscles know to mankind or be forever in pain!!!  It's the little things that make the difference in a classroom and either way the payoff is definitely worth it!