Author: TCR Staff

Teacher Resources

5 Ways to Use Pocket Charts for Phones in Class

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Are student cell phones causing classroom chaos?

Parents, students, and administrators are finding themselves at odds over no-phone policies on school grounds. As the number of district and schoolwide bans increase, teachers have to get creative with solutions that are easy, inexpensive, and limit distractions—all while addressing parent and student safety and communication concerns.

Pocket charts offer an inexpensive, simple way to tuck phones away during class. Teachers love the affordability and theme flexibility offered by charts, while students and parents will feel good knowing that each phone is visible through clear pockets, and not locked up in the case of an emergency.

Make the order and organization of cell phone storage trendy with a cohesive theme. From a playful “cell block” prison-style solution to an elevated cell hotel, there are tons of themes you can bring to your in-class phone storage solution.

Start with a pocket chart with ample space—such as the 35-pocket Black Storage Pocket Chart or the Black Polka Dots Storage Pocket Chart—for an inexpensive-yet-creative solution for handling cell phones in any class.

Phone Jail

Lock ‘em up! Add a touch of playfulness to “no phone” classrooms with a “cell block” jail-themed pocket chart. Black-and-white striped straight border trim invokes an old-school prison jumpsuit, creating a cohesive, creative look for phone storage.

Attendance Tracker

Instead of a traditional roll call, opt for a phone-based system instead. Instruct students to drop their cell phones into a designated, numbered pocket before class starts. Then, use each phone to mark students as present or absent. Add Confetti Straight Border Trim and Confetti Calendar Bulletin Board Display numbers for a colorful solution.

Device Parking Lot

Direct students to “park” their cell phones into this device parking lot as they enter your class. Add car-themed accents and accessories for a display that decorates and organizes, all in one. Complete the themed look with Moving Mountains Road Trip Camper Vans Accents and Road Trip Straight Border Trim.

Cell Hotel

Draw inspiration from high-end resorts with a “cell hotel” for collecting phones. Elevate the display by adding elegant accents and travel-themed decor for a solution that’s as clever as it is useful. Travel the Map Luggage Mini Accents and Travel the Map Positive Sayings Accents create a cohesive theme that students love.

Charging Station

Incentivize students to hand over their phones at the beginning of school by offering a charging station in your classroom. Decorate the pocket chart with accents, border trim, and stickers for decor that’s as beautiful as it is functional. Brights 4Ever Lightning Bolts Accents and Brights 4Ever Bold Block 4″ Letters Combo Pack brighten up this electric display.

Whether you choose to theme your decor, or keep it simple and sleek, pocket charts are the ideal solution for cell phone storage in your classroom. Soothe student anxiety while keeping your classroom free from distractions with a visible phone-storage solution.

Bulletin Board Ideas, Classroom Organization, Teacher Resources

Autumn Inspiration: Fresh Fall Bulletin Board Ideas

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School is in session and ramping up all things fall! Help students stay energized and engaged in class with autumn classroom decor ideas. Refresh learning spaces, libraries, cafeterias, offices, and more with trendy, on-season decor that integrates seamlessly into your classroom aesthetic.

Combine the Tree for All Seasons with our Hello Fall Create & Decorate Quick Kit and Burlap Better Than Paper for a look that’s fresh, fun, and fall-forward.

Layer Orange Gingham Scalloped, Everyone is Welcome Woven Straight (similar to shown), and Fall Leaves Die-Cut Border Trim together to create a textured, elevated autumnal edge to any bulletin board display.

Pair this border combination with White Shiplap Better Than Paper, Home Sweet Classroom Pumpkins Accents, and the Fall Small Poster Pack for a trendy display that covers everything from fall holidays to weather elements, so it can stay up all season long.

Embrace sweater weather with even more decor that celebrates the season of crisp air, pumpkin spice, and colorful foliage. Combine our Home Sweet Classroom Happy Fall Straight Border Trim with the “Welcome” poster from the Home Sweet Classroom Happy Fall Mini Bulletin Board to warmly invite students into your class.

For teachers who love all the little details, consider framing an autumn-inspired cutout (seen mounted on Corrugated Metal Straight Border Trim) in a wooden frame. Include natural, rustic accents such as burlap, pinecones, twine, and wood create a cohesive classroom look from wall to wall.

Bonus: Hello Fall Google Slides

School is in session, everyone is heads down, and momentum just keeps picking up. If you’re short on time and money, opt for our FREE Hello Fall Google Slides for bringing the beauty of autumn into your classroom routines.

Get your FREE Hello Fall Google Slides download now

This autumn, skip shelling out money for single-use decor—it’s easier than ever to create a stylish classroom in a snap using Teacher Created Resources. Mix and match our durable seasonal decor with neutrals for a one-of-a-kind, kid-approved classroom look that you can recreate year after year.

Classroom Management, Classroom Organization, Giveaways, Miscellaneous, Teacher Resources, Teaching Tips

Classroom Must-Haves Every Teacher Loves

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Heading back to school after summer break can be tough. Make the transition to early mornings and structured routines easier with our roundup of essential school supplies that every classroom needs (and every teacher loves).

Whether they’re first-timers or seasoned educators, all teachers know that the key to successful classroom management starts with the right tools—that function well, last a long time, and create an environment where students can thrive. We talked to the teachers in our community, and they shared their must-have classroom items for Back to School. 

The Best Writing Instruments

Every teacher needs their favorite pens and markers to make the school year a success. Look for low odor dry-erase markers that won’t trigger any smell sensitivities, and opt for a variety of colors to add a pop of color to your whiteboard. Pick pens in colors students love that dry quickly to avoid smears on classwork.

Tried-and-True Tools

Laminators are essential for preserving art projects, protecting decor, and creating classroom resources that can be used again and again. Plus, no teacher will get very far without a reliable, high-quality stapler. Modern designs allow for more accessibility, making it easier to staple bundles without jams. Finally, every class needs organizational accessories, such as hooks and clips, to keep learning spaces uncluttered and neat with easy-to-hang, removable options.

Student Incentives

Even highly motivated students need a push now and then. Encourage your class to stay engaged in learning with student incentives and prizes. Smelly stickers, fidgets, and small prizes offer positive reinforcement for good behavior, academic accomplishments, and more. Store the goodies in a treasure chest for an experience even reluctant learners will grow to love!

Classroom Tech Done Right

Teachers have long wished for the ability to quiet their class with a touch of a button, and now they can. A classroom doorbell is an easy way to get students’ attention quickly, no shouting or clapping required. Simply walk your class through how to respond to the bell at the beginning of the year, then practice, practice, practice! 

An electric pencil sharpener is another must-have on every teacher’s list. Heavy-duty sharpeners take the work out of sharpening pencils, while the variety of settings on modern models allow teachers to choose the mode that’s right for each pencil and lead, to preserve supplies as long as possible.

Kicking off a new school year right starts with creating a classroom environment that’s organized, streamlined, and feels stress-free for students and teachers alike. To help a member of our teacher community get ready for Back to School, we’ve gathered together all of these must-have goodies and more (a $450 value), plus a $250 Teacher Created Resources shopping spree. Our second prize winner will receive a $100 shopping spree at Teacher Created Resources for books, games, classroom decor, and more. 

Enter for your chance to win by August 31, 2025! For a full list of rules, click here.

Classroom Activities, Holidays, Teacher Resources

Giving Thanks: An Easy Classroom Craft

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Thanksgiving provides us with a great excuse to sit on the couch all day, overeat, and maybe catch a game or two (or a parade!), but it’s also the perfect time to stop and reflect on the things in our lives that we’re most thankful for.  

As much as I enjoy the holiday, our house never gets the attention it deserves for Thanksgiving. We’re usually too exhausted from taking down the Halloween decorations and busy making plans and space for the soon-to-be Christmas explosion that besieges our house annually. We do, however, have a couple of turkey-themed decorations that make it onto our walls and shelves in November; and our hands-down favorite is a turkey our daughter made in the first grade. She’s off at college now, but her “Giving Thanks” Turkey still lives at home on our mantle above the fireplace. It’s not a complicated craft, or even all that original, but it’s a reminder to all of us to stop and be thankful for the blessings in our lives. Like my daughter almost 14 years ago, I’m very grateful for my family, my health, my friends, ice cream, and my toys.

I encourage you to create your own “Giving Thanks” Turkey with your students. It’s a fun snapshot of a moment in time, and hopefully something that will find a place on a shelf in their own home one day.

This craft only requires a few materials (shown above):

Materials

  • precut “feathers” made from construction paper of various colors
  • paper plates (orange plates look great, or you can use white and have students color them any color they want)
  • toilet paper rolls 
  • googly eyes
  • small plastic or paper cups (3-ounce cups work great)
  • construction paper scraps for beaks and wattles

Procedure

  1. I always think it’s best to start an activity like this with a group discussion about what it means to be thankful and why we should be thankful for certain things and people in our lives. It’s surprising how many young students have never been asked to stop and reflect on this.
  2. Often, it helps to create a classroom list of all the suggestions. A list will help to get the wheels turning and help with spelling.
  3. Allow each student to choose nine feathers. On each feather they should write one thing that they are thankful for.
  4. Demonstrate how to attach the feathers to the “top” of a paper plate (the final turkey will have the bottom of the plate facing forward). Start with the top feather (in the 12:00 position). Glue works best, but a stapler could be used. Add two more feathers (in the 11:00 and 1:00 positions) so that the turkey looks even and balanced. Continue to add the remaining 6 feathers, taking care to leave the bottom third of the plate featherless.  
  5. If necessary, color the toilet paper roll, and then glue it to the bottom of the plate. If you’re able to fit a stapler inside the toilet paper roll, a staple or two really helps to secure the two pieces together. The turkey should now be able to stand on its own.

Cut out a beak and wattle and, along with two googly eyes, glue everything in place. Add the cup to the turkey’s head for the final pièce de résistance. You can also make the hat out of construction paper if you’re feeling extra crafty.

We have found that we sometimes need to place a little tape on the back of the turkey to keep it from leaping off our mantle, but attaching a weight inside the base of the toilet paper roll would more than likely produce similar results. 

Happy crafting! This Thanksgiving, we hope this activity generates some important conversations in your classroom and some fun “Giving Thanks” Turkeys for your students to share with their families.