Monday Made It: New Lunch Count System FREEBIE

For as many years as I can count (make that 36) I have taken lunch count one way... call the child's name and put a check next to it if he/she is buying. Even after lunch count went digital online, it was the same way. This takes time, especially with a larger class, and once we went digital you must do attendance FIRST in order to take lunch count. No problem though; it was all good UNTIL...

This school year my students leave homeroom IMMEDIATELY after morning prayer and announcements. For 36 years my sixth graders have been with me for first period. Gulp! I have no time to take lunch count so I had to scamble up a new system. Luckily, I have a terrific teaching partner across the hallway whom I remembered had the same issue last year when this very same group of students was in fifth grade. They left immediately after prayer and announcements last year, too. I asked her how she handled it. What she did was brilliant! Some of you already use systems like this, but for me this was brand new!

She concocted a pocket chart (from the Dollar Tree) with student numbers. Then made small rectangles of red and white to fit in the chart. If a student was buying, he/she would place the red rectangle behind his/her number; if he/she was packing, he/she placed the white rectangle. So clever, so simple!

I followed her lead. I added a little bit of duct tape to my green Dollar Tree pocket chart to match my classroom decor and made a set of selection cards on my computer. I spruced up the cards with some glittery clip art from Glitter Meets Glue and laminated them for durability. I hung up the chart on our classroom door so my kiddos can make their selections before entering the room (hopefully cutting down on forgetfulness).  The last student out the door after prayer and announcements shuts the door so I can read the chart and enter their selections! Problem solved, thanks to Dollar Tree, Duct Tape, and Julie across the hall.

Would you like to own a set of these lunch selection cards? Just click HERE and they're yours, a forever FREEBIE!

How do you do your lunch count? Do you have something cute and clever or tried and true? I'm in search of additional ideas, just in case I need to do something new again next year!

Don't forget to stop by 4th Grade Frolics to check out other fun Monday Made Its posted by teacher bloggers. I always find such fun, clever ideas there!