My previous colleague and I have always aimed to make our custodian work as simple as possible. While clean flooring was a top priority, finding time to sweep while focusing on learning was a challenge. Enter Courtney Olson, a first-grade teacher with unique and effective solutions. Her “mystery trash” hacks keep the classroom organized and involving students in fun and rewarding activities. This strategy cleans the floors while promoting student responsibility and enthusiasm.
Hack: mentally choose three “mystery trash” and reward students who pick them up
Miss Olson’s “Mystery Garbage” hack includes a simple yet clever game. She identifies three pieces of garbage on the classroom floor as “mystery items.” She then announces that it’s “Mystery Garbage Time” and encourages students to clean up as much as possible in the hopes of finding these designated items. Students who find mystery items will be rewarded with a trip to stickers and prize boxes!
How to implement a mystery trash hack
Here’s how teachers can implement this hack in their classroom:
Identify Garbage: Miss Olson selects three garbage on the floor before announcing the game. Announce the game: She tells the student it’s “mystery trash time” and briefly explains the rules. Set of timer: Students are given 1-2 minutes to pick up as much trash as possible. Announce Winner: At the end of the cleanup, Miss Olson reveals who found the mystery trash and awarded the award.
The advantages of mystery trash hacks
As a former 8th grade teacher, I wish I had known about this hack when I was teaching. You can see teenagers getting excited about the game as well. After using this hack, here are the benefits we can expect in your classroom:
Keeps the classroom clean. This activity leads to a cleaner classroom environment as students become enthusiastically involved in the cleanup. Encourage participation: Reward incentives motivate students to participate actively. Teaching responsibility: Students learn the importance of maintaining a clean, organized space. Finish your class productively and efficiently. We’ll put together the lesson a few minutes before Bell leaves idle time. This hack is the perfect time filler and ensures that the class ends with a productive note.
Are you ready to clean the floor?
Miss Olson uses this “mystery trash” hack with first-year students, but it is a versatile tool that can be adapted to kindergarten through second-year students. The simplicity of the task and reward elements make it suitable for young learners who enjoy short, goal-oriented activities. This hack is another example of teacher ingenuity. It employs common tasks such as cleanup and turning them into exciting activities for students. Your students are looking forward to actually taking part in this everyday life!
