Brag Tags~ working for charms!

I mentioned in an earlier blog that we have our sight word chart that tracks the progress of the 100 words we need to know.  The sight word incentives tie into our brag tags.  We are also a PBS (Positive Behavior Support) school and some of our PBS incentives tie into the brag tags.  So what is a brag tag?  A brag tag is a necklace that each child receives and they work toward earning charms to display on their necklace.  I absolutely love our brag tags.  On the first day of school I give my students their "brag tag" or necklace.  I make sure that each necklace already has a "name charm" (a counter top sample from our local hardware stores) with his or her name, my name, and grade.  I explain to the kids that over the course of the year they can earn charms for their necklace.  Each charm represents a special achievement.  The kids get so excited about earning charms and the fact that they already have a charm.

Our school gives out charms every month for AR goals, Art and Music stars, good character, citizenship, PE mileage club, and birthdays.  Students also receive charms for perfect attendance and honor roll or good behavior for Kg every nine weeks.  Some grade levels have special charms.  This year Kindergarten ordered ABC and sight word milestone charms.  These charms are amazing motivators for most of my students.  I also give out special bead charms in my room.  It is hard at first for Kg students to earn charms, so I came up with a few of my own.  I went to Wal-Mart and bought some of the pony beads for a couple of dollars.  I use green beads if they have been on green all week, yellow for bringing back homework (not every time... only on special days, but they never know when it will be bead day), pink beads for being good friends and citizens in the classroom, and I bought metallic beads, but haven't thought of a way to use them yet.

Here are some pictures of the brag tags!  The holder is a jewelry holder I found at TJ Maxx for only $14.  I had to buy one for home as well!

The lovely counter samples I got from Lowe's and a close-up of the number and ABC charms.  They get the ABC when they know all upper and lower case letters and sounds.  The number charms are the milestones on their way to knowing all 100 sight words.
 

Here are my containers of pony beads and two new packs of stars and hearts I bought at Hobby Lobby.  I'm not sure how to use those yet.

 Here are some charm necklaces.  I have a list of the number of green beads I owe the kids and haven't put them on their necklaces yet.  Also we just did our 100 word assessment today, so I owe some 25, 50, 75, and 100 milestone charms.

The charms can be ordered from Fitness Finders.  I hope you all enjoyed the brag tags!