Classroom Smart Phone Drop Station

DIY Personalized Classroom Smart Phone Drop Station for Teachers

Smart phones are a big distraction during school. Students find ways to check their phones during class, which can be a big distraction from their schoolwork. An interesting fact is that 65% of students will still bring their phone to school even if they are banned. Because of this, teachers are creatively making classroom smart phone drop stations to help control this issue.

Students are to place their phones in a bowl, box, etc. before class begins and then retrieve them at dismissal. Here is a simple way to make your own personalized classroom smart phone drop station. This also makes a great Teacher Appreciation gift.

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Types of Containers to Use

Look for a container to personalize. It should be large enough to hold smart phones for the entire class and ideally have an attached lid that can be easily opened and closed. It can be a:

Storage Box
Hat Box
Large Bowl
Wooden Box
Toolbox

Watch the Video

In this video, we use the Cricut Explore 3 with Smart Vinyl in metallic gold and black. The storage box was purchased at Marshall’s. Home Goods and Marshall’s have a great selection of storage boxes to use for this project. The font used is called Ar Bonnie and is free in the Cricut Design Space.

You Will Need

Time: 30-60 Minutes

Tools & Materials:

Designing the Phone Drop Station

Consider the size and shape of the container and figure out what you would like it to say. Ask yourself:

Does the teacher have a favorite style or colors? Ask your student what the classroom looks like.
What should it say? In hindsight for this project, “smart phone” might have been a better term than “cell phone”.
Do I want to personalize it and add the teachers name?
What color vinyl should I use?
What font would the teacher like?

Instructions and Tips:

Measure the area and figure out the length and width of each word. Use the Cricut Design Space to help you.
Use a cutting machine to cut out words using permanent vinyl.
A paper cutter comes in handy to trim your vinyl.
Use a weeder and/or tweezers to remove excess vinyl. If you have a long phrase, sometimes it’s easier to cut the words to make smaller pieces.
Use transfer paper and a scraper to transfer the words onto the box.
Be sure to use a straight edge to help you center each word or phrase.

There you have it! The teacher can now place this in an appropriate spot in the classroom for students to drop their phones in the beginning of class, significantly reducing distractions!

Classroom Smart Phone Drop Station