By now, almost everyone has heard of Silly Bandz. The little silicone bands that come in almost every shape and design imaginable have swept across the nation in popularity only associated with Beanie Babies and PokEmon cards. Yes, educators are all too familiar with trends among their students. But perhaps there is something more to be seen with Silly Bandz. Instead of banning Silly Bandz from school premises entirely, try using them to further the education of students in your classroom.

Forming Groups: Use Silly Bandz to group students. Before they arrive for the day, place a Silly Band on every student’s desk. Once they arrive, instruct them to break into groups according to similar attributs of the Bandz (color, shape, length, size etc.)

Spelling: Use the alphabet shaped Silly Bandz with elementary school children. Have them form words, create stories or spell with them.

Incentives: Award Silly Bandz for good behavior or as a way to encourage participation in a school fundraiser.

Art: Ask students to create a work of art with their silly bandz. They can use them how they are and form them to make a picture, or they can use pins to stretch them into different shapes and create something new entirely.

History: Use them as an illustration of a current fashion trend. Then study different fashion trends throughout history.

Math: For older students, you could have them measure the area inside the Silly Bandz by placing them on graph paper. For elementary students, you can use Silly Bandz for estimation.  Ask them to estimate how many bands it would take to circle the Earth.

Mythology: Use the Greek mythological figure shaped Silly Bandz as an illustration while studying Mythology.

The point is, this trend is not going away any time soon. Instead of turning your back on it, embrace it and use it to your advantage. With a little creativity and imagination, the possibilities are endless. How can you use Silly Bandz in your classroom this year?