brown paper bag assignment

From the Lunchroom to the Classroom: Authentic Assessment and the Brown Bag Exam

On this page:, learning through collaboration, it's in the bag, jason's apple: food for thought, brown-bagging it with jonas and stanley.

I had no idea my students knew so much. We learned more about what they got from The Giver, in one brown bag morning than from a hundred tests.” Cathy, a preservice language arts teacher, offered this declaration after conducting her first brown bag exam with a class of 7th-graders. A brown bag exam? What on earth could lunch have to do with testing students on a Newbery Award-winning novel?

In this article, I will review several characteristics of traditional and authentic assessment and then introduce the concept of one particular authentic assessment technique: the brown bag exam. While most pre service language arts teachers are familiar with authentically assessing students through the writing process or portfolios, they often return to the traditional one-shot matching, multiple-choice, true/false test when asked to evaluate students’ grasp of a short story or novel. “What else is there?” they ask. And so I introduce my education students to brown bag exams as we begin exploring traditional and authentic assessment.

Although high-stakes testing and standardized placement begin early in the elementary grades, the pressure to standardize is extremely high at the middle school level (Linn, 2001). Furthermore, the pressure on teachers to convert student achievement into a single number or grade places them in the unenviable position of collapsing an infinitely complex set of behaviors, abilities, and proficiencies into one score. Young teens who consistently face the disappointment created by this system are extremely vulnerable to further marginalization in their middle school years. For this reason, Stevenson (2002) maintains that the learning conditions educators create in the middle grades represent a critical element in determining students’ perceptions of success and failure:

Because students are at developmental extremes during the early adolescent years, their classroom performances will be likewise variable. In the midst of teachers’ efforts to keep students productively involved and socialized, it is not surprising that student achievement becomes equated with what they appear to know or don’t know according to conventional measures. (p. 256)

Teachers can work within the extremes of adolescence, however, by creating opportunities for authentic learning experiences through meaningful interactions with content, peers, self, and the world.

One of the keys to developing our students’ awareness of themselves, their peers, and the content we teach in our classrooms is through collaboration. Atwell (1998) explains that the status quo in most schools “regards collaboration as cheating and learning as a solitary, competitive enterprise. Even though junior high students spend most of their day sitting with groups of 25 peers, they spend most of their time working alone” (p. 68). This isolation is heightened at test time.

During the typical classroom test … time is carefully controlled; no help is allowed from peers; learners are not allowed to consult dictionaries, textbooks or their notes; and calculators and spell checkers may be prohibited. What is required may be known only on test day, and the scoring criteria may be clarified only when the test is returned. (Tombari & Borich, 1999, p. 3)

Tombari and Borich argue for authentic assessments,rather than the traditional test. Such authentic assessments can be used to examine and reinforce the thinking, problem solving, and social skills abundant in teens’ lives. “Authenticity involves testing what was taught and practiced in class and asks learners to use the same skills, knowledge and thought processes … presented in class” (Tombari & Borich, 1999, p. 4).

In the following pages, I present the procedures for uncovering what students have learned about a particular topic (in this case, a novel) through a brown bag exam. I provide two lists of brown bag exam items for novels widely read in middle school: The Giver (Lowry, 1993) and Holes (Sachar, 1998). I also include a student example developed after reading The Giver . My students tell me that one reason they enjoy this assessment experience is because they are free to use multiple resources — notes, books, peers, even teachers — to explore and help clarify their thoughts. I have used a variety of assessment strategies with middle, secondary, and university students, and believe all learners benefit from dynamic and engaging environments where we spend time demonstrating what we do know.

The specific procedures teachers follow during a particular brown bag exam will be adjusted with each class of students. Some classes will work better in think-pair-share groups from the outset, or need more specific guidelines for discussing the items. Depending on class size, a brown bag exam usually takes two class periods, with additional time spent at home (or in a third class period) writing a brown bag write-up/journal entry.

Before students enter class, I have already bagged and placed the exam items on students’ desks, along with specific instructions to please refrain from opening, shaking, or sneaking a peek. I tell the students they will need the novel, their journals, and a pen or pencil. They will also be allowed to use their notes from class. By the time students have collected those materials, anticipation about opening the bags is quite high; I continue to build that anticipation by explaining that each bag contains a surprise item related to the novel. The thinking behind some items might seem obvious, while others may require more thought and discussion. Once the bags’ contents are revealed, each student has 8-10 minutes of personal time to jot down any ideas that s/he associates with the object. To get them started, I tell the class that the items could belong to any or all of the following six categories: plot, setting, symbol, character, themes, or “potpourri.” Students are to spend this first block of time listing ideas and associations. They do not need to write full sentences; the goal is to get as many ideas on paper as possible.

Once students have spent a few minutes noting their own ideas and associations, I put them in think-pair-share groups to discuss each person’s object and to add another student’s ideas to their own. The think-pair-share discussions usually require at least 10 to 12 minutes, which usually provides each student enough time to share his/her item, ideas, and connections. After their discussions, I ask the students to find and copy at least two passages from the novel connected to their specific object (this step takes about 12-15 minutes). Time permitting, we then go from item to item, with each student sharing what was hidden in the brown bag and their ideas connected to it. I also ask the class to offer additional associations for each surprise, which can stimulate lengthy, but engaging, class discussions. Once we have shared, discussed, and identified passages for each item, students then choose which of the brown bag objects they would like to explore more deeply in a journal entry. Any number of students can elect to write about a particular item. For example, an entire class could choose to write about the “stirrings” pill (although this has not happened, yet).

I am often surprised by the students’ initial reluctance to use ideas gathered from class discussion. They ask if flit’s okay” to include another classmate’s comments in their notes. As products of traditional schooling and, therefore, personal achievement, many of us have been taught to value individual knowledge over community knowledge. In the example below, the student distinguishes his ideas from those of his discussion partner and the rest of the group, even though making such distinctions is never mentioned in class. The following example is transcribed from a student whose brown bag contained a red apple.

My ideas: It’s the first color Jonas sees when Asher throws the apple in the air I think that Asher stole the apple from the dining hall Food (Food for thought?) Red-color of blood, STOP, danger Fiona’s hair is red too Kids give apples to teachers

After talking to Erin — All the same stuff, plus Eve ate an apple in the Garden of Eden — Knowing good and evil? Jonas gets knowledge from the Giver, and gets the Giver’s memories Just like the memories aren’t always good, knowledge can also be bad — Adam and Eve got kicked out of the garden Asher didn’t steal the apple — Jonas did

Passages Pages 23-24 “It had happened during the recreation period, when he had been playing with Asher. Jonas had casually picked up an apple from the basket where the snacks were kept, and had thrown it to his friend. Asher had thrown it back, and they began a simple game of catch…. But suddenly Jonas had noticed, following the path of the apple through the air with his eyes, that the piece of fruit had-well, this was the part that he couldn’t adequately understand — the apple had changed. Just for an instant. It had changed in mid-air, he remembered.”

Page 90 “Jonas stood for a moment beside his bike, startled. It had happened again: the thing he thought of now as ‘seeing beyond.’ This time it had been Fiona who had undergone that fleeting, indescribable change….Actually, Jonas thought, trying to recreate it in his mind, it wasn’t Fiona in her entirety. It seemed to be just her hair.”

Page 98 “But now that I can see colors, at least sometimes, I was just thinking: what if we could hold up things that were bright red, or bright yellow, and he (Gabriel) could choose?”

Whole-class discussion Everybody wanted the apple — easiest one! Lots of Garden of Eden stuff Sarah said that people eat apples at the Jewish seder — How many other religions use fruit as a symbol?

Quickwrite The apple is related to all parts of The Giver . It ‘s connected to the plot, symbolizes multiple characters (Jonas, the Giver, Fiona, Asher), and it’s a symbol for knowledge, for good and evil, for consequences, and for the price we have to pay for learning. The red apple helps explain the setting by showing that the community does not have any color, and that the people are controlled right down to what they can see. The apple also relates to many of the novel’s themes such as good and evil, the value of variety and difference, appearance vs. reality, and humanity’s need for freedom. Most of all, the apple symbolizes how everything can have a light and dark side. Nothing is ever as simple as it seems.

In the current climate of standardized and high-stakes testing, authentic alternative assessments, such as brown bag exams, provide students with multiple opportunities to make meaning and express personal understanding beyond what is possible through traditional test items. Additionally, the possibilities created by a brown bag exam can be extended well beyond the language arts classroom. In mathematics and science, teachers could create brown bag exams for units on geometry in everyday life, the natural world, elements of the Periodic Table, and theorists/inventors.

In an online discussion, Stacey, a third-year teacher who took her first brown bag exam in an adolescent literature workshop, writes,

I’m a believer. Last year, after finishing Holes, I had my students write final essays about characters and themes from the novel. I thought it was a big deal that they weren’t taking a fill-in-the-blank test, but I was disappointed in their work. Looking back, we hadn’t spent time really talking about what they knew. We had filled out graphic organizers and completed a study guide, but I didn’t take that last step. If we had done a brown bag exam, they would have physically touched the objects, discussed their meanings with other students, found passages from the novel, and then written about it all — once their ideas had been cooking for a while.

Below are two lists of the brown bag exam items for Lois Lowry’s The Giver and Louis Sachar’s Holes . Both novels are widely read by teens, and they provide complex dilemmas for students and teachers to unearth, discuss, and debate. The lists are by no means exhaustive, but offer teachers an inventory that they can continue to develop as ideas and items emerge.

• Birthday candles
• 1 or 2 small Beanie babies (nontraditional animals: frog, octopus, platypus, pig)
• Birthday card (preferably one celebrating 40+ or making a joke about being “over the hill”)
• Small bottle of sunscreen
• Small, worn hardbound book
• Small weather/TV radio
• Baby names book
• Photograph of identical twins
• Unlabeled pill (a vitamin or calcium tablet)
• Two hair ribbons
• Bicycle lock (or padlock)
• “New mother” greeting card
• A few Christmas teardrop-type light bulbs (or a photo of Christmas lights)
• Sandwich bag of soap or potato flakes (or photo of snow)
• Box of Band-Aids
• Hand mirror
• Swim goggles
• Toy shovel (sand castle type) or small garden spade
• Sandwich bag filled with sunflower seeds
• Tube of lipstick (preferably gold-colored)
• Bottle of red nail polish
• Water bottle with a tiny bit of water inside
• One sneaker (two lunch bags will cover sneaker)
• Small stuffed pig (or photo of a pig)
• Alphabet flashcards
• Photo of yellow spotted lizard
• Can of peaches
• Sandwich bag of sand/dirt
• Baby book of nursery rhymes
• “XX” on an index card
• Box of chalk
• Box of Girl Scout Cookies (probably empty)

About the Author

Dr. Denise Ousley-Exum is an assistant professor at the University of North Carolina Wilmington where she teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in secondary teacher education.  A former high school English teacher, Dr. Ousley-Exum enjoys working with teachers at all career stages, and is an enthusiastic presenter whose motto is “Everything matters.” She specializes in interdisciplinary teaching methods, alternative assessment, young adult literature, and collaboration. Dr. Ousley-Exum’s work been published in English Journal , Focus on Middle School , and Teaching and Teacher Education .

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The Inspired Teaching Approach

What’s in the bag.

The following activity is part of a series we’re creating to support students, teachers, and caregivers, during this unprecedented time. Read more about the project here . If you try this activity with your student(s), we’d love to see what you do. Share your journey via the #Inspired2Learn hashtag on your preferred social platform. 

Created by: Judy White and Nathan Liang Discipline: Logic, storytelling, could be any discipline based on the items you choose Age level: early childhood, and up Time: 5 minutes to as long as you want Materials: Brown paper bag (or any kind of bag); household items that fit inside the bag – a favorite sock, a coffee mug, your teddy bear, a hair tie, an old earring, an apple core, a coin, a bar of soap, a salt shaker, a dried flower, etc.

What to do:  

• Player A secretly places an item in the bag, outside of view of Player B.
• Player B begins by asking, “What’s in the bag?”
• Player A responds with an identifying detail; then Player B crafts a new question based on Player A’s response, and the game continues.

Here’s how the game might work when an or older player engages with a young child:

Player A (adult/older child) secretly places a sock belonging to Player B (young child) in the bag. Player B: What’s in the bag? Player A: Something you wear. Player B: Where does it go? Player A: On your feet? Player B: Is it a shoe? Player A: No! Feel the bag; it’s much lighter than a shoe! Player B: Is it my tan sock? Player A: Yes!

Here’s how the game might work, with the same tan sock, when both players are elementary school aged or older:

Player A secretly places a sock belonging to Player B in the bag. Player B: What’s in the bag? Player A: Something that’s part of a set. Player B: How many other things are usually included in the set? Player A: Just one other, so it’s part of a pair. Player B: What’s it used for? Player A: Keeping two sets of five warm. Player B: Is it a sock? Player A: Yes! But which one? Player B: Is it one that we couldn’t find yesterday when we were folding laundry? Player A: Yes! Player B: Is it my tan sock? Player A: Yes!

The game can be repeated over and over with different objects, and with Players A and B switching roles. 

This game is quite simple – all that’s required is that Player A places an object in the bag and Player B asks questions in a quest to discover what it is. Both players can determine how challenging they want the activity to be. For instance, in response to the question, “What’s in the bag?” Player A could simply have responded, “Your tan sock!” and the round would have ended. Or, if the goal were to make the game far more challenging, Player A could have responded, “Something made of molecules,” and taken the game in an entirely different direction.

Extensions:

Challenge yourself and your teammate to make the game last only one question (i.e. “What’s in the Bag?” “Your tan sock!”) Then try making the game last for only two questions. Then three, four, five, etc. See if you can make the game last exactly ten questions. What kinds of skills does it take to get to the answer in exactly 10 questions?

What might happen if you play the game several times with the same object? How might the purpose of the game change, and what skills might be required to play, if the object inside the bag is known in advance by both players.

In this time of high stress and unwelcome surprises, after you’ve played the game a few times, consider putting something in there that is a special treat for the person you are playing with. In this context the play might look like: 

Player A: You are four. So, clap how many times have we played this? Payer B: Four claps. Player A: So, today is a special day for “What’s in a bag.”  There’s a surprise for you in the bag. Now, start guessing . . . 

Inspired Teaching connection:

In this activity, both players strengthen their ability to craft questions aimed at reaching a specific goal (to figure out a characteristic of the item in the bag). Learning how to ask the right question is key to Inquiry and guessing what’s in the bag also taps into Imagination (two of Inspired Teaching’s 4 I’s). And when you mix the game up and add in a special surprise for the person you are playing with, you’ll experience Joy, one of our Core Elements, and something we can all use a lot more of right now. 

See our instructional model here .

Micaiah Anderson

Community outreach specialist.

As a Community Outreach Specialist, Micaiah is responsible for program promotion and outreach support for Inspired Teaching events and workshops. Micaiah has a passion for collaborating with community members to build-power and connect. She is an educator with a heart for youth and has experience supporting students fight injustices within their schools and communities. She has a BA in Political Science from, the real HU, Hampton University & anticipates graduating in May 2024 with a Masters of Arts degree in Educational Policy Transformation from Georgetown University. 

" I want to have a say in what happens to me."

Autonomy is the need for independence; the ability to make choices, to create, to explore, and to express oneself freely; to have sufficient space, to move around, and to feel unrestricted with opportunities to exercise free will.

Brady Maiden

Outreach coordinator.

As the Outreach Coordinator, Brady helps maintain Inspired Teaching’s social media presence and supports the organization’s mission to connect with DC community leaders, educators, and parents. Brady has her Master’s in Public Policy from George Mason University and her BS in Political Science from Northern Arizona University. She is passionate about community, equity, and coalition building recognizing that learning and growing with the community at large is how we continue to be impactful.

What brings you joy in life?

I find joy in spending time with my friends and family and meeting new people. I like going to concerts and festivals, and finding new books to read. 

The Learner’s Cycle, Wonder-Experiment-Learn , and the Teacher’s Cycle, Observe-Plan-Instigate , comprise Inspired Teaching’s approach to engaging students in inquiry-based learning. 

When they are engaged in the Wonder-Experiment-Learn Cycle, students are immersed in learning. They take the lead in designing authentic learning experiences around their own interests and their school’s standards of learning. Each discovery leads to a new question which in turn leads to more wondering and more learning. In the Wonder-Experiment-Learn Cycle, Learn is not a destination or an endpoint; it is a deeper understanding, leading to a deeper wondering and new possibilities that create new entry points to further exploration. The cycle continues because what students have learned generates more wonderings that require more experiments that foster more learning – and on and on.

The Observe-Plan-Instigate  Cycle is t he work of an Inspired Teacher. While a student is expected to follow the Wonder-Experiment-Learn Cycle, the teacher joins them on the learning journey while following their own cycle of Observe-Plan-Instigate . This cycle ultimately serves to ensure an inquiry-based atmosphere is at play in the classroom.

Jaqueta Abbey

Teaching and learning specialist.

Jaqueta is the Teaching and Learning Specialist for Inspired Teaching. In addition to her current role with Inspired Teaching, Jaqueta is a first-grade teaching assistant. Her background features a variety of traditional and non-traditional experiences in the field of education, including working as an adjunct professor, teaching summer reading programs to children and adults, and tutoring children in the foster care system. Jaqueta earned a B.A. in Communication Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and an M.A. in Interactive Media from Elon University.

Creative self-expression! In addition to my passion for storytelling, I love dancing of all kinds. I've studied belly dance, bachata, and Brazilian Zouk among other styles. I also enjoy glass fusing, crocheting, photography, and cross stitching. These art forms allow me to express myself and build connections with other people at the same time. I think life would be a lot less vibrant without artists and storytellers!

Michelle Welk

Communication & marketing specialist.

As Communications and Marketing Specialist, Michelle is responsible for finding and creating new ways to highlight Inspired Teaching and promote its programs in order to expand and deepen the organization's impact. Michelle has worked in communications in an array of settings, from creative agencies to state politics to national nonprofits. She has a BA in Journalism from Temple University in Philadelphia and is passionate about education, access, and equity. 

My son, the beach, making a persuasive argument and good food!

Max Peterson

Real world history assistant teacher.

Max received his Bachelor’s degree in History and African American Studies from Boston University in May 2016. He has worked in museum curation at the Museum of the White Mountains in New Hampshire and the Smithsonian National Museum of American History. Max has worked with young people of varying ages from young children to young adults transitioning to college.

Feedback and Accountability 

We grow through feedback and an understanding that the quality of our work is a reflection of what we are learning, but the shift to remote learning this spring disrupted a lot of the tools teachers were used to using to evaluate student growth. How might we do things differently this fall? Participants in this workshop will explore ways to bring meaningful assessment into the virtual and/or socially-distanced classroom and approaches to student feedback that strengthen motivation, and build relationships and achievement.

Time: half day Appropriate for: all educators at all grade levels

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Rethinking How We Spend Time 

The teaching profession is already rife with time-consuming activities that don’t always benefit our students. Navigating the challenges of online, hybrid, or socially distanced learning means we have to be even more thoughtful about where and how we spend our time. In this workshop participants explore ways to make their work more efficient and the precious time they have with students more productive, and even enjoyable.

Centering Students and Checking Bias

Our assumptions about students often get in the way of meeting their needs. This is especially true when we don’t have the same opportunities to get to know them in person. What messages are we unintentionally conveying through our email or video communications with students and their families? What steps can we take to make online learning equitable and respectful for all our students? This workshop offers participants a framework for decision-making as they plan for the new school year, an opportunity to critically examine their practice, and concrete strategies for elevating student voice and engaging productively with students.

Setting Goals and Creating Structure Online

Can we have the same goals in online learning that we do in the physical classroom? Yes!...And, online learning offers different means of achieving them. Participants will evaluate specific goals in their curriculum and explore ways to structure their time with students to efficiently maximize impact. 

Building Community in Uncertain Times

One of the big concerns teachers have about the upcoming school year is how they’ll get to know their students if their only encounters are through a computer screen or in-person but socially distanced. In this hands-on workshop participants will learn and practice strategies for community building online and/or in modified classrooms and craft a plan for learning all about their students in the first weeks of school. 

Jenna Fournel

Director of teaching and learning.

Jenna Fournel has been involved with Center for Inspired Teaching since 2004 and has worked in the education field for more than 20 years. She began her career as a high school English teacher and has served as Director of Communications for both Inspired Teaching and the National Council of Teachers of English. Her overarching professional goal is to do what she can to make the world a kinder place. She believes investing in the education of our young people is the best place to start.

Bella Cavicchi

Teaching and learning coordinator.

As the Teaching and Learning Coordinator, Bella manages Inspired Teaching’s digital presence and supports the organization’s efforts to reach new communities of educators and students. She believes passionately in honoring the voices of young people, and in and outside of the classroom, she strives to create inclusive spaces where students’ curiosity can thrive. She holds a B.A. in Literacy and the Performing Arts from Brown University and an MPhil in Arts, Creativity, and Education from the University of Cambridge. Currently, she lives and works as a drama teacher in London, where she is inspired daily by her students' creativity!

Chair; CFO, Options Solutions

John Nolan is a finance executive with over 30 years of of experience at organizations of various sizes. He has served in “C” level positions at public, private equity and private companies in the SaaS, Management Consulting, Telecommunications and Computer Hardware industries. He has deep experience in implementing and improving controls and other financial processes across organizations.

He is currently the CFO and CCO of Options Solutions, LLC, an investment advisory firm. Formerly, served as the CFO of Determine Inc., an international provider of contract management and procurement software. Prior to that, John spent a decade as CFO and then CEO of Quadel Consulting, a provider of services to low income housing programs. John’s other professional experience includes 3 years at IBM and 15 years at MCI, where he ran Corporate Finance for the Fortune 100 company.

He holds an undergraduate degree from Tulane University, an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin, and is a licensed CPA. John’s work with non-profits has primarily focused on educational organizations. He served for five years as the Treasurer of the Blessed Sacrament School board in DC. For three years he was on the board of Imagination Stage (IS) of Bethesda, a youth focused arts and education organization. John also served for six years on the corporate advisory board of So Other Might Eat (SOME), the DC based poverty services organization that is greatly expanding its job training programs.

Mr. Nolan has spoken on financial leadership and cost analysis at Chief Financial Officer Magazine, Better Management Live and IDC conferences. The costing systems he put in place at MCI received the Enterprise Intelligence award from the software company SAS.

Want to bring Inspired Teaching to your team or school?

Access school or district professional learning funds:  Some districts have professional learning discretionary funding for schools, or other funds that can be accessed for this purpose. Principals, district supervisors, curriculum supervisors, professional learning directors, and superintendents are good people to check with.  Depending on how many colleagues at your school participate, and the subject of the course, you may be able to access school improvement funds as well (e.g., for a course in Relationship-Based Classrooms, which would address school climate).

Talk to your PTA  representatives. These groups often have grants and money set aside for professional learning and school improvement.

Donors Choose is an organization where educators can post projects for donors to browse and fun, including professional learning that is used to further your craft.  Go to their website  to create a free account and find out more. Remember to post your project to social media, so that your friends and family can see the work you're doing and share it with others!

The  NEA Foundation for the Improvement of Education   awards grants that support the professional learning of public school teachers and faculty in public institutions of higher education. Grants may fund professional learning experiences, such as summer institutes or action research, mentoring experiences or lesson study. Professional learning must improve practice, curriculum and student achievement, and recipients must put professional leadership into practice by sharing what they learn with their colleagues. For specific information, visit the NEA Foundation’s  application instructions  page.

Fund for Teachers   is unique in that it awards grants for professional learning based on the principle that the teacher is the one who knows what they need to grow as an educator. These grants are self designed and allow teachers to create their own professional learning opportunity based on what is most beneficial to their teaching in their own opinions. The  application  encourages educators to think about their objectives, motivations and the impact their particular plan of action will have on students. Applications are due in January.

The McCarthey Dressman Education Foundation provides  Teacher Development Grants  for individual teachers or small teams working in K-12 education. To foster insightful and innovative professional learning and growth, the grants allow you to implement new teaching methods and strategies in the classroom. Projects can take a variety of forms, but each of them must be geared towards having a significant and lasting impact in the classroom. Winners work closely with the foundation to implement their ideas and are awarded up to $10,000 for the first three years of the project.

Earn PLU hours while taking a workshop!

Washington, D.C. educators can receive PLU hours for participating in courses. Each day of a course is 6 hours of credit - we will provide a certificate upon completion of the course. Please see the  OSSE certification website  for more information.

Inspired Teaching Course Costs

A taste of inspired teaching, time & location, about the event.

Christine Sheridan

Program grant manager.

Nothing brings me joy in life like spending time with family and friends. I love being active and spending time outdoors, making stained glass, and trying new foods!

Paper Bag Crafts For Kids

Sharing all kinds of fun and Easy Paper Bag Crafts for Kids of all ages. You will want to add paper bags to your kid's craft bucket for sure!

Kid's crafts are our jam and there is nothing more fun than creating a paper bag craft using simple supplies like a lunch bag.

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Let’s Get Crafty!

If you are looking for a fun and unique craft idea to get your craft on, look no further! We can’t go wrong with providing arts and crafts to keep little minds busy. I’ve got more than 15 ideas to turn a simple paper bag into a crafty kid’s dream. You can even use grocery bags, lunch bags, or brown paper bags- reduce, reuse, and recycle!

What’s better than using what you already have at home to pique your child’s curiosity and creativity? It’s a win-win- upcycle and keeps your kids busy so you can sit back and relax (or, let’s face it, finish up your own chores!) Grab your favorite paper bag and let’s get crafty!

We highlighted these  Paper Crafts  along with some other fun kid's crafts in our  Summer Crafts  along with our  Kids Craft Ideas which has over 100 different craft ideas.

There are so many creative opportunities with my paper bag crafts for kids! Whether you are looking to entertain your brown children or make paper bag crafts as a culminating activity for a classroom unit I have you covered.

Just finished a pirate adventure story? Grab a bag to make my pirate puppet- what a great way to connect to the book! Your child or student will be entertained and spark their imagination when they role-play with a paper bag puppet. 

Want the children to work on writing? Put that grocery bag stash to use! (We all have the bag stash, right? Just me? Wink, wink… no judgment here!) Another great way to reuse is to have your kids create a paper bag book! They can help make it and then stay busy creating an original piece of literary genius (obviously- we would expect nothing less.)

Springtime Paper Bag Fun

Springtime is the best! The flowers are back, the sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and seriously, could all those new baby animals BE any cuter? We have a dove’s nest outside and every spring I get to see the eggs turn into little hatchlings.

We have also had hummingbird nests, too, and those are quite possibly the tiniest and cutest things ever! I love watching from a distance and learning their habits and their nurturing. I suppose I’m a voyeur or bird- haha. Something about springtime makes me think so much of newness and gives me more optimism and hope. 

And, of course, nothing says HAPPY more than springtime colors!  If you’re like me, you will want to grab a piece of rainbow color magic to add to your springtime home design.  I especially love incorporating these HAPPY colors into some springtime home decor. There is no better way than to bring your kids in on the action. Keep their little hands and minds busy making a paper bag kite with that piece of rainbow. Watch your kids’ faces light up as they create and then try to fly it on a beautiful spring day. 

Endless Opportunities

I guarantee that you will find endless ways to spark creativity and find activities that your children will enjoy. These are great for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, or every day! I can’t wait to see all of the great ideas your littles will create, all from lunch bags!

What Can You Make Our of Paper Bags

Below you find some paper craft ideas from a paper bag. Use a simple brown paper bag, a treat bag, or some gift bags to create some fun paper bag crafts. Puppets, decor, and many more simple paper bag crafts.

Crafts With Paper Bags

Ballerina puppet.

This fun craft is great for a little girl or little boy that loves ballet. We have free printable outfits to go along with the brown paper lunch bag. Prepare for your little kids to have a great time with pretend play.

Punch Pinata

This is the hit of any party and can be made with any color scheme. This punch pinata uses brown paper bags to hold the favors on the other side of the punch.

Paper Bag Turkeys

This paper bag turkey craft is so sweet and such a cute idea for the kids this Thanksgiving.

Cat in The Hat Puppet

Dr. Seuss fun with this Cat in the Hat Craft.

Bunny Puppet

This paper bag bunny puppet is all kinds of cute. Grab the free printable template and get coloring.

Paper Bag Football by All For The Boys

What does the Fall season mean? It means football, and we love this paper bag football craft to have some added so much fun this season.

Paper Bag Pinata by Spruce Crafts

Those that know us, know that pinatas are our jam. We love the fun way to turn a simple paper bag into a mini pinata with whatever different colors the party calls for.

Paper Bag Stars by Alice & Lois

These paper bag stars are an easy way to decorate either during the holidays or at any party throughout the year. They are the perfect way to brighten up a space with simple supplies.

Paper Bunny Craft by Fireflies and Mudpies

This bunny bag is giving all kinds of HAPPY vibes using simple white paper bags. These paper bag bunny crafts are great for Easter parties or any bunny-loving party all year long.

Paper Bag Monsters by I Heart Crafty Things

These monsters are all kinds of cute and fun and make for the perfect craft. These are great as simple puppets, fun Valentine's collection bags, or whatever other creative ideas your child might come up with.

Paper Bag Vases by The Crazy Craft Lady

Turn those lunch bags or ever a large paper bag you get from the grocery store into beautiful vases for your house greenery.

Easter Bunny Bags by Get Your Holiday On

Another cute bunny bag that makes a great gift bag for Easter. You simply need an ordinary brown paper bag, a rubber band, and some craft scissors.

Paper Bag Dad Puppets by Our Kids Things

What a fun way to celebrate Dad with this fun brown paper bag craft. Add some googly eyes and a sweet paper tie and these are sure to put a smile on any Dad's face.

DIY PlayHouses from Bags by Kitchen Table Classroom

Let your children's creativity run wild with these cute playhouses made from treat bags. So fun and super creative!

Paper Bag Love Bugs by Red Ted Art

Turn your treat bag into a fun love bug that is perfect for Valentine's day or any day you want to tell someone you love them!

Crocodile Puppets by Easy Peasy Fun

We love these paper bag animal puppets. They are so cute and who doesn't love a dinosaur?

Paper Panda Puppets by Simple Everyday Mom

Turn a simple material like a bag into a cute and cuddly panda.

Paper Bag Octopus by Kids Activities Blog

Have some underwater fun creating this cute octopus craft. These would be great to hang for a underwater party or throughout the classroom

Thing 1 and 2 Puppets by Frugal Mom Eh

These Dr. Seuss fun crafts are a fun way to bring a book to life.

Paper Bag Monkey by Hunny I’m Home

Monkey see monkey do! This cute monkey craft is a fun craft to let your kid's inner monkey out!

Unicorn Favor Bags by Our Wabi Sabi Life

Unicorns are some of our absolute favorites, and these cute unicorn bags are sure to be a magical hit.

Paper Bag Horse by Lil Tigers

Straight from the horse's mouth! This cute post is showing how to make a paper bag horse. This fun animal puppet is great for those kids that love horses. They can be made in whatever horse colors your little one loves.

Paper Bag Fireplace by Crafts by Amanda

This is a great camping craft for those kids looking for S'more fun!

Paper Bag Angry Birds by Mom Does Reviews

My kids adore angry birds, so these cuties are for sure going to be a hit!

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Different supplies to use for paper bag crafts.

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Me in a Bag

Becky Thal August 7, 2021 Blog , Connect Better , Engage Better , Innovate Better

• A great first week of school activity is “Me in a Bag.” Encourage students to use their creativity when placing items that must fit in the bag.
• Start by setting the example and have your own bag prepared. Present your items explaining the reason for each.
• Be flexible with the number of items in the bag and show genuine interest as you listen and ask questions. Record some notes as you listen. Variations include “Me in a Box” and “Me on a Board.”

At a time when developing relationships with students is more important than ever, any activity that can help foster that bond early on is welcome. One question I see asked in various educator groups every year at this time is, “What activities does everyone do with their students the first week of school?”

“Me in a Bag” is always my answer! A quick Google search will bring up many different versions of this activity, but you can easily customize any of them to make this your own.

Encourage Creativity

I always give the students an actual small brown paper bag (lunch bag size) and tell them to decorate it however they’d like. Then I ask that inside, they place 5 items that tell me something about themselves—things they like, things they do, things that are important to them. I challenge them to get creative with it! I encourage them to place 5 “different” items in the bag (in other words, not all the same thing or from the same category). 

The trickiest part is that all items have to fit in the bag. I give the example that if you love basketball, you obviously can’t fit an actual basketball in the bag. Then we brainstorm what you could put in the bag to represent basketball instead. Some students will offer up that you can put a team medal you received for basketball, a basketball keychain, or even the logo of your favorite basketball team in the bag. The creativity that this part of the discussion generates is a great way to get your students thinking out of the box (or bag!) from day 1…literally! 

Set the Example

I have my own bag ready to go on the first day to give the students an example and also help them learn about me. The 5 items I put inside are:

• Passport because I love to travel.
• Cookie spatula because I love to bake.
• Baseball because it’s my favorite sport.
• Seashell because I live by the beach and it’s my favorite place to go.

I talk about each of the items and students are allowed to ask me questions and offer their thoughts. It’s a very non-threatening way for them to open up and discover more about me.

Show Genuine Interest

I always ask the students to bring in their bags the following day. We don’t usually get through all of them the next day (with so many other things to do the first few days), so this extends over the course of a couple of days. I’m not a stickler about the number of items in the bag; some kids can genuinely only come up with 3-4 items. 

Some students will appear to put a lot of effort into this activity, while others look like they threw a few things in their bag on the way out the door that morning. But that’s not what matters. I try to make a big deal over everyone’s bag and show genuine interest in what they present. Again, the intent of this activity is to build relationships —not just between myself and the students, but between the students themselves. I ask them questions about their items and encourage their classmates to do the same. I jot down some notes to remember specifics about students, which helps me with my relationship building. 

Many Variations

I encourage students to present their bags at the front of the class, but if they feel more comfortable staying at their desks, that’s ok too. They could also present in small groups. Last year, of course, we had several students presenting them virtually. Feel free to experiment and see what works best for you and your classes!

“Me in a Bag” could easily be turned into “Me in a Box” or “Me on a Board.” You may even want to give your students a choice of how they present themselves! Another idea is to have the entire activity done online, either assigning students a Google slide to contribute to or creating a Seesaw assignment. 

Whatever you decide to do, this activity is sure to be a hit! You’ll be amazed to see how much of your students’ personalities shine through in those first days of school. It’s also fun to see what classmates remember about each other even as the year progresses. Students themselves get excited when you remember one of their items or ask them down the road about something they mentioned during “Me in a Bag.”

While some people may claim you are “wasting time” those early days with “fluff” activities, I look at it quite the opposite. Relationship-building activities are never a waste of time and will prove their worth sooner rather than later.

Good luck this upcoming year and have fun creating memories with your new students!

See the full blog series here!

About Becky Thal

Professional Development

Main idea activity: brown bag main idea.

Reading, for many students, is a very abstract concept.  Letters make words and words make sentences and these sentences form some type of meaning.  And then we have multiple sentences in a row to form paragraphs. The rigor increase with every key stroke.  One way to ensure all students understand the reading strategies that we are teaching them is to provide them with a concrete introduction to the strategy.  Basically, this means to allow the students to use as much schema they have about the concept, create a hands on approach, and then apply that understand to text.  This can be done with any reading strategy you teach!  Check out this Main Idea activity,  Brown Bag Main Idea lesson  for a hands-on reading strategy you can utilize in your classroom.

This Main Idea activity, Brown Bag Main Idea is a concrete way to introduce or reintroduce Main Idea to your primary students.  It allows students a hands-on approach to understanding how details are related and connected and then support the main idea.  Here’s how it works:

I begin by putting together 6 different Main Idea bags .  Inside each of these bags are objects that are related in some way and together create an obvious overarching topic.  This lesson usually takes me two days with a few mini follow up activities to fill in any cracks and this is all done prior to reading any text!  I want to make sure all of my students understand the concept concretely without the text before they apply it to the text.

On day one, I begin by modeling.  I have my own main idea bag and I model pulling out each item

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Art Therapy

Inspiring others to create.

Bag Self Portrait – An Art Therapy Intervention

21 Comments

For this art therapy activity you’ll at least need a brown paper bag. The participant will create a self-portrait on the side of a brown paper bag. It can be made with paint, crayons, colored pencils, markers, hair, fabric, etc. Either side of the bag can be used to express certain things. For example, if you wanted to represent your fears and dreams, or goals and aspirations. The participant can also create a eulogy that explains how they would like to be remembered when they’re gone. Another idea for this art activity is to have the participant put things inside the paper bag that make them the person they are. It can be pictures of things, personal items, books, CDs, paintings…anything.

A reader was so kind to submit pictures of his Paper Bag Self Portrait Activity:

Related articles:

• Anything Goes Self Portrait – Art Therapy Activity 1

January 23 at 9:31 am

I think I’ll try this today! Can’t wait to see more of activities and ideas…

January 24 at 12:31 pm

thanks lee…i’m hoping to get some more up this weekend 🙂

January 30 at 2:27 pm

This was a really good idea. We used this, but changed it a little and had them draw the self portrait on the outside of the bag, but then had them draw what they hide from the rest of the world on the inside. This had them look at how incongruent their feelings are to what they show to the rest of the world. Everyone participated and enjoyed the activity.

September 25 at 1:45 am

Hi everybody! i am student at the design academy of Eindhoven (netherlands) and i am making a project about sharing experiences. I really enjoy this paper bag excercise and i would like to know more about it. who “invent/design” it ? and how did it come ?(i mean how the goals of the assignement have been defined?). where can i get some pictures of paper s bag made by people ?(do you have some that you could send to me?) this is only an excercise, spontaneous. Do you think there is a way to extend it in the time (in order to make it deeper and stronger?) ? do you ever have any idea or wishes about the excercise (spread it, bring it to more people,to make an exhibition of the results ???) i would be glad to get some answers because i just really like this way of making things (art therapy). thanks by advance. mickael

August 9 at 11:50 am

I love this activity! This is very creative. I’m definitely going to incorporate this into my Art Expressions class! Thanks for the idea!

August 9 at 6:21 pm

I found this site while researching for an assignment on PTSD therapy! It’s amazing and incredibly inspiring!

August 9 at 7:11 pm

Thanks for the generous comment Rachel!

August 12 at 11:25 am

thank you so much for sharing your ideas. that’s a wonderful way of using art therapy.. I have always been fascinated with subject. I can’t wait to see/hear more

August 23 at 8:03 am

me encantan estos ejercicios .Soy de Argentina y me gustaria recibir informacion. racias Nora

January 22 at 7:09 pm

I work closely with the Department of Human Services in my city. A lot of my clients are being removed from the home and placed in temporary and/or adoptive homes. This activity will be brilliant for them! Help them bridge their old life with the new one. Thank you for sharing! I will be subscribing.

N. Hall, MHR, LADC-C

February 22 at 2:14 pm

I used this with a group of adolescents and added a step. I had them go back and take the paper out and with a separate color write down a positive alternative thought they could have. Thus they physically altered the text as they would learn to cognitively change their maladaptive thoughts.

February 26 at 9:21 pm

I love your site. I am currently designing a transformative Art workshop and I was delighted to find your excercises which I plan to use.

February 27 at 12:57 pm

Thank you Tania!

October 12 at 7:31 am

This is a very generous site because I have got so many ideas from it-usually you have to pay hugely to get any ideas. The paperbag idea is great and I am going to get the student to fill the bag with objects/items which are special to them,or express certain feelings,or which illustrate their good qualities. It can be returned to as a reminder then from time to time.

Thanks agin

July 6 at 5:37 pm

I love this website! I am not particularly a creative or artsy person, but I enjoy using art with the families I work along with. This site has given me so many ideas to use that will help others heal. Thank you for sharing your wonderful and therapeutic ideas to help those of us that are a bit more challenged with the use of art. Thank you!

March 1 at 3:20 pm

Wow! I am setting up some art therapy as a Registered Nurse with imagination but no art experience. This is great!

May 18 at 5:30 am

Koristila sam u kreativnoj radionoci s u?enicima,ideju ukrašavanja torbe raznim dekorativnim materijalima.Papir raznih boja struktura naro?ito je dobar jer ga dijete može mijenjati svojom aktivnoš?u.Takva aktivnost bila je uspješna,daje djeci osje?aj zadovoljstva uspjehom i samopouzdanje.

English translation: I used to have creative radionoci? Pupils, the idea of decorating bags various decorative materijalima.Papir different color structure outlined specific is good because it can change your child activi? U.Takva activity was successful, gives children the feeling of satisfaction success and confidence.

August 3 at 3:00 pm

Love this directive! I’ve begun to compile a collection of activities to utilize with groups of middle-school aged boys considered at-risk….I think they would have fun with this. Thank you!

July 19 at 3:04 am

Love it! Doable and helpful 🙂 Keep up your good work. Thank you for sharing 🙂

March 14 at 7:35 pm

what modification can you make in the “bag self-portrait” art therapy ?

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The Imagination Tree

Creative play and learning for kids

Easy Paper Bag Weaving

February 6, 2012 by Anna Ranson

I found a pile of old artwork that the girls had completed (for once being a hoarder paid off!) and decided to use these as the materials to weave through the bag. They could add variety in colour, style and texture as well as being a great way to upcycle and showcase old work.

 I cut slits into it from top to bottom on each side, 4 slits on the longer sides and 3 on the short ends.

 I cut the artwork into long strips, all roughly the same width and length. Most were on A4 size paper so I made them the length of A4, and was able to cut 4 pieces of equal size widthwise.

 I demonstrated how to thread the paper under, over and under again through the slits and she was very keen to do it all by herself (the most common thing we hear around here these days!)

 It was definitely tricky to learn the skill but she did it and was very proud of herself. The thickness of the artwork pieces and the nice wide slits made it just manageable for this 3 year old!

 I love how some of the pieces have collage materials such as feathers and stickers on them, adding some real interest and variety to the finished weaving.

 I asked Cakie what she wanted to do with the bag. Do you want to display it? Hang it up? Turn it into a hot air balloon?

So, she ran around and filled it with all her special things, starting with her pirate treasure box and her very special sleeping blankie. By the end of the morning it was SO full that she could barely lift it without beginning to rip it! It is now residing in her bedroom with her special possessions at close hand all of the time.

Now take some time to look through the wonderful array of ideas that have been linked up from the following creative blogs! Never again will you look at a paper bag in the same light!

Do you have a post about using a paper bag in a creative or playful way? Feel free to join in the challenge! Link up your idea below and then hop over to Tinkerlab to check the details of entry.

February 6, 2012 at 4:20 pm

That is great idea! I love the collage strips you have chosen for weaving:)) Have been wanting to try paper weaving with Putti for a long time now, thanks for the remainder.

February 6, 2012 at 9:30 pm

Thanks Roopa! Look forward to seeing what you create!

February 6, 2012 at 4:48 pm

Great idea for little ones – love that you precut the slits so your daughter could do the weaving on her own. I will have to try this! Thanks for sharing 🙂

February 6, 2012 at 9:34 pm

Thank you! hope you enjoy it!

February 6, 2012 at 7:36 pm

Oh how very lovely!! It looks gorgeous and what a great way to introduce weaving to young children. I want Red Ted to have a go!! ASAP!

February 6, 2012 at 9:35 pm

Thank you! And I should have said THANK YOU very much for giving me the paper bag in the first place!

February 6, 2012 at 8:33 pm

This is a great idea. I absolutely love doing the weaving with a paper bag. Thanks for the step by step pictures on how to do this. I will absolutely try this with my preschoolers. Fun!

Thanks Monica!

February 6, 2012 at 10:53 pm

I am pinning this!!! We haven’t tried weaving, and I think this is the perfect activity to introduce it.

February 7, 2012 at 3:13 pm

Very creative! End result is beautiful.

February 8, 2012 at 9:45 pm

Love it. Weaving is so much fun and great for fine motor skills.the sl All you need to do to adapt for older children is make more slits in the bag and paper strips smaller in width.

June 4, 2012 at 8:31 pm

A plain shop carrier bags could transform into a creative and unique bag. This is an easy stuff because a 3 year old can also manage this task. She looks adorable. 🙂

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Brown Bag Autobiography {FREEBIE!} - A Getting to Know You Activity!

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COMM 1315: Introduction to Speech Communication

• Brown Bag Speech
• Historical Newscast
• Impromptu Storytelling
• Informative Speech
• Applied Communication Project
• Group Website Evaluation

Your instructor will provide you with a small brown bag.  You are to select three items, place them in the bag, and be prepared to explain how the three items describe who you are.  For example, you might include a name tag from your place of employment, an item that indicates an interest of yours (e.g. a tennis ball if you play tennis), or an item that symbolizes your career interest (e.g. an apple for an education major).  Prior to delivering the speech, you should provide a typed outline, following the format of the sample outline provided.  No sources, other than yourself, are required for this 3 to 5 minute speech.  See pp. 10-12, Section 2 of the COMM 1315 Workbook (provided through WTClass) 

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• Last Updated: Mar 14, 2024 10:39 AM
• URL: https://infoguides.wtamu.edu/comm1315