Box City

What is Box City?

It was inspired by the book Roxaboxen by Alice McLerran. Available here:

https://www.amazon.com/Roxaboxen-Alice-McLerran/dp/0060526335

A read aloud on YouTube is available if you are not familiar with the book: 

Roxaboxen by Alice Mclerran. Picture Book about Imagination Read Aloud

Box City is an opportunity for students to get creative and create their own city on campus with boxes, hence the name. They use Box City “bucks” to purchase goods and services to create the Box City economy. The more the students purchase and trade with one another the better the experience will be.  Each student will be give $10 BCB (Box City Bucks). These will be distributed in the classroom before the first day of selling. 

There is one build day and two and a half sell days, which is then followed by a clean up. 

Box City 2025 Schedule

Monday, June 2: Build Day 

8:30 am to 9:00 am - Students in homeroom for morning meeting

9:00 am to 12:00 pm - BUILD

(Note - It can get windy at night so make sure your builds are protected / closed up.)

12:00 pm to 12:30/45 pm - Clean up THEN return to Homeroom

Tuesday, June 3 and Wednesday June 4: Sell Day 

8:30 am to 9:00 am - Students in homeroom for morning meeting

9:00 am to 9:30 am - Rebuild as necessary, set up for the day.

9:30 am to 12:00 pm - Open for business

12:00 pm to 12:30/45 pm - Clean up THEN return to Homeroom

Thursday, June 5: Sell and Clean-up**

8:30 am to 9:00 am - Students in homeroom for morning meeting

9:00 am to 9:30 am - Rebuild as necessary, set up for the day.

9:30 am to 11:30 am - Open for business

11:30 am to 12:30/45 pm - CLEAN UP 

(**This is the day we will need extra parent volunteers to stack the boxes for recycle pick up behind room 19.)

What are students able to sell?

Unfortunately there will be NO selling of food or drinks. No, not even pre-packaged items. The students can build their own business / store / service or an entire class can focus on one larger build.  Students can also create hangout spaces for meditation or a library. Some of the stores in previous years have included face painting, jewelry, slime store, paintings, caricatures, tattoo parlor, dance studio, maze, crochet animals, carnival games, corn hole, ring toss, fortune teller, therapist, and many many more. This is a student-led and student-driven event. The adults are there to support the students and their creativity. Gambling is not allowed at Box City.

Who can attend?

Anyone that is cleared to be on campus can sign up for volunteer shifts and attend along with regular classroom shifts during Box City hours. You can find the sign up genius here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C084BA9A923A1F5C70-56926294-boxcity#/

If you already have your TB test, Background check, and vaccination information on file with the office we would appreciate any help you are able to provide. Please make sure you are clear PRIOR to the week of Box City as some of these steps can take time to process. 

If you are NOT cleared you can help by donating materials needed to make Box City a success.

What can we donate?

• BOXES

  • Larger stores tend to break down boxes as shipments come in. Try a smaller appliance or furniture store or call ahead to find out what day they get their deliveries and when you can show up to claim boxes. 

  • The stores around campus will be hit first so if you work a little further away or have family/friends in other areas ask them to call and secure boxes. 

• Paint

  • Watercolor or tempera paint so we can still recycle the boxes at the end of the event. No acrylic paint.

  • Lakeshore Learning (1099 S. Bascom Ave.) currently has a coupon code for 30% off one non-sale item (code is 3821) if you would like to purchase a gallon to donate. 

• Brushes

  • Foam or larger brushes are ideal.

• Cups (for paint)

  • Red Solo cups work great. 

• Tape 

  • Packing tape, duct tape, anything sturdy. The tape will need to be removed in order to recycle the boxes, but it is necessary to build.

• Other materials 

  • Check in with your student’s teacher and your student to find out what they are planning to do. This will create a more specific shopping list.

When do I bring my donations?

You can drop off donations now to the bin outside the office. 

What has Box City looked like at Falcon?