Buckets are a cheap and fun way to get students exploring beat and rhythm in your classroom. You can start out informally allowing students to be creative with the buckets. I like to teach "matched" grip right away for the sticks so students don't develop bad habits and can easily transition to playing drum kit, drumline work, etc. I found a great resource called Bucket Music by Olivier Cutz which you can order at most educational music stores in Ontario.
He uses a method to teach students about note values that calls two eighth notes "pizza" and the quarter note, "pie", etc. Kids really relate to this and also his notation system for the various surfaces of the buckets (centre, rim, side and stick clicks) I've known of people who have taught his pieces by rote as well and not used the notation with students.
Here is a video of my Grade 8 students a few years ago at Gordon P.S. playing "Taiko" by Olivier Cutz. It's a good example of 4-part ensemble playing.
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