Teacher baskets can be per grade level. That way there is no pressure on the parents or teachers to come up with a basket. Have the teachers pick a theme per grade level such as gardening,family night, spa, pets, arts and crafts ect. and have each grade send home a letter letting them know what there theme is per grade level and give the families some suggestions of what to donate. Keep it simple. Then as the donations come in the organizer of the Silent Auction can collect the items from the school and either create one big basket per grade or a few smaller baskets per grade. Once the teachers pick there theme try to find some interesting baskets, such as if they pick a movie night maybe make the basket a popcorn bowl, if it is a gardening theme make the basket a flower pot. You can get creative.
Hope this helps. Good Luck

Thanks for all the information on silent auction how tos. We are going to give it a try this year at our carnival- does anyone have a copy of a letter explaining to the teacher how the silent auction baskets are run or a copy of a letter that is sent home to the children- I am not that great at coming up with wording on these sorts of things. Please send me anything you have thanks-