Classroom Reveal 2014

This year marks my 7th year of teaching....my 7th first day of school....my 7th time of setting up my classroom and preparing for new students.  This year, I finally got smart about preparing my classroom and enlisted the help of last year's students:

These girls worked so hard--helping me clean, move furniture, align desks, complete bulletin boards, label books/workbooks, etc.  What we accomplished together in 1 hour would have taken me at least 5 hours on my own.  I treated them to milkshakes afterwards!

 

Here are the before and after pics:

Before:  Clean carpet, but all my stuff is piled in one corner of the room.

After

 

 

 

 

This year, I traded my "Cranium Club" cabinet in for a "Woot Wall."  I got the idea from fellow teacher blogger, Melissa, over at Teach, Bake, Love. 

 

This is how the Woot Wall works in my classroom:

• When you earn a 95 or higher on a test or quiz (Exception: a 100 or higher must be earned on a spelling test), you will then be allowed to sign the Woot Wall and select a decorative sticker.  (FYI:  The stickers can be used to decorate binders, journals, "cubicles," etc.)
• At the end of the 9 weeks, you will count up your signatures on the wall and receive that number of raffle tickets to go into a drawing.
• I will draw three different people and award them with a special surprise!
• Rewards will vary, but could include individual privileges such as Popcorn Party, Soda Day, Gum Day, Homework Pass, iPad Dibs, Treasure Chest, or Extra Computer Time.  You never know which awesome prize it will be! 

Our school held Orientation on Thursday, the day before school started.  I put all the paperwork in a folder labeled with each child's name and number.  Inside, one side was labeled "Take home and Read," and the other side was labeled "Fill out and Return."

I also left a treat for my students (a Pinterest find):

Finally, I had a volunteer table set up where parents could sign up to lend a helping hand in the classroom.  I didn't have to plead for volunteers; these parents are ready and willing to help out this year!  I'm so thankful! 

Orientation and Classroom Reveal

Today our school had Orientation and I was able to meet all but one of my students.  Tomorrow is the first day of school and I'm so excited!  I've heard great things about this group and I can't wait to get to know them. 

 

In this post I'll quickly share what my classroom looks like and then I'll have to get back to reading The First Days of School by Harry Wong.  I just love that book!  I read it every year before going back to school.

 

About a week and a half ago, I went back to my classroom and discovered it looking like this:



After many hours of work, this is what it looked like first thing this morning:

The yellow and blue balloons (our school colors) were put up just for fun; they were attached to a yummy snack of S'mores Trail Mix that I made for my students.  I put Golden Grahams cereal, mini marshmallows, and Hershey's chocolate chips in a Ziploc bag.  So good!  I printed the cute labels from Janis Noble's blog.    

I personalized a message for each child on a postcard and placed it on top of the general info for 5th grade.

 

I created a brochure of information for the parents because (if they are like me) they don't want to read through pages and pages of information--especially if they have more than one child.  I wanted to keep things short and sweet.  Here's my brochure that I made through Vista Print:

Okay, back to the classroom reveal.  In the corner just to the left as you walk in my room, you'll see this:

I love how my Dum-Dum sucker bouquet turned out:

On their birthday, the students will be able to choose a birthday balloon (attached to a silly straw) and select a couple of suckers.  They will also get to wear a birthday shirt (which I created through Vista Print):

If they don't want to wear the shirt, it can be placed on their chair:

Moving along...we are starting a new math program this year called Math in Focus (Singapore Math) and we will be using Every Day Counts Calendar Math to go along with it.  Here's my bulletin board for the month of August:

To the right of that is a student computer and the cubbies:

I edited labels from Kristen Doyle's TPT store and stuck them to my containers to keep things more organized:

I rearranged my room only slightly from last year--here's a small area where students can read:

Looking at the front of the room:

And facing the last wall (sorry if the balloons are distracting):

I did get a small book display this year so I can put informational texts there that relate to our units of study:

Finally, facing my classroom door:

 

I love the countertop space I have with this long bookcase.  For Orientation, I set out sign-up sheets for volunteers and I also placed "Helping Hands" along the edges.  These are things from my classroom wish list; I printed out items that I want/need and listed the approximate cost as well as where the item(s) could be purchased.  Parents could take a hand, if they wanted, and fulfill the wish list item.

Well, that's my classroom.  Gotta get back to reading now.  I'll let you know how the first day of school goes.



Classroom Tour: A Pinterest-Inspired Learning Space

Welcome to my 5th grade classroom!  In this post, you'll get a complete tour as well as links to my favorite printables.  Here's the door to my room with a nice little disclaimer posted to the left: 

A closer look and CLICK HERE for the FREE printable:

This little sign lets others know where we are.  My line leader moves the giant paperclip when we go to special areas:

Just inside my room, to the slight right:

And slight left:

I got the idea for this bulletin board from Pinterest; however, I came up with the phrase.  My students' pictures, which I blurred out, are the apps:

The back wall to the left:

And to the right:

I love my subway art in the windows (another Pinterest find):

This birthday board and balloons idea came from Pinterest.  I took pictures of my students (again, faces blurred) holding the calendar number of the date of their birth and placed the pictures underneath their birth month.

I attached the birthday balloons to silly straws instead of the giant pixy stix I saw on Pinterest.  My students are hyper enough on their birthdays so I don't want to give them sugar!  Also, I created the "Birthday Bucket" from a Dubble Bubble bubble gum bucket.

Small table that I use for conferencing with students, meeting with small groups, etc.

See the blue mirror?  

It looked like this when I bought it from Hobby Lobby:

I've done a few other paint jobs, including this stool: (before)

 (After):

Okay, onto the next wall.  The door, by the way, connects my classroom to the other 5th grade classroom.  (That's not the other room's main door, though.)

Since I got rid of my teacher desk, this metal cabinet holds all my "desk stuff."  The present on top is just a decorated box that I put objects in at the beginning of my science units.  I pull out the items and give the students a chance to infer what the upcoming unit will be about.

It may not look too neat in this picture, but the inside of this cabinet is actually quite organized.  I have labels on all the boxes and know where everything is:

I created this welcome sign through VistaPrint:

I color-code my schedule, gradebook, student handouts, etc.  It makes things easier for me.

Here's my little corner:

Yes, those are my college diplomas hanging on the wall.  I believe educators should display their diplomas; why should this practice be reserved for doctors, lawyers, or our administration?  Teachers are professionals and many, like myself, have worked hard to earn a higher degree.  I say, displaying them shows that I accomplished a goal and am qualified to be in the classroom.   

Moving on...another Pinterest idea is the Sub Tub.  This has everything in it for a substitute teacher including my sub binder, lesson plans, procedures, flashcards, writing prompts, etc.  I even include snacks (Chewy bars, peanut butter crackers, cookies) and a pack of gum.

The third wall (to the left):

My homework board, surrounded with various printables.  I created the "I'm Done. Now What?" poster via VistaPrint and a couple are from Pinterest.

Finally, this one, I made myself through PowerPoint: (I have my students use hand signals; I never even have to hear, "May I go to the bathroom?"--there's a hand signal for that.) 

Third wall (continued): My Promethean board and magnetic dry erase board.  I'm planning on painting the black stool soon so it'll be colorful like the blue one...

Another VistaPrint creation of mine--I made this on a car door magnet and just slapped it on my board:

The circles are called Dry Erase Wall Art by the Board Dudes.  You can find these at Staples; they adhere to the wall and come off clean.  Love!

Finally, the fourth wall:

My reading area (the table was hot pink until I painted it blue):

Brownie Points (from Pinterest) are awarded to my class whenever they receive a compliment from another teacher.  Once the pan is full, I'll bring in real brownies for the class to enjoy!

Thanks for checking out my classroom!

 

Other Credits:
www.caffeinatedconclusions.blogspot.com
www.mrsestblog.blogspot.com
www.technologyrocksseriously.com