Looking into the classroom from the door.
Looking towards the windows - they look so much bigger with my drapes instead of a valance!
This is my highest level table for my flexible seating classroom. I have wooden stools from At Home, green stools from JoAnn's (a couple years ago), and an 18" Hokki Stool.
The morning work packets laying out for the first day come from SunnyDays in 2nd Grade
Standing on my stage looking to the back of the classroom.
Adirondack Chairs from Bed Bath & Beyond
Pillows from At Home
Lack Table from Ikea
Rug - Target
Now, let's take a closer look around my classroom!
I still have lots of things on my wish list from Open House, so those leftover got moved to the door - maybe they'll get picked up!
My cabinets are the perfect place for my Math Focus Wall.
Math Vocabulary cards by Jillian Starr
Birthday Display - I just LOVE these mason jars filled with cupcakes! So stinkin' cute!
This was too cute not to share! I made a soap dispenser using a mason jar and a pump from a Bath & Body Works foamy pump. Love my foamy soap and now it has a sturdy base with the mason jar.
Snacks & Water Bottle Baskets
Flexible Seating Choice Board
I found these metal hanging sign at Michaels and added a little vinyl to make a perfect board for my kids to put their personalized magnet up for their Home Base for the day.
When I went to Flexible Seating, I had to do something about the little arguing going on about who was sitting where and "aww man, that's where I wanted to sit". So I came up with a system where my kids choose a "Home Base" each morning when they come in. Then when we are on the carpet for a lesson or returning to our classroom from recess, they know where they are supposed to go sit - at least the table. There was still a little arguing about somebody sitting in a particular seat someone else wanted, but it was no where near as bad and it kept kids accountable and honest!
This is the back corner of my classroom. Closet and bathroom doors. The clothespins are perfect for easily hanging student work. Pictures above doors are from Hobby Lobby.
This year I added clothespins to this mini board above my classroom library as well.
Gotta take a picture the first day to put in our frame!
I brought out Reading Buddies last year and my kids loved to grab some of their favorite book characters to read with.
Classroom Library
Shelves were from Target (years ago). You can find similar shelves still at Target as well as Walmart and Big Lots. The fabric bins are from Big Lots.
Rug - Target
Blue Stool - Ikea
I group my books by topic in my classroom library. I used white yard sale stickers to number all of my books. That way when a kiddo gets a book out of the library, they know where to put it back when they are done with it.
Flexible Seating Student "Stuff" Storage.
This is where my kiddos keep their word folders and their bag of books. Their work folders go in the green bins and they are grouped by their classroom numbers into groups of 5 or 6. Their bags of books to read go in the large buckets at the bottom. They are in groups of 11 for storing their books.
Turn-In Station!
The Sterilite 3 Drawer organizers on the top shelf is where students turn in their work during the school day. The second shelf houses their COLLEGE binder and then spelling homework notebooks and library books go on the bottom shelf.
The third Trofast Frame & Bins houses Morning Work Journals, journals for Rooted in Reading, and our Zearn math journals.
Loving my large clock from Walmart and my Heidi Swapp Lightbox. It's ready for the 1st Day with my 1st Day slides!
My corner of the room.
Expo Whiteboard - no longer available on Amazon
Now, the front of my room! Yes, I have a stage!! I was so excited to get to visit the Ron Clark Academy last year and I needed a stage just like Hope King. My wonderful dad helped me build it...well, more like I helped by painting it and putting the floor tiles on it!
Having a Rooted in Reading board was one of my favorite changes to my room last year. It was an easy place to house anchor charts and posters each week that went with our book and the activities.
Metal Baskets from Bulleye's Playground at Target (Dollar Spot - $5)
The colorful plastic lap desks are from Hobby Lobby. These are perfect for working and my kids also use them for eating lunch. Since we each lunch in our classroom, the kids that choose the carpet area as their home base for the day, use these to eat lunch on the carpet.
Our daily schedule is ready for Monday!
Class Jobs & Dojo Store bulletin board is above my Trofast bench from Ikea. These drawers are perfect for storing supplies. My kids don't go in these drawers, unless they are getting a sticker (with permission) and the cushion makes this a favorite place to sit, or lay, to work.
Excuse my earbud pouches laying out everywhere. I had parents/kiddos sort supplies at Open House and hope to do that Monday morning as well when the kids come in, so I left these out for the kids to find their pouch and put their earbuds inside.
I try to change our my options in my Dojo Store each nine weeks. To start the year, I make sure to include a lot of lower priced items because they just can't wait to spend their money. Then I take those items out later and make them save their money for something that I know they really want, but can't wait to save their money for it.
I use my Clothesline Classroom Helpers job display last year, but I'm loving it even more with my circle labels attached to the clothespins! Each child gets a Melonheadz kiddo and I use that on most of their labels and things throughout the classroom.
Student mailboxes for work are housed above the bookshelf that I use to house my Rooted in Reading Books. I use ice buckets from Walmart for each month.
Student cubbies
Reading Bulletin board with comprehension posters from A Year of Many Firsts
I'll leave you with a pre-paint job picture from last year's classroom reveal and then what my room looks like this year! What a different some paint makes!
July 2015
June 2016 - ack! Look at how bad those walls look!!
Early-July 2016
July 22, 2016 - ready for kiddos come Monday!
