Classroom Design

Since I am not in a classroom this year, I have compiled several ideas from my classroom over the past seven years, as well as several other wonderful teachers'. These teachers have created masterpieces in their classrooms that help keep organization throughout the year, while making it easily accessible to students, and -of course- extremely engaging!

The classroom library is always my favorite area in every teacher's room. When done right, the creativity that is used to engage students is impeccable! Due to 'fire codes' I was refrained from decorating my classroom to any extent other than a palm tree (thanks to Deanna's wonderful idea/tutorial), 2 mini aderondacks and some pillows.

  (library in 2013)

See. I had to make the most with what I was allowed to do. I actually had to take down the 'floating' beach balls. I also used the kids cubbies as our classroom library.

I also love using this organization system to help me and the kiddos keep all the books where they belong and easily accessible!
I am currently working on a Plain Jane Library Organization kit! :)
 OBVIOUSLY, this little packet needed an update!

Now for some inspiration...

 

Reagan Tunstall 

The colors, the rug, chairs, the black bulletin board area that will soon be filled with reading strategies/anchor charts...love it all! So cozy and inviting!

I love how Lindsay made her library area an large, open space. It seamlessly falls with the rest of her class and, again, looks so comfy and inviting!

I love the bench that Maria added to her library, the gorgeously bright and engaging colors, and those floor mats! Perfect for those kiddos who want to grab a book and curl up somewhere else in the classroom.

I also love this idea from Learning in Wonderland! No more bothering you with broken books during your small group time. :) 

 I also first saw this lovely bench on her Instagram feed and fell in love!!!
I will most certainly be using this in my next book nook area.

 In my previous school, the standards for this area of our classroom seemed to be ever-changing. 

Inspiration for my next room:

 Growing Kinders NAILED it!

 Learning in Wonderland has a quick video on her blog and Instagram that shows you how she displays and uses her objectives board. Simple and keeps them all in one place. Gotta love that!

 Jessica from The Teacher Talk created an area in her room that allows for students to place their name in an area they would like to focus on. 
This idea is so much better than placing your kids clothespin on a learning scale/rubric. Love, Love, LOVE this idea!!!!

This, to me, needs to be the most inviting and organized place in your entire classroom.  I spend a lot of my day with my kids 'on the carpet.'  I want this space to be open, safe, and set up so that I can snag anything I need at the drop of hat! I always set my room up to have a pretty open area, but never really got it figured out... Here's some inspiration:

Regan Tunstall

Everything always seems just so functional in Reagan's classrooms! :)

 

Deanna Jump 

Open, simple, students can easily move around, lots of room for learning games, etc...  Deanna has a wonderful organization packet that is filled with awesome ideas on how to organize your whole classroom, but my big takeaway was organizing my rolling cart!  Check it out HERE.

Palm tree directions found HERE

 For me, space was limited and I just couldn't 'see' where to functionally place a writing wall/area in my classroom. SO, I used a folding back board! My area was not very functional.  It worked, but not the way I wanted.

Here are some much better examples on how to successfully impelment a writing station...

I absolutely love Deedee's Writing Station packet. 

It is perfect for building confidence in your emerging readers/writers.

 

Simple and all the materials are stored under the table! 

I could spend hours looking though other teachers classroom photos to find ideas to use and implement in my own classroom.

Now you can, too!

Click either link below to see how thousands of other teachers have designed their classrooms.

 

 

Pirates aarrgghh COOL!

I am excited to join Tara in my first Made it Monday!

I have had a pirate-theme classroom for the past two years.  My room, however, was not very put together in terms of a color-scheme.  You couldn't really tell that it was a pirate-theme unless you really looked.  SO... I wanted to make some staple pieces that would color coordinate and tie it all in together!

So I made this!!!

You get calendar pieces, number posters, shape posters, a pennant word wall with the first 220 dolch sight words included, an alphabet banner, name plates, center rotation cards and signs, and items to use to create a behavior clip chart, birthday wall, and ship-inspired job chart.  Each of those are shown below.

Job chart

Behavior clip chart

Birthday Wall!

I've made each item available individually or you can just purchase the bundle. If you purchase the bundle you save FIVE DOLLARS! Imagine what else you can buy with those five dollars! Ha! 

Because I love all my awesome followers I'm making the BUNDLE on sale for $6 instead of $8 today only.  That means you save seven dollars!

I am so excited to get it all put together in my room.  I refuse to go in early this summer.  I really want to enjoy every second of being in my actual home! :)

Sadly, I only have a month left before I have to go back.  When do you head back to school?

Couldn't help myself.  Stuck in the house all day due to constant rain...again. :/  So...I made this too:

Check it out at my little store!

We're Going on Tour {linky}

I'm so excited to host my first ever linky party!!!

I have spent the last week and a half secluded in my classroom working hard to get it all set up and ready for the first day.  I spent NUMEROUS hours on Pinterest and browsing blogs to find some inspiration for my kinder classroom this year.  I do not have a Cameo or a lot of "moolah" so I had to deal with what I was handed! :)  I'm exhausted just remembering what my week was like!

I know you all feel my pain! So, without further ado here's a tour of my classroom this year!

This is what you see when you open my door and look straight ahead! The black thingy is the back of my listening center book shelf. I painted it with magnetic paint and will let the kiddos use it during word study:

Below is what you see when you walk in my classroom and look slightly to the right! :)  

 Here is my reading nook {same as last year just moved a little to the left} and my housekeeping area:

 These pirate birthday cuties were inspired by none other than Mrs. Deanna Jump!!  She made them to use as a center.  You can check them out HERE.

 Close up version.  I wrote their name on "gold coins" {gold paper circles} and hot glued them onto the treasure boxes!

 Another look at my housekeeping area. Still a work in progress but I'm loving my makeshift window!

 Behavior chart and listening center area...and of course my stove!

I recreated the behavior chart after being inspired by Mrs. Williamson.

 Listening center again.  Our listening center anchor chart from Daily Five will go in the space above the beanbags.  Got the idea to hang the headphones after seeing THIS blog post from Dandelions and Dragonflies {SUPER organized and color-themed room}!

 **LOVE** my pirate.  Inspiration from Jennifer at First Grade Blue Skies!  The board was going to say "Kindergartners ARRRR Great" but there wasn't enough room! hehe

Color word posters curteousy of Tricia {only TWO BUCKS!!}!

 Saw these bad boys at Target last year and knew I HAD TO HAVE THEM when they came out again this year!  My tables have a number and color!  Saw these same center caddies on Michelle blog {Fabulous in First} too! They are so cute!

 My favorite part of the room! :)  Made the ship last year after being inspired by Deanna Jump!  Love all the other wonderful ideas and creations I snagged from Pinterest and TPT!

 My desk and guided reading area!

Phew!  I didn't take a picture of my math workstations area and computers because it looks exactly like it did last year!  You can check it out HERE if interested!  

Side track:  We need TEN states to complete our Postcard Exchange! The rest of us 40 are ready to rock and roll! :)  If you are from one of the following states then sign up ASAP {HERE}! It's a great learning opportunity for your kiddos:

Alabama, Hawaii, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Utah, West Virginia, Wyoming!!

Back to the tour:  

Now, lets take a tour through your room!

Kindly link up to your classroom tour POST not your BLOG! 

Thank you! :)  Happy Browsing!

How do you go home?

Picture via pinterest courtesy of Miss Nelson

After seeing this picture on Pinterest a couple weeks ago I new I wanted to make this adorable classroom management tool myself!

So, I did! :p

These little guys are super cute and an easy way to keep track of how your students go home.  I love it because I often have students change their mode of transportation throughout the year, I simply move their clothespin! Easy!

I made a packet that I'm giving to you for FREE!

There are 12 different transportation cards:

2 car riders, 2 bus riders, walkers, bikers, after school {with a school icon}, after school {with a church icon}, van riders, tutoring, and 2 "others."

The best part...there's 7 colors to choose from!!!  

Black, blue, green, yellow, red, pink, and purple.

You can grab your FREE copy HERE and don't forget to become a follower!

If you download, kindly leave some love.  :)

**If you have not signed up yet to participate in our Postcard Exchange scroll down to sign up!

There's still plenty of states left! :)  I will post tomorrow who has "made the cut" so far! Happy Thursday!

"We are at..." {FREEBIE}

I have seen lots of adorable 'pins' on Pinterest of "Sorry We Missed You" and "We are at.." signs.  I thought I would share mine!  

My classroom door is outside.  I do not have a classroom that connects to a hallway.  Since I don't have a hallway, anything I hang outside tends to get discolored and warped from the direct sunlight it receives in the morning {I learned this the hard way}.  With that said, I use door hangers.  When I first started teaching I used the generic ones that you could purchase at any teacher store.  But they were just B-O-R-I-N-G! I mean no cute clip art or anything!

Last year I decided to create my own! :)

Super easy, super simple, super cute!!

See:

{Packet includes "We are at..." lunch, playground, P.E., art, music, guidance, library}

 {click HERE to be taken to my TPT store where you can download this file for FREE}

:)  I printed these guys on cardstock and used a thicker laminate than I usually use {or you could glue them onto a colored "background" or laminate twice} for durability.  I also changed my mind after creating these and did NOT cut on the lines at the top to create a slit for the hanger to slide on the doorknob.  I left mine a complete circle.  I got nervous that my little ones would be rough with them and they would tear.  So far they're as good as new still!

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In other news, I am THOROUGHLY enjoying my summer break so far!  I don't know about you guys but I have spent 9 out of my 13 days of summer (so far) with my bathing suit on or out of town on a mini-vacation!  It has been FABULOUS!  And it's only going to continue!! :)  Next week I have a quick 3-day workshop {easy-peezy}. Then, I will be preparing my house {and backyard} for my FIFTH wedding anniversary party!!!!!  So excited for our mini-milestone and all the fun we will have celebrating with friends and family!  
Wish you could be here too! :)

Hope you are all having a fantastic summer as well and enjoying your time with the Dad's in your life today! {LOVE YOU DAD!!!!!!}

BTW...I'm so close to reaching 1,000 followers.  That is just MIND-BLOWING! Seriously!!!  Working on a great giveaway for when I reach that amazing number.