Classroom Digs

It's day 2 of Teacher Week '13

Today's theme is "Classroom digs" Classroom Tour...

Sorry to anyone who reads my blog frequently because this is kind of a "re-post" of my previous classroom updates. The room is still a work in progress... thank goodness I still have a couple weeks to work in it before the kiddos arrive! I'm going to post some of my favorite pics of my new classroom!

Classroom door in progress... the plan is to put the kiddos names on various "sweets" around the gumball machine

Center Station... Literacy on the bottom, math on top. My lovely prometheum board & doc cam is to the right, didn't have that in my room last year, so pretty excited to use it this year!

In the closet, indoor/outdoor recess station

Hanging word wall... in progress

Couldn't help but hang up my lanterns from last year, I don't have an updated pic of here, but the window sill is kind of  falling apart so I put really cute chevron duct tape all along the windows the last time I was there!

Back bulletin board & lantern... those bins need to go bye bye!

Team signs and the wind chime one of my lovelies gave me last year

Using the chevron duct tape I found to dress up cans

Close up of back bulletin board, again, need to find something to do with those bins!!!

Library center

Genre board

Sweets themed clip chart

Learning circle in progress

Morning meeting board in progress

Learning circle in progress, I have new volume levels & objective signs to put up here, but I haven't gotten into my room this week!

Writing Center (little messy in this pic)

2nd grade reading tree (we'll put monthly themed cut outs with our favorite book we read during the month on it) behind writing and computer centers

Maibox Station

Classroom jobs (might put a lighter colored wrapping paper behind. Kind of busy!

Brain Breaks can

The wonderful curtains my mom made last year that fit my shelves this year too, yay!


If you'd like some more details and to see how much progress I've made in my new room, check out the Classroom Tour tab! There should be more updates soon, beginning of this week am busy trying to enjoy what little summer I have left. I'll be back at it in my room tomorrow though!

Tomorrow is Organizing for Instruction!

Linking Up with Teacher Week '13

Newest guilty pleasure... linky parties! Blog Hoppin' is hosting Teacher Week '13 and I'm going to try to keep up with each week's topic... 

Let's get started...

1. I am getting married in October to my wonderful fiancee who I have known since I was 11 years old.

2. We have an adorable 5 month old puppy, he is half Australian Shephard, half Lab, his name is Bogey (yes, like the golf term)

3. I have a golf course in my backyard that my 2 boys (fiancee and puppy) go to work every day.

4. I ran track & cross country in college and still try to run often... most recent race was Color Me Rad!

5. I am entering my 2nd full year of teaching, both at 2nd grade (I also long term subbed a few months in K)

6. My favorite subject to teach is reading, I especially love doing read alouds.

7. I am a whole brainer! Check out that section of my blog if you're interested!

8. I am a morning person... I get to school at around 6:30 so I can spend 2 hours working before the kiddos get there, and then I can leave right after school when I'm feeling exhausted!

9. I live a mile from the ocean and have spent a good part of summer there!

10. A few random thoughts: I love purple, coffee, baking & taking/displaying pictures of the people & places I love!

That was fun! Tomorrow is classroom tour, which will kind of be a replay of a recent post since I just did a classroom tour Friday (I think) and can't get to my room again until Wednesday, bummer!

Linking Up with 4th Grade Frolics & Classroom Freebies

I'm linking up with 4th Grade Frolics for Monday Made It & Classroom Freebies Manic Monday!

I've been doing a TON of printing, cutting and laminating in preparation for the start of school. I just bought this fabulous at-home laminator and have already gone through 2 packs of 50 laminating sheets!!!! If you scroll through my "made-it's" you'll find 2 freebies plus 1 editable freebies.... 3 freebies, yay! Each of the freebies will take you to a google doc and you can download from there! You will also find 2 products you can buy from my TPT store.

Okay so onto what I've been busy printing, cutting & laminating...

Volume Level Posters...

I had much less fancy volume level posters up in my room last year and I decided to design bright, patterned fun posters this year. I use a clothespin with a laminated arrow hot glued to it to clip on the appropriate voice level my kiddos should be using. Click the photo and you can get your own copy at my TPT store.

Schedule Cards & Calendar Numbers (FREEBIE)

I used the schedule cards that are part of the Polka Dots and Stripes Mega Classroom Kit from TPT. I resized them which will save space on my board and saved paper/laminating sheets. I'll put magnets on these and put them on one of my white boards so the kiddos know what our day will be like. I made these calendar numbers to brighten up our monthly calendar pocket chart. Grab your free copy of the calendar numbers by clicking the photo above!

Bathroom Pass (FREEBIE)

I'm going to put a pretty ribbon to hang my hall passes. The circle passes will be hot glued to clothespins just like Tara's great bathroom pass idea she posted a couple weeks ago on Monday Made It. Get your own editable copy by clicking the picture above!

Literacy Centers

I made literacy center signs to hang over each center area. I also made smaller signs to go in a pocket chart with the kiddos names next to it for our center rotations. Get your copy on my TPT page!

Math Centers (FREEBIE)

I got the idea to make these from Math is Elementary's link up to last week's Monday Made It. I'll use these for my guided math block. I had a hard time organizing guided math last year, but I think having these 4 rotations will help a lot! I also made circle numbers to identify my groups. You can get your free copy by clicking the photo.

I hope you enjoy the freebies :)

Classroom Fun!

Well I think I am almost ready to starting thinking about the teaching part of teaching and not the fun creative decorating part of teaching, oh darn! I do still have to add to my door (kiddos names on various "sweets") I also need to do something to my back counter, because it is very yucky... I'm thinking modge podge or contact paper, not sure...

Okay, check it out...

Reading corner

Reading Bulletin Board with Genre Posters

Sweets themed clip chart

My version of "Calendar Math" bulletin board

Corner between "calendar math" and learning board... check the WBT posters up top!

Learning Circle (I need a rug!!!)

Fabulous brain break sticks (if you're the one who posted these for free please stop by and claim it for credit!)

Writing Center (please excuse the mess...)

Writing Center, reading tree, computer center (again excuse the mess)

Computer center (before the bulletin board was decorated)

Mailboxes

Love my curtains in the closet

Recess Station (Outdoor and Indoor)

Classroom Jobs display... I'm thinking it needs a lighter background, thoughts?

Back bulletin board

Seriously in love with this chevron duct tape! So easily dressed up these cans.

Hanging team signs.

Had to hang my lanterns again this year.

Not hung up yet, but this will be my hanging word wall.

Door Decs! Going to add "sweets" with the kiddos names on them.

Hope you enjoyed the tour!