My 2nd Grade Classroom

Wel-gum to 2nd Grade!

Here are photos of my class this past year... yes I realize they are nearly a year late, but, still fun to look at!

& if you love to pin like I do, you absolutely have my permission to pin!

I decided on a gumball theme, just as the picture of my classroom door shows. I printed the kiddos names on colored paper and cut circles around them. My lovely sister did the fantastic gumball machine artwork!

I decided to use gum balls as part of our behavior management in the class. Each team table had a small can (covered in duct tape of course) and the teams could earn gumballs throughout the week. Gumballs could be earned when the whole table was being helpful, working hard, etc. When Wacky Wednesday rolled around (free time on our no special day) we would count up the gumballs and the team with the most gum balls got to make their free choice first. All the gumballs would then be added to the class gum ball machine (the bigger can). When the classroom gum ball machine was filled, the class earned a celebration.

I ended up not keeping this behavior system all year. When I discovered whole brain teaching I started using the smile/sad face score board and it was way too hard to keep up with that and gum balls. One thing I did learn this year is that it's okay to abandon and change ideas throughout the year!

I used a clip chart for personal behavior management (right). I got this from Bainbridge Classroom. The kiddos started on "ready to learn" and could move down to "slow down" "think about it" and "parent contact" or up to "good job" "great job" or "outstanding. If the kiddos reached outstanding they got to choose from my prize catalog (left) I found this on pinterest from First Grade Fever. One prize is using the "super supplies" (below)

Next to my polka dot wrapping paper covered desk: Birthday prize straws & gumballs for extra special days or to chew on your birthday. Also a container for our school-wide B.U.G. awards (Being Unusually Good). Oh and a piggy bank to hold pennies for the gumball machine.

My principal required that we post objectives for our day on the board (left), I simply printed our "subjects" out and put them on different colored backgrounds. Then I put magnets on the back so they would stay on the whiteboard but could be moved when necessary. I could then easily write on objectives on the whiteboard no matter how long or short. I also created a sound level chart (left) that also was held by magnets to the whiteboard. I'll admit we RARELY used the "level 3" voices :)... In the corner (right) I had these games BOGGLE (available at msrojasteaches)and ADD IT UP (found this idea on a pin, but it didn't link to anything, claim if this is yours!) which I used as a choice when students were done with their work.

Job chart, also gumball themed!

(Left) Brain breaks written on popsicle sticks for when the kiddos needed to move around, journal jar with prompts for when the kiddos couldn't think of what to write during "free write." Journal prompts available from organized home.

(Right) Baskets for sharp and not sharp pencils. The whole pencil sharpening thing is definitely something I need to work on next year. It is my LEAST favorite thing in the world to sharpen pencils and the kiddos always ask at the worst times!

(Left)Bus/Walkers List, simple but organized and easy to see.

(Right)"Where are we?" sign, I ended up moving this to the bulletin board right outside our classroom because that made more sense.

And... cute bathroom passes that were destroyed by December :( which made me quickly discover the importance of laminating!

My reminder board (from clutter free classroom) (left) saved me many times. I put it right by my door and it kept me on top of any dismissal changes for students, changed special time, assembly times and more!


I can... board (right) saved lots of questions from my kiddos (when I remembered to check off the boxes). You can download a version of this from first grade glitter and giggles (I used paint to crop and insert the bubblegum background, email me if you'd like a copy with bubblegum balls)

 I LOVED my back to back book cases with all the team supplies... unfortunately I had accidentally taken an unclaimed book shelf that another teacher claimed back so I had to change my plans for team supplies :(

In love with my crate box seats! used heavy cardboard with fabric staple gunned down. The kiddos managed to pull a few of these apart this year with their wiggly bottoms, but easy fix! Saw this on MANY pins and blogs, everyone has a different way to do it.

Matching curtains to cover all my math manipulatives, games and other various "stuff" that looked much better covered up.






"Word Wall" hanging like this took up much less space than the typical bulletin board word wall. I attached words with a paper clip (so I could use the letter/ribbon again if I want to). To see a fancier version of this, check out my second home blog.


I love my center bins from the dollar store!





















Book bins in our classroom library. Each bin has an envelope in it for students to put their number stick in so they know where the book goes when they are finished with it. (above)

Classroom library (left)

My beloved learning circle! The learning circle moved to the middle/front of the room by the end of the year, but still my favorite part of the room, many thanks to my easel!



A few shots of the whole room...



Well, I hope you enjoyed the tour. Many things changed throughout the year, and I don't have pictures of all these changes, but I think this post gives a pretty good feel of my room :)

Signing off a little differently today,
Happy Teaching (& Running!)