CLICK HERE FOR FREE BLOGGER TEMPLATES, LINK BUTTONS AND MORE! »
Showing posts with label bulletin boards. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bulletin boards. Show all posts

Monday, August 27, 2012

Peek Inside my room

Today was my first day back at school with a new group of firsties.  I had 21 new little love bugs today and they were as sweet as could be!  I am soooo excited about this school year, although I feel like I could sleep for about 2 days straight I am so tired.  We had open house on Sunday afternoon, followed by night before first day jitters (that yes, the teacher still gets), and a whole day teaching rules and how we do EVERYTHING (along with some fun & games)!  I remembered my camera yesterday before open house and had a few minutes to snap a couple pictures of my room and the adorable bulletin boards on our first grade hall.  Now it is time to snuggle up and rest up for day 2!  Enjoy!  I'll post in detail about setup and my room in a future post :)

 My guided reading station...aka...the reading hub...aka....Mrs. Mabe's grand central station!  My mom is uh-mazing! She made table skirts for our first grade team (my curtains match too..love it). 
 My back bulletin board that will be home to my firsties' writing very soon!
 Okay, so kindergarten at my school all has a specific jungle animal theme.  Since k/1 share a hall, I didn't want to have a jungle animal on my door and I was stumped as to what to put on my door.  Then I ran across this absolutely adorable, perfect idea for my room (from first grade fever's blog...check it out here) that combined two of my favorite things....animal print & Pete the Cat!  Pete may have to stay up for a while and just get decorated for fall because I love him so much!
 My writing table at the back of the room...missing two caddies on the Ikea hanging bar thing.  Ikea has great stuff & so cheap!  Hanging on the pocket chart are a few of my writing topics from my writing task cards
 We went over our behavior catalog today and all the rewards they could choose from.  The room was buzzing with which prize they would be 'shopping' for first!
 Computer area & math shelves.  The space between my windows will be home to math vocabulary words as we learn them. 
 Another view from the back of the room.  Again, I have an awesome mom...love my chair pockets she made!
 My BOGGLE board on an oil-drip pan on the back of my bookshelf.  The organizer has magnetic letters in it that will be used as a literacy station in the weeks to come.
 Alright, my mom sews & my wonderful hubby is handy with a saw & drill.  He made these shelves for my classroom library.  Low enough for kids to reach all the shelves and also for me to see into the library from my guided reading table.  A dear kindergarten friend shared the palm tree base with me that she had stored away from VBS years ago.  My mom and I whipped up a lovely little palm tree, following Deanna Jump's directions for the one she has in her room.
 Calendar are & math station board (currently empty). 
 Mr. Alligator moves around with a magnet for our class voice level chart. 
 Whole Brain Teaching...enough said!!  My scoreboard.  I'm using the tens frame (can't ever get enough practice) along with jewels from the craft store.  The line, seat, & carpet signs are to track how quickly & quietly we transition.  They love beating their time!
 My first grade next door neighbor, Sarah, has the cutest cooking theme in her room.  I'm going to have to get more pics.  Here's her adorable cupcake door!
 Another first grade neighbor & her tropical/beachy board! 
 Love the ladybugs from another first grade friend! 
 Zebra print pencils & monkeys outside my door.  Work to come soon under the pencils.

That's my home away from home in a nutshell.

Monday, July 18, 2011

Back to School Activities & Bulletin Boards

I can hardly believe back to school is almost upon us!  AHHHH!  I am loving every second of being just mommy to my little man all day!  But, the wheels are turning for back to school and getting ready!  Jodi at Fun in First Grade is having a linky party for your favorite back to school activities.  Be sure to check out her blog for some other awesome ideas.  Here are a few of my favorites that I had pictures for. 


 One of my favorite back to school activities is the name mosaics.  We read Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes and discuss how we are all different and unique.  We complete this art project to showcase our names.  I stumbled across it years ago (someone online, not sure where) and it always brightens up the halls!  I cut up small pieces of construction paper in different colors and write students' names on a long piece of black paper.  They cover their name with the construction paper squares.  We learn this poem and add it to our poetry notebooks.  Click here for a copy of the poem. 
 My chicka chicka board one year.  After reading Chicka Chicka Boom BOom several times, students illustrated pictures for each letter and they were hung under the letters.
 My submarine door.  I added students' pictures to the port holes.

 My class from the previous year made the Rainbow Fish at the end of the year.  I traced the Rainbow Fish first on white paper and they filled him in with construction paper.  It was a great cooperative learning activity for the end of the year.  And it made a super cute door display for back to school!

Please leave a comment to share any fun Chicka, Chicka boom boom ideas for back to school!  Or jungle ideas, since this year my room is going to be jungle/safari themed.

**Update**
I ordered these from Etsy and they were delivered today!  Oh my, I'm in l-o-v-e!!  They are so cute and will match my room decor quite perfectly.  (Click on the pic to go the the Etsy shop where I purchased them.)  Once the room is cleaned, organized, and set-up, I will be sure to post pics of my safari theme!


Check out my safari/jungle absentee folder & good behavior catalog {here}.  Both freebies :-)