So I am pushing December and am just now FINALLY posting my classroom tour! How did that happen?

When I got my classroom assignment this summer, we moved in all my junk I have accumulated and lemme tell you, I was overwhelmed. I have a smallish room and 19 students… which doesn’t leave much room left over.

One of my teaching comrades came in and saved me from the feelings of desperation and got me started knowing where to put everything.

After a day of HARD work moving and shoving and lifting and sorting, my room was looking like this…

I know it still looks like a hot mess, but I really should’ve taken a original before picture with the gobs of things stacked everywhere to really appreciate the accomplishment of all my hard work. :)

 

I had SO much I wanted to do after not having a classroom to decorate for 2 years, and after a LOT of work and effort, it turned into this…

Since I am limited on space, I don’t have too many options for desk configurations. This set up has its challenges, but they all pull out their laminated file folder to use as their cover sheets when they are doing assessments.

Here is the other side of the room with our cubbies and my desk.  I moved the giant iPad over here because I think it’s just awesome enough to have up all year!  Isn’t the little desk a nice pop of blue over there?  :)

I was going to make a paper bunting banner, but then I ran across this super cute plastic one in the Walmart party aisle. I think it was $1.50!

 

And this is where all those euphoric, magical teaching moments happen… er, uh… oh wait. Maybe that was only in my mind.  :)

I have very little wall space since one of my four walls is a curtain and the other has my cubbies, so what little I have, I have utilized to the max!

Under the board are my behavior charts where the kiddos can earn stickers.  I change these out monthly.  On the right side of the whiteboard is a little space carved out for Homework.

To the left of the board are my Classroom Rules! I printed them from The Polka Dot Patch as a FREE download!

This is another great freebie I found…. Homeoworkopoly from one of my absolute FAVORITE teacher blogs… Ladybug Teacher Files!

 The idea is that all students with complete homework all week long will get to play Homeoworkopoly on Friday.  Not every space gets a reward, but a few of the rewards I did were first to lunch, take a piece of candy to lunch, get five tickets, eat lunch with a friend etc. I found some fuzzy dice at the dollar store which are just WAY more fun to throw, you know.

I also got my alphabet from her for $3, I think.  I LOVE IT!

This “little treasure” is something truly AMAZING! It looks like the top and bottom were made to be together, but it’s actually not.

The top cabinets were already hanging in my room, but the bottom piece is actually a freestanding cabinet on casters! It was one of THREE custom made for my mom. Yes, she has a bulletin board addiction problem.

There are four drawers that slide out that are perfect for those bulky bulletin board stuff, and on top of those is one long skinny drawer perfect for border!

It’s only downside is that it weighs a TON. I mean. A ton. And get this. My poor hubby has had to move this monstrosity SEVERAL times up and down STAIRS!

On top is the pencil sharpening station and the Art Center with more free downloads.

Another pinterest inspired summer project is my classroom library…

I absolutely LOVE the outcome of this project. I bought sets of plastic shoe boxes from Walmart and sorted and alphabetized all by books by author’s last name.  I created alphabet circle labels, laminated them, and stuck them on. This biggest thing this does is create lots and lots of visual interest for the kiddos since they are seeing the FRONT covers of the books instead of just the boring, uninviting spines. It also makes it an easy way for the kids to KEEP the library organized.

I could alphabetize till I was blue in the face but with a regular set up, those books just ain’t going to get put back in the right place.

I created matching address labels with the cooresponding letter that I stuck on the spines of the book so students know which bin it goes in.

I wish I could share all of my labels with you, but when I moved files around on my computer and resaved them, my big circle labels got rendered unusable. :(  Big, fat WAH, let me tell you.

There are lots of free alphabet labels and signs out there, though, if you want to try this too!

I told you I squeezed every ounce of wall space out that I could, and I was serious.

My calendar and birthdays are hiding behind the door.

So sad, isn’t it?

I also used the back of my door too! This was another free download from ladybug teacher files.  Love this one too!

A few other of my classroom creations… A Morning Procedures Chart…

And of course, my Angry Birds Clip Chart!

That’s it! Thanks for hanging in there for the longest post ever! Is it weird that I am just now FINALLY showing off my classroom? I figured it was better late than never, right??  :)

Don’t teachers ALWAYS love checking out other classrooms????