Thursday, July 25, 2013

My Classroom Redo

My classroom is done! My classroom is done! And it is only July! Well, for the most part. I have all the furniture and bulletin boards completed. All I have left to do is copy some papers, add some student labels, and set up my word work station. Ok so maybe I'm not done. I thought I was until I started typing. Boo :/
 
 
Ok, so here is what I got completed today in only 3 hours. I was basically stuck at school waiting for my car's oil change to be done. So I couldn't leave and I was basically forced to complete things I have been putting off.
 
I'm putting up a ton of pictures. I am going around my room clockwise starting from the view looking into the room.
 
#1. Here is the view looking into my room. I have 7 tables and my room will not hold any more. So, 7 x 4 is 28...so that means I can't have more than 28 little ones, right!?!? I hope that is what it means. P.S. I am the only one with tables in first grade. I think that's a good thing. Maybe...
 
On the tables I have baskets that hold books for early finishers, pencils, and wet glue that everyone shares. There are tubs under their chairs where they will put their own supplies like pencils, scissors, glue sticks, math books, etc. (I apologize that the pic is blurry.)



#2 This is to the left of the door right when you come in. Last year I had my job chart on the board and a mini filing cabinet here. This year I have place my ONE student computer and our class calendar. My teacher's assistant will be responsible for the calendar changes every day. The blue pocket chart on the wall is for my good behavior tickets. I can't wait to see how it works out.
 

 
#3 My cabinets... I have the rules and my writing process chart. I will also display student work in the empty spaces.


 
#4 The blue things are my word wall. Underneath the word wall is our classroom library, Math T.I.M.E. baskets, and the empty boxed area is for anchor charts.

 
#5. This is my teacher corner and the table is where I will be having guided reading lessons and where I will meet with my small groups for math and writing. I have everything labeled and organized in the tubs on the shelf. The red, blue, yellow, and green folders are for my lesson papers for the week. The book shelf holds anything extra I use daily, and the tubs to the left hold my calendar supplies, etc..

 
#6 This is where I will be keeping my math supplies. I will be doing a post on it once I get my schedule finalized and figured out. But, the tubs on the top are for my math groups that are similar to Daily 5. The green tubs will have numbers on them for early finisher math work (similar to Cara Carroll's Dessert Tubs).

 
#7 This is the writing corner. The table will house all the different writing supplies that I plan on putting out for my little ones to use. They will also be able to sit at this table to work during Work on Writing. I just don't have enough chairs.
 
A quick vent...I only have chairs for my student's desks. No chairs for the writing center, no chairs for the Word Work center, and no chairs for my guided reading table!!!! ARRR
 
The green board will hold the daily writing anchor chart. Right now I have my Giving Tree up for Open House. I still need to finish it. The green shelf is holding my CD player, but I have no idea what to put on it. Any ideas?

 
#8 This is my teacher computer and Daily 5 board. I have to have my computer at the front of the room because it is connected to the Elmo, which I use All.The.Time.! I also have my core drawers on the first shelf since I spend a lot of time up here teaching.

 
#9 Here is the front of the room. This is to the right of my teacher computer station.
 
Here I have my SMARTBoard and my writing menu board. The board will be filled up with writing choices for Work on Writing as the year progresses. The filer will hold all the different writing papers. This area is still a work in progress.

 
#10 My Word Work Center.
 
The book shelf will hold all the Word Work manipulatives. The colored drawers, which I just got today at Sam's Club for $24.99, will hold all the Word Work recording sheets. This area is also a work in progess

 
#11 The Word Work Manipulatives book case...

 
#12 This is what my little one's cubbies look like. On the shelf are my monthly file tubs. I only put word work and math center games, morning work, and fluency practice sheets in these tubs. They do not hold worksheets.


 
#13 This is the end of my room. This is the left of the door when you walk in. I have my birthday board and sink. Under the fabric is where I put tissues since there is like NO storage in my room.

 
So, basically my room is complete! I would love to hear your feedback. Leave a comment and make sure you become a fan of Spotted in First Grade's Facebook Page to get the Facebook Fan Freebie.
 
Remember, tomorrow is Friday so be on the look out for my Flash Friday Facebook Fan Freebie. It may be something amazing or it may not. Wink, Wink...
 
 
 


21 comments:

  1. Love the classroom. I paid 35.00 for my rainbow drawers @ michaels after 50% sale and 15% teacher discount. I will buy at Sams and return to Michaels. By the way it seemed like you accomplished a lot.

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    1. Do it! Anyway to save some money. I told my husband I might "need" another one. ;)

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  2. I just love getting a peak into other teacher's rooms! Thank you for sharing! I LOVE your students' cubbies and your birthday display!!! Oh, and I'm SUPER jealous that you have tables! I had tables for 10 years in kindergarten and now I'm going to have desk!

    Nicole Lanier
    Lanier's Lions

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    1. I have a love hate relationship with those desks. The tubs the kids use to put their supplies in ALWAYS fall out! And there stuff goes everywhere. I have learned to just ignore it. :)

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  3. Wow! Looks so organized :) this just made me so excited to get into my classroom and get started!! Where did you get the containers you have in your kiddo's cubbies?? I've been looking for something just like them!

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    1. I got the book baskets at Hobby Lobby 2 years ago. The colors match my theme perfectly. :)

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  4. Great tour of your classroom! I wish we could swap some furniture; in my room I have an over abundance of extra chairs that my school won't let me remove!
    Erin
    Short and Sassy Teacher

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    1. Uh, I so wish we could swap. P.s. I even had to buy my own reading table. :(

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  5. Is there a way to lower your tables that you don't have chairs for? I did that with my writing and computer tables last year because I wanted as little furniture as possible. The kids just sat on the floor or on a pillow. Just an idea! Good luck!
    Your room is looking good :)

    Mrs. Thompson
    Adventures in Teaching (A First Grade Blog)
    My TpT Store

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  6. Possible solutions for your chair issues:

    1. Put out an email to your fellow staff members to see who might have a chair or two to spare? You never know and even one chair will help!
    2. Do you have a central supply department for your district? Ours often has extra furniture available.
    3. Lower the tables and make some crate seats?
    4. Go on Freecycle.org and ask folks if they have any kid-sized chairs they'd like to get rid of. I've used Freecycle to get furniture, books, microscopes, globes, etc. for my classroom.
    4. Resort to legal looting...that's what we call it when there's a classroom that's left empty for the year. Of course, we do ask permission first! :o)

    Congrats on having your room ready to go! I'm envious!

    Lori
    Life in Room 24

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  7. ohhh I just love your room. It so bright and cheery. I have always used tables. We love tables at my school. I have little stuff left to do in my room. The fun part is over now I have to make labels, copy etc.
    Thanks for linking up.

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  8. Your room is looking great. I love the owl hanging from the ceiling. Great picts. Thanks for sharing.

    Jamie
    teachingtidbit.blogspot.com

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  9. I love the owls. I'm so jealous that your room is done! I don't think I can even get into my room yet. :)

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  10. Your room looks great! I haven't had time to get into mine (been finishing up some grad classes, and have two more weeks of prep for my sister's wedding), but I will be putting some major time in soon! Good luck with the chairs...that is not a fun problem! When I first started, I had the worst mix and match of thirty year old chairs, nothing "went" together...never was I so grateful as when my principal got me new chairs! Good luck putting those finishing touches on your room!

    Becca
    Kindergarten A to Z

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  11. Thanks for all your feedback. I think the only thing I would be able to do it lower the tables. My school is very picky about moving furniture from room to room. The chair issue is a school wide problem, not just mine. :(

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  12. I am having to use tables for the first time. I was thinking about dishpans/tubs under student's chair for their supplies, journals, workbooks. How does that work- do they step in them, knock them over?? Thanks for your pictures- we're at a new school so have to totally set up rooms and can't get in yet!!

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  13. Love your classroom pics! Eager to get started! I must get that rainbow cart!

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  14. Your room is adorable. I have just a couple questions and that is where did you get the letters that are buy your calendar and rules? I love those! Also I like your classroom rules where did you come up with those? Thanks in advance for sharing!

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    1. Thanks! I ordered the letters from Frog Street Press. I picked their multi colored ones so I could have every color. As for the rules, I found them last year but I don't remember where I got them.I am actually going to be working on new ones that will be very similar so check back for them. Hope this helps you out!

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  15. How do you get grades in Science and Social Studies? Our books are kinda advanced for the beginning of the year and we were wanting to supplement some things for Science and Social Studies. Let me know how you do yours!
    Thanks!
    S

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