Teaching with Mel D

Classroom Pics….finally & Me & My Gang

Oh my! What a very hectic few weeks! We finished our 9th day of school this today & oh boy am I ever tired! They just wear me out! On top of having a new class, we also are experiencing lots of changes which can be super stressful! I truly adore my new firsties & am very excited for this school year. I have changed my theme, my behavior plan, & am adding Daily Five….stressful but very exciting as well. Here are some pictures of my classroom that I am really proud of :o) Enjoy & feel free to pin away! 

 I am so in love with my new groovy word wall! It’s so bright & colorful! Check it out here. 

Inspired by Pinterest! Oh how I LOVE & AM OBSESSED WITH PINTEREST! Don’t forget to follow me! 

I used labels on this BTW. Super easy & it keeps me so organized since I ditched my big clunky teacher desk this year.

I adore my window now! Thanks to my future student teacher for hanging those PITA (pain in the ass) beads that I HAD to have! But they turned out super groovy didn’t they?!? I also got all those lava lamps when I went to the Route 127 sale. On the vent I have since put task cards on rings, & some magnetic letter for word work. If you can see the back of the book shelf on the right is a dry erase board which will also be used during Daily Five. The binders on the left are their future writing binders. Also inspired by Pinterest are the signs above. I printed & laminated them & put a magnet on the back. It covers a BIG & UGLY metal vent. 

On the left is my writing center that has changed. I have added lots of new markers, pens, colored pencils, crayons, etc.

Rules (above board), bucket filler buckets & peace themed clip chart. Check out the peace themed rules HERE. 

I glued the clip chart onto glitter card stock & then laminated it. I hole punched the top to put the rings through. I also modge podged tie dye scrapbook paper onto the clothespins & wrote their # on them. 

I got rid of my big bulky teacher desk & moved this kidney table by my computer instead. I have 2 24” rolling shelves underneath to hide some clutter. I love this area now! Nice & neat…well almost.

BEFORE

AFTER
This is part of my new area. It’s way more organized now, this was taken before school started. I <3 my Apprentice! 

 A little peek behind the kidney table. The white containers are used to store my Scott Foresman reading materials. I have 6 drawers…one drawer/story. I usually put my copying in by unit. I store morning work in the rainbow drawers which need labels. The famous Lakeshore bins are above & store my daily materials for all subjects. In the red crate I have hanging poly file folders with student #’s. Each has 2 file folders…in one I store their memory book artifacts & the other I put their assessment data. 

CLASSROOM LIBRARY BEFORE
 CLASSROOM LIBRARY AFTER
 I moved shelves around & put all my CD books on the top shelf under the word wall. I put all the reading buddies on the brown shelf tucked in the corner. I personally think it looks much more organized. 

This is another view of my library. The two white shelves are new. The shoe containers are from Dollar Tree…of course… & they house all of the extra supplies…each student has their own.

Closer view of the new & improved library. I put their morning work in the white bins & above that is where they put my mail, notes, etc.

This is the future writing/listening center. This is an old student desk that I got at a garage sale for $5! It fits the cd player perfect & I have a container above it that stores the listening center books. Under the desk will be the listening center forms & other writing paper we are using that week. On top are the funtastic writing supplies that they are drooling over. I have been purchasing a little at a time. The double shelf to the right, which I got at a garage sale for $10 (SCORE!), will store all kinds of writing paper & journal prompts. On top are their future writing binders. I plan on filling these with writing resources in sheet protectors & use the from year to year.

Closer view of my favorite part of my room! I love the beads & all my lava lamps! 

 The night before my little nuggets came to school. 

Two of my girls sitting in the peace rainbow retreat..they love this! 

This was a HUGE project but I had some help from my mom & we were able to get it done in about 4 hours. I modge podged 12×12 tie dye scrapbook paper on clipboards & then velcroed them to my closet doors. It’s super easy to take work up & down now. The folders are where the kids put their homework. I can look at a glance who handed it in & who didn’t. I love my super cute special signs I made. I pasted them on tie dye paper & then laminated them. Nice & colorful! 

Here is my new & improved classroom job board…all peaced out! Check it out HERE!

Peace, Love, First Grade is the name of my classroom blog. Check it out HERE! 
Of course I got inspired again on Pinterest & made 4 peaced out crate seats & I LOVE THEM! 

 

Here are my other 2 seats. The shelves are all full now & I just noticed one of those little nuggets put their supply box back with the label not showing…hello! I just love this peace bean bag seat…I found it @ Marshall’s & had to have it! 



These are my student recognition necklaces I made. There is future author (girl & boy), future illustrator (girl & boy), future historian, (2) I am a bucket filler, future scientist, AR Star (girl & boy), computer genius, (2) I lost a tooth, Happy Birthday to me (girl & boy), star reader (girl & boy), handwriting queen, handwriting king, math whiz (girl & boy), spelling star, super star (girl & boy), star reader (girl & boy). The kids LOVE these beyond words! It’s a great way to build their self esteem & get your bad little nuggets wanting one of these! I printed them out on Avery 8164 (3 1/3 x 4) labels & stuck them to glitter cardstock, laminated them & then put that stretchy string from Joanne’s on it. I used to own necklaces from Lakeshore that said Happy Birthday, I lost a tooth, & star student but they are discontinued & were in pretty sad shape so I decided to make my own. Check them out HERE! THERE ARE 4 DIFFERENT SETS CALLED STUDENT RECOGNITION NECKLACES. 



We are just starting CHAMPS this year. This is what I have so far…I am going to make cards to rotate next to each letter.

Here is my Daily Five board that I just redid & it was only a few weeks old. I purchased the Daily Five posters from Hilary Lewis’ TPT store…check them out HERE. I glued them to tie dye paper & then laminated them. 

This idea first came from Mrs. Cooley from First Grader…At Last. She posted about a fabulous for behavior called the “best beehavior” catalog where kids can shop for prizes. This got my wheels turning because I have been looking for a way to get rid of my treasure box. Then Mrs. Mabe from Fabulous Firsties  posted her version of the behavior catalog choices & was nice enough to email me a copy! Thanks Mrs. Mabe! So I took her idea & made it my own. I wanted something for them to hold onto & for me not to create more work for myself to keep track of what they picked. So I made mini versions & printed them on cardstock & laminated them. So every Friday the kids will be able to trade in their warm fuzzies for a coupon or two of their choice. They will need to hold onto the coupon until the following Friday because the coupons will only be able to be used on Friday. So if I have a student pick “Wear your favorite hat to school” this will ONLY happen in my classroom on Friday. If they choose to “sit at the teacher’s desk” this will ONLY happen on Friday. There are others that I will let “cash in” their coupon all week BUT there are certain coupons only good on Fridays. I did some additional ones that would only apply to my classroom such as job swap, peace seat, cd book picker, & calendar teacher. The ones that are shown should apply to anyone. I will get these posted this week so watch out for them.

BIG NEWS…BIG NEWS….BIG NEWS……I am proud to say that I am one of the Me and My Gang blog authors! I am so very excited. Please check out this blog & follow us! There are resources for everyone including a kindergarten, first, second & third grade lounge! 

 

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Comments

  1. I need to hire you to come and decorate my room!!! I love Mel, you are an inspiration!!! It is definitely groovy, and I wish I was one of your nuggets, or perhaps I'll trade for your firsties, you can have my fourths! We were just getting in the groove of school and now we've been out this week because of the Hurricane, boo! We'll jump right back in as soon as we can! Have a great school year!

  6. I like how you made the behavior catalog a mini-version and that the students are responsible to keep their own coupons! Would you be willing to share?

    Thanks!

    Ali
    alischepis(at)gmail.com

  8. Hi Mel! I have been trying to think of a classroom theme for YEARS!!! I have tried different things but could never get it together because I was never happy with what I had chosen. Seeing your classroom made me realize what I should have done all along! My daughter and I both collect and LOVE peace signs and memorabilia. I hope you don't mind that I borrow your idea! I am definitely purchasing your word wall and other goodies that you have so graciously shared with everyone on teachers pay teachers. I was wondering though if you have found some colorful font or lettering with peace signs. I have looked around and not been successful in finding any. I have a few other ideas on decorations to make but would love to find this lettering to use! Thanks again for the idea and I can't wait to get started! Is it crazy that it is only the end of June and I am ready to get back in my classroom and get to work? Hahaha!!

    Lori Willis
    avid follower and future blogger

  9. Very cool room! I too got rid of my clunky old teacher desk for tables. However, I would love to do a table skirt as well to hide the table legs, wires, and boxes underneath…but have zero sewing skills! How did you do your table skirt? Thank you in advance for your help with this one!

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