Classroom Tour

I'm not going to lie... I have been the worst blogger ever lately!!  It's been a week since my last post!  I seem to always be in denial forget how crazy tiring the beginning of the school year is!  I must have been dreaming when I started my blog this summer thinking I would have the same blogging habits once school started.  BUT I think that once I get the first few weeks out of the way, I'll get back on track with my blogging.  I've been doing some great activities with my kids and I started Reader's and Writer's Workshop in my classroom so I have lots to share, I just need to organize it all!

Last week, I finally took some photos of my classroom as my camera was dying.  I wanted to get some better ones before I officially posted my classroom tour but oh well.  I figure I can just add some more as I go along.  So, I'm linking up with my friend Brigid from Brigid's Daily Lesson Log for her Classroom Tours Linky Party.

Classroom Helpers

My Writer's Workshop bulletin board, with Writer's Eye posters already up.  Under the bulletin board, I have a small table that holds my phone, Lesson Plan Binder, and other items that I use daily.  Next to the table is my materials organizer that holds all of the papers and things that I need each day of the week.

Star Student bulletin board.  I will be putting up the poster that students fill out, and then they bring photos to put on the photograph board.

Cute sign that my teammate from last year made me.

Behind the curtain is open shelving that stores extra school supplies from students and  anything else that I  need to hide!  I meant to take a picture, but I forgot!

Transportation Chart - we finally put up our clothespins, but they weren't up when I took the picture!

These are my students' mailboxes.  On top is our "turn in basket."

Next to the mailboxes, I have a bunch of shelving which is awesome, but it's  all out in the open.  This is also where students hang their backpacks.

Next to the backpack hooks is an extra table.  This year, we get a TA in our classrooms during our Reading block to help with Guided Reading and interventions.  So this is where my TA will work with my kiddos.

This is our gathering area.  I have a Smartboard on the wall.

My chair and easel.

This is the reading area in my classroom.

Book baskets!

My hubby painted that table! :)

Our Book Hospital!

A sign I have displayed in the reading area.

READ letters, this is not their permanent home - as you can see the D doesn't stand up straight!

These are student "browsing boxes."  They are empty right now because I haven't taught the students how to choose books yet and place them in their boxes.

Pillows and cushions for independent reading time!

Leveled books for independent reading time.

This thing stores a lot of different things - table tubs with folders/notebooks, community supplies like markers, crayons, glue, and scissors, and math manipulatives!

Math/calendar/schedule area.  Our lunch choice board is also on the left.

My "area."  I do not have a traditional teacher desk.  All my necessities are on the shelves behind the table.  This is also where I do my Guided Reading groups.

All my stuff!

View from my desk/table.

Beautiful flowers my hubby sent me on the first day of school!  Isn't he the best!!

So there it is!  I've survived my first five days of second grade!!  I can definitely tell that my kiddos are getting more comfortable with me and their new classroom, because they are testing the rules and procedures a little.  They are always pretty great the first few days because they are too shy and scared to open up!

Be sure to check out other classroom tours by visiting Brigid's blog!

Classroom Photos & A Question For You

Today I got to work in my classroom some more.  I was only there for about three hours then I had to leave for a doctor's appointment.  My original goal was to print and print some more!  I have found such great ideas and freebies this summer that I've downloaded to my computer, but I don't want to waste all MY printer ink so I was going to print out a bunch of stuff at school.  Well, my computer had a different idea.  For some reason, NOTHING wanted to print.  You see, a few weeks ago, our whole district got new laptops (yay) but I haven't printed anything on the school printers yet with my new computer.  They say it might have to do with the IP address..... whatever.  So instead, I decided to just do a few things around my classroom.  Here are some pictures to show you my progress.

This is a new cart I had ordered for this year!   I labeled the drawers and will be keeping each day's materials (papers, books, etc) in here.  It stands right next to a table at the front of the classroom, which will hold my Lesson Plan Binder.

I put up the "Writer's Workshop" letters.  Since the printer wasn't working for me, I didn't get to put up my writing posters!

I put up the "Star Student" letters.  I plan to use the photo board for the Star Student's pictures, and I still need to put up the student poster!

This is the shelving that I have behind my teacher desk table.  I still have organizing to do here!

This year I decided to keep all my teacher necessities (glue, staples, tape, paper clips, etc) in the clear tubs.  I think that's the hardest thing about not having a desk!

So... I have puzzles for indoor recess and as you can see here... they have been beat up throughout the years.  I've seen teachers store puzzles in plastic baggies and that's what I've decided to do this year.

I cut out the cover/picture of the puzzle for students to refer to as they put the puzzle together.  It's all in a Ziploc baggie!

I'll be storing them in a basket next to the indoor recess games!

My last job of the day.... I decided to organize my "craft" cabinet.  As you can see, it was pretty messy from me throwing random stuff in there all year long.  As you can see below, I'm not done yet but it looks A LOT better already!  I didn't need the blue baskets for books anymore so I used them to store craft stuff.

One of the blue baskets had some velcro on it so I used a box cutter to get it loose enough to rip off.  Of course the whole time I was telling myself "be careful or you're gonna cut yourself!"  Well........ I did it.  My hand slipped and I sliced my finger.  HARD.  Below is the bad boy that did it.

I instantly squeezed my finger with my other hand to stop any bleeding and hide the slice from my eyes.  You see, I'm really not good with being sick or injured.  I have passed out before.  Three times.  From doctor/hospital visits and the sight of blood.  Once I peeked at my finger and saw blood, I went to go wash it out (without looking at it) and got a bandaid on that sucker.  So now the box cutter is my ENEMY.


And Blogger hates me now because I CANNOT figure out why my font is now caption-sized when I'm not writing a caption.  Ugghhh.


OK, new topic, other than blood and sliced fingers!!  So I have read about the Cricut and Cameo on several blogs.  Everyone seems to love their devices.  I've mentioned it to my husband and he surprisingly didn't turn down my idea of possibly getting one.  He has already been on Craiglist (his favorite) to look for a cheaper one.  My question is.... which one is better??  What are you using and why do you like it??  Help me make a decision!!

Award & Classroom Photos

Thanks to Abby at Mrs. Saunders' Lovelies, I received ANOTHER award... the One Lovely Blog Award!  Thank you Abby!

I'm going to try to live up to my award and spruce up my blog!  There's so many adorable blogs out there.  I don't know yet if I want to cave in and buy a blog design, so we'll just have to see!  I so much appreciate my blog being recognized anyway!! :)
OK, the rules:
1. Follow the person who gave you the award2. Link back to the person that gave you the award3. Pass the award on to 5 new bloggers
Passing on awards gets harder and harder.... of course, there's a bazillion wonderful blogs out there, but they're so wonderful that the've already received the award!!  I'm going to try my best to give this award to blogs who haven't received it yet, here we go.....



Buzz Buzz Buzz

First Grade Fascination




Just Wild About Teaching

Mrs. Wheeler's First Grade

That's So Second Grade

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I love seeing bloggers post pictures of their classroom and couldn't wait to finally get in my room and start organizing.  So today I FINALLY went up to school and worked on my classroom.  I was there for three hours and it felt like 20 minutes.  Where does the time go!?  I could have easily spent another three hours there!  My goal for today was to get some bulletin boards done in my room and start organizing my book baskets and reading area.  I didn't get to the reading area or book baskets.  But I did finish my bulletin board backgrounds, except for one in my room and one in the hallway.

Of course after repeatedly telling myself not to forget my camera when I left for school, what do I do?.....forget my camera!!  So I took some pictures of my classroom with my phone.  The lights were off and the shades were shut so the pictures didn't come out amazing, but oh well!

In the pictures, you'll see that I don't really a have a theme like some teachers, but I have a color scheme... and it's blue and green.  I really like how it's coming together!  Don't mind the disaster of a mess in my room.  Since I'm switching grades, I have first grade materials/boxes AND second grade materials/boxes just hanging out all over the place!

I was standing in the doorway to my classroom when I took this picture.  So to the right is the "front" of my classroom.

Here's two bulletin boards I made today.  Notice the new border?  I got it at Michaels and wrote about it in one of my posts.  I think the bulletin board on the right will be for Writer's Workshop, and I'm not sure yet about the left one. 

This is basically the center of my room where my student tables will be.  Everything's a mess from when they moved everything to clean my room.  I do have a full wall of windows which is nice though!

This is the "back" of my room.  My reading area will be on the right.  My teacher desk/reading table is on the left.

This will be my Reader's Workshop bulletin board.

This is actually a white board that I covered so I can use it for our Math/calendar bulletin board.

There's my table and all my stuff and more stacked up on shelves.

Here's a better picture of the "front" of my room.  I still have to fix the small bulletin board on the left side.  By the way, I HATE the hexagon student tables.  Since I was an added section last year, I got stuck with them!

So there you have it.... my room so far!  I can't wait to get back in there and do some real decorating and organizing!  And I always get inspired by seeing other classrooms!  I'll keep you all posted on how mine's coming along!