Pictures of my classroom

I have a western theme that I started 2 years ago.  I'm finding that I'm moving into colors (black, white, red, blue) rather than the theme.

This is my word wall, The Word Herd.  I only have 1! bulletin board, a bunch of cabinets and concrete walls.  I struggle with getting stuff up and keeping it up. The words from the reading series are on the white background and our Month-by-Month phonic words are in marker.

This is the space under my teacher area, a counter with the printer, telephone, sharpener.  I hung a rod with command strips and the tree curtains are from Ikea.  Great for hiding bins.

 Bit of a mess on top but there is a hanging file system, a picture frame with clothes pins that hold important info, and the bins next to it hold upcoming ideas for each subject.

The magnetic dry erase boards hold my essential questions for the day (Dollar Tree find!).  Beneath is the date, caldendar (chalkboard), Noise Meter, and specials schedule.

Here is a copy of the Noise Meter

This is our Math bulletin board.  The frames are hung by ribbons and push pins. The documents review vocabulary, time, addition, subtraction, patterning, graphing and place value.

Calendar Math for frames

This is our Math Center section.

 The graphics are by Scrappin' Doodles.  Here is a copy of Math Centers for you!

 This is our storage area, a cabinet under the TV,  for our centers and manipulatives.  The bins match the table colors.

We have to have our Unit Essential Questions and Vocabulary posted.  Sooo here is our focus wall!  The lovely tree was there before me.  The only problem that I have with it is that it is on the only wall that you can staple on.

Here is our shelf of book bins and several baskets of books (poetry and holidays).

 Saw this cute idea on pinterest, tape the shelves for a little cuteness!

This is our whole group easel. Notice the Super Star hanging...check out about classroom management for more information.  

 Here is my chair, nothing fancy but so cozy...thanks to my friend Tiffany for the donation!  The pocket chart holds poems or other charts as reference to our lesson.

The chairs and stools are hand me downs that I plan on sprucing up over the summer.  Check out the easel behind....this side is for the kids to read big books (the other side is for guided reading groups).  The basket beneath holds stuffed animals for the kiddos to read to.

 Guided reading side.  The tray is perfect for all the stuff you need on hand.

 Can't get all of it in but here is our classroom library.  The big books are where I'm standing underneath the Math board and the only bulleting board.

 During a unit of reading, I will hang our charts on the mini blinds to refer back to.

 Reading tools make reading fun!

 Close up of a few...

This bin holds our graphic organizers for our partnerships where they must prove their info.  Fiction is yellow folders and Non-fiction is blue.

 Pointers in a cool paint can from Michaels, weighed down with marbles so they don't all come crashing down.  I have many kinds of pointers because the kids love them so ;)

 Read and prove your thinking binder for Literacy Centers.  With a book from their book bin they must select a way to show their thinking.

This cabinet with various sounds (digraphs, r-controlled vowels, etc.) is right behind our guided reading group.  As someone finds a word I write it right on the cabinet!  The counter below is a holding place for my groups...currently assessing DRA.

 This wall of cabinets is right next to the other and also behind the guided reading table.  It holds our school's reading strategies and some reference cards for short and long vowels.

 This is in the center of my guided reading table.  Basket of white boards, my princess crown that I started wearing when I cannot be bothered, our fluency rubric, easy button, bell, and two small caddies with student materials.

 Guided reading table (sorry project to the side) with 8 student spots!  I have one group that has 8 students (some from other places).  I love the big size...but when I'm working with a few we usually stay huddle to one corner.  It's also nice for the students that you need to keep an extra eye on during literacy centers.  The "seat sacks" are extra large book covers (Dollar Tree) and hold whisper phones because with 8 they need to whisper!

 So I have all the lovely cabinets behind us that store our important things.  I'm going to show them to you, although they are perfectly organized....GASP, here goes....

This one holds supplies so I don't have to trek to my desk and mentor books that are arranged by reading strategy and skill.  I just love it because it is so accessible while lesson planning and if a students don't get the gist of let's say inferring...I can just go grab another book and we can try again. (Few extra bins are shoved in there because you never know when you'll need 'em, right? 

 Manipulatives, tiles, stamps...you name it, I probably got it.  Most of this stuff is pulled for hands on learning. Can you tell I pulled a bin from the bottom today?

 Learning games...I don't even use them anymore because my students LOVE having books in their hands!! Which is the best way to learn to read and think....I sure am blessed!

 All my cabinets are labeled, which is helpful for subs. 

Here are a couple management pieces...

Bucket fillers shelf...they kept falling with command strips :(  Mailboxes and cubbies to the right.  The bin of books are for kids that go to a reading group in another room and must have on level books.

 Table caddies and Kagan student numbers.  The frame is from Ikea and it sits at the top of the table.  Notice the bins have like colored items in them...I really find this helps with community supplies.

 Rules and Tattling Turtle

The big picture!

Sorry the chairs are stacked.  Front of the room with my little table for the projector and elmo.  The kids love sitting here and being the teacher!

 View from the door and slightly right

 View from the door and straight ahead

 Back corner view