Check out My New Classroom!

 It's that time of year again! Everyone is posting pictures of their super cute classrooms and sharing ideas on Pinterest. Last year my classroom was all bright turquoise and lime green...bright and happy: Click here for a peak. This year I changed rooms (once again), and my new room is painted a soothing blue and beige...clashed a little with all my bright backgrounds and borders. So I've decided to change my theme to a more zen-like 5th grade classroom. The only thing missing is the student names...I hate to label anything until right before open house just in case there are those inevitable last minute changes.

This is what I walked in to a couple of weeks ago.

Instead of butcher paper or a cloth background (last year I used bedsheets!), I've covered my bulletin boards in scrapbook paper. Thanks mom for helping me pick out a set. Any posters I put up will be based on what we're currently learning, so right now the boards are all blank. I'll throw up some anchor charts before the first day of school with information about the topics we'll cover during the year as a preview.

Reading

Science

I'll be teaching 2 subjects this year: reading and science, so I divided my room up into 2 sections. The reading side has all my bookshelves plus a chalkboard/bulletin board. Honestly, who uses their chalkboard? Thankfully mine is magnetic so it is a perfect place for posters and anchor charts. The border is made up of smaller scrapbook pages glued onto the board (if I ever meet the inventor of glue dots I will seriously kiss them)!

The science side of the room includes a bulletin board and a forward-facing book shelf for ever revolving science trade books.

The computer area is one of the 2 blue walls. It has a weird bulletin board in the corner that I haven't decided on a use for yet. This could be where I display student work. I just couldn't give up all my bright green stuff! I had these hanging everywhere last year. The four here are the only ones that survived summer storage.

Teacher corner! I know a lot of people that say the whole classroom should be for the students, but I still think there should be an off-limit space for "teacher stuff". The kids have access to everything they'll possibly need for the school year. This is my spot for family pictures, teachers' manuals, and trinkets students have given me over the years. This also has a teacher-only computer where I can conference with kids about their grades without broadcasting them for the rest of the class to see.

I started using class dojo last year as a supplement to my behavior plan. This year it IS my behavior plan. You've got to check out this program if you haven't already: www.classdojo.com. It has every aspect of classroom management covered, including parent communication, and is completely editable for your needs. I'm teaching 3 classes this year, so I set up a virtual classroom for each of them to keep track of their points. It is not a competition (although I've heard of some teachers using it that way), but a way for them to keep track of their own behavior and earn rewards for individual and class milestones.

I've even decorated the bathroom doors! These turned out so cute, I'm thinking of adding them as a freebie on TPT. Let me know what you think...

And that is it for my 5th grade classroom 2015-2016. I'll update pictures as I add posters and anchor charts throughout the year. Have a wonderful school year!