Setting the Stage for Adventures in Learning!

I have been incredibly lucky.  I managed to find a teaching job!  I am the newest 5th grade Science and Social Studies teacher at a local school district.  This week I have been working hard to start setting up my classroom, so I thought I’d show pictures of my work in progress.

Above is one of the four walls in my room.  Each of those are wooden cubbies will be assigned to a homeroom kiddo. I love the cubbies because I will be able to see them and kids won’t be tempted to bring things they shouldn’t or things that could be stolen.  Also, they are just too cute!

Around the top of all the cubbies I have put different science lab cut outs.  Part of fifth grade science is learning about science lab tools and safety, so I am glad that I will be able to point at pictures of tools we will use before we go to the actual laboratory.  I also think I will hang student work on this wall as the year progresses.  I love student artwork and projects on display!  Hard work should be celebrate.

This is the back wall!  I still need to cover the top windows with butcher paper so that the glare doesn’t block out the board which is on the opposite wall.  The two main windows will stay open as often as possible though.

The gray planks in the windows are magnetic and can be written on with dry erase markers.  To utilize the space, I will be putting the agenda and calendar each on a plank.  Then another plank will have articles and current events for students to read when they finish their work.  The final plank is a “Where are we?” board.  Students will each have a little colored rectangle with their name on it.  If they leave, they will move their name to where they are in the building, so I can at a glance know where everyone is.  Consider it a less complicated Maurader’s Map.  At the end of each day, my homeroom class will move their squares to the “absent” section so the next morning, anyone who doesn’t put their square down will be left there and I can take attendance in all of 2 seconds!

 

This is the other side wall.  I currently have a U.S. history timeline and U.S. throughout history maps.  Can’t wait to add some student-made maps, flags, posters, etc. to this wall!

And finally, below is my “teaching wall”.  There is a large white board and a SmartBoard. 

I still have some work to do, but I am well on my way to having a classroom put together before school starts next week.  I still have to rearrange desks, cut out my laminated decorations and posters (once they come back) and organize all of my curriculum materials! 

Also, I need to frame pictures and decorate my desk with images of my family and friends!  I can’t believe I’m really getting to start my career!  Who knows how long I will get to teach right now? I’m going to enjoy every second of it!