Kindergarten Classroom

I love to see other classrooms to get ideas! I wanted to show you how I set up my classroom this year! I'm super excited because this is a brand spankin' new room! Woo hoo! I had to dust everything off from the dry wall dust. Yes, I did say dry wall! We can staple or tack our poster up:) No hot glue gun burns for me this year! I begin the year by putting all of my shelves out but I don't fill them up yet! I have found that when I do, parents(during meet the teacher day) will allow their child to come into my room and start taking things out to play with! I put a stop to this by not filling all of my shelves. 

The shelves that I do fill, I wrap in butcher paper and stick this "No Peeking" sign on. Click on the picture below to download a copy of the sign!

Everyday at the end of the morning announcements, we say our rules: Green Tree Gators are safe, respectful, and responsible learners. I use the same classroom rules. SSSSHHHHHH...... don't tell my students! They think they make up the rules! We "make up" our rules by listing everything we want in our classroom. Then, I highlight all the things that are respectful in one color, responsible in another color, and safe in yet another color! We talk about how all the things we talked about go along with our  "Gator" rules. I like to put the rule making onto my students so they can take ownership! We haven't gotten to our rules yet! I talk about expectations as I'm going through procedures but I haven't really dove into teaching our rules. When I do, I post them on the board. Also, I'm going to take pictures of my students doing safe, respectful and responsible things around the room and will post them throughout the year! At the end of each day, my students get a stamp on their hand if they have made smart choices. If not, then they don't get a stamp and they get a note that says: I did not get a stamp today because I chose to: ________________________ I will make better choices tomorrow. Click on the picture below to download a copy!

 I love, love, love my IMAGINE poster! I do a hopes and dreams writing at the beginning of the year and hang it up all year. At the end of the year it goes in their kindergarten portfolio. I also reference it throughout the year. I can say to a student, "Remember at the beginning of the year when you wrote that you hoped to be able to write by the end of kindergarten? Now you can!" Then, we can celebrate our successes as a class! This is one writing activity that I have in the First Week of School lessons plan on TPT. Click here to check it out!

My calendar: It's not anything special but I do like to have math concepts up that we are discussing for quick reference. I do the rest of my calendar on the smart board!

I really like my birthday graph! It makes it easy to see who has a birthday for the month we are in. Also, I just spelled birthdays with a fun font and printed each letter out on different colored construction paper. Then, I cut it out using craft scissors. I stapled(or you can hot glue) it to the wall only stapling the two opposite corners so it makes a 3D affect:) I also do this with my welcome sign outside of my door.

This is my brag board! I also use it when I need papers to dry from using paint or glue! It is quick and easy to hang up. I used to hang clips from the ceiling but I'm trying this instead! How do you display your student's work?

This is my reading area. It is closed for the moment but I will be teaching about how to care for books tomorrow. So, then I will open up the fun! I have my books arranged in baskets with titles. When my students find a book, they put a clip(clothes pin) on the basket so they know where to put it back. Do you see my Chicka Chicka Boom Boom tree? That's one of my favorite things!!!

This is my second teaching area. My other teaching area is in the front of the room where the smart board is located. I'm excited for two meeting spots. This way my students won't get bored sitting in the same spot! Plus, I love sitting down for a moment on the couch! 

My sink and cabinets!!! LOVE!!!!!!!!

The top cubbies are used for students' towels. We do read, write and rest time. Students have a choice of these three things. The bottom cubbies are for students' supplies.

 This is "THE HAND"! It reminds us of what to do when we come to a word we don't know. Obviously, we are not ready for this but I put it out anyway!

Thanks for checking out my pictures! I would love to hear how you set up your room! Do you have suggestions or tips for how you do things in your classroom? Please share!

-Shelley