Classroom Set-up 2012-2013

I finally finished setting up my classroom for the 2012-2013 school year.  I spent at least four full days working on it and I must admit, I'm very happy with the final product.  Let me take you on a photo tour of my room.

This is part of my desk.  This year I split it into two parts.  All my technology is on these two desks.  The computer hooks up to the LCD projector.  I have my IPEVO camera which I use like it's an ELMO document camera.  It's perfect!  And best of all, it was only $70 with free shipping.  It works so well and it can come off its stand so I can show students things close up in things such as science class.  I will also be able to put my iPad on the desk as well and hook it up to the LCD projector (which isn't shown). 

Also shown is our calendar, our class rules and the arrow pointing to the piece of paper is our School-wide Student Learning Expectations which changes daily.  I have a large file cabinet to the left and a closet that holds all of my resource books among other things.  

 Here is the other half of my desk.  In front of it, is my Puffball Machine which is part of my classroom management program.  You can read about it here.  In the green crate I collect samples of student writing and the folders peeking out are "Absent Work" folders for those students who miss class.

 Here are the students' morning work folders, Early Finishers notebooks and reading workbooks.  On the shelves are the games for the classroom.  Those are typically used during rainy days.  To the right which is cut off, are all my math manipulatives......I have a TON!

Here are the community supplies.  I got the baskets at the Dollar Tree about six years ago.  I LOVE the bright bold colors they came in.  I also repurposed an old Enfamil container to hold our colored pencils and an old Lysol container to hold eraser caps.  There is another one that holds my clothespins but you can't see it.  And of course, my favorite carry all caddy.  I love those things.  They hold crayons and markers if the students need them.

This is my prayer table - since we are a Catholic School, all classrooms are required to have one.  I have rosaries, prayer cards, Saint books and more here available for the students.  And above are our Beatitudes and The Ten Commandments posters. 

On the shelves are just more supplies for the students, Glade plug-ins and math sheets.

Here is our classroom library.  I have over 1,800 books available for the students to check out.  My librarians use the computer in the back corner to manage and check-out books.  I use a program I got called Book Collector.  It was relatively cheap and has served me well for 6 years.  In the library, I have my genre posters on the back wall and to the far right by the windows I have my Reading Strategy posters.  You can download both for free in my TpT store.

This is the back side of my library.  I moved the couch out so we had some extra room in the library.  This will also provide students a space to read without being crowded by those looking for books.  The paper tray holds all our special paper and construction paper.

The flipchart has a whiteboard in the back where I list the homework for the day.  Also, the hooks are where the students will put their backpacks and other belongings.  You can't really see it but behind my flipchart is our supply closet which holds all our art supplies.  I also have a large table where I meet with students.  The white container holds student prizes and my favorite art drying rack is the red thing on the floor.  I love that rack!  The green bulletin board is where I plan on putting up the Early Finishers set I got from Shelley Grey's TpT store.

 This is our side whiteboard.  Surrounding it are a bunch of resources that we refer to throughout the year in Language Arts.

Here is our classroom culture poster that I created and had printed through Vista Print.  You can read about that here.

Here is my Mountain Language bulletin board.  This is a great way to reinforce and practice DOL.

Here are the carts that hold more math manipulatives and our paper supplies.  I got these at Staples a few years ago.  I love them.

Here are my Kleenslate whiteboards which I won and our Logic Links puzzle pieces.  The students and I love our Logic Link puzzles.  They are tons of fun!

This is where students turn in their homework.  I have a system for collecting homework which makes it far easier for me come grading time.  Read about it here.

This is the front of my room.  I project up on that board.  On the far right is where I list our daily schedule.  I made a large magnet that says "Mrs. Lyon's Class Schedule" on Vista Print.

This is the laptop cart and above it is our TV which I'm hoping to replace with a flat screen (wishful thinking).  Also is the poster on the wall shows students how to properly label their paper headings.

This rolling cart with I got at Big Lots hold a variety of things.  Regular pencils, fun pencils, fun erasers, my whiteboard markers among many other items.  On top sits my LCD projector which is connected to my computer.  Not a super expensive LCD projector and it works for what I need.

Here is my Monday thru Friday cart where I store any handouts or copies for the week.  On the floor next to that are my iPad chargers.  No iPads in them yet.  They are coming soon.  However, students will be able to take them home so this is just in case we need them and also to be able to easily sync them.  And of course, sitting on top is my mailbox.  I got the mailbox at Home Depot for about $6.  Great deal.  Students can leave me notes inside.




Here are a few shots of my room from different angels. 

In addition to finishing my classroom, I also created my student binders for the year.  The past couple of years, we have had iPod binders which stood for "I'm prepared and organized daily".  I also create the students nameplates on different colored iPods too.  Since my class is going to have a class set of iPads, I decided to drop the iPod binder and incorporate a new product - the iPhone.  So my binder this year is called the iPhone binder which stands for "I'm Prepared, Highly Organized and Neat Everyday".  (I really don't work for Apple....I swear!) Since I'm known as one of the "techie" teachers I figured this theme fits.  Plus the younger kids always love to see their name on their very own iPod nameplate for some reason. haha

Binder Cover Sheet

Examples of Student Nameplates for desks

This year, my binder consists of a 2" blue binder, a pencil zip case, a ruler/3 hole puncher, 8 tabs with labels for the different subjects and of course the students' agenda.  I typically collect $15 per student so I can purchase all the supplies needed for the binder, some folders and notebooks and have them all matching and ready to go the first day.  This way, the students DO NOT purchase any folders, notebooks, binders, etc - just general supplies like pencils, markers, etc.  

I also came across these great stamps which I think will tie in nicely to my technology theme.  I can use them when stamping the students' agendas or homework.  They will definitely get a kick out of them!

The Culture of a Classroom

I've been receiving a lot of emails about the poster I have hanging in my room which shows a list of cultural norms within our four classroom walls.  I discovered a version of this poster on Pinterest and adapted it to suit my own needs.  Well after many of your earnest emails asking me to list this image in my TpT store, I finally had the time and adjusted the psd so that it could be used in any classroom.

I ended up getting the poster printed through Vista Print all for under $20.  Which in my opinion for a poster that I refer to DAILY was well worth the money.  For those of you wondering, it is the "Large Poster" which has the dimensions of 24" x 36" and then I uploaded my own image.
If you are interested in getting a copy, head on over to my TpT store. 

You can see my original post here regarding the poster.

This would also work with the Classroom Rules Posters I created.  Both are available in my TpT store. Just click on the poster you are interested in to be taken there.  (Interested in Specific Colors and Design - contact me)

Enjoy!

Market Mondays: Organizer

If you are like any teacher, you collect supplies. Markers, paperclips, erasers, push-pins.....Vista Print items. You name it, we love it.  But what do you do with all those items once you have acquired them?  Enter my all time favorite organizer!!  I bought this nifty little organizer one day while walking with my husband through Home Depot. I had seen it before at the Container Store for triple the cost and even though I loved it, I couldn't reason out paying that much for it.  So when I saw it for $20, I simply couldn't pass it up.

Why do I love this?  Well, I'm a bit obsessed with organization and Vista Print (don't know what VP is???? - Click here) and needed a place to put all my cards.  This one was perfect because it had enough drawers to fit all the cards I created (I now need a larger one, which this one from Amazon is PERFECT and will soon be mine!).



Anyway, I took one card and taped it to the front of the drawer so I could clearly see what was in it and put the rest behind it.  The other drawers were perfect for all those little odds and end supplies I need to keep readily at my desk.  The best part about these organizers is that they come with the screws to hang them on the wall. Initially I did have it hanging on the wall and LOVED it as it cleared off much needed desk space.  However, I have since then moved my desk and had no wall space to put it on where I currently am at.

Regardless, I rate this product a 5! Love it for the possibilities it provides....you could use it for math manipulatives or other centers.  Or just use it to organized your Vista Print obsession.

What are some ways you organize all your stuff? Share below or better yet....give a link to a picture!

Market Mondays: Vista Print

I have been a Vista Print addict since my first year of teaching back seven years ago. They consistently send me email offers for free business cards, stamps, postcards, rack cards, etc and I go CRAZY!  I try to think of uses for the different free items (whether or not I need them....) and before I know it, I have a full cart and am paying a decent shipping cost with a bunch of great stuff on its way to me.  Summer time tends to be worse - I probably have a package a day arriving for about two weeks. 

What is Vista Print you ask?????  In case you don't know, Vista Print is an online company in which you can order marketing materials for your business or in my case - fabulous classroom resources.  The best part about it, is many times they have promotions where the items are free. What's the catch you ask?  Well, the items will have some sort of Vista Print advertisement on them (usually on the back) and you have to pay for shipping and handling.  However, when you look at all the great stuff you get, the S&H is really not a big deal.  I have once actually paid for an item and not received it for free and that was my Classroom Do Poster. 

I'm not even going to bother breaking down the pros and cons of these products.  Why? Because I simply cannot think of a con. Seriously. I LOVE VISTA PRINT! So of course this place gets 5 stars from me!  Look below at some of the item I have created on Vista Print.  You can also see more teacher created items on the wiki.  

Business Card

Business Card

Business Card

Business Card

Business Card

Back of Postcard

Front of Postcard

Postcard

Postcard

Notecard

Notecard

Card

Magnet

Lawn Sign

Rack Card

Stamp

Stamp

Stamp

Stamp

Stamp

Stamp

Do you Vista Print?  What items have you created?




Save up to 80% on custom printed products at Vistaprint.  Order today!