Desk top caddy

Desktop caddy organization.  We use the highlighters daily for finding math information in our Bell work, in math class, and when working on nonfiction text.

Anti_bullying bulletin board

Lockers

Finishing up my classroom tour are my lockers.  Owl tags by Carson-Delosa..

Owl clock

My classroom clock always has the wrong time so I bought this owl clock from Amazon.

Word Wall

My word wall in the back of my classroom.  We add the weekly vocabulary words to it.  It is great for helping the children spell words on their own and we also play different games using the words.  Below is another view of my classroom library.

RTI area

Table I use for small group instruction.  I try to keep this cleaned off at all times except for my documentation binder.  I will use this table for other things such as  projects, sorting or indoor recess puzzles. 

Accelerated Reader Bins

Reorganized my book library this past summer.  The black bins were from Dollar General and the labels by TPT Tracee Orman.  I buy books at yard sales, GoodWill, anywhere I can find books in good condition for cheap.  If you have a smart phone there is an app called Points Scan that allows you to scan the bar code of a book and it will tell you if the book is an AR book and what level.

Book Hospital

Usually during Accelerated Reader time I am either teaching small groups or helping an individual student.  In years past I would get interrupted quite often to repair a book.  Thanks to an idea I saw at Learning in Wonderland, I made this book hospital.  The cricut cartridge is Hoot and Holler.  The students simply put the broken book in the hospital then get a new book.  Then I tape the books when I have time.  No more interruptions.

Accelerated Reader

No more writing names on the board for  whose turn it is for an AR quiz.   These AR owls make keeping track of whose turn it is a snap.  The owls are by Melissa Deppe from TPT.  I made the magnets out of wood buttons from JoAnn Fabrics, numbers I cut on my cricut, and coin magnets on the back.  I modge- lodged the numbers on so the students couldn't pick them off.  No one is allowed to touch another person's button.  When it's their turn to quiz at an empty computer, a student moves their button back over to the 'not yet' side.  So far this system is working great. 

Leveled Readers

Reorganized my leveled readers.  Combined 2 sets so that now I have enough for my large classes.  By grouping them like this, I got rid of 2 boxes which means more space for something else.  I also typed a list of the strategic, on level, and advanced groups and color coded it then laminated it.  Then I taped it on the shelf in front.  I color code the work sheet that goes with the leveled reader too.

Magnetic Money

Container of the Dollar Tree magnetic money that we use in morning meeting.  The student of the day makes a set of money for the number of the day.  Then I draw several more different sets of that number as part of our morning meeting. I cut owl and words with my cricut.

Morning Meeting Bulletin Board

Picture of my morning meeting board.  I also do 5 day forecast on the computer and money on the board.  The student of the day uses magnetic money that I got from Dollar Tree, laminated at school, and then attached a coin magnet from JoAnn Fabrics.  I alternated magnets on front or back of the coins so the children can become familiar with what our money looks like.

Caddy

Close up of a storage table in the center of my pods.  The caddy labels for sharp or dull pencils are also from Mrs. leeby on TPT.  Also trying a new pencil system.  I asked for 4 boxes of pencils from each student.  Each table gets 3 pencils per child in the sharp cup.  My daughter sharpens the pencils at the end of the day (I pay her...she wants to save up to buy an American Girl doll).

Pods

Picture of my pods of 4 or 5 student desks and 1 storage table in center with trash can, tissues, and storage caddy.  I have 28 students and these arrangement works for me.  I can move around the room and get to any student that needs help.  The storage carts in front contain: top drawer=art boxes.  Middle drawer=headphones, dry erase boards, and toobaloos.  Bottom drawer= math manipulative.

Table signs

I have my desks organized into pods of 4 or 5 students.  Above each group is a paper lantern owl with a table hanging below.    The table labels are by Mrs. Leeby on TPT.  I also used blank owls as my bus labels and just wrote on them with marker.

Paper lantern owls.

This is the paper lantern owl hanging over my desk.

Podium

I decorate my podium with holidays owls.  Each month has a different set for the students to look at.

Storage Drawers and Teacher Tool Box

Turning counter clock wise from the red folder mail boxes is my window shelf that runs the length of my classroom.  First on the shelf is my organization area .  A teacher toolbox from the Container Store is in the center of (8). 8.5 x 11 plastic drawers from Walmart.  The editable labels are from Learning in Wonderland TPT Store.  These are my lifesavers...

Daily Drawers

Picture of the organizer drawers to the right of my teacher tool box.  I work out of the Monday -Friday drawers and the subject drawers I have copies of the next week or unit.

Drawer Organizers

I like to have everything organized and put in its place.  These drawers help me do that.  Some drawers are for storage and others hold my copies for the week. The labels are from Learning in Wonderland's TPT store and are editable.  I've changed mine several times until I found what works for me.
 

Teacher Toolbox

Mail box System

This mail box system Was bought years ago from a teacher store.  Our school provides each student with a red plastic folder with the district logo.  I utilize mine to send home graded papers on Fridays.  I also send home Accelerated Reader reports, school notices, receipts, and any other important school documents.

Binders

I love binders for keeping everything organized!  I spent some time redoing my binders this past summer.  The seasonal and holiday binder covers and spines are on TPT by Amy Alvis.  The holiday binders all have tabs labeled holiday info, worksheets, art projects, and coloring pages.  The seasonal binders contain other holidays such as (fall) Columbus day, grandparents day, veteran's day etc.  They also have coloring pages and art projects related to that time of year ex. (Fall) football, scarecrows.  The Science and Social Studies binders are from TPT by Schroeder Shenanigans in Second

Specials

These adorable owl special signs can be found on TPT by Middle Grades Maven.

Morning routine

This chart reminds students what to do each morning when they come to school.  Our district has free breakfast for elementary students that wish to eat it.  Others eat at home so I tell them ...you just start at #2.

Anchor chart

This is the current anchor chart clipped on my chalk board.  I like making them with my students...but I also have charts that I have bought that I use.

Class Rules

My class rules on the front chalk board

Homework

Immediately to the left of the job chart is my homework reminder area.  I use one poster from the motivational owls, Write down assignments and under that I write each day's homework.  The students write the assignments in their student planner then I go around the room and stamp their planner with a homework stamp.

Box Tops

I used my cricut cartridge to cut the owl and tree.  The idea for this box top container came from Learning in Wonderland.

No name papers...No more

This simple little jar has eliminated no name papers in my classroom.  I don't know who to give credit to for this wonderful idea....but thank you.

Job Chart

Just past storage cabinet in my small bulletin board.  In the past I used to change this out monthly but this year I am using this space for my job chart, also by Trend. Owl Stars.  This area is partially hidden by my TV cart so I placed the chart on the left so it could be seen

Motivational Owls

Storage cabinet has motivational owls by Trend (OwlStars) and a shoe pocket holder with school and other supplies.  The cabinet is on the right as you continue counter clockwise around my room.

Emergency bag

Just inside my door to right hangs my emergency bag and key.  I use a 15 pound magnet from Really Good Stuff to keep it up high.. It has a lot of preparedness items inside and the magnets I used before would slide down the door frame.

Owl wreath

Wreath I made from an owl I found at Dollar General and decorative mesh.

New Beginning

Welcome to my new blog, School Daze!  I've enjoyed reading other teacher's blogs and the ideas they have shared have helped me in my classroom.  I wanted to share what I've done and be part of the blogging community.