Classroom Tour

Yes, I know. It has been a whole month since my last post. This past month has been such a whirlwind. Second grade is different than first grade from last year, and I have met many challenges in adapting to harder curriculums. I have been doing extended day 2 days a week, so sometimes my sweet hubby has to cook supper since I don't get home till 6:30 or later.

On top of that, our sweet Charlie has gone missing. I am just hoping that he has taken up with a loving family who needed him like I did during my young adult years before marriage. Needless to say, I have been exhausted.

But I am excited to share some classroom pictures that I took literally the night before school started. (Props to my hubby for all his help in getting everything ready for my first day and every other day he helps me.)

Keep in mind that school started for me nearly 4 weeks ago, so some things have changed a little but I am happy to say that I like my class layout for the most part. Most of the changes came in putting students in groups after the first week of school.

This is a panoramic view of all the important parts of my classroom.
(L to R: Listening Center, Reading Center with Focus Board above it, My Desk/Word Work Center,
About Me Corner, Front Board, Alphabet wall, Technology Corner, Small Group Area)

Here is the back of my classroom.
(L to R: VIP Area, Cabinet Space, Cubbies)

I have a huge white board I never used last year behind my desk. This year, I turned it into a focus board that has been super helpful this year. I also did a little refurbishing to the front of my desk. I purchased contact paper on Amazon and used Dollar Tree Borders to make it pop a bit. The kids use it during their Word Work Center. I have magnetic words and letters in the little totes under my desk. They also must write the words and sentences they build on whiteboards I bought at the Dollar Tree. (Those are hiding under my desk as well.)

Again, the whiteboard is an extension of my focus board. I am so excited about my Reading Center this year. It's organized and so inviting to the kids with bright colors and comfy pillows. I inherited the black shelf on the left with the classroom. I found the white Sterlite totes in our storage room, so they were free. The shelf on the right is from Fred's for $15. I spent maybe $20 on the 2 rugs. One is from Wal-Mart and the other is from Ollie's. Almost all of the colorful book bins were $1 that I got from Wal-Mart and the Dollar General. The big green pillow, peace sign pillows, and butterfly pillow were old pillows I used in my teenage years. The 2 metallic pillows were $5 each at Dollar General.

On the left you can see my little corner. I have things hanging that students have given me, important pictures, and important papers. The little lantern lights were $3 from Target, and the tall lamp is from my college dorm year.

Here is the front view that my students see. I have my Promethean board and a good chunk of a whiteboard to use. Below are numbers 1-10 (off TPT) and above is the alphabet (Dollar Tree), 100 Chart (Dollar Tree), Class Rules (TPT), US Map (Target), and Shapes poster (Dollar Tree). To the right, you can see our Calendar Math board.

These are the letter and sound cards that come with the Wonders curriculum that we are suggested to have hanging. I am excited to have a great Tech Corner this year which will hopefully get started after Labor day. I have 2 Chromebooks and 2 Kindles to use. Above the Tech Corner is my infamous Happy Birthday corner. My kids love seeing their names and it makes them feel important.

This is my small group area. It has lots of helpful skill information posters and all my small group manipulatives and needs stored in the shelves (and big cabinet). The hanging lanterns were $1 from Five Below, the window banner was $1 from Dollar General, and the stools were $5 each from Five Below. To the right, you can see my VIP area. It has light up lanterns and a fun, comfy chair. On Fridays, I pick a student who has had a good week to sit there during snack time and draw/write in our class journal.

I am bless with lots of storage space. I cover the cabinets with motivational posters for the students to read. On the counter, I use magazine bins (IKEA) to organize what I need for the week and for different subjects. It is probably my most commented part of my room. I have 2 buckets for pencils (dull and sharp). I also have a speaker and microphone to wear that sits in the back of the room as well.

Above the cubbies are my "special" books and school supplies. Each cubby has a number assigned to the students. I put adorable magazine bins that I got at the Dollar Tree in each child's cubby to help keep them more organized this year. To the right, I have a welcome table where students turn in their folders and work each day. On the other side of my cabinet, I put down chalkboard contact paper where I write an inspirational quote for the kids to read when they come on.

I hope you have enjoyed the tour of my classroom and I look forward to looking at all of the other wonderful classrooms in this link up.