Classroom Tour Update

So, here are a few more pictures of my classroom.  Now that we have been in school for a month, it looks a little bit different.

Above the desks, you can see the students' wind socks that they created during our weather unit.  On the desks there are red baskets that hold their "piggy banks" (aka mini Pringles cans from the dollar store with construction paper glued around them).  Their banks hold their coins that they earn for good behavior, completed homework, returned forms, etc.  AND their coupons that they buy every two weeks with said coins.  I used these sweet little coupons here.  The kids L.O.V.E. getting money, and it helps them learns their coins to boot!

Here is a view of my science and social studies word banks.  I add to them all year long, but this is what we have covered so far.  :)

Here is a view of the writing and calendar areas from (about) the same view as I took before school started.  There is a little bit more happening over there now...as you can probably see.  ;)

This is one of the kids' most favorite parts of the room...the writing center.  I created some laminated pages with each kids picture and dotted lines, so they can practice writing each others names.  The other favorite activity is a neon mini-notepad to write letters on.  They deliver them to each other's mailboxes and to me.  They are hysterical.  The last one I read said, "Dear Marco  You can play with me."  Seriously, no signature...just the okay to play.  Sooo funny, and sweet, and it keeps them writing I tell you!

These are just some simple little anchor charts I made for nouns and verbs.  I made one for each part of speech that firsties learn, but these are the only two we have covered so far.  They are basic, but my students really use them. 

Here is a close view of the writing wall.  I have Cara's fabulous writing charts and some things from Lucy Caulkin's Units of Study for my kids to use up there.

Here is a closer view of the calendar area.  Cara's Calendar Companion blown up to poster sized is what we use every day.  The kids have regular sized versions in their binder to fill out.  Also, at the top of the hundred's chart to the right (with his head cut-off) is my number thief.  He steals numbers from our chart, and we have to fill in the missing numbers.  We also decide how many tens and ones are in each missing number. 

This Fancy Nancy writing board that I picked up in the Target dollar spot is awesome.  We use it to highlight new vocabulary words that the kids need to learn.  When we are learning new words, they start to tell me "that word's fancy...that's a Fancy Nancy word", and we add it to our little board!

In my library, you can now see my Pinterest-inspired reading anchor charts.  The kids really remember Read to Self rules because of them.

Here is a shot of my CAFE menu now that we have added some strategies and kid's names to it.  We still have plenty more to add, but you get the idea.  :)

Last, here are my whisper phones and quiet creatures which I got directions for from Pinterest, and my bucket of brain breaks which I purchased here and here.  My kids seriously love all three of these things...I can't even tell you. 

Okay, so there's an update on how things are looking now...just in case anyone is reading yet.  :)