End of September Classroom Photos

 

The Computer Center

The computers didn't fit well with two on a cart, so I decided to use one of my round tables. Each computer has headphones so that the students can focus on their own activities. The doorway behind this table goes into our heating/cooling unit storage and only needs to be accessed monthly to change filters.

 

The Tooth Graph

When the students lose a tooth they write their name on the chart and then we add a tooth to our graph with their name on it.

 

Table Work Area and the "Front" of the Room

The students each have an assigned table. The tables are color coded. Later they will be labeled with letters, numbers or sight words. Each chair has a "folder holder." I couldn't live without these. They hold the children's folders and papers throughout the day.

 

The Sand Table

This is a shot of sensory table. Each month the contents change. It started with play sand and buttons. Now it holds measuring cups and sunflower bird seed. The doorway is the front corner of the room and is our main exit.

 

The "Foyer"

This is "Grand Central Station!" It is our door, entrance to cubbies, bathroom, sink and drinking fountain. The cart on the left holds our "collection point" for box tops, pop tabs, soup labels, library books, etc. The sink on the right is the "teacher sink" and is actually part of a long island which holds storage on the classroom side and a bench and coat hooks on the cubbies side.

 

The "Island"

This holds lots of storage - mostly art and reading materials. The painting center is close to the sink and the counter holds wet papers. The pocket charts are on wheels and each has baskets on the bottom shelf that hold the activities. I change them every few weeks.

 

The "House" Corner

This area changes as the Dramatic Play materials change. Right now it is set up as a house. But will become a vet clinic, pizza parlor, post office and anything else we can imagine. The 2 file cabinets hold my picture books sorted alphabetically. I found that I prefer this to open bookshelves. The table on the left is the writing center. You can also see our table tub cart and our ball box.

 

The Writing Center

This table holds materials for writing. They change often. The chart stand on the end has clips to hold a chart of whatever is current in our room. You can also see the students cubbies. Each child has a resting mat, pencil box and Read, Write and Rest book box that they keep in their cubbie. I also have an "old-fashioned" coat rack mounted opposite the cubbies for us to hang our backpacks on once we start to bring snowpants, jackets and boots. The cubbies get a little full!

 

Center Table

Here it is shown as the Art Center. It is also the Science Table, Math Table or Puzzle Table. If I am doing something messy like playdoh I move it to the tile floor. The treasure chest holds scraps of everything for creating with at this center. I also have Science Basket with a nest and bird books and a Math Basket with sorting trays and buttons that are used here.

The "Shelf"

This shelf holds essentials - timer, tape, stapler, etc. The shelves hold the color tubs for different center activities at the student tables. It also holds our class colored pencil and marker sets. The drawer sets on each side hold materials for each day of the week. The baskets on top hold our journals. The back of this shelf is a boundary for our meeting area and holds our calendar materials held with magnetic clips.

The Meeting Place/Story Corner

The bench and easel are always covered with books and stuff. It is hard to keep clean, but I like the fact that I can have a student sit up next to me on the bench. Behind the easel is a place to store all my morning meeting supplies - calendar tags, markers, etc. The white board is where brainstorm lists, write a morning message or demonstrate a mini lesson. I have a carpet square -9x13- that sets the boundaries for this area.

 

More Story Corner

We use our apple chart for daily name tags. The storage along this wall is primarily for center materials and manipulatives. The metal shelf on the right serves as a boundary and hold the weather graph and tally chart for our morning meeting.

 

Block Area

This area is less that ideal, but works. The door is our back door and leads us out into the "High School" hall. The computer is placed adjacent to the Small Group Table and can be used as a publishing center or a computer for center time.

 

Our Small Group Table/Flexible Center Space

This table is where our small groups at the end of the day meet with me. It is also the ABC center at center time. I will hold guided reading groups here, teach mini-lessons and conduct small groups lessons at this table. The shelves in the background hold math manipulatives, books and extra writing center supplies.

 

The Front Corner

Here is a shot of the meeting place and the area that holds my desk space. The bookshelf on the bottom left holds our books for DEAR time. I have it facing out from the story corner so that it is not a distraction during our meetings and also provides us with a boundary and display space.

 

The "Office"

This is command central - although I never get to set down! I can't give up my space, but I am trying to condense it. I also use this space as a 1:1 conference area when assessing students.

Helper Space

This is the space reserved for my Title I para and my special ed para to use to store materials and paperwork.

 

 

The Other Corner of My Space.

 

 

 

Whew - I know that I still have too much stuff, but as long as I streamline as much as I bring in I should be ok!

 

I do recommend the book Classroom Spaces That Work. This book is published as part of the Responsive Classroom Strategies for Teaching Series.

I used some points from the book as I created my new arrangement:

- keep the room open - don't block the lines of vision with tall shelves or cabinets.

- get down low and evaluate how the space works from that view point.

- try to create a place for everything and plan ahead so that students can be self-sufficient.

- consider traffic patterns and arrange furniture to define boundaries.

- make sure furniture has multiple uses.

 

The books in the series are:

(These links will take you to book descriptions at Amazon.com)

 

The Morning Meeting Book

 

The First Six Weeks of School

 

Classroom Spaces That Work

 

 

 

Home

 

 

 

Copyright Patsi Kugler, 2001.