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Welcome to our classroom! Go around the corner to the
left to take a tour. Puzzles and Games
This shelf has puzzles and games. I use a variety of
teacher created and store bought games. I have a mini fridge to store my
lunch and extra juice and milk from breakfast. Safe Spot
I created a "Safe Spot" out of a new garbage can. I used
Clifford bone material to decorate it and pillows to make it more
comfortable. Students can go to the "Safe Spot" to calm down, have some
alone time, or just chill out with a book. I have a basket of materials
for students to use, as well as visuals of stress buster strategies. The
strategies are from "Conscious Discipline" by
Becky Bailey. The graphics are an
idea from Tiffany Taylor's classroom, Our School Family (www.ourschoolfamily.com). Pretend Center
The Pretend Center will start as a kitchen. I will have
the students create decorations to hang on the walls. There will be
several changes throughout the year. Some Pretend Centers include house,
school, office, doctor's office, zoo, birthday party, and restaurant. The
rocking chair is part of the group time area. Group Time Area and Block Center
My Group Time area includes a place to read stories and
write charts. I have a comfortable rocking chair, big book stand, and
special chair for the Star Student. The bag goes home with our Star
Student. It includes a Clifford stuffed animal, books in English and
Spanish, journal, and pencils/crayons.
The shelf makes it easy to grab a big book for group
time. During Literacy Centers, the students can sit on the carpet to read
these predictable books. The Block Center shares the same carpet as group
time. The material covers the block shelf during group time. I use my IPOD
to create play lists of songs. I simply plug the IPOD into the speakers
located on top of the shelf. Teacher Area
I have never had a full sized desk in my
room. I have small computer table and file cabinet in the corner of my
room. During centers, I let students use the computer. I also have it
connected to the television (above the bulletin board) with an Aver Key.
This allows students to see what is on the computer. I use this to show
students how to play new computer games. The easel has our calendar (which
we use as a resource for our morning message). The bulletin board behind
the easel is our environmental print wall. Students bring labels they can
read, share it with the class and we hang it on the board. I am
considering moving the environmental print to the word wall. Art Center
The art center includes an easel, long table (covered
with back to school papers), metal shelf, and tubs with art materials
(covered with Clifford material when not in use). Art materials include
markers, pencils, scissors, glue, glue sticks, play dough, and dough
tools. Paper is stored by color in a paper sorting box. A drying rack sits
next to art easel. (There will be a plastic protector under it for drips!)
There are storage shelves under the easel. This has paper scraps and shape
cutouts for use at the Art Center. Math Center
The Math Center includes a variety of manipulatives and math games, first three rows of the tubs. The bottom row of shelves are "red dog tubs" with manipulatives focusing on fine motor such as Mr. Potato Head, ring-a-majigs, and pegs. Students use these during centers and after breakfast (while they wait for their friends to finish.) Discovery Center
The Discovery Center is at a small table next to the math tubs. Science explorations are store in tubs on the math shelf (the third row). Students can take the tubs to either the small table or one of the round tables. Computer Center
The computers are waiting to be hooked up. Students will be able to use the Waterford program and other games. A small table has the Listening Center. Listening Center and Word Wall
I have an open room, sharing it with another Kindergarten teacher. Since we no longer team teach, we have a divider between our room. I use this for the Word Wall. The Listening Center is on the small table. The shelf has Literacy Centers, the Writing Center, and the Reading Center. Literacy Center
This is our Literacy Center Management board. Students are divided into five groups. Each day they have three literacy centers from which to chose. I store it by my desk when it is not in use during Literacy Centers. Some of the literacy centers are in tubs. These are located on the wooden shelf under the word wall. Students can use these at tables during Literacy Centers. Writing and Reading Centers
The wooden shelf also holds material for our Writing and Reading Center. There is a variety of paper, writing utensils, and dry erase boards. There are also rhyme notebooks and writing journals on the top shelf. Theme books are also store on the wooden shelf.
The Reading Center includes a lot of books, a coconut tree, and our class pets- a turtle and fish. We will name each of these pets at the beginning of the school year. Students can sit in the blue chairs or at the table. The stuffed animals (waiting to be stored in a larger tubs) are "reading buddies".
There are LOTS of books in the reading center! I only have a few at a time to begin the school year. This helps them learn to sort them into the correct tub. Students can use the books during Literacy Centers, Centers, and for checkout. My students check out classroom books every Monday through Thursday. Their parents sign a contract to agree to take care of the books and return them the following day. Lego Table and Rhyme Center
Since I am in an open room, I use the hallway for centers. The Lego Table has a bag in the middle to store the Legos. I keep material over the top when it is not in use. The Rhyme Center is in the pocket chart on the back of the metal shelf. I will start the year with poems featuring student names. Sensory Table and Mailboxes
The sensory table is also in the hallway. I used a sheet to create a background for a large bulletin board to display student word. The tub next to the sensory table has large outside equipment. The mailboxes are also in the hallway. Each student has their own mailbox. I have a large mailbox on top. Students can put in drawings, notes, etc. My neighbor and I have an extra table in the hallway, as well as the standards for the quarter. This is a district requirement. Teacher Storage
I have LOTS of teacher storage! I strive to keep my "back room" clean and organized- but that is not always possible. One shelf holds my teacher resource books. Cabinets have materials for group times and centers. Above the cabinets are room for theme tubs and extra center materials.
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