Dr. Seuss. I LOVE Dr. Seuss! Let's start with the basics of making a classroom look like somewhere you want to be just because it's cool, not because you have to be there.
Word Wall- Red fabric, aqua with white polka dot ribbon and Seuss red and white cut out letters. Cat in the Hat bag with cut sentence strips and markers for easily adding content words.
What I use to chart their progress on out computer based learning program. A HUGE truffula tree! I made it out of pink and yellow watercolor paper. Laminated it. Had a student use a cricut and some scrapbook paper for the letters and numbers. Put a Truffula Tree border around the outside edge of the cabinet doors and VOILA! The students have bright yellow dots with their name and current level.
Who's Who of the Week board. Each week we celebrate a classmate. I made the titles with Seuss ABC stickers and wrapped it with a border of Whos!
Monday- All About Me
Tuesday- Favorite Book
Wednesday- Lunch with someone special (usually a parent comes)
Thursday- A Letter From Home (The parents write a letter and I share it with the class, or they come and read it themselves)
Friday- Sign Here- I took portraits of all of the students at the beginning of the year. I print a full page picture and mount it on a half sheet of poster board. All the students sign it for their friend.
Random stuffed characters I found on ebay. The kids like them. This is the Bulletin board I use for student made posters.
Cubbies. The fabric is all the different Dr. Seuss book titles. Yellow, Red, and Blue fish to designate the rightful owner of cubbies.
Excuse the mess! I teach, not clean! The command center. I bought several canvases at Michaels and painted them in solid colors. I bought some black vinyl Dr. Seuss quotes on etsy and adhered them to the canvases. AWESOMENESS! The Cat himself sits at my desk because I never do! Hooks for my wonderful Seuss etsy aprons. Important Things whiteboard. Essential questions are posted here along with any important new that the students need to write in their agendas or keep in mind. Calendar and Positive Incentive Compliment Chart (close up next.) I skirted the small table with aqua Seuss fabric.
We are "Fishing For Compliments." Each time the students earn a compliment from an adult in the building, they earn a fish sticker. After our fishbowl is full (25 fish) the students get a reward of their choice. Last year we had a pizza party once and a kickball game another time.
The Lorax and Yertle. The main characters of 2 Book of the Month selections.
Me. Portrait by my 4-yr-old son. The kids names were on the Things on the door.
My main man, the Cat. I talk to him like he listens. The students think I am crazy, but secretly, they talk to him too! Yes, my desk is a disaster.
25 Book Club charts. I found these game board like incentive charts that I decided to use for AR books. Each student is required to read 15 books of 1,000,000 words in 4th grade. I knew this was going to be a push. Everytime they pass a test at 80% of higher, they add a sticker to their game board. If they fill it up (hasn't happened yet,) they will get to have a day of 'rest.' Reading all day long in the reading center.
Close up of incentive charts. I put each student's picture inside of a blue book.
Removable, washable pillowcases are found on the 2 dozen pillows that are strategically placed in corners and nooks around the classroom. There are some bean bags thrown in there too. I take these home to was every Friday.
Flags are strung all around the ceiling of the room. I asked for donations of overly loved book from my students last year. The drawn on, chewed on, stuck together Seuss books came pouring in. I made a huge show of ripping the pages out of the books. The students were aghast after the 'respect ALL books' talks they had received all year. I used some fancy edged scissors and freehand cut out a pennant per page. Then sewed them on a machine set to a zig zag stitch onto tin red grossgrain ribbon. I used Command hooks to hang them from the ceiling. The kids LOVE these. I hung them haphazardly. This was hard for me. I like things even and symmetrical, but Dr. Seuss is anything but even and symmetrical.
I find the guys in the computers in fanciful poses at the end of most days. The Wocket was just chillin'.
