Classroom Tour... Finally!

Truth be told (disclosed) my room is only about 90% done.  As many of you know, I have yoga balls as chairs for my entire class.  For some unforeseen circumstances, they didn't get inflated or cleaned yet.  My mission today was to do just that.  Let's just say I may need to buy the P.E. teacher a new air compressor (I forgot the mega one at home).  She's a friend, so I hope she will be kind and loving about it (yeah- right she will reticule me as any good friend would!).  I am mostly ready for next week, as we have meetings for the next 2 days, which leaves Friday to finish everything up.  So.... as you look at the photos, keep in mind- there WILL be places for my students to sit.  The balls WILL get blown up and cleaned (go ahead- giggle, I do every time I say it!).

Here is panning around the room from my door...


 
 
Lunch choice board (back of the white shelf from above).
 
 
Mailboxes-  the idea of using binder clips for that names was borrowed from too many teachers to even begin listing.  There are more boxes behind, for the rest of the class.

 
This is my front wall.  I don't really use the big white board, so I turned it into a focus wall this year.  Here is my calendar area (we do calendar folders, thanks to Jessica Meacham).
 
 
My whole group instruction area and general meeting place.  The new rug was only $19 at Lowes!

 
Look books and favorites.
 
 
The rest of the focus wall; spots for math, writer's workshop and reader's workshop.  The flex area is blocked by the easel at the moment.

 
This is behind my desk.  I rarely sit at it, so I move the easel back there to make more room.  I still need to bring back all those professional books that I planned to read (but only read two of them!).
 
 
Front of my desk and writing supplies.  Notice how my desk is excluded from the photo-Dis. As. Ter.

 
I skipped over the 10-year old Mac computers... kinda sad, but I'm hopeful for iPads through DonorsChoose this year.  This is one one of my tables with our New Arrival books in the window.  They aren't really new, but they don't that!
 
 
Our Quiet Spot (blogged about it here).

 
Some of our math supplies... I try to only keep out what we are currently working with, but these small manipulatives stay out all the time.  The back side of this shelf isn't that interesting- just some math games for the first few weeks.
 
 
This is the back of the room.  The shelving/ counter houses my math tubs for stations.  The board will eventually have class photos & snapshots, as well as our classroom pledge (student created).

 
New this year: Inspiration Words!  I made threee different ones to hang around the room.  It's mostly for me, but I hope to influence the tone of our learning (here's the FREEBIE!)

 
Literacy and Math Station organization charts
 



 
Portion of my nonfiction section.

 
More nonfiction... and our class set of plastic letters.
 
Just right leveled books.  I love my low table!  Now kiddos can sit on the floor if they choose.

 
My ball chairs (I only have four of them inflated and cleaned at the moment).

 
View from my desk... if I were to actually sit there.  How much do you LOVE those lanturns?
 
 
My word wall will eventually develope on the cabinets above the lockers.  The rest may seem empty, but I believe in charting out learning as it is constructed by the group (hence the lack of charts).  One of these days, I'll post about my thoughts on that :)  I hope you enjoyed!
 
Stop by and see more great classroom photos: