Our Home Away from Home

In my opinion (take it or leave it! ) a classroom environment, how it looks, feels, and smells, is essential to a solid year with learning and fun.  That is why it have always placed  a lot of emphasis on creating a classroom that students enjoy being a part of.

This year, the challenge, was a little trickier than I thought.  I left my friends and family of PHES to travel to Cure' of Ars, in Leawood, KS!

 So with some tears, laughs, and a month long journey of loading boxes in and out of my car.  Seriously.. not joking,  I made it to my new home away from home.

 Check out my new pad....

 After I got everything loaded into the room, I really enjoyed the full wall of cabinets and storage.  But you know what they say...it has to get worse, before it gets better.. so a mess was made.

 I probably should mention that I am totally one of those people that starts one project, destroys that section of the room, and then destroys another.  But, with that in mind, there was always a vision, it just may have taken me some time to get there!

So without further suspense... here comes the final product, full with polka dots, love, and soon 25 wonderful third graders!   I can't wait for them to enjoy some learning and fun, in this colorful space.

"When we learn, we grow" - a Welcome bulletin board to begin our year together.

Made the paper flower wreath last year to adorn the classroom door.

Our hallway entrance, needed to add a little color, and of course a Office Max poster! 

I am fortunate to have tables again this year! I also have enough room for my end of the table crates that I have always wanted!

View from the front of the room! 

Reading nook for my cozy readers.

Calendar and birthday chart.

My desk and carts for students extra workbooks and journals.

Flowers and stripes, a must have on my teacher desk. 

Another reading nook coupled with a great test taking strategies bulletin board. 

A part of the library and prayer center for our Religion class.

The rest of our classroom library! 

A new addition to my room, Our favorite Picks (get it?)... My vision for this piece of the room is for students to eventually pick the books that will be featured here based on their recommendations as readers.

Our Word Wall ready to be filled with new and important words throughout the year. 

Another new and exciting addition to my classroom, my Maker Space!  

The bins and containers are full with items, supplies and tools for students to create, learn and develop new ideas! I can't wait to see what they create! 

Plan to use this space as my 'class meeting' space to have team meetings, complete anchor charts, and participate in many learning opportunities. 

Our Tech Cafe is equipped with two ThinkPads, and 5 tablets.  We can't wait to put these to good use.  

The 7 Keys to Comprehension, these will be essential for our Guided Reading Groups.

Our reading center table for small groups, with our independent reading chart behind. 

Cubbies for our student books, and our school wide PEACE program. 

Reading Center rotation boards and of course more polka dots!

Writing Center

 Whew!  The room is amazing and everything I could have hoped for in a classroom. I hope that my third grade students will enjoy and feel safe and comfortable in their 'Home away from Home."