Two years ago I switched schools and moved into a brand new (to me) classroom! Although I’ve posted many pictures of my room on my Instagram account, I haven’t done a classroom tour blog post yet, so I figured I’d round up some of my favorite classroom photos over the last two years to give you a closer peek into the space I spend most of my days during the school year! I rearranged a few things during these past couple years (got rid of my teacher desk, moved our small group table and mailboxes, etc.), but hopefully these pictures give you a general idea of my classroom environment! I’ve also included some affiliate links to help you easily find the resources I use and love in my classroom!
Classroom Library
Our classroom library is my favorite part of the classroom! You can read more about my classroom library and how it is organized in my post here!
Classroom Stage
After visiting the Ron Clark Academy, I just knew I had to get a stage in my classroom! I had a wonderful parent of a student volunteer to build one for me and my students absolutely LOVE it! They have lots of opportunities to stand on the stage and teach the class and share their learning!
Small Group Area
This school year I got rid of my teacher desk and moved our small group table where my desk used to be! I meet with small groups frequently throughout the day, and when I’m not meeting with groups, students love to come and work at this table! In the fall I got a whiteboard table to replace this table, which is amazing! Students love writing on it, especially during our math small groups!
Desk Arrangement
I went from teaching at a school with smaller class sizes to one with larger class sizes, so figuring out how to arrange student desks was a challenge! I like to have my students sitting in groups, and over the past two years I’ve had desks in groups with 4-9 students at each group!
My students are constantly collaborating throughout the day, so it is important for me to have them sitting in groups where there can easily discuss ideas and work together. I have a supply caddy in the middle of each team, and each student has a cup to keep their pencils, erasers, and other supplies that we use on a regular basis.
Student Mailboxes
I inherited these student mailboxes from another teacher, however since I have more students in my class now, I had to get another smaller set of student mailboxes to stack under the original ones! I number student mailboxes by gluing numbers on binder clips (see my blog post all about it). Students store their iPad keyboards in their mailboxes, in addition to any mail that gets passed out to go home.
Student Photo Wall
Our student photo wall takes up half of the back wall of our classroom and is full of student photos with their favorite inspirational quotes and goals! You can read more about it + get the template here!
Writing Wall
Our writing wall is a place to display amazing student writing! I bought the writing letters at Jo-Ann’s Fabrics and spray painted them with silver glitter spray paint. Then I hot-glued thumb tacks to the back of them so they would stay up on the wall!
Supply Cart, Math Manipulatives, and Clipboards
Reading Graffiti Wall
You can read more about how we use our Reading Graffiti Wall in my blog post here!
Scholastic Magazine Classroom Feature
My classroom is my home-away-from-home, and I love making it a comfortable, colorful, and functional place for my students and myself. Last year I was honored to have my classroom featured in Scholastic Magazine! You can read parts of the article and see pictures from that photoshoot here!
Resources:
Here is a list of resources that I’ve used in my classroom!
- Classroom Library Labels
- Name tags on student chairs
- Chalkboard numbers for Leadership League
- Accountable Talk bulletin board
- Book Recommendation Cards
- Inspirational Classroom Posters
I hope you enjoyed my classroom tour! I love our classroom space and already have a few new ideas in mind for next year! A special thanks to Stephen Simpson for the first and last classroom pictures in this post!
What a beautiful classroom! I love all the colors.
I absolutely LOVE your classroom decor! I’m going to be starting my first year as an Autism teacher in August and have been obsessed with colorful classrooms. Your’s is by far my favorite! I’m wondering where you got that super cute map? It’s ADORABLE
Hi Macy! Thank you so much! I actually made the made the map! I posted a tutorial here with lots of step-by-step pictures!!! http://lessonswithlaughter.com/colorful-united-states-map-tutorial/
I’m completely in love with your classroom!! It’s so so pretty!! I wish my class was like yours, I’m sure my kids would have lots of fun!
Thank you SO much, Elena! It took several years of purchasing teaching supplies, books, and materials! My classroom during my first year teaching looked much different! Ha! Thanks so much for your sweet comment!
Where did you get your desk caddies? Really Good Stuff?
Hi Mark! I got most of them from Michael’s, but the orange one is from Lakeshore! I’m not sure if Really Good Stuff carries them or not, but that would be another great place to check!
Love your room and organization! How did you create the cursive lettering on the Reading graffiti wall? Do you type the word in PDF and then print and cut out by hand? If so, how large did you make the font letters and what font did you use? Thanks in advance!
Thank you so much, Ashley! I actually have a Silhouette that I used to cut the letters! I’m sure you could do it the other way too, but that would be a lot of work! I can’t remember the size, but the fonts I used were KG The Fighter and KG Part of Me!
Thank you for sharing your classroom. Can you tell us more about your Reading Graffiti wall? What is written, is is chalkboard paper and how do you refer to it or is it more decoration? Thanks
Hi Casey! I have a whole blog post about it here: http://lessonswithlaughter.com/reading-graffiti-wall/ Hope that helps!!
Hi! Loving these ideas so much! Where did you get that teacher tool box thing on type of the white shelves behind your desk?
Hi Katy! It is from Lowe’s! It was a dark blue (or grey… I can’t remember!) when I purchased it, so I just spray painted it white!
Where did you get your US map? I want one!! : )
Hi Ruth! I made it! I posted a step-by-step tutorial with lots of pictures here! http://lessonswithlaughter.com/colorful-united-states-map-tutorial/
Love the room! I just recently went to RCA came back inspired and want a stage in my room. What are the dimensions of your stage? I am moving from kindergarten to 2nd grade this year and changing my decor a little bit to be more spa like and inspirational with fun encouraging quotes.
Oh my goodness, isn’t RCA so inspirational?! It is such an amazing experience! I had a parent make the stage for me and I can’t remember the exact dimensions! I will have to measure the next time I’m in my classroom! It sounds like your new classroom is going to be amazing!
Where do you post your standards and essential questions in your room?
Hi Alice! Our district isn’t big on posting them, but when I do I just write them down on the white board!
Hey! Where is the math “TIME” poster from? I am obsessed with your classroom, great work!!!!
Hi Kelsie! The math posters are from Ladybug’s Teacher Files! She has a whole post about how she uses them in her classroom and they are AMAZING!! Thank you so much!
I LOVE the colorful bright room & ALL you did with it! Where did you get the black & white polka dotted rug? Also the #READ letters with lights? Thanks! Michelle
Hi Michelle! Thank you so much! The black and white rug is from IKEA, but sadly they don’t sell it anymore! They have a black and white striped one though, which is what I’m using for my library this year! The #READ letters are from Target, but they don’t sell those plastic ones anymore! They have metal ones, but no hashtag! Maybe you can find them at another craft store or online? It’s always such a bummer when stores stop selling the really great stuff that we love!
What a beautiful classroom! I love how all the colors combine together. I am going to try and change up my classroom design this year and I might borrow some of your ideas! Where did you get that awesome U.S. map?
Thanks so much, Kalli! I love bright colors and could never just decide on just a couple, so I decided to use them all! Ha! I actually made the map! I have a step-by-step tutorial with lots of pictures here! http://lessonswithlaughter.com/colorful-united-states-map-tutorial/
Love your white bench and the adorable striped, polka dot & pom pom trimmed pillows! Can you share where they came from?
Thanks, Lisa! The white bench and rug are from IKEA, although they don’t sell the polka dot one anymore! They have a new black and white striped one though, which is what I’m using for our library this year! The pom pom pillows are from Hobby Lobby!
Thanks for sharing these pictures. Your classroom is incredible. Makes me motivated to keep working on mine! I am in the process of creating a stage in my classroom too. Could you tell me what the dimensions of your are? Also, I am super curious about the leadership league. Can you tell me about it?
Thanks so much, Maureen! My students LOVE our stage! I’m not sure what the exact dimensions are, so I’ll have to measure for you next time I go in! And I did a whole blog post on our Leadership League! You can read it here: http://lessonswithlaughter.com/from-homework-club-to-leadership-league/!
Where did you get that map of the united states!?
Hi Kyle! I made it! I have a step-by-step tutorial here! http://lessonswithlaughter.com/colorful-united-states-map-tutorial/
Where did you get your colorful map from??
Hi Wendy!
I bought the canvas and painted it! I have a tutorial with lots of pictures that you can see here: http://lessonswithlaughter.com/colorful-united-states-map-tutorial/
Hope that helps!
I love your classroom! I teach 5th grade and my classroom is teal, grey, and black. I’m planning on adopting some of your awesome ideas. When I read the article in the magazine I noticed that you use a number file system for students to hand in their papers. Did you make the number files or did you buy them? Can you please share where you got this? Thank you for your inspiration!
Hi Laycie!
Thank you so much! Yes,that file system is amazing! I bought it on Amazon back in 2012 and still use the same one since it has held up so well! Here is my affiliate link! http://amzn.to/2vaVGVH
Love your classroom!! Did you create your clipboard and manipulative labels using your computer? If so are they on your TPT?
Hi Tammy! I got the clipboard label from Ladybug’s Teacher Files! Yes, I created the manipulative labels on my computer, but those ones aren’t on TPT! I have other supply labels on TPT though (including editable ones) under my name: Molly Maloy!
Your classroom is adorable!! Where did you get your team cart with the markers and stuff on it and the white cupboard with the clips boards on the bottom shelf?
Thanks so much, Kallie! The cart is from IKEA, but I don’t think they sell that color anymore! I think Michael’s and Target both have a similar one though! The bookshelf is from IKEA and is the Billy one! Hope that helps!
Do you do all of your series’ in bins? I am redoing my library alphabetically and have all my series’ on the shelves grouped together after the other books. I am just curious to know what you think has worked best for you. My husbands boss just bought me all new book shelves for my room and I want them to look amazing, but functional. Any input would be appreciated!
Hi Melissa! I just had a few series in bins, but this year I am moving more of them over to be in with the other fiction books alphabetically! I’m planning on using the book bins more for my informational books! That’s so excited that you have new shelves for your room this year! I bet they are going to look great!
Love your room!! Where did you get your bright paper for your bulletin boards? Or is it fabric?
Thanks so much, Codee! It is all Fadeless paper from Lakeshore, but they sell it on Amazon this year! I’m using fabric for my boards this year, which has tons of bright color options too! I love both!
Where did you get your white shelf that’s behind your u shape table that has your phone on top of it?
And your cute silver buckets on your teal cart!
Your classroom is such an inspiration on how I would like my classroom to look one day! I love how you focus on incorporating ways of collaboration, creativity, and communication just within your classroom. I am such a fan of working in small groups so the whiteboard desk is such a great tool to have! I also like how organized your classroom library is. There are so many options and I feel like students enjoy reading in your class because of it. I think students also enjoy having the Reading Graffiti wall that pulls meaningful quotes from the book for others to view and read.