Students with a weekly classroom job may sit in the lounge during independent reading time. Throughout the year, the Cafe wall is filled with various reading strategies. This helps to remind students to use them as they read.
Numerous of places, throughout the room, are available for small group instruction. Students also use these areas for choice seating.
Students explore different ways to group a large amount of objects. They soon learned the importance of equal groups.
The words placed on the wall commonly occur in the English language. The students use this wall during spelling. Each time a word is learned in class, we add it for later reference.
Our classroom library is full of authentic texts. The books are leveled to ensure students are picking "good fit" books. As you can see, the book bins are placed at a perfect level for student height.
Every day in class, students work to develop a growth mindset. The board helps to remind students (and ME) to always grow the mind.
Throughout the year, students grow and care for a variety of plants. Come spring, we will have plants ready to transfer to the community garden!
Students use the outdoor classroom to create an interactive retell of stories.
Students choose important topics to learn about. Outside resources are gathered to help enhance student learning. Finished projects included students building bat houses to place in our surrounding outdoor classroom!
The Classroom:
Our Home Away From Home
Students spend countless hours in the classroom. It is important to organize the space in a way which makes every student feel included and at home. Time, thoughtfulness and creativity are all necessary to build an environment in which students feel welcomed and safe. Below you will find photographs of my classroom and/or lessons I have created. Each include a rationale of the thinking behind why I chose to set up a portion of the classroom in the way I did.