Kindergarten Orientation and Classroom Pictures

Oh, I got to meet my Kinder Kiddos and their families today.  I was so excited!   The kids loved the classroom and cleaned up everything they explored!  They came to carpet when called, TWICE.  We are going to have an amazing year.  Here are some photos of my set up for orientation.  I am so excited for the school year to start.  I got lots of hugs today and I came home just smiling ear to ear.  My sweet George was so excited for me and the kids.  He said he wished he could have been there to see the kids reactions when they walked into the world.  He is so vested into the whole process.  How did I ever get so lucky?  Anyway, here are some pictures.  Can't wait to see your photos of your rooms!

View from the front of the classroom.  The pods are Team Whale, Team Sea Horse and Team Frog.  See the beach balls above the tables?  The kids sure did!

Dramatic Play Area.  There is a book shelf for cook books, write on wipe off board on the back of the library shelves for writing grocery lists, shortened table for the kids and the kitchen set we made out of an old TV stand.

The classroom library.  The kids are going to help me sort the books by category next week.  I wish you could see the shelves and pillows.  I will try to update it soon and post pictures when the kids are done with it.

My pirate word wall.  I love it.  We can write words on it as we learn them.  I am loving the shower board George put on the back of all of my shelving units to increase writing space in the classroom.

All set up with files for the parents, 1st homework assignment (which you can find in my TPT store) and the mouse from If You Take A Mouse To School all ready for next weeks lesson!

Our Writing Station.

Our Pocket Chart Station.  I currently have our Common Core Standards, sight words and basic shapes and vocabulary up and ready to use next week for some assessment work.

I love the shoe holders to hold extra supplies so the kids can get what they need and reduce interruptions during writing and reading workshop time.  The kids brought all of the supplies in today and we are going to organize them next week.  Many teachers do this themselves but I want the kids to have ownership in the classroom so they are going to help me while learning classroom procedures.  I hope it works!

Here is our small group table for conferring with students for reading and writing workshop and for guided reading.

This is my Parent Information Center.  On the back side is our word wall. 

View from the back of the classroom looking toward our carpet area and the front door.

Our BIG bulletin board outside of our classroom.  The kids loved finding their "little person" on the board.

I had a great time, got lots of hugs and I am so ready for school to start.  Let me know if you have any ideas to add to or improve the classroom.  Remember, this is my first year as a Kindergarten Teacher (not as a teacher, but new to Kinder) so I am open to all constructive comments.  Hope everyone enjoys the rest of their summer.  I can't believe it is over already.

My classroom, part one

So, I spent all of this week moving into my new classroom.  George thought I was a horder untill he saw how much stuff all of the other teachers had!  Whew, now he is off of my case!  Ha, Ha.  Anyway, he took off two days to help me move in and set up the classroom.  I couldn't of done it without him! 

I thought I would share some of the pictures.  The classroom isn't done, but I was proud of what we accomplished this week and I will finish it next week.  Kindergarten Orientation is next Thursday and the kiddos come back on the 15th so I need to get busy!  I hope you enjoy the tour!

View as you walk into the classroom

Classroom libray

Classroom library

Class tables and Guided Reading table

Carpet and entrance way.  The write on wipe off board will be used for our word wall.

Guided Reading table

Smart Board, carpet and large group instruction area

Dramatic Play area.  Write on Wipe Off "window" for the kids.

Main board as you walk into the classroom

Welcome board outside of the classroom.  I still have to add the lettering on.  I am thinking about "Dive into Kindergarten" or "Make a Splash in Ms. Arrendale's Class".  What do you think?

Dramatic Play Area.  Do you like the stove/refridge unit we made out of an old entertainment center?

I hope you enjoyed the tour.  I will update with more pictures when I finish the classroom.  Leave me a link with pictures of your classroom.  I would love to look!

Making a Dramatic Play area for my classroom

When I realized we didn't get a kitchen set for Dramatic Play in my new classroom I told my George.  We went on Pinterest and found an idea to make one out of old upcycled furniture.  He said we could do this no problem.  We learned a lot during the process, but it was well worth it!

The old entertainment center.

Repainted, step one.

George decided it needed a real stove.  He even installed a plexiglass front so the kids could "see" what they were cooking.

He has a steadier hand than I do so he painted on the burners.

Almost done.

We still needed to put on the knobs for the stove but this is it almost finished.  The glass on the doors was painted over with chalk board paint.  We added a beach theme for the kids to see out the window!

Here it is all done and in the classroom!