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.

Summer Reading

So, the summer reading has begun.  These are the first three on my list.  I just started this one and I love it.  I am dreaming about the I CAN charts I want to make to help me and the student's use the work stations more effectively.  Good thing my new classroom has 975 square feet because I am going to need every foot to cram full of great learning stations!  I will post the I CAN posters after I make them.

I devoured this book as soon as I got it!  Love, Love, Love some of the ideas.  I started raiding the dollar stores, Hobby Lobby, Jo Ann Fabric and Michael's after I looked through this book.  Garage sales aren't safe either this summer.  This really got my creative juices flowing, although the bank account is not very happy about it.  I find myself dreaming about all the neat things I can do to create learning spaces for the next school year.  I will take pictures of what I come up with in August.  Wish I could get into my classroom now.

I haven't started this one yet.  Hopefully next week.  I have about eight books I want to get through this summer.  This one looks very interesting.  I am really having to think about how to go from learning centers to literacy centers.  I love learning but my brain is going into over drive.  Wonder which books I will end up taking to the beach in two weeks?  I know, I am a dork and should leave the books at home and take something not school related!