My 2013-2014 First Grade Classroom Reveal!!

I’m finally ready to share my 2013-2014 classroom pics with you! 🙂  I have some number signs to still hang up, but for the most part, it’s done! For the first time ever, I did not do a “theme” this year in my room.  And, let me just tell you, I had so. much. fun picking things out.  I finally got to choose colors and create things for my room that were just “me.” I love how it turned out!  I hope you do, too! 🙂

I have quite a bit of pics for you, so here we go!

View From My Door
View From My Desk
 Back Counter
The frames were spray painted and the Whole Brain Teaching Rules I created to go inside of the frames can be found for free in my TpT store by clicking HERE
My little turtle sitting on the counter will go into a basket with note cards in case my kiddos realllllly need to share something with me. You know, those stories and comments that usually come after recess when you’d love to talk to your kiddos all day but really need to start your Daily 5 mini-lesson. This provides my kids with an outlet and cuts down on tattling. Things like:  “Amy cut in line.” “I have two eyes.”  “A long, long time ago, when I was reallllllllly little, I found a kitten.”  (Yes, these are all actual examples of note cards I’ve found in our Turtle Talk basket.)
 Whole Group Meeting Area

Smartboard Meeting Area with Whiteboard (and another anchor chart shower rod) 🙂

Our Focus Wall
I re-created some self-assessment posters after seeing some ideas on Pinterest. I’ll share those at a later time. 🙂 The two yellow clothespins will hold our “Target” I Can Statement that the students will self-assess themselves on. The I Can Standards on the left come from Deanna Jump and can be found in her TpT store by clicking here. I used sparkly clothespins to connect the standards to the posters.

Small Group Meeting Area
I have the inclusion classroom for our first grade team, so this is where our intervention specialist meets with kiddos in my room for math and reading. 🙂
The purple board behind the table says Fancy Words. This is where we will post the fancy words we learn how to use all year long. To the right of the purple board is my Daily Schedule, tied with matching ribbons. You can find that in my TpT store by clicking HERE
My Desk Area
I found my lamp while we were on vacation and I thought I would do my tropical theme again. The red shelf that my phone is sitting on houses all of our activity sheets for the week, sorted by day and subject. My school supplies on the top of the shelf are simply in mason jars, with chalkboard labels stuck on them.  

My Guided Reading Table
The blank reading board behind my table is the basis for my next TpT product. 😉 I’m just waiting for some students to use it with before I share it with you! 🙂 Behind the table is my pink filing cabinet that I sandpapered and painted (It was ugly before!).

Close Up of my Guided Reading Stools
These stools were just $5.99 each and come from IKEA.  Find them here. They were white and my husband spray painted them each a different color for me. I love how they turned out!

Another Close Up Of The Stools
Word Wall
My word wall labels are from my Bright and Sweet Editable Word Wall Kit and can be found in my TpT store by clicking HERE.  They come with editable word cards of various designs. 🙂
One More View Of My Word Wall 🙂

This is actually a closet that matches the yellow cupboards to the left. I covered them with paper so that I can use them for more wall space.  On the left, are quiet chant / attention-getter posters that come from my First Week Fun! Unit.  It’s a really cute unit with management ideas, lessons, activities, bulletin boards, and games for those first couple weeks of school. Find it in my TpT store by clicking HERE.
The posters on the right are rule posters for using tablets in our classroom. You can find those for *free* in my TpT store by clicking HERE.

Teacher Read Aloud Bookshelf and
Fiction Classroom Library Baskets
My crazy straw birthday bucket is from a freebie I found on TpT by Where the Wild Things Learn.  Find them in her TpT store by clicking HERE.

CAFE Board, Rate My Writing Board & Writing Center, & Writing Menu Board

 You can find the Rate Your Writing posters I created above for free by clicking HERE.  

As we learn different types of writing, reference posters will be posted on the Writing Menu board. (This is an awkward wall in my room. On the other side are cubbies. I have two walls of cubbies that face each other.

Close Up Of “Rate My Writing” Board

View From The Back Corner
Picture Borders are by DreamLike Magic  www.dreamlikemagic.com

Thank you SO much for taking the tour of my 2013-2014 classroom with me! 🙂 I had a lot of fun putting it together and I can’t wait for my new batch of firsties to see it next week! 🙂 

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47 Comments

  1. WOW! Your room looks warm and inviting. It also looks like the perfect place for a lot of happy learning. Thanks for sharing and have a fantastic year!

  2. Wow! Your room is so bright and inviting! Love your 'custom' stools, too. Your story about the turtle talk notes cracks me up…gotta love the things kids come up with!

  3. Your room is so cute…kinda makes me mad that I'm still in a closet. LOL! (I'm a specialist at a small school (only three teachers per grade level.) Quick question where can I find your self-assessment posters and that cute template you used.

    Thanks in advance.

  4. Your looks AMAZING! It is so inviting. What a spacious room. I wish mine was as large. How many students will you have? I'll have 30 this year! OMG Thank you f0r sharing . Good luck next week w/ the new kiddos! They wil love this room and You too !

  5. I love your room!! I was wondering.. where did you get the shower curtain rod for your anchor charts? Did you have to order them online? I'd love to know! Thanks!

    ~Miss McDonald

  6. I just ordered 8 white stools from ikea and plan on spray painting them like you did. Can you give me some information on the spray paint you used? Brand? Colors? For metal or plastic? Did you use primer? Thanks in advance! Your room is awesome!!

    1. Hi Lana,

      I just used spray paint from lowes (not sure of the brand). I bought random bright colors and the paint I used was for Plastic. We also sprayed it with a sealant. 🙂

      1. Hi! I know this post is a few years old, but I was wondering how the paint held up on the stools? I’m thinking about painting mine and want to make sure the paint won’t flake off. Thanks!

        1. Hello! They flake off every year. We’ve tried every kind of sealant out there, but unless they are going to be wooden stools, they will chip. My husband paints them for me every summer.

  7. How did you attach/install the shower curtains for your anchor charts? Are they mounted to the wall? at first glance I thought they were located on covered white boards.
    Thanks!

  8. LOVE IT! How did the spray painted stools hold up? I find that the spray paint tends to rub off and was wondering if you noticed the same.

    1. I have the same question. I have had these stools for the last 3 years and want to spray paint them to bring life to them…plus I had never thought to do it until I say this post on pinterest. But I don't want to put a lot of time into painting if it doesn't last long. Please share the life of the spray paint on the stools. Thanks 🙂

    2. so here is a funny question…do they just chip or do they start to look grundgey towards the end of the year and drive you crazy—
      thanks for responding so quickly 🙂

  9. Did the spray paint chip off the stools? If not, what spray paint did you use? I am planning to spray paint mine this summer!

    1. Hi, Ashley! Yes, mine chip too! I’ve tried many different types of paints and nothing really works ha! I just respray them each year.

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