Heather Volmerding's List: Classroom Organization/Back-to-School

• 7. CEREAL BOX STORAGE
  Why store student writing in dull,  grey binders? Instead, have your students bring in empty cereal boxes. Provide  acrylic paint, wallpaper scraps, glue, and fabric, and have kids fashion the  cereal boxes after store-bought magazine holders. They can personalize each with  a name, and then use the boxes to store writing projects.

  • Potential Art Project!

• Wall and Shelf Space

   

    Once you've figured out the furniture, focus on the walls. They'll be completely covered in no time, so think things through to make sure you leave space for what's most important to you. These may include: 

   
   
  • Wall calendars
   
  • Wall charts (classroom jobs, etc)
   
  • Classroom rules
   
  • Weather charts
   
  • Maps
   
  • Vocabulary words
   
  • Spelling words
   
  • Alphabet and Sight words
   
  • Vertical files for student work
   
   

    Make sure to leave room on shelves for permanent fixtures that students will use or interact with on a daily basis. These should be placed in easy-to-access areas: 

   
   
  • Thermometer, rain gauge, etc
   
  • Globe
   
  • Class pet
   
  • Recycled paper
   
   
• 
    Make sure you have one file cabinet with a lock and key. Store important or confidential forms and records here, such as student IEPs, notes from parent meetings, discipline records, etc.
• Students love to make and display decorations in the classroom. Enlist their help and make it a student-driven endeavor. They'll feel invested in the process and in the final product. And the classroom will truly look like it's their own. 
  

1 more annotation...

• Your Essential  Binder

  • This section includes great printable resources. Substitute Teacher Info. Sheet, Funny Writing Prompts, and Reading Strategies for Students.

• Back-to-School Checklist
  Be ready for anything! This comprehensive list covers everything you need to do before classes begin and in those first few days.
• 10 Ways to Decorate Your Classroom
• Opening Bell
  Get organized for the first day of school with this list of prep ideas and opening day suggestions.
• School Supply List Maker
  Use our template to ensure you have everything you need.

  • And many more great tools and resources.
    Read more on ways to organize the students and the classroom, building classroom community, etc.

2 more annotations...

• Tips for Getting Organized

  • GREAT RESOURCE!!!

• Time Capsule
• Intermediate Write About You!
• Guess Who?

1 more annotation...