Back to School: Setting Up My Classroom

Wow, time has flown by!  I know that many teachers have already gone back to school.  I am still enjoying the little bit left of summer.

I spent several days last week setting up my classroom.  I haven't had a chance to sit down and blog since then.

This summer I finally went through all of my first, second and third grade "stuff"  that had accumulated in the garage.  I crossed my fingers and hoped that I'm set in fourth grade...  Surprisingly, I couldn't find anyone all summer who would come and take my bins full of first and second grade resources.  I gave all of the third grade materials to my student teacher from the previous year.  So, we packed up the in-law's van with all of my stuff for the free table at school.  

I was lucky enough to get the help of my great husband and his parents.  We had a LOT to unload at school.  Over the years, my husband has become an expert in setting up a classroom.  His parents volunteered to stay and help too.  It was wonderful to have so much help in setting up the room.  I was so wrapped up in getting started that I forgot to take pictures before.  So you'll have to use your imagination!

 
Here are my happy helpers peeling off last year's contact paper.  My guy loves that stuff!  Haha...  He wanted to go home when I told him that we were going to redo all four tables.

I'm sticking with the Rock Star theme this year.  I love the theme and I'm not ready to switch quite yet.

Here's the reveal... There are a few things that I am still working on, but here ya go!

I love hot glue, even though I always burn myself....

Setting up my new front board.  This is where I'll be my learning objectives.

My guy actually set up the door (which we covered in contact paper) and all of the above bulletin boards.  I totally have an addiction to black contact paper!  

**The time to work sign is actually hiding a broken clock that I covered in black contact paper... Yep, see I might have a problem....

Newly covered table!  Love the lime green duct tape.  

Clip chart and job chart and 2 more contact paper covered tables...  To the right of the picture is my desk area.  It's still a work in progress.  

My writing bulletin board, which is titled The Write Stuff.  The NKOTB reference makes me smile.  

New hallway display this year.  I made colorful song lyrics and added stars and music notes.  I have a few gaps to fill in.  I'm going to put some lyrics from The Script's Hall of Fame.  

Book bins with new labels.

Homework assignments board with Homework Club board on bottom.  It's a great new idea that is out there in the teacher blogoverse.  

I'm planning on going in again tomorrow to work on a few things.  I haven't put names on anything yet, because we always get a lot of move-ins to our school.  

When do you start school?  Are you ready?