Slice of Life 13 - Classroom Tour

Slice of Life is sponsored every Tuesday by Stacey and Ruth from Two Writing Teachers. For the month of March we are challenging ourself to write a Slice A Day. Here we go!

When contemplating what I could write a slice on, I was glancing around my classroom, and then it came to me. Awhile back I posted a picture of my student teacher reading to my students. I remember Colby Sharp said he loved the "peak into my classroom." So I figured, why not write a slice about where I spend 9-10 hours of every weekday, my class? 

A little background, my building was built in 1894. Originally it was a K-12 building with a basement that has several rooms (we use them for storage and a science lab) and four rooms on the first floor, four on the second. There is also an attic that apparently used to be a gym but the stairwell was closed up long ago. I moved into the building nine years ago. For eight years I was on the first floor and this year moved up to the second. Although it is old, I love my room. Hope you enjoy the tour. 

(Note, I teach fifth grade - 26 kids. I teach reading and writing to my own class and reading to two other classes.)

Looking into our classroom library and door to the hall. 

Classroom library/ meeting spot and student tables behind.

Poster hanging above our door
to remind the kids before heading to recess.

Our mirror. Top sign says "This is what a reader looks like."
Bottom sign says, "You are beautiful - inside and out."

Left side is discussing theme.
All the pictures are kids that have completed the "ALA Challenge."
~Read one Newbery and two Caldecotts a month.

Our published writing board.
Also, little tip, I always paint my bulletin boards with wall paint & a roller.
Last for years and you don't have to change the paper. :) 

My three classes. Clips on the left tell their "spot" for the day.
Clips on the right give them their "job" for the week.

The room is full of quotes.
Some from "real" people like the one on the left - C.Alexander London.
Some from characters like the one on the right from Dumbledore. 

And some quotes just to inspire me like this one from Penny Kittle. (above my desk)

Finally, this is my desk, shoved up against the wall.
There is a round table in front on the left for small groups.

Thanks for visiting my room. Around the perimeter there are shelves along each wall. That's where all of the 3,000 books are stored. :) The kids tell me the room is filled with words - in the books, on the quotes around, and on our anchor charts that are up at the top of the room. As it should be.