Redecorating/Classroom Theme

Seeing all the pictures of so many wonderful classrooms on the blogs I follow inspired me to do some redecorating in my room this year. I've been sewing, creating and shopping...which is exciting and can be expensive.

I don't really have a theme in my classroom. My students will be choosing a "name/theme" for our class and then they think of a name for each table group. We will do this during the first week of school as a team building activity. The idea came from my teaching partner last year and it worked really well. Our class chose an ice cream parlor theme and they chose their favorite local ice cream shops to name each table group. Each table group designed their own sign to be displayed above their table group. I use the names of the table groups to call tables to line up, clean up, etc. The control freak in me was a little nervous about letting the kids pick a theme, but it really helped them develop a sense of a team (the whole class) and a group (their table group). It's a win-win for me... the kids have an opportunity to give input, make choices and decorate their table sign and the rest of the room is decorated to satisfy my preferences (which my husband calls freakish tendencies - but I still love him).

One of the things I do to save money in my room is use card stock from a scrapbook stack for locker name tags. JoAnn Fabrics had scrapbook stacks (like the ones below) on sale for 50% off a few weeks ago. I used my 50% off coupon and scored quite a deal on this super cute paper for my locker tags. I cut each sheet in 1/2 too, so I have lots of extra sheets to use for other projects.

Here are the finished tags...

I will post pictures of my room in the next few weeks as soon as it is "picture ready".  Don't forget to enter my giveaway!  I will be giving away 3 copies of my favorite back to school book and a Target gift card.  The giveaway ends on Saturday (7/30).  You can read about it and enter here!