GIVEAWAY Winner and Classroom Tour!

We did it!  We officially hit 25 followers!  Now I know all you other cool bloggers out there use number random generators, but I went with a tool that can be used in the classroom too!  (Mostly because it has a great cheering noise in the background, which really got me PUMPED UP to announce the winner!) SO..our winner is....

 

AMY!! Send me a quick email Amy to claim your winnings!! :)

Teaching Blog Addict is holding a Classroom Photos Linky Party! Click to visit!

It's getting close to crunch time and we start back in 7 (very short) days!  On the bright side, I think my classroom is FINALLY done, so now I can focus on the more important project of planning lessons and learning the new curriculum! 

As you enter our classroom (and turn slightly to the left) you'll see this!

 And if you turn slightly to the right instead...

 Here's our Behavior Clip Chart that I use for behavior management!

 This is what I basically see all day!  (Minus my kiddos' bright, smiling faces, of course!)

Here's the view of the front our classroom!

 In the back, by the cubbies, there's this area!  D.O.T. Binders get handed in on Friday in the crate on the left, Writers' notebooks get kept in the crate on the right, and the student mailboxes are down below.  This is where I store their graded work and papers to place in their Friday Folders.

 The side wall---a little different from the preview you saw a week or so ago!

 Here are the students' cubbies and our small group table.

A view of lots of stuff: The Homework Hangout, our Great Work Wall, our library, Specials schedule, Reminders board, and student work area!

For more detailed photos and descriptions, check out Caffeinated Conclusions on Facebook! 

Now because you were all such GOOD sports during the giveaway, I figured everyone could use a little somethin' somethin'. Here's a sign that I put in my classroom that I just love and many have requested!

Download and do with it what you wish! :) Thanks for stopping in!

Classroom Sneak Peek!

If you're at all like me, you absolutely LOVE looking at other teachers' classroom photos!  It's great to see the ideas that other teachers have, how they organize and set up their room, and, of course, all of the groovy materials that they have created or acquired.  So, naturally, I want to provide you with a sneak peek into my 2011-2012 3rd grade classroom!

Now I know it's not good blogging etiquette to apologize in your first official blogging post but I have to do just that!  My camera was being cranky and so I had to snap some photos with my iPod instead.  The quality is less than ideal, but hey--it's a sneak peek!  (I should also note, although it may not look like it...I STILL HAVE SO MUCH TO DO!!!)

As you enter my classroom, this is what you see!  (It's not quite as cave-like as this picture makes it appear!)  I won't go into too many specifics just yet because I'd rather bore you at a later time with those details!

 This view will change somewhat before the year actually begins, mostly because I still have a Reading Focus Wall to add.  Plus, I suppose I should also give my kiddos something to sit on. Minor detail.

 

Here's a view of the door that I so graciously took a photo FROM just moments earlier. If you haven't figured it out quite yet, I enjoy polka dots a lot. (<--Understatement of the century.) 

And here's the Homework Hangout!  That little sign next to the title reads "Where all the cool homework comes to unwind."  This is so very true.  Even homework needs its own space!

 

And finally (for today anyways), here's a picture of my Word Wall! This is the only bulletin board that I did not change this year!  (Mostly because I adore it so!)  Ironically enough, I'm moving to 3rd grade this year (after two years in 5th) so it's probably the only one I SHOULD have changed. But hey--3rd graders need exposure to profound and compelling vocabulary that stimulates their synapses and catalyzes the development of dendrites. 

More to follow in due time....but thanks for stopping in! :)