This will be my 10th year doing a camping theme in my classroom. The kids love it and there is always something fun to connect learning to in between units and holidays.
I am posting some pictures from last year and will update with new pictures if I change anything!
*I have a very large, but oddly shaped room. It actually has an entrance, where my coatrack is. I have 4 large cupboards above a shelf (behind curtains-where I keep all my class sets and guided reading books) with the coat hooks beneath.
I also have a college helper 1-2 hours a day (*smile*) and her desk is right inside the door. On it, I have a "shoe cubby" that I use for my student cubbies - where papers and projects get filed for them to take home. They collect any papers and items at the end of the day and put in their CAMP books.
My new addition last year was this cabinet that my sweet husband mounted above my filing cabinets. It was a perfect fit and allowed me to hang a pocket chart between the two filing cabinets for added storage!
Past this cabinet is my classroom. This picture shows the back of our class library, student table groups and the front wall. The Word Wall and my teacher area are to the far right.
This is an up-close view of my teacher area. I love not having a desk! Last summer, my project was my buying and organizing a drawer for each week of the year, by nine weeks. I keep phonics, Bible, and misc. lessons in there. My units are organized in my filing cabinets. I keep teacher books on the shelves behind my table, and sets of leveled books in the cabinets*)
This is a closer view of the front wall. The Promethean ACTIVboard is in the center. of the wall. I have a Days of the Week drawer cart from Lowes where I keep copies and projects for each day. You can also see my listening center table. The far left display is my Whole Brain Teaching Super Improvers Wall. Next is my Math PATH for guided math. I also put my WBT rules and posters on this board as they are introduced.
A close-up of the SIW:
Here is our class library. I have a large ABC carpet, our reading tent, and LOTS of books! The books behind the curtains are all sorted by units/themes and are only taken out when we get to that theme. The display on this wall is for my WBT Power Pix.
I've organized my library into reading levels (I finally bit the bullet after MANY years of just categorizing my themes!). I've also got favorite authors and series (mainly on the top of the left shelf).
(*This picture was taken before I got my new cabinet and you can see into the "entrance" area!)
I have my kids seated at "Campsites" - in table groups.
Each table is color-coded to keep everything handy and organized. I hang a tent in their group color above each campsite.
Each table is color-coded to keep everything handy and organized. I hang a tent in their group color above each campsite.
This is the back of the classroom. I have a curtain under that sink eyesore now! To the right of the bulletin board is the entrance area.
This is our Camp Schedule on the inside of our classroom door.
I do not have a Center Board anymore. Fooey on taking my time to change that thing out every day! I am all for working SMARTER!
I have signs around the room at each station. The students choose their 2 stations for the day during morning work by placing their blue and green clips on a station sign like the one below. The number tells them how many students are allowed at that station. When it is full--no more can go that day! I keep a status of the class sheet so I can track where they go and encourage them with their choices (Word Study is always a "have to"!)
CAMP Books:
I LOVE this management tool. I've used it all ten years I've taught first grade! My old website has lots of information about how to use them as well as a TON of acronyms to fit any classroom theme. I love coming up with them, too--if you don't see one you like!
My 2012 Camping Behavior:
This goes much better with WBT. Also, for 2013 I am using the 5 Rules exactly as written--without any tweaking. I'm looking forward to seeing how much better it works out. Now when I say, "Rule #2!" My kids will ALL know to say, "Raise your hand for permission to speak." I won't have to do the reminding!
My *Old* Happy Camper Chart:
This was my behavior system for many years (before WBT!). Campers earned all their cards each day IF they stayed in their area (boot), kept hands/feet/things to self (backback), used appropriate words and didn't bother others with talking or noise (canteen), gave teacher attention (hand), and stayed on task (on "fire" for learning). These were recorded daily in their CAMP books by coloring in all the cards they earned that day.
Students had a chance to earn cards back all the way into 2nd semester. When a card was lost, it was moved to the Wrong Way Trail. If they could change the behavior that made them lose the card, they could earn it back. *Unless that became routine* Later in the year it was extremely hard to earn cards back since they all KNEW what was expected and chose not to do it.
*Wow!* Looking back through older pictures of my room has made me rethink some of my current arrangements! Hmmmm. Let's see what I come up with before school starts!
:)
You can see more ideas on my camping theme at my website:
