Saturday, September 4, 2010

It's a Jungle in Here!

So much for keeping up with the blog. What's it been...four months? Well, as you can see below I've been pretty busy setting up my new jungle/safari themed classroom at my new school. I had so much fun buying, creating, and even sewing materials for my classroom. I'm so grateful to all the people who have shared ideas on the internet. They truly inspired me! I wanted to be sure to share my own classroom pictures, too. Maybe this will spark some more ideas. Enjoy!















17 comments:

  1. I am an Elementary Education major at the University of South Alabama. When I finally get my first classroom, I'm planning on using a jungle theme. I stumbled across your blog and love it!! Your classroom is so cute... such great decorating ideas!! Thanks for posting pictures!

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  2. Where did you get your calendar things? Particularly the weather graph with the zebra border? Your classroom is adorable! I love everything about it. Great job! Did you paint the 0-5 number board and what do you use if for?

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  3. Sorry for my tardiness in responding. Life has been very busy and my blog has been badly neglected. I'm trying to do better. I love themes!!! They really inspire me when I'm trying to create something. I got my calendar set at the Teacher Store. I believe it's made by Trend as is the border. The 0-5 number board is actually made from cardstock and scrapbook paper...I'm not much of a painter. I used my Silhouette which is a scrapbook cutter to cut out the numbers and glued them to cardstock which I then glued to more animal print paper (Hobby Lobby). I got the idea from someone else so I'm happy to pass it on to others.

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  4. Your room is cute. Thanks for linking up!

    Mrs. Ibarra
    Always First Grade

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  5. I too am loving the 0-5 behavior board. We use the number system at my school and I currently do not like the way mine looks- and I am thinking I will copy yours! :)
    The library area is A D O R A B L E! :) Where did you get the sign that says "Classroom Library"?
    Will you explain the bucket filler thing you have? I've heard of it but I'm not sure how to do it.
    Thanks so much! I will now be following your blog- your stuff is great!

    Mrs. Thompson
    Adventures In Teaching

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  6. I got the library sign at Vista Print. Check out some of my earlier posts about Vista Print. It was FREE!!! All I had to do was pay shipping costs. Once you get on their email list they will send you promotional emails for all kinds of free projects. I've probably spent about a $100 in all (which was mostly shipping costs) but I have made multiple banners, posters, business cards, motivational cards, postcards, pens, bags, etc. I got my whole grade level addicted to it, too. LOL! Like I said check out my Vista Print posts.

    The Bucket Filler is kind of a Character Ed. program. There's a couple of books out that you can find on Amazon that I read to the class first that explain the concept. We talked about being bucket fillers and doing things for people that make them feel good hence filling their bucket (compliments, being helpful, etc.). We also talked about being bucket dippers (saying unkind things, not listening, etc.). This is my first year to do it and the kids seem to really like it. I've had a bit of a hard time keeping up with it but that's just because my attention is usually in a thousand different directions. I highly recommend it. My suggestion is to do a google search to get more ideas.

    Thanks for the compliments and becoming a follower. Hopefully you gals will help me be more accountable for keeping it updated. :)

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  7. Your classroom is adorable!! Where did you get all of your decorations?

    http://smilescrayonsandendlesssmiles.blogspot.com

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  8. Love your Jungle Theme. Where did you find the birthday cake and your little animal print buckets?

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  9. I love your classroom. It is my 2nd year teachign 2nd grade and I am going for the jungle theme. I would love some advice on where I can find animal print pillows, folders, chairs, etc. Also, how did you label all of your boxes and baskets?

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  10. love love love this! I just got a job as a first grade teacher and I was thinking of using a jungle theme - thanks so much for posting!! Where did you find the zebra print chairs, and the zebra print folders??

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  11. I am also obsessed with vistaprint too! it's too good to be true!

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  12. Your classroom is adorable. I can tell you have made an inviting classroom where the children will thrive! I wish you would come and help me with my room. :)

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  13. Absolutely love you classroom. My pre-K class is somewhat jungle themed but your blog has given me so much more. How do you make the labels for bins and other things... just cut a rectangle out and then type a lable an add a picture on the computer and print it out, and cut a smaller rectangle out and then glue/ tape them togather? Or is there an easier way? Any advice would be helpful to better label my classroom :)

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  14. How does the 0-5 behavior system work? Does anyone have a write-up to explain to parents the system?

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  15. A lot of the things in my classroom I've made because I usually get an idea in my head and can't find it anywhere so I have to make it. I love being creative, though, so it's actually a bit therapeutic to make and shop for new and different things for my classroom. I find jungle stuff everywhere - Michael's, Hobby Lobby, Ross, Marshall's, yard sales, thrift stores, etc. I'm always on the look out for something new and fun for my classroom. I use scrapbook paper a lot to make my labels. Jacqueline, what you described is what I do a lot of times. Sometimes I will just use themed paper (even note pads) and print on that. That gets a little tricky because you have to make sure the sizing is just right. I love to play around with new ideas and see what I can create.

    I'm still using my clip chart this year but I've flipped it so now we're doing 5-1 with "5" being Excellent and "!" Unsatisfactory. Students start on what I call "High Five" everyday and move down as rules are not followed. There are consequences each time a clip is moved. I do have a note I send home about it and also go over it at our Parent Night the first week of school. It's a pretty standard system that has often been used. However, I've seen some other interesting ideas on the internet and may try something different in the future. I'm always evolving. :)

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  16. Andrea would you mind sending me the letter you send home about the 5-1 behavior system? Or if it is not made up yet the letter you sent in the past when it was the 1-5 system? My email is jacquelineharbs@aol.com.

    You ideas are wonderful! Thank you for sharing them.

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  17. I love your room!! Where did you get the shapes and colors? Thanks so much!!

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