Lots of Stuff Going On

First of all.. soo excited to have new followers :)  Thanks guys!!

On Friday I went to my school and two.. no actually 3 things happened. 

1. I turned in my revamped requisition for my science team.
2. My room doesn't SMELL!! Soooo happy about that... (and that's a long story that would last forever so I'll skip it.. and just say that I'm glad I don't have to deal with it switch classrooms).
3. I moved around the big furniture in my room and I think it's where I want it.

 This is the view from the door.  I have my desks in rows at the moment.  I don't like rows.. but I have a small classroom and fitting in groups and leaving walking room is difficult.  Also, I'm going to try and teach from the corner of the classroom instead of the front and I don't want kids to have their backs to me.  I'm going to teach them to group themselves at the beginning of the year for group work.  The blue cubbies should be mounted on the wall by the purple cubbies for my math manipulative storage.  The black cubbies will be cleaned out and store students' math, science, and social studies journals (I have 2 groups of kids, so the 6 cubbies are perfect.)  The kidney table will be both my teaching table and small group (which I want to make those super cute crate seats for). I have a colorful drawer system behind the kidney table which I'll put teaching supplies (pens, pencils, timer, etc) and small group folders and supplies in.

 This is another view from the entrance as you walk in and don't angle to the right.  My desk area, sink (which doesn't get used), turn in trays, and black cabinet that desperately needs to be sanded and repainted.  So I have options here.  At the moment I have a work order in with maintenance to remove the chalkboard and mount cubbies.. I'm thinking about canceling it and using the black cabinet as a makeshift cubby system - complete with shoeboxes to hold student supplies - they really don't need cubbies, but it would be nice to have the option.  If I leave the chalkboard, I could use it for a word wall.  Decisions. Decisions.

 Ok.. This is right by the entrance door to the left.  The rolling cart next to the filing cabinet doesn't have a use yet.. BUT I think I might leave it empty so I can cart things to and from the science lab.  The green shelves use to be my math manipulative storage, but is now going to be the library.. the shelves are too deep at the moment so I'm either going to put the books in organized baskets OR put styrofoam backing and shorten the depth that way. The wood bookshelf is for my teaching materials (binders, workbooks, etc) and the long table with the gray tubs will be for my two student computers.

This is a view from the front.  The wood cubbies near the door are going to be for student use.  Free time activities, extra glue, scissors.  That's my mom in blue, by the way.  She was done with work for the day and stopped by to help :)





So that's my room at this point in time.  I have a lot of work to do and not a whole lot of time to do it in.  I'll be out of town for my sister's baby shower this weekend (expect a post on that later today), and for my early birthday celebration (it's really August 14th, but I have to be at school that following Monday for professional development).  So that leaves me with three weeks to get my room prepared before kids show up!

Any comments or ideas are welcome!! :)

From Teaching 4th