Classroom Decoration 2012

It's that time of year again!  I love having a few weeks off.  I get to sit around and plan what I want my classroom to look like when school starts.  I love to craft so this is really exciting for me.  Especially, since I'v been seeing so many awesome classroom ideas.  I've started on a few things I'd like to share.  My color theme is aqua, black and a little lime-ish green.  First up is a 5th grade goal banner I created using my scrapbook software. 

I always start out the year by having my students set goals for themselves.   So I figured, why not make our goals decorative and visible since we have to revisit them often.  Students will have a chance to discuss and come up with their own goals for the school year.  They will then write on the square given.  You  can find the printables HERE!

This here is a bragging display of student work.  I had some plastic meter stick that has been passed down to me as trash.  Waiting to be used somehow.  So I decided to spray paint it and hot glue clothes pins to clip student work.  It can be used to display anything.  Student writing, artwork, picutres, A+ math test, ect....  However, I am going to pin an All About Me page.  Which they will complete the first week of school.  I plan on keeping it up all year.  As teachers know, once school starts.  There really isn't anytime to change your bulletin boards throughout the year.

A quick tutorial on how I made this.  First, you'll need to spray paint the plastic meter stick ( or a piece of long wood, or metal.  Whatever you can find around the house/classroom) to what color you desire.  I used black to coordinate with my classroom colors.  Then cut pattern papers to glue on top of the clothes pins to make it decorative.  Measurements of the pieces are 3/8 X 2 7/8 inches.  I have seen pictures where crafters paint their clothes pins, glitter glue their pins or dye their pins.  Do it however you like.  Then just hot glue the pins on the meter stick.  Depending on what you want to display.  The distance between each pin will be different.  I plan on clipping only 8 X 11 1/2 papers. 

To make the measuring of where to glue the pin easier.  Lay down where you want the paper to be  when finished.  Then, simply eyeball the middle of the paper - place the pin on that spot and glue it down. 

 I made 8 of these meter sticks to go across the room. As to how to put these up -I will be nailing the ends of the meter stick onto my classroom wall. 

As for these file containers I just glued paper on top of paper to make it look a little more appealing on the bookshelves.  Thanks for visiting!