Heading Back to School

Excitement and butterflies!  I feel like a student myself this time of year.  I love school supply shopping, finding the perfect first day of school outfit and getting my own classroom ready for my new third graders.  I am always amazed at the transformation my classroom goes through each year.  Here's a pic right after I pulled everything off of my shelves to purge and reorganize...

Scary, I know!  I always have to remind myself that it gets worse before it gets better!  But, there is also this one...

Oh, and this...

Yikes!  Take note of the red, yellow and blue bins...I did a fun and easy project with them that I will share in a bit.

I had decided this summer to get rid of the majority of my paper files.  I have an external hard drive and most of my activities, ideas, etc. are digital, so no real need to keep the paper versions. And, if I am being honest, I get bored pretty easily and change most of my lessons up from year to year. I am always searching for new, fun ideas so anything that I haven't used over the past couple of years went in the recycling bin...and it felt AWESOME!  I also had a little, free rummage sale for the other teachers in my building.  They could take whatever they wanted and I was happy to part with all of it!

Free for the taking!

I spent A LOT of time in my room before teachers were contracted to be back (not sure any teachers actually just show up on the first contracted day..  .there is just too much to do).  I think I spent about 30 hours or so over the 4 days prior to the first teacher day but it is so worth it.  I know it will make the first few days of school go much more smoothly!

Here are some of my "in progress" pics:

I can see the floor!

Library area with newly painted shelves

Guided reading table and "I Can" board

Believe it or not everything was in its place by the time we had our Open House...

Guided Math Stations and text storage

Indoor recess games and extra supply storage

Classroom Library (the kids will organize this
 during the first week of school)

And...the final product.  This is what the room will
 look like when the kids enter on Tuesday!

Oh, yeah, remember those bins?  Look what I did with Rustoleum paint for plastic and some Dollar Tree chalkboard labels...

Here's to another great school year!