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Jill Richardson

Teaching Resources

Classroom Makeover For a First Year Teacher

August 31, 2019 by JillRichardson 2 Comments

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This Cactus Classroom Theme Makeover was created for my daughter who is a first year teacher! It tells how we acomplished this step by step!
Classroom Makeover

Hi, I have been teaching now for thirty years and am so excited to tell you about my daughter, Kara. She graduated last spring and has just begun her first year as a third grade teacher. Although I am still teaching I feel like I am passing the torch helping her with her first Classroom Makeover!

My daughter, Kara, First Ever Back to School Night!

We worked all summer preparing her classroom for her 29 third grade students. It is awesome being able to nurture and help my brand new teacher/daughter and I would like to share with you our classroom makeover “transformation.”

Classroom Organization

Before classroom Makeover!
Our First Peek At her Classroom

The First Thing we did in our classroom makeover was go through all of her storage cabinets. We threw away anything that was not school property and would not be helpful. We organized each cabinet: cleaning supplies, classroom supplies, different types of paper, math games, reading games, teacher books, etc.

Math Manipulatives

These Cactus Classroom Editable Labels will help you organize all of your math manipulative! Click to see! #cactuslabelseditable #cactuslabels #cactusclassroom
Cactus Labels Editable
These Cactus Classroom Editable Labels will help you organize all of your math manipulative! Click to see! #cactuslabelseditable #cactuslabels #cactusclassroom
Cactus Labels Editable

Next we tackled the math manipulatives. I had some plastic carts with drawers in which we gave a good cleaning. After that I made some labels to match her cactus theme. Lastly we sorted the manipulatives in baggies so each of her 29 children could have their own when needed thus helping with classroom management.

Classroom Supplies

To help her room run efficiently we hunted and hunted for a way to organize student supplies. We found carts and bins from the Container Store. We were thrilled with the results. I made cactus labels for the supplies needed. The labels are editable and are available in my TPT store. Just click on picture below. We placed the desks into 5 groups and purchased 5 carts.

Cactus Labels Editable
Cactus Labels to help brighten your cactus classroom! Editable classroom labels printable for quick and easy use! Click to see! #cactuslabels #cactusclassroom #cactuslabelsforclassroom
Cactus Labels Editable

Book Boxes

After that we purchased book bins from the Container Store. Kara wanted a soft look so I made two designs. The Box number matches the cubby number so the children will know where to place it. The children keep books for independent reading in their book boxes.

Appealing Cactus Book Box Labels you can use in your elementary classroom. Comes in two designs. They are editable so you can change them however you wish! #cactus classroom
Cactus Book Box Labels Editable

Cactus Book Box Labels

Classroom Jobs

It was important to us for the students to have their own classroom job. Each student’s name is typed on a pot and each week it is clipped to a cactus with the job. All that is required is gluing the job to a clothespin and then to a bulletin board. We keep the pots with names in a basket right under the job board.

Cactus Jobs

Cactus Buntings Add to Classroom Makeover

This Cactus Classroom Decor is gray burlap with green, blue and pink touches. All letters are included! Make it say whatever you wish! #cactusclassroomdecor #cactusclassroomtheme #cactusclassroomdecorations

Reading Bulletin Board

This Cactus Classroom Welcome Banner is gray burlap with green, blue and pink touches. All letters are included! Make it say whatever you wish! #cactusclassroomdecor #cactusclassroomtheme #cactusclassroomdecorations

Classroom Door

Cactus Decorations

Decorating is the fun part of classsroom set up! Adding buntings to bulletin boards, doors and walls make a room more interesting!

Free Classroom Makeover Name Tags

Free Cactus Classroom Name Tags!

Adding name tags to the desks was our next step. The name tags are editable and you just insert a textbox onto the page. I place them on my student’s desks in the right top corner. If you would like the name tags, they are free. Just click here Cactus Name Tags Free to get yours! I hope that you enjoy these name tags!

Video of Classroom Makeover

This video also includes our reading corner. We purchased the reading labels from Core Inspiration and bought the chairs on clearance from Kirlands, pillows from Pier 1 and white bookshelf from Ikea! We hope you enjoy viewing our Cactus Classroom Makeover video!

Cactus Classroom Done For You!

This Cactus Classroom Theme will create a calming feel to your classroom! Click to see previews of the 13 resources included in the bundle. It also includes cactus certificates and awards. #cactusclassroomdecor #cactusclassroomtheme #cactusbulletinboard #cactusclassroomdoor

Click Cactus Classroom Bundle and see all the resources included!

Enjoy decorating!

Click here to read other Blogs by Jill Richardson!

Filed Under: Classroom Decor Tagged With: Classroom Decor, Classroom Makeover

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Comments

  1. Tammy Brown says

    September 3, 2019 at 2:22 am

    Jill,
    I love watching all your creations. I am so proud to watch you flourish!
    Love you!
    Tammy B.

    Reply
    • JillRichardson says

      November 14, 2019 at 3:30 pm

      Hey Tammy!
      Thank you so much! I love watching you go on all those fabulous vacations!
      Love you too!
      Jill

      Reply

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