Our class is beginning our unit on the year 1492. We study this to understand what was happening in the world, and specifically in Spain, during the famous year Columbus made his voyage. These 10 images of inspiration include rich fabrics, Moroccan architecture, vibrant colors, and majestic Spanish castles.
Tag: classroom
Free tech tools to try at back-to-school night
Think back on your past few back-to-school nights. Did you use Power Point? Be honest. How many years in a row have you used it? Just like our students, adults like to learn information in interesting and creative ways. So rather than use your same old slide show, why not try kicking it up a notch? Here…
My Fall Book Talk List…
One of my favorite back-to-school rituals is looking for fresh children’s novels to book talk or read aloud in the fall. There are so many great new titles out there, and I always want a variety of new kids’ books in my arsenal to whip out like a magician and say, “But have you read THIS?” I scour my favorite blogs…
My Back-to-School Goals…
Recently I shared some tips for setting and keeping goals, and since the beginning of the school year is just around the corner, I thought I’d share the goals I’ve set to keep me focused and motivated throughout the school year as well as the process I used to choose them. At some point each summer, I…
{Classroom Environments} Reflecting your Community of Learners
These days equity, diversity and identity are part of the national conversation, and our students come to school with complex ideas, experiences, and assumptions about themselves and others. My first co-teacher was super passionate about social justice, and she helped me mold my beliefs about what matters when fostering student identity at school. One of the most important ideas she…
{Classroom Environments} Creating a Cozy Space
For most of the year, children spend more time at school than anywhere else besides home, so it makes sense that we make our classrooms as inviting, positive, and comfortable as we can for students to live and learn in. The places I like to inhabit tend to have similar characteristics, whether it’s a friend’s…
{Classroom Environments} Starting with a (Mostly) Blank Canvas
There’s been a lot of talk about blank space these days. Thanks, Taylor Swift. For those of us in the teaching set, whose love lives (hopefully) aren’t being ruthlessly scrutinized by the media, the idea of blank space often presents a dilemma over how to decorate our classrooms to start the year. Do you trick out the room in an adorable rainforest theme or nautical color…
{Classroom Environments} Cutting the Clutter
Whenever I look at design books and blogs, like the above photo from Design*Sponge, I find myself drawn to the same aesthetic – minimalist with open surfaces, white walls, comfortable seating, little pops of color, and toys and blankets artfully arranged. Sometimes I wish I could design my classroom in the same way! Okay, so that scenario isn’t exactly realistic in…
{Classroom Environments} Creating a Learner-Friendly Layout
This year I’m in a new classroom with a new co-teacher, and I’ve been mulling over how we’ll go about laying out our space. How will we make it comfortable? How will we establish work spaces? How will we develop the students’ sense of ownership? How can we best set up the room to foster…
por jenny 