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| View from the classroom entrance |
Welcome to Room #74. If you didn't get a chance to visit during Orientation or Open House here is a look at the classroom. If you did get a chance to visit, this post will explain the set-up of the classroom and how will we use the displays throughout the year to support the reading instruction. Enjoy!
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Reading Notebooks and Writing Journals
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The students' Reading Notebooks and their Writing Journals are located near the front door so the students can easily access them. In the red bin are the Reading Notebooks for my AM class, and in the blue bins are the Reading Notebooks for my PM class.
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Monthly Calendar
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Also near the front door is the Monthly Calendar. This calendar shows important events like early release days and resources. It matches the monthly calendar I send home at the beginning of the month.
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| The Sunshine State Standards we are covering (changes weekly) |
The standards we are covering for the week are posted behind the group work center. It shows the Sunshine State Standards we are working on. The Sunshine State Standards correlate to the FCAT 2.0 assessment the students take in April. Staying focused on the standards help us prepare for the FCAT.
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| The Classroom Library |
One of the most important areas of the classroom is the classroom library. This is where students can select books of their choosing to read during Silent Sustained Reading (SSR) everyday. The classroom library helps us meet the 25 book reading goal.
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Another view of the Classroom Library
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Above the classroom library is a poster display of the different genres of fiction.
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Reference Cart
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On the media cart next to the classroom library is our reference materials. We have 8 sets of encyclopedias for student research. They really come in handy when we write reports.
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| Text Features display and computers |
This display shows students the different types of text features they will see when they read non-fiction text. Understanding how non-fiction text works is key to comprehension of that type of text. Our classroom computers are also located in this area.
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| Types of Text Structure |
This display shows the different types of text structure. Understanding text structure also aids in understanding higher level text. We have already studied cause and effect in fiction.
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| Character reference wall |
This display shows different elements of character. There are different types of conflicts a character faces in a plot. We will also study how authors write rich, "rounded" characters and sometimes will have "flat", less developed characters. A reference to adjectives used in describing characters is also provided.
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| Teacher work table, set up for small reading groups. |
I don't have a desk in my classroom. I like the students to feel they have access to me at all times, and I rarely have time to sit a desk anyway :) This table is set up so I can work with a student independently or have a have several students for small group instruction.
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| 25 Book Goal charts |
Moving back towards the door, there is the 25 book goal display. This is updated every 4 weeks.
Well, that's pretty much it. I hope you enjoyed the tour. The only thing missing was THE MOST IMPORTANT PART of the room, the students!
