Classroom Focus Wall Updates!

Okay...worked and am now finished.  I will walk you through everything.  Hope it sparks some ideas or gives you a chance to leave a link to see your ideas.  My principal did do a walk through today and he said he felt my "big ideas" were well highlighted with support materials.

As a result I put together this writing center packet complete with a mini dictionary and words for posting for the twelve months of the year.  

This is my new writing center focus board and supporting materials.

From a little farther away you can see that the "big idea" this week is narrative writing.

Below are all the bins with materials for writng.  Our "story" bin focuses on narrative ideas.

Here is a little closer look at the bins.  There is...I can write a letter, I can write a list, I can write a caption, I can write a story(this weeks focus is narrative) and I can write a rhyme.  There are also two bins...one with graphic organizers and another for final drafts or published work.

With each type of writing there are ideas to write about.  They are colorful and provide the kiddos with lots of ideas.

Each week we will focus on a Guest Author and a Guest Illustrator from the class who will share their work on Friday.  You can see their pictures posted here.

Each student has a writing folder to keep their work in, record what they have accomplished, an edit sheet, and checklist.  It also has a mini dictionary for spelling.  The front cover says...My Writing Portfolio.

Posted in clear frames are vocabulary and then the qualities of a good writer.

I love the pocket chart because kiddos can take the words down to spell and then repost them.

We sometimes put them in ABC order and do Word Sorts.

I also purchased some mini staplers for kiddos to staple their books.

They are light and very easy for little hands to use.

Tomorrow I will post about my new word work center.

It is very similar to this writing center.

Because of the changes it meant changes to my reading and math boards as well!

By using the pocket charts the vocabulary and "big ideas" can change each week.

Glasses for special reading days.  I took the colored plastic out.

Fun pointers and my microphone.

The kiddos love these.