Lots and lots of books.....

Today my goal was my classroom library..... that is a big, big challenge, let me tell you! I have a TON of books thanks to my parents, my brother and half price books. Here was the mess:

 Scary right? (Ignore the Lying Game in the background... I have to pass the endless time somehow!) For the past two years I have organized my books by Lexile level. This year, I changed it up a bit. I decided that I wanted to organize by genre. I have read research that kids will be more happy to pick books to read by what they are interested in, so I organized my books by genre instead! Here is the result:

This will be the neatest it will be all year! I am going to give each kid a marker to leave in the box that they get their book out of... maybe it will stay a little neat? 

Updated To-Do list...

So here it is... the TO DO LIST:

paint all shelves and cubbies black

sew curtains

hang curtains

recover teacher chair

get rid of teacher desk

organize filing cabinets

organize library

buy & build more shelves

reconnect computers

organize computer area

organize teacher area

hang posters

paint PINK chalk board (oh yes! I'm excited!)

paint/hang new white board (I can't decide)

organize books

set student tables & drawers

I still have a lot to do!!! I am really looking forward to my room being all together!

SO... this happened today....

I am super excited to see if this works out!!! 

The white board paint was $20 at Home Depot and the Pink Chalkboard Paint was $14 also Home Depot... 

Updated To-Do list...

So here it is... the TO DO LIST:

paint all shelves and cubbies black

sew curtains

hang curtains

recover teacher chair

get rid of teacher desk

organize filing cabinets

organize library

buy & build more shelves

reconnect computers

organize computer area

organize teacher area

hang posters

paint PINK chalk board (oh yes! I'm excited!)

paint/hang new white board (I can't decide)

organize books

set student tables & drawers

School is closed next week because they are waxing the hallways.... that means it is just me and the sewing machine! I'm making curtains for my massive windows, a curtain to hide under the computers and a slip cover for my chairs. Who know what other Pinterest Projects will pop up next week as well! Last year I made my Pencil wreath. 

And so it begins....

It is amazing how Pinterest can fuel so much excitement for a classroom! I have been busy on there lately and cannot wait to get back into my room and transform it! I recently bought 5 yards of polka dot fabric to create curtains for my large windows and have acquired a new filing cabinet at school. Now all I have to do is get to it....
Here is what I walked into today:

(What are the second grade books doing in my room?? - they apparently got lost....)

This was WAY stressful! I didn't know where to begin! I just kind of stood there for a few minutes trying to remember what my room had looked like before this jumbled mess, but I am extremely grateful to Mr. Terry and Ms. Kathy for deep cleaning my room... just look how the floor sparkles! 

So here it is... the TO DO LIST:

paint all shelves and cubbies black

sew curtains

hang curtains

recover teacher chair

get rid of teacher desk

organize filing cabinets

organize library

buy & build more shelves

reconnect computers

organize computer area

organize teacher area

hang posters

paint PINK chalk board (oh yes! I'm excited!)

paint/hang new white board (I can't decide)

organize books

set student tables & drawers

I think that may be it....

OH YEAH... I'll need to plan too! :) I'm creating a planning/ teacher notebook for myself from all the great ideas I have been getting on Pinterest.... stay tuned, here's hoping August 14th doesn't come too fast.....