Day 5: Classroom Tour and Flexible Seating

On Day 5 my history classes talked about National History Day and social media, but I will discuss both of those in a different post.

Classroom Tour

Before we started any content I wanted to make sure that my students knew where to find things that they would need in our classroom.

I tried really hard this year to make the room feel less like a sterile environment and more like a homey living room. I compiled various decorations over the course of the summer that I thought fit a theme well and were warm, inviting colors.

The room is mainly blue and brown. There are touches of black, but I made sure to avoid using colors that were overwhelming. The blues, for example, are small touches of teal and mostly navy blue. I avoided primary colors like royal blue because they can be overwhelming in large quantities and I knew I would be using a lot of blue in the room. I haven't completely finished, as I am making curtains to cover up my exposed bookshelves. Right now it just looks cluttered and navy blue curtains can make it look more polished and homey.

My Magnet Collection

Most of the decorations consist of leftover wedding decorations, as I got married this last summer and didn't really know what to do with the decor afterward! I decided that the pallets could be places to display fun notes or student work, and I think that they really make a statement on an otherwise plain wall.

I put a few personal touches in the room as well, to show my personality and interests. I found that this helps start conversations with students and also just makes the room more personal and inviting.

I collect antique cameras, so they are all over the room.

"Due Dates" Display

In the past, I have also used picture frames with colorful backgrounds to post learning targets and the activity of the day, but that proved to be a lot of work every morning. Plus I was already posting the exact same thing on Google Classroom on a daily basis. I switched it up this year and instead kept the learning targets and activity of the day solely on Google Classroom and decided to post upcoming due dates on the wall as well as online. Using some sketchnoting skills that I learned this summer, I put together this board to display due dates. I used a chalk pen which doesn't wipe off unless you use water, so it stays very well when I erase other things on the board.

Coffee/Tea/Hot Chocolate Station

I also have a coffee station where students can use their GP (gold points in our class game) to purchase coffee, tea, or hot chocolate. I've found that this is a great incentive to earn XP in class, and due to a student's suggestion, I have decided to provide snacks for sale (only GP can buy them) as well.

Coffee Mugs - I don't let students use their own
or take these out of the room.
They can earn 5 GP back if they
wash the mug when they are finished.

Snacks for Sale!

I will post more about our classroom game in the future to further explain the point system.

Besides the classroom decor and showing students where to check on due dates, I showed them the inbox/outbox station and supply station.

There is one bin for each class.

Each label has the class and period.

Each of my classes has an inbox bin and outbox bin. I normally don't pass back papers, as students generally volunteer to earn XP. This frees me up to answer other questions, take attendance, etc. Each bin is labeled with the class name and period of the day so students know exactly where to turn in their work. I do not take work from students if they hand it to me. Instead, I point them to the inbox. This helps them get into the habit of turning items straight into the inbox. It also decreases the number of assignments that get misplaced, put into the wrong class folder, etc.

Supply Station (I haven't had time to finish printing my labels!)

The supply station is a table full of materials that are at my students' disposal. I allow them to use anything on the table, so they know where to look if they need supplies, and other supplies around the room are not used. I remind students to return items when they are done, as they are not to leave the room. This has eased up on student questions of "Can I borrow (item)?", as they know right where to find it and return it when done.

Flexible Seating

I also offer flexible seating options in my classroom. I only have 24 desks, though I have up to 28 students in one of my classes. I found a small kitchen table with four chairs at a rummage sale this summer and picked it up right away. The chair seats were all stained and dirty, but I recovered them with some fabric from a pair of curtains that I found at Goodwill.

This counter is for students
who want to work quietly
and invidually.

Comfy corner!

I also bought 5 stools from IKEA that I put under a counter on the edge of my classroom. I told my students that the only non-negotiable rule was that if a student is sitting at the counter, they are to remain silent, and no one is to talk to them. Basically, the counter is where students can sit when they want to work individually and focus on their work. Students don't use this option every day, but I have had a few students use it and other students were respectful of their wishes to work alone.

Lastly, I have a carpet on the floor and a bunch of pillows that students can use to sit comfortably on the floor. I also provided a bunch of clipboards and lap desks so students can write while sitting on the floor. Many students use this option and it really helps some of them focus.

Clipboards are available for students
who are not sitting in desks.

Pillows make sitting on the floor more comfy.
I also have lap desks available.

In the future, I would like to get some more seating options to make the space a bit more dynamic.


Curious about the other activities that I did in the First Week of School?

• Day 1: Teacher Quiz and Student-Made Class Guidelines
• Day 2: Movie Marquees and Google Classroom
• Day 3: Play-Doh, Classcraft, and Student Questionnaire
• Day 4: Marshmallow Team-Building
• Day 5: Classroom Tour and Flexible Seating