The Wizard is pointing to one of our favorite Back to School poems: Mary Had Some Bubble Gum! The Primary Family Information display stays up all year with the information changing as necessary. The jigsaw puzzle in the bottom right corner is a first week of school activity. Each student and teacher writes his name and decorates on puzzle piece. Extra pieces have words such as cooperation, friendship, honesty, and courtesy written on them. These words are brainstormed by the students as "words which hold us together as a Primary Family."
Visitors
Bulletin Boards and Displays
Classroom Set-up
most photographs are linked to larger images
This page was last updated: February 28, 2012
Chapter Champions and Wise Readers
Awards are given as students finish 100 pages of a chapter book.
Students also earn an award for completing a picture book.
First and Second Grade Meeting Area - Cohoes Catholic
The board on the left from top to bottom has:
school calendar of events, 100 chart to keep track of postcards received, commercial calendar used to discuss upcoming events or holidays, paper chart to track "how many days in school", calendar to add symbols/numbers to daily, wipe-off strips for daily calendar sentences and a wipe-off strip for today's number (1 hundred, 2 tens, 3 ones = 123 day of school)
On the chalkboard railing: cups to count straws for number of days in school
Above the board: statue, flag, beginning of our bookworm for read aloud books, two patriotic songs
Next to the board: pocket chart with today's/this week's poetry (in this photo the poem is being used for a Guess the Covered Word activity), the beginning of our word wall, the corner of our books borrowed poster (students check out books independently by signing out on an index card)
Poems are written on index cards by teacher and students and then shared. Not in the photo are the poetry posters created by students and surrounding the bulletin board on the wall and wires.
Birthday GumBall Machine
Birthdates are written on round stickers. Smile stickers were used to increase the number of gum balls. Previous year's birthdays are left in place to create a feeling of community.
Homework Routine
1. Pick-up planner, folder and homework notebook from bins.
2. Copy homework and daily messages from the board.
3. Pick-up homework and papers from your mailbox.
4. Pack to go home.
Two simple ways of keeping track of jobs. "Primary Crew"
Each week a new color crew works together to help out and keep our classroom organized.
"Miss Miller's Lifesavers" is a traditional one job, one person arrangement. Job titles are written on the back of lifesavers as a record of "who's had a turn."
A simple way of keeping track of books borrowed. Books are signed out on index cards.
Welcome to Our Classroom Board
Unit Vocabulary Board
First and Second Grade Morning Meeting Area - Cohoes Catholic
Tree changes according to the season. Fall leaves were added for student reading. Snowflakes were used in winter. In the spring we had "read aloud clouds". Leaves represented fictional student reading. Insects and birds were added as students read nonfiction books.
Display Student Work on Boards and Doors
In background: End of year Bookmark Awards made out of plastic canvas
Other Student Work displays on Other Bulletin Board pages
New St. Thomas Classroom photographs at the bottom! Still trying to organize the space!
View as you enter Grade 2
Side Next to Door Back Wall - Computer and Mailboxes 2005
Front Left of Classroom 2005 Front - Middle 2007
ST. THOMAS SECOND GRADE 2005
Back Wall - 2007 Science Corner
From Left: Center Shelves, Map for Flat Travels, All Eyes On Poster, Map for Travel Buddies, Food Pyramid, Frog Birthday Poster End: Butterfly BB, larvae, books, games
The Wizard is pointing to one of our favorite Back to School poems: Mary Had Some Bubble Gum! The Primary Family Information display stays up all year with the information changing as necessary. The jigsaw puzzle in the bottom right corner is a first week of school activity. Each student and teacher writes his name and decorates on puzzle piece. Extra pieces have words such as cooperation, friendship, honesty, and courtesy written on them. These words are brainstormed by the students as "words which hold us together as a Primary Family." 
