My Organizational Tips and Tricks for the Classroom
                            
                       
I LOVE organizing my classroom and making it look cute! I'm going to share with you some of my tips and tricks that I've used in the past. I believe that the more organized you can be at the beginning of the year, the rest of the year will be a whole heck of a lot easier to manage. I've also noticed that my students pick up on my organizational techniques and then they also want to be like that. So, it not only helps me, but it helps my students learn how to be neat and organized to help them be successful. 

                               My Classroom Library:
I have colored tubs from Lakeshore that I labeled with foam letters. I organize my books from A-Z and by genres. I also organize my back to school books together on the book stand.  The students use the A-O tubs during reader's workshop and the genre tubs during center time.  If you are interested in checking out my Reader's Workshop Mini-Lessons, click here

If you're interested in my genre posters above my library, click here

                         My Classroom Carpet Area:
I organize my read aloud/carpet area with an easel on one side, author's chair in the middle, and big book stand on the other side. On my big book stand, I have my anchor charts. On my easel, I have poems, expo markers, and pocket charts. Under my chair I keep my writer's workshop folders in a tub, markers, highlighters, oops tape, popsicle sticks with the student's numbers, pencils and sharpies. This way I can grab the supplies that I need immediately instead of having to get up and waste time finding my supplies. I use all of these supplies daily for anchor charts, interactive writing, calling on students and illustrating. When you are on a schedule, it helps to have everything handy and ready to go! This is one of my favorite places in my classroom...because this is where the magic happens! 

Author's Chair

These are my math work station tubs. I have them numbered from 1-8. I chose to keep them open at the top so I can easily take the materials out and put new ones in without having to open lids. I teach my students to organize these tubs before putting them away and I reward them with bonus bucks if they have the most organized tub. They love this and math workstations is one of their favorite time of the day. If you notice to the side, I have my math rotation board with the student's numbers on one side and the tub number on the other side. I rotate these numbers daily. I will go into more info about these later. If you are interested in checking out one of my math workstation games and activities for the beginning of the year, click here

This is how I organize my math games mats for guided math: 

This is how I organize my mentor texts: I have tubs that are labeled Reader's Workshop, Writer's Workshop and Math Workshop. Inside the tubs I have hanging files that are separated into skills. So, for Reader's Workshop, I have them separated into: Synonyms, Cause and Effect, Main Idea, Learning to Read...etc.
For Writer's Workshop I have the books separated into: Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives, Learning to Write.... etc.
For Math Workshop I have them separated into: Money, Place Value, Addition, Subtraction, Geometry... etc.
This is VERY helpful if I need to find a mentor text fast or if another teacher comes and asks me to borrow a book.  This method has saved me tons of time searching for books! If you're interested in checking out my Reader's Workshop mentor text list by genre and skill, click here If you're interested in checking out my Writer's Workshop mentor text list by genre and skill, click here

Mentor Text Organization

This is how I organize my writer's workshop papers. I got this awesome banker's box from Office Depot and it helps tremendously. I have each slot numbered with each paper the students need for writer's workshop. Whatever paper they need, I just tell them to get paper number 1 to 19, and they just know to look for the number without having to read. This really helps at the beginning of the year when not all my students can read well yet. I just LOVE this shelf! It has really helped with writer's workshop. If you are interested in checking out my Writer's Workshop Mini-Lessons, click here

Writer's Workshop Organization

                                        Guided Reading Baskets
This is how I organize my guided reading baskets. I have 5 groups that I meet with weekly. 
Turquoise: low
Tangerine: low middle
Magenta: middle
Violet: high middle
Jade: high 

This is how I organize my "I CAN" statements. I made these blank posters and laminated them so I can just erase the old statements with a tissue and write the new ones with an EXPO marker. I have them separated into subjects: Reading, Writing, Spelling, Math, Science and Social Studies. It also helps me stay on track with the skills and objectives that I need to cover for the week. 
If you are interested in these posters, you can click: here

"I CAN" Posters

This is how I organize my cubbies. Each student has a colored browsing box filled with books they have colored and put together. These tubs were ice boxes that I spray painted. I put a foam numbers and rainbow duct tape on the front of the box. The students know when they put the box away to make sure the number is on the outside. My students know that they can use their browsing box when they get finished early and need something else to do while they are waiting for everyone else to finish an assignment. This helps with them asking "What do I do now?" Also inside the cubbies I have their math tool box, clipboard, white board, and study carol. 

Cubbies with Browsing Boxes

This is how I organize my supplies at my guided reading table. I made a spinning caddie with materials from Hobby Lobby. I glued the pink plate onto a lazy susan, then glued the colored pails onto the pink plate. I separated my markers, pens, scissors, highlighters, pencils and sharpies. This comes in handy during guided reading and writer's workshop. I have all my supplies handy and the best part...it spins! 

Spinning Supply Caddie

This is how I organize my thematic units. I made cute cover pages for each one and separated them into binders. I have a big wardrobe closet that I keep all of my binders in. This helps me just grab the binder that I need to plan the upcoming unit.
If you are interested in checking out my thematic unit cover pages, click here

Thematic Unit Cover Pages

This is how I organize my published books for writer's workshop. I got magnetic pockets from Lakeshore and they work amazingly! Every time one of my students publish a book, they are displayed on this wall. They LOVE to see their work of art! 

Publishing Wall

This is how I organize my literacy and math rotation schedule. I rotate my math stations daily and the literacy centers weekly. The students can look at their magic number on the cards to see which tub or centers they will be going to that day or week. This also saves me time and headache. If you're interested in checking out my literacy center resource with I CAN cards, center templates and how to launch them at the beginning of the year, you can click  here You can also check out my You Tube video explaining what each picture is here

Classroom Centers and Math Workstations
Here are some of my favorite centers and how I organize them: 

Writing Center
If you're interested in checking out my writing center resource, click here. It includes templates and "I CAN" posters for: shape books, poetry, making a list, letter writing, postcards, my sticker story, my favorite holiday, my favorite letter of the alphabet, tiny moments and writing a how to story. You can also watch my You Tube video of my writing center: here

Theme, and Museum Centers

Science Center

Author Study

If you're interested in checking out my resource for a Kevin Henkes author study, click here

Poetry Center

If you are interested in checking out my Focus Poetry resource that includes poems and interactive notebook activities for every month and holiday, click here

Big Books, Geography and Finger Puppet Centers


This is how I organize my word wall area. I put it at eye level so when the students sit on the carpet, they can see it clearly! I use small clothes pins to put the words on the ribbons. I used black chevron ribbon and stapled them to the ABC circles. The students LOVE to help me put the words on here. If you are interested in checking out my word wall resource, it has the ABC circle cards and the first grade sight words with assessments. Click here

Word Wall 

Student Community Supples
This is how I organize my student's community supplies on their desks. I have glue, highlighters, small diaries, a mini broom, pencils, silver sharpies and hand sanitizer. 

Students' Materials and Supply Boxes
This is how I organize my students' supplies. I zip tied two crates together. Each student has a basket with all of their notebooks, folders and incomplete work. Their crayon box is also kept in the crate. The basket you see at the top of the crate is for work that gets turned in every day. 

Teacher Organization for Materials and Supplies
This is how I organize my weekly copies, mentor texts and supplies. I can find everything that I need quickly! 

This was my classroom on the first day of school. I hope you got some great ideas about organizing your own classroom for the fall! 

First day of school

Have an amazing school year! Happy Teaching!
Love,
Kara