Too much Chevron.... Really???

Ok... so I'm in LOVE with Chevron.  I began making all sorts of chevron items... I tend to gravitate toward chevron pillows, rugs, fabric, clothing. {I admit I may be addicted}  So when I began putting up things in my classroom I had to STOP and look at things again.  I decided my Chevron alphabet was just TOO much!  AND I didn't like all the owls along the bottom.  I mean ~ WHAT!  Too much chevron, too many owls??? I just didn't think it was possible.  So I kept some chevron, added some different patterns with the same colors and I liked it SO much better.  I also took off all the owls but kept them ONLY on the vowels.  I'm thinking what a cute way to distinguish the vowels... they can be our Owl Vowels.  Or maybe Vowel Owl Pals.  Hmmm. Don't know yet but here is what the new version looks like:

It makes me wonder if I feel this way - will others also?  Should I change all my items to this?  If you have an opinion, I'd love to hear it!

I have changed my color scheme this year to the blues, greens and browns because first grade is getting new desks and chairs.  I am super excited but I knew I had to change from my colorful scheme because of our new chairs.  They are really bright but very nice.  Here is a pic:

So I started incorporating this color and took out all the pink and purple.  I am surprised at how well the aqua blue, navy blue and royal blue go together.  Here is a picture of my word wall and the banner I created to go above it:  

Don't mind the mess on the shelves.  I'm still sorting and organizing so I have piles everywhere :)

I had already laminated and cut out my word wall headers so they are gonna have to stay the same this year.  There's only so much time before school starts. 

I also found a new rug for my reading area.  I have to say that I love the factory seconds from Sensory Edge.  I know they are a bit more expensive but I have always purchased a $20 rug from Wal-Mart in the past and at the end of the year have to throw it away.  They just don't hold up.  But I splurged a little this year and hopefully it will last forever ;)

I wanted to give my reading area a little something so I added poms in my colors but instead of spreading them out... I hung them in a group over this area.  I've seen so many pictures on Pinterest and loved this idea!  How do you think it looks?

Again, please mind the mess on the back shelf.  My room isn't finished yet. 

I love these fabric boxes (I get them at Target).  They hold all my seasonal books.  I am thrilled I found some in different blues and added another brown and it really brings the color scheme together. I had to get rid of my purple, pink and orange from last year. 

I also came up with an idea for a title above my Literacy board.  I think it turned out very cute although the picture is not great.  I used blue chevron border and then decided too much... so I decided to layer it with the brown border and I think it looks much better.  However ~ I ran out! :( So have to run out and get another package!

Here's another picture that might be better but has an awful glare (I should invest in a digital camera):

I love using the animal strategies for reading.  My kiddos just seem to make connections as we learn each one and I leave put them on a bulletin board by my guided reading group area.  Last year the borders were all bright colors so this year I had to change them up a bit.  I like how they turned out and am in love with the mini poms on the corners. :)

I also use small caddies for my tables that hold crayons, glue, and markers for students to share.  I always match my caddies to the table color.  I had a bright blue and green already, I found a royal blue one (at Dollar General) but no such luck finding a brown. :( But I was able to find a gray and decided to use it at my brown table.  Hopefully, this will work out ok.  The label matches the table color so it should be. 

I love grouping my students into tables or pods.  Last year I used the paper circle fan decorations for my table signs.  This year I decided to go with lanterns and hang my table sign from the lantern.  Here is a picture which also gives you an overall feel of my room.  I am making new curtains for my windows so they are not hung yet and still have lots more organizing to do.  Our desks haven't arrived yet so still using our old ones until they get here (hopefully before school starts).

I have lots more to do but I can see it coming together.  I could spend hours looking at pictures of other teachers classrooms.  I believe it is important to walk in and feel at home since we spend so much time there during the school year.  I see so many awesome pictures and get inspired each time I see such beautiful, homey classrooms! Hope you have a fabulous week!

P.S. If you didn't notice - I also got a BLOG DESIGN MAKEOVER!  I love this color scheme so much I decided to make over my blog with these colors too.  I have to say thank you to The Cutest Blog on the Block for making such a great design!  

Permission to Pin!

Thanks to Laura Candler for creating the Permission to Pin post that explains Pinterests Terms.  I absolutely LOVE Pinterest and have included a button in my sidebar that means you have my permission to pin anything from my blog.  I also have a link in my sidebar if you would like to follow me on Pinterest.  This is a super quick post but hopefully if you haven't heard you can go to the above post and read all about it!

Happy Pinning!

Glitter Fun... and pinterest crafts!

It was time to break out the glitter and let's just say our room was one big SPARKLE!  Take a look at this mess!

Friday we finished up our projects we have been working on the last couple of weeks.  First I have to share this AWESOME book I found in the library!  It inspired the "If I Lived in a Snowglobe..." writing project.  My kids LOVED this book and it inspired some creative writing.

After we read the book, my first graders wrote about what it would be like if they lived in a snowglobe.  We used this writing paper.  Feel free to grab it, if you'd like.

After they wrote their stories, my students made their own snowglobe.  We used a special kind of snowy irridescent glitter that made them look real! 

We were so proud of these!  While the glitter was out, we used it to decorate some snowflakes to hang out in the hallway.  We had glitter on our faces, clothes, hair, E-V-E-R-Y-W-H-E-R-E!  How does that happen?  We tried to be so careful.  We listened to Christmas music and let the sparkle fly!

Here is a little pinterest inspired craft that I just HAD to try out.  I think they turned out adorable and they were all unique!  Did anyone else try these wreaths? My first graders did everything but staple them together.  I have had many compliments on these!

Some students put their first name and some put their last name! 

What is amazing is my first graders have been SO well behaved!  December first we made stockings from Construction paper and hung them by our cubbies with care.  I was able to contact Santa and ask him for a little favor.  Every night he sends a couple of elves to our classroom to check out our behavior chart.  All the boys and girls that are on green or above get a little something in their stocking.  On our last day of school (December 20th) my students get to take their stockings down and see what those elves have left them for being such good little boys and girls!  It's been difficult - but NO PEEKING is allowed.

Some items hang out the top...

Finally, here is what our hall looked like after we hung up our snowflakes, snowglobes and writing projects.  OH, and I almost forgot.  We made our names using cut out christmas lights (another pinterest inspiration!)

Here is a close up of our names in lights.



I just love this time of year!  We have a special parent guest coming this week to present a lesson about Hannakuh and we will make our parent gifts this week as well.  I will share those when they are finished.  I did the same thing last year and they turned out adorable.  I have lots of assessing to do this week, so I hope our behavior incentive continues to influence their choices.  Have a great week!