classroom tour ideas

44 Captivating Virtual Field Trips to Explore from The Classroom

Virtual field trips are a great alternative to traditional field trips when obstacles such as budget or scheduling prevent in-person experiences. They also provide access to educational opportunities across the globe and throughout history, without the need for fundraising or permission slips.

You can also consider using a virtual field trip as a reward for good behavior for your students. Whatever the case, there are numerous tours and trips that are simply outstanding and captivating.

How do virtual field trips work?

Virtual field trips are a type of digital experience that enables students to explore different places, events, or experiences without having to physically leave their classrooms. These trips use technology to create an interactive and immersive learning environment.

Typically, in order to take part in a virtual field trip, you will need certain tech on hand:

• A computer and ideally as smart whiteboard in class. It’s best if students have their own tablets or computers. But this can be done with one large projector.
• Stable internet connection.
• Speakers for good audio in class. We love and suggest the Anker Soundcore speaker .
• Optional VR headset. Some tours are compatible with VR and provide an immersive experience.

You can use virtual field trips to boost learning outcomes by connecting them with particular lessons, units, or topics in the curriculum. To reinforce the ideas explored throughout the virtual experience, create follow-up activities or assignments.

The best virtual field trips for students

With that out of the way, here are Teach and GO’s top choices for virtual field trips:

The Vatican Museums Virtual Tour

Explore the extensive collection of art at the Vatican Museums and discover iconic sites like the Sistine Chapel. Discover masterpieces from the Renaissance period and take in the beauty of Raphael’s Rooms. You can also visit St. Peter’s Basilica.

Ellis Island Virtual Tour

Explore Ellis Island and discover the immigration procedure and the experiences of those who went through this important entrance to America. Ellis Island is one of the most important sites in American history. It was the main port of entry for millions of immigrants from 1892 to 1954.

Machu Picchu Virtual Tour

Explore Machu Picchu, the ancient Inca city nestled in the Andes Mountains of Peru, through a virtual hike. Begin with a scenic hike to the Sun Gate, where you will get an unforgettable view of Machu Picchu from the top.

The National Gallery of Art Virtual Tour

You should visit the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. There you can discover a wide range of art pieces, including paintings, sculptures, and other works of art. The museum features both permanent and temporary exhibitions, offering visitors the chance to learn about a variety of artists, cultures, and time periods.

Anne Frank House Virtual Tour

Explore the secret annex where Anne Frank and her family concealed themselves during World War II and gain understanding of their experiences. Take a tour of the museum, then view original artifacts from Anne’s time in hiding. Learn about her journaling and other writings.

The Great Barrier Reef Virtual Tour

Explore the vibrant marine life and ecological importance of the Great Barrier Reef, which is the world’s largest coral reef system. Dive in to find out more of the spectacular array of coral and marine life in this diverse and vibrant ecosystem.

Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) Virtual Tour

Visit the Museum of Modern Art to see their extensive collection of modern and contemporary art, which includes pieces by well-known artists. From there, take a stroll through Central Park to appreciate its lush greenery and peaceful atmosphere.

Acropolis Museum Virtual Tour

You can explore ancient artifacts and sculptures from the Acropolis site by visiting the Acropolis Museum in Athens, Greece. The museum features a variety of exhibits ranging from ancient Greek culture to the modern era.

Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum Virtual Tour

Take a virtual tour of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum and discover the fascinating world of aviation and space exploration. Explore the incredible history of aviation and space exploration through interactive exhibits, hands-on activities, educational resources, and 3D models.

The Museum of Natural History Virtual Tour

Visit the American Museum of Natural History to see displays featuring dinosaurs, fossils, human evolution, and other subjects. Browse the galleries to learn about cultures and civilizations around the world, from ancient Egypt to modern India.

Palace of Versailles Virtual Tour

Experience a virtual tour of the Palace of Versailles in France, which includes its magnificent gardens and luxurious interiors. Explore the Hall of Mirrors, the Pyramids Room, and other historically significant rooms. Learn about the works of art that are housed in this breathtaking palace.

The National Aquarium Virtual Tour

Experience a virtual tour of the National Aquarium and explore diverse marine life in their natural habitats. Get an up-close look at the many species of fish, sharks, reptiles and amphibians that live under the sea.

National Museum of African American History and Culture Virtual Tour

Visit the Smithsonian museum to discover the exhibits and learn about the history and contributions of African Americans. Explore the National Museum of African American History and Culture, where you can learn about the African American experience through interactive exhibits and displays.

The Colosseum Virtual Tour

Discover the captivating history and impressive architecture of the ancient amphitheater by exploring the Colosseum, an iconic destination in Rome, Italy. Begin your visit with a guided tour inside the Colosseum, where you’ll find information about its construction and bloody past.

Galapagos Islands Virtual Tour

Experience and learn about the distinctive plant and animal life of the Galapagos Islands through interactive virtual activities. From listening to the songs of the endemic Galapagos mockingbird or exploring the archipelago’s unique lava landscapes, you can discover what this beautiful area of the world has to offer.

Galapagos National Park Virtual Tour

Experience the diverse wildlife of the Galápagos Islands by taking a virtual tour through its unique ecosystems. From the mangrove forests of Isabela Island to the dry landscapes of Santiago Island, you can explore each island’s natural habitat.

The National Museum of China Virtual Tour

You should go to the National Museum of China in Beijing to learn about the rich cultural and historical heritage of the country. Explore the various galleries and exhibitions that showcase artifacts from ancient dynasties, and get a glimpse into China’s past.

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum Virtual Tour

Explore the historical events that led to the atomic bombing of Hiroshima, as well as its impact on peace and world history. Learn about the complex decisions behind the bombing and its long-term consequences. Discover how this event shaped international relations, nuclear policy, and affected human lives.

Grand Canyon Virtual Tour

Experience a virtual tour of the stunning landscapes of Grand Canyon National Park. Take a journey through the breathtaking views of the canyons, rock formations, and colorful sandstone walls and Explore the fascinating history of this National Park.

The Pyramids of Giza Virtual Tour

Discover the secrets of the pharaohs as you visit the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt, one of the world’s oldest wonders. Explore the tombs of kings and queens, admire the unique architecture, and learn about their fascinating history.

California Academy of Sciences Virtual Tour

Explore interactive exhibits about science, nature, and the environment at the California Academy of Sciences. From the four-story rainforest dome to live animal encounters, you can find something to explore for visitors of all ages.

Getty Museum Virtual Tour

You should visit the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, California to see their famous collection of art and antiquities. The Getty Museum was founded in 1954 and is one of the largest museums of art in the United States.

The Hermitage Museum Virtual Tour

Visit impressive Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia, and appreciate its vast collection of artwork. Admire the works of Italian, Dutch, Spanish and French masters, including Rembrandt, Rubens, Van Dyck, Monet and others.

African Safari Virtual Tour

Experience a virtual safari and observe diverse wildlife. From the comfort of your classroom, you can take a trip to Africa and explore its stunning landscapes.

The Louvre Museum Virtual Tour

Visit the famous Louvre Museum in Paris, France to see its vast collection of art and historical artifacts. Explore the world-famous galleries and see some of the most famous works in history, including the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and Michelangelo.

The Great Wall of China Virtual Tour

Experience the breathtaking views and rich history of the iconic Great Wall of China by taking a virtual walk. With so much to take in, your virtual journey will be full of surprises and unforgettable moments.

National Park Virtual Tours

Students can explore the natural wonders and unique ecosystems of national parks such as Yosemite National Park and Yellowstone National Park through virtual tours.

NASA’s Langley Research Center Virtual Tour

Learn about the pioneering aeronautical and aerospace research conducted at NASA’s Langley Research Center. Explore the history of Langley’s groundbreaking achievements in aviation and space exploration, from its earliest days as the first civilian aeronautics research center.

The British Museum Virtual Tour

Explore the extensive assortment of art and artifacts from various civilizations and historical epochs by visiting the British Museum in London, UK.

San Diego Zoo Virtual Field Trips

The San Diego Zoo offers virtual field trips that allow students to watch live animal cams, discover various species, and participate in interactive activities.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art Virtual Tour

Explore the extensive collection of artworks spanning various cultures and centuries at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, USA through its virtual tour.

The International Space Station Virtual Tour

Explore the International Space Station (ISS) through a virtual tour and discover more about the experiments and daily life of astronauts in space. Learn about the unique opportunities and challenges of living in a microgravity environment through videos, interactive media, and more.

Google Arts & Culture – Perfect for students

Google Arts & Culture allows you to explore virtual tours and exhibits of a variety of museums, historical landmarks, and cultural sites from all around the world. With interactive experiences, videos, and photos, you can explore different cultures and learn more about their history.

In addition to virtual tours and exhibitions, Google Arts & Culture also provides educational materials such as articles, informative videos, and activities for kids to help them engage with the material.

Best virtual tours for students – Conclusion

Virtual tours can provide a great way for students to get an authentic view of what their day-to-day lives may look like in different places around the world. Whether it be a casual look at campus life or something more structured and technical such as science labs, virtual tours have the power to bring the sights and sounds of faraway locations right into your living room.

From national parks to foreign universities to cultural attractions, there’s truly something for everyone. With these amazing websites, you’ll always have access to exciting new adventures from around the globe.

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The 22 Ultimate Virtual Field Trips & Tours for Students

Written by Maria Kampen

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What is a virtual tour and how does it work?

Technology powering virtual field trips for students, 22 best virtual field trips for students, how to incorporate virtual tours into learning activities.

Imagine taking your entire class to see one of the seven wonders of the world up close and personal — and then being back at school before the final bell rings. 

The rise of online learning activities during the pandemic accelerated the availability of virtual field trips , tours and experiences for students of all ages. Now there are many interactive virtual tours available to places that would be impossible to reach on a class trip — the pyramids in Egypt, the Louvre museum in Paris or even an African safari.

We put together a list of 22 unforgettable virtual field trips and experiences that will help your students see amazing sights, connect their learning to real-world experiences and expand their horizons.

Virtual tours allow students to explore noteworthy places around the world, from the comfort of their home or the classroom. 

Virtual tours give students the opportunity to stop, explore and guide learning at their own pace. While they’re exploring, they can get up close to nature or artifacts that might not otherwise be easily accessible. 

Virtual tours can be many different things, including:

• A live webcam of a zoo or animal habitat
• A 360 degree view of a location you can manipulate
• Pictures enriched with helpful information and diagrams

Even ten or fifteen years ago, video tours would have been rare or impossible. Advancements in technology and education have combined to help people learn and explore from anywhere!

• National Geographic creates TV series about nature, history and archaeology
• Food shows like Netflix’s Salt Fat Acid Heat take viewers on food journeys across the world
• Planet Earth , a television series, brings far-flung locations to your living room or classroom
• Discovery Education gives educators access to multimedia resources that supplement classroom learning
• Video conferencing technology like Zoom lets you connect with people and learning experiences around the world

We love being able to sit at home or in the classroom and learn about different foods, cultures and geography. Why not introduce that to your students?

1. Take a trip to the zoo

Whether it’s live webcams of adorable pandas or behind-the-scenes tours with zookeepers, zoos all over the world offer ways for animal antics to delight and entertain your students. 

Some of our favorites include:

• Edinburgh Zoo’s Panda Cam
• Georgia Aquarium’s Beluga Whale Livestream
• The Smithsonian National Zoo’s Naked Mole-rat Cam
• A live feed of African river wildlife in Laikipia County, Kenya
• The San Diego Zoo Live Ape Cam , or any of their other live animal feeds
• Home Safari videos from the Cincinnati Zoo, where zookeepers introduce you to the hundreds of animals that make the zoo their home.

2. Visit The Hidden Worlds of National Parks

From Yosemite to Mesa Verde, explore some of the USA’s most beloved and beautiful national parks with The Hidden World of National Parks .  

Supported by Google Arts & Culture , students can use the same technology that powers Street View to explore the national parks at their own pace. 

The program also includes guided tours from park rangers, where they share their expertise as you explore. Follow the on-screen prompts and let them guide your adventure!

3. Watch the Monterey Bay Aquarium Sea Otters

Play with the sea otters as they swim around Monterey Bay Aquarium in California! Tune in throughout the day to see them being fed, learn fun facts about otters and watch them play in the water. 

If you’d like to check out some other aquarium-related channels, Monterey Bay Aquarium also offers Open Sea or Kelp Forest live streams.

4. Swim through Palau coral reefs

Travel to the Pacific Ocean through a virtual adventure and see the Palau coral reefs . Hosted by Nature Lab and the Nature Conservancy, this tour teaches students about the importance of preserving some of the most fragile ecosystems in the world — no wetsuit required. 

Take learning to the next level with the Nature Lab’s Teacher’s Guide , which includes discussion questions and related resources to keep learners engaged. 

5. Visit the surface of Mars

It took the Perseverance rover about seven months to get to Mars. But thanks to this virtual tour , you and your students can go for a visit in just one afternoon. 

Created by Google and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, this virtual tour takes you through the history of Mars explorations and turns what might be a far-flung topic into something right at students’ fingertips. They’ll explore the surface of Mars, learn more about the rovers that have studied its surface and understand how Mars exploration fits into the history of space travel.

6. Power up with renewable energy

Powering the Planet from the Nature Conservancy is an interactive lesson that focuses on renewable energy sources. It explains to students how energy around them is necessary for life, and covers how energy can be sourced in a way that’s not harmful to the environment.

All the Nature Conservancy’s programs come with a Teacher Guide , which offers lesson plans and activities relating to the virtual tour. 

7. Walk the Great Wall of China

The Great Wall of China is over 13,000 miles long, so be sure to pack your walking shoes for this trip!

This virtual tour lets students explore key points in the Great Wall of China, plus see the history and amazing view up close.

8. Float around the International Space Station

Did you know that astronauts have continuously inhabited the International Space Station for 20 years? Now your class can join them!

With tours of the different parts of the space station, facts about the layout and assembly, and information about the different astronauts who’ve visited from around the world, students can get an out-of-this-world experience from the comfort of their home or classroom. 

Plus, there are plenty of images, videos, graphics and media resources to help you tie topics into your curriculum.

9. Scuba dive in the Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef is a delicate ecosystem especially vulnerable to the effects of pollution and climate change. 

David Attenborough’s Great Barrier Reef is a tour created in partnership with the Natural History Museum in London that teaches everyone about the beauty and fragility of one of the world’s greatest natural wonders. 

The Great Barrier Reef is also available on Google Street View through Google Maps as one of the first underwater locations to be mapped. 

10. Learn about water and Colombia’s páramo ecosystem

Just outside of Bogotá, Columbia, is one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world. In this virtual lesson, students will learn about how the water cycle plays a vital role in biodiversity, and get an up-close look at the animals that call the area home. 

Use the accompanying Teacher Guide to help students discuss the topic and stay engaged with the lesson. And check out the rest of the Nature Lab's YouTube channel for even more virtual experiences.

11. Tour the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History

The Smithsonian Institute is the world’s largest museum — so there are plenty of things for students to explore. 

With a variety of virtual tours to choose from, the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History is full of ways to get students excited about learning. Students can watch narrated tours of different exhibits ranging from history and geography to the research stations in the museum. 

Whether students want to walk through the museum on their own or let someone else do the talking, there’s something for every lesson.

12. Get caught up in the American Revolution

History meets the present at the Museum of the American Revolution ! 

This virtual tour lets students see artifacts, meet museum staff and hear stories of real people who fought for American independence.

It also comes with a Classroom Ki t for 2nd to 8th grade that supplements learning and makes it even more meaningful. 

13. Trek up Mt. Everest

This 360 degree video from National Geographic lets students explore Mt. Everest along with a group of researchers. Together, they’ll discover what kind of effects climate change has on the mountain, and how we can work to preserve natural landscapes. 

Not up for climbing mountains? Take a virtual ride on Expedition Everest , the tallest rollercoaster in any Disney park! But beware — there’s a monster lurking in the dark.

14. Get the right angle with Explore Geometry

Powered by Nearpod, Explore Geometry ’s lesson plans connect classroom lessons with architecture in the natural world.

Students can explore the gardens of Versailles to learn about the geometry of a French garden before moving on to the next lesson and putting their skills to practical use.

15. Wander through the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City

One of the most well-known museums in the world, students can now explore The Met’s vast collections with the Met 360º Project .

Virtual tours help students get a sense of the space, art and collections inside of the museum. Whether they’re interested in the Met Cloisters or the Arms and Armor gallery, students can go at their own pace, accompanied by a soothing soundtrack. 

You can also book virtual tours with a museum guide to line up with your lesson plan. Tours are free for NYC public schools and all Title I schools, and $200 USD per class for other schools.

16. Explore history in the British Museum

Another world-class museum, students can explore the British Museum in London using Google Street View, read facts about the artifacts and connect what they see to their history lessons. 

Whether it’s the Rosetta Stone, the Elgin Marbles, Egyptian sculpture or any other historical treasure, there’s something every student will find interesting!

If you want to let someone else do the exploring, there’s also a 46-minute virtual walking tour , where you can skip to the sections that are most relevant to you and your class. 

17. Visit the White House

In Washington, D.C. the White House is the symbolic heart of America, and now students can walk the halls for themselves. 

Whether they want to take a lap around the Oval Office or wander the building, students can explore this virtual tour from the White House Historical Association . Plus, it comes with class tie-ins like vocabulary lessons and other activities to make the experience even more memorable! 

18. Arrive at Ellis Island

Ever wonder what it was like for new immigrants to see the Statue of Liberty and step foot on American soil for the first time?

Now students can experience it for themselves with this virtual tour , a collaboration between Scholastic and the National Park Service. They’ll learn the importance of immigration in the history of the United States and hear real-life stories about the people who came looking for a better life. 

After students watch the video, they can click through this interactive map with facts and stories about the people who came through Ellis Island. 

19. Explore China's forests

In this online tour, students can explore the natural habitats of pandas in the forests of China . They’ll discover how the panda’s home plays a role in understanding our world, learn about local conservation efforts and see the big-picture view of how these vast forests fit into our understanding of nature and climate change. 

Plus, this program also comes with a handy Teacher Guide for you to use in lesson planning!

20. Bundle up in the Arctic tundra

Take a virtual field trip all the way up north to the tundra! Discovery Education’s tundra programs for elementary, middle and high school students cover the natural habitat of polar bears, plus their activities and migration patterns.

This virtual tour comes with instructional activities and classroom tie-ins, so you can be sure students are getting a productive learning experience.

21. Go spelunking in the world's largest cave

Travel through Vietnam’s Son Doong, the world’s largest cave . First explored by researchers in 2009, this cave is up to 200 meters tall in some areas and even has its own jungle inside. 

It’s estimated that the total length of the cave system is over 200 kilometers, and with this National Geographic tour students can explore to their heart’s content. High definition pictures and helpful facts mean that not only is this an awe-inspiring trip for students, but it’s also educational! 

Because the cave is ecologically sensitive, only a certain number of tourists are allowed to visit each year. This virtual tour is a great way for kids and adults to experience the wonder up close!

22. Browse the Louvre

Take your students on a quick trip to Paris where you can explore the architecture and art of the Louvre without the crowds. 

Plus, the Louvre also offers Louvre Kids , as well as a Mona Lisa Beyond the Glass virtual app experience where users can learn how Leonardo da Vinci created his most well-known masterpiece.

From kindergarten to high school, virtual field trips are a great way to get students excited about learning. And if you’re homeschooling , they’re the perfect way to get real-world experience without leaving the house!

To get the most out of the experience, keep these tips in mind:

• Ask students what they’re interested in exploring 
• Look for virtual experiences that fit into your lesson plan for maximum impact
• Search for supplementary resources like teacher guides and discussion questions
• Try out the virtual tour first to make sure it’s worth it and to avoid any unpleasant technical glitches
• Use virtual field trips at the beginning of a unit to introduce students to new concepts, or at the end as a reward and wrap-up activity

Be sure to follow up with students and see what they liked the most. Then, harness that excitement for your next lesson or activity! 

Prodigy Math Game is an adaptive math platform where students can explore a world filled with adventure, excitement and rewards — all for practicing math! While they’re having a blast answering questions and completing epic quests, Prodigy’s free teacher tools help you align their learning to your classroom lessons. 

Sign up for your free teacher account today!

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6 Free Resources for Virtual Field Trips

Teachers can use panoramic photos and videos of locations all around the world to make lessons more engaging.

How can you take students around the world without moving very far? If you haven’t yet, it’s worth trying virtual field trips and excursions. Now more than ever, these resources allow students to experience spaces they might not otherwise get to see, and there are many ways to introduce them to students as they explore a topic.

Virtual field trips can help students explore a new space, build vocabulary and background knowledge, and expand their world view. Whether you want to explore the setting of a novel, introduce a place-based math problem, or make connections to current events, virtual field trips can expand upon traditional lessons in many ways. One of the reasons I love them so much is that they allow students to view a space that piques their curiosity and provides context for their learning.

The term virtual field trip can be used to describe not just 360 degree photos and videos but also the live interactions and video conferences you might set up with a subject matter expert like an author or museum docent. Flipgrid (one of my favorite tools) hosts a handful of these types of virtual field trips .

6 Ways to Set Up Virtual Field Trips

The list of free virtual field trip resources here is adapted from my ISTE Live presentation in December 2020. Students can access these resources without logging into a new website—teachers can post the link to a 360 degree panoramic image or interactive experience in a platform students already use, making it easy for them to access in both traditional classroom settings and at home.

1. AirPano : This site includes 360 degree videos and images from around the world. You aren’t required to create an account—you can just jump in and start searching. When you’re ready to share with students, there is a link you can copy and paste or an embed option if you’re adding a widget to a site of resources. If you’re looking for international locations, AirPano is a great choice for exploring outdoor spaces, including Machu Picchu in the daytime, or the northern lights at night.

2. Google Maps Treks : In combination with Google Maps and Earth, Treks organizes content in an easy-to-navigate way. There are Treks for places around the globe, including the U.S. and Canada, Egypt, Nepal, and India. Each one has information and videos for students to explore.

3. National Geographic : National Geographic’s YouTube channel transports students all over the world to learn about different cultures, foods, animals, and more. Have students press play on the video, and as the video begins, they can use their cursor or trackpad to spin the video in different directions. They can tap on one part of the screen to move the video back and forth as they learn about a new place.

4. Nearpod : Known as an interactive presentation tool, Nearpod has virtual reality content built into its platform in the form of 360 degree panoramic views, which can be used as a great pre-reading strategy to introduce a new book or spark discussion about a social studies or science topic. To use these interactive experiences with your students, insert them into any Nearpod lesson in the same way you would add a slide or poll. (Please note: Nearpod also offers a paid plan with additional amenities.)

5. 360Cities : This collection of stock 360 degree images has lots of user-uploaded resources. There is a special school version that allows you to introduce students to more dynamic learning experiences; it has features such as a guided tour creator.

6. Google Arts and Culture :  This tool has a variety of high-quality content, including interactive views that let students walk through notable spaces such as museums and explore examples of beautiful architecture like the Alhambra in Spain. You can let students know that this resource is mobile-responsive in addition to working on a web browser—they can access the content on a smartphone or tablet, or their Chromebook or laptop.

Engaging Students With Guided Questions

Set a purpose for students as they explore these resources by using prompts to guide their excursions. Potential prompts include:

• What do you think the weather is like in this place?
• How do you think someone captured this moment?
• What might be missing from this shot?

I’ve put together more prompts here .

If building student vocabulary is a primary goal of introducing virtual field trips to your students, you can point out different objects in the panoramic views or ask students to find certain features. For example, imagine students are learning about geological features and you take them on a virtual field trip to Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. Together you can discuss vocabulary like crater , steam vent , and igneous rocks .

When sharing with students, include a prompt or question and post the link and task into a space they already have access to, such as Google Classroom, Seesaw, or Schoology. If you’re sharing a list of resources for students, colleagues, or families that includes some of these virtual excursions, you might curate a list of favorites using a tool like Google Sites, Spark Page, or Microsoft Sway.

National Geographic Education Blog

Bring the spirit of exploration to your classroom.

Virtual Tours Are Taking Off. Here’s How to Integrate Them Into Your Teaching

Educator James Fester wrote this post.

It is said that every place tells one story better than any other place.

As a volunteer educator at Angel Island State Park in San Francisco, I came to appreciate this more deeply. I was lucky to have such an excellent teaching environment. The park, which covers an island in the middle of San Francisco Bay, tells a multilayered story. It has been the site of Indigenous settlements, Civil War fortifications, World War II embarkation facilities, and the U.S.’s main West Coast immigration station from 1910 to 1940. The visitors who participated in my program were surrounded by an environment full of resources that I could leverage to illustrate my points and that they could explore to fulfill their own curiosity. I’d always wished I could duplicate in my classroom the kind of learning that took place in the park.

Fortunately, California State Parks developed the PORTS Home Learning Programs , which provide distance learning to students across the state. The creation of a virtual tour took this concept a step further, allowing students to explore parts of Angel Island on their own.

These resources weren’t unique to Angel Island, with many other parks and museums creating their own virtual experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic for learners of all sorts to use. Educational sites and organizations that previously catered to visiting student groups were forced to close down, but like classroom educators, they didn’t give up. Rather, they began rapidly adapting to distance learning, and the result was an explosion in virtual tours.

As a park volunteer, I saw this occur firsthand. The same pivoting that occurred in thousands of classrooms also happened at parks, zoos, museums, and aquariums across the United States, and the result was a rapid increase in interactive and virtual experiences that engaged students and promoted deeper thinking.

These kinds of resources aren’t backed up just by anecdotal evidence. Multiple studies have shown that the inclusion of virtual tours and trips in curriculum increases reading comprehension , helps promote global awareness among isolated or rural populations , and can be used to effectively engage and reduce dropout rates for at-risk populations of students .

However, even the fanciest website, with all sorts of interactive buttons, isn’t automatically a valuable learning experience. It is just a resource unless you pair it with a method. The tour needs to be supported by a framework that encourages the kinds of exploratory activities that give learners the opportunity to find and construct their own answers.

Creating activities that both incorporate virtual exploration and connect to the National Geographic Learning Framework can be done in a lot of different ways. Here are a few:

• Similar to exploring a physical environment, exploring a virtual environment requires observation. For example, students learning about differences between how people live today and how people lived long ago might take this 3D tour of Hampton National Historic Site. They could record their observations in a Venn diagram or share them during an all-class discussion.
• Students can be given a question or inquiry challenge, then can collaborate in pairs or small groups, discussing what they are learning as they navigate through an experience. For example, students can use this interactive tour of Carlsbad Caverns to learn about the site’s complex cave ecosystems, then get into small groups to construct annotated diagrams of ecosystem features based on what they learned.
• Virtual tours help promote awareness of distant cultural resources and natural wonders. Without virtual tours, archeological marvels like Mesa Verde National Park were inaccessible to millions and millions of people. Now, through platforms like YouVisit , global audiences can experience this place and hopefully turn that awareness into empathy for its protection and preservation.
• When virtual exploration is structured along inquiry-based lines, student curiosity becomes the driver, allowing for choice and interest to guide learning. Using a broad, open-ended question like “How do monuments communicate meaning?” and allowing students choice as they explore memorials and monuments helps them learn how sculpture and symbolism convey meaning. 3D models of locations like the Lincoln Memorial and Mount Rushmore help students stay engaged and investigate more deeply.

These great resources will get you started teaching with virtual tours:

• Google Arts & Culture has an extensive collection of resources you can use to create immersive virtual experiences for students interested in exploring the natural and cultural wonders preserved by the National Park Service!
• CyArk is a fantastic site that includes amazing virtual tours that are navigable and narrated, as well as terrific 3D models that are manipulable. They also curate great collections, like this collection focusing on social justice and equal rights .
• The National Park Service provides a multitude of options for exploring virtually. Visit their website for a selection of virtual tours and multimedia resources, or check out the Virtual Passport Cancellation activities offered by a nonprofit partner of the park service.
• Finally, my COVID-19 Remote Learning Emergency Fund project, funded by the National Geographic Society, allowed me to create resources that can be used by any teacher to develop their own Google-powered virtual tours and explorations! I wanted to create exemplary virtual tours that could be used either on their own or by teachers interested in making their own virtual tours. Check out my webpage to learn more about how to build your own virtual interpretive tours!

For more on the National Geographic Learning Framework, read the overview on nationalgeographic.org and enroll in our free, 90-minute mini-course “ Developing a National Geographic Explorer Mindset with Your Learners ,” open now.

James Fester is a consultant and author passionate about project-based learning (PBL) and experiential learning. His educational experience includes classroom teaching, instructional coaching, technology integration, and, most recently, serving as a member of the PBLWorks National Faculty. In addition to his consulting work, James is a National Park Service volunteer who collaborates on educational programs for parks across the country. His writing has been featured by National Geographic, TED-Ed, KQED, and in a recent book on PBL and environmental science published by ISTE . He currently resides in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota. Learn more about his work or how to work with him on his website !

This post references a project made possible in part by an award from the National Geographic Society’s COVID-19 Remote Learning Emergency Fund for Educators .

In the featured image, a caver lights up a gypsum chandelier in Carlsbad Caverns National Park, one of several parks educators and students can experience in a virtual tour hosted by Google Arts & Culture. (Dr. Jean K. Krejca, Zara Environmental LLC – For Public Use)

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Virtual Classroom Tours – Back to School STEM Activity

Connecting your classroom and students with their parents and homes provides incredible benefits for the students. By kicking off the school year by having kids create a classroom tour to share at home, you are helping students take ownership of their class, have pride as they share it with family and friends, and it fosters communications between the school and home, which provides incredible benefits for the child. Plus, making virtual classroom tours is a fun back to school STEM project!

BACK TO SCHOOL STEM ACTIVITY – VIRTUAL CLASSROOM TOUR

What you will discover in this article!

Disclaimer: This article may contain commission or affiliate links. As an Amazon Influencer I earn from qualifying purchases. Not seeing our videos? Turn off any adblockers to ensure our video feed can be seen. Or visit our YouTube channel to see if the video has been uploaded there. We are slowly uploading our archives. Thanks!

Fostering communication and connections between the classroom and home

Has your school made communicating with parents and families a priority? Do you wish you could strengthen your school to home connection? Providing a strong connection for children between the school and home is one of the best ways you can support children and build their confidence. One idea that may help you do so would be to have students create a virtual tour of their classroom!

This type of STEM project may look very different depending on your students and their families. You may be working with a population of parents and families that simply can’t take time off to come to school. Or maybe you are working with a population that does or does not have access to internet services at home. You may also be working with a population that is clamoring for more technology integration in the classroom and at home. No matter your connection needs, there is a way to make a virtual classroom tour work for you, your families and most of all your students!

Finding the Perfect Back to School Tour STEM Project

Let’s start with a few basic questions to think about – you can work your way through these to find what feels like the best fit for you and your students.

• Does your school have internet access?
• Do your students and families have internet access at home?
• Do your families have access to a device that can make use of iOS or Android Apps?
• Is email readily available to parents and do they check it regularly?
• Do you have devices in the classroom? If so, how many? If not – can you use shared school devices?

The reasoning behind those questions is to get teachers thinking about connections and how that might look. If you send out an email expecting parents to get it, but parents don’t have a way to check their email, they obviously are not getting that information. If you share a video on an app, and the families don’t have an app-based device, they will not be seeing it. Knowing your audience is crucial when it comes to creating a successful virtual classroom tour. Here are some options to think about.

Options for families that don’t have access to the internet

If you can get permission, have students take pictures of their classroom to share with their families. You can print them on pretty much any printer, or send them off to one of many photo processing sites to be printed. Have students work on their map skills by drawing a map of their classroom and gluing the pictures of items in the corresponding place on the map.

Bonus idea – Have students create a 3D classroom out of folded and glued construction paper. Make the “wall” big enough to glue a picture on to, then do so! Your student can take home a 3D replica of their classroom to show their parents and families.

Options for families who have access to and can check email regularly

You have several more options here. Students can create a video tour with a script and tour guide . The creative writing opportunities are endless, and if you have a student in class who is a budding actor or game show host, put them in front of the camera!

Another option would be to have students take still pictures, and put them into a video creation software like iMovie or Clips. Students could then record themselves talking the watcher through the video, and explain the different parts of the classroom.

Lastly, students could take still images and put them in a PowerPoint or slides presentation, complete with speaker notes. Their “homework” could then be to go home and find one person at home to present to. All of these ideas could be sent through email. Whether you choose a video, still images or a presentation, your students will be learning valuable skills, and your families will feel more connected to their student’s classroom!

Options for families who have access to app-based devices

There are several apps that facilitate the school-to-home connection. Seesaw and Class Dojo are two of the biggest right now, but there are plenty more out there. Find one you like, and stick with it! The neat thing about using an app is that you could have students do a live video from inside an app. In Seesaw, students can simply tap on the video feature and begin recording. Once they are done, the post uploads right away, and parents can see it once the teacher approves the post. Apps give parents a type of connection that they simply can’t get via email. The simplicity of uploading student work using an app just can’t be rivaled.

Kicking off the School Year with STEM

Whether you are using an old camera and letting students take still images of your classroom, or creating a guided video tour, anything you can do to help your families better understand the classroom will help to improve the connections between school and home.

Creating a virtual tour, no matter which approach you take, is also an exceptional way to incorporate STEM into your back to school activities. Have students make a list of “essential areas” in the classroom to cover, and use that list as a guide. If nothing else, have FUN with this! Let yourself see your classroom through the eyes of your students. You never know! Maybe this will turn into a year-long video diary about the changes in the classroom and students?

Looking for more Back to School Activity ideas? Check out our resource!

How do you plan to have students create a virtual tour of their classroom? We love to see their creations. If you share on social media, make sure you tag STEAM Powered Family so we can be inspired by their creativity!

MORE INSPIRATION FOR THE CLASSROOM

5 Days of Smart STEM Ideas for Kids

Get started in STEM with easy, engaging activities.

A Tour of Our Classroom

Students apply their knowledge of locations and rules to create a tour of the classroom.

At the beginning of each new school year, everything is new for students. They have a new teacher, a new classroom, and new routines to learn. But after a few weeks, students have learned how to navigate your classroom and many processes have become second nature.

It can be a little scary to come to a new class with new rules. Once your students have learned and settled into your classroom routine, ask them to apply their knowledge of locations and rules to design a classroom tour for new, or next year’s, students.

This lesson asks students to design a tour of your classroom that shows important features and how they are used. Use this lesson at the beginning of the year to help students cement their understanding of classroom spaces and rules. Use this lesson at the end of the year to practice and apply writing and oral fluency skills like prepositions, descriptive language and grammar rules.

Kick off the project with a discussion about how it feels to be in a new unfamiliar place. You might ask them to think back to the beginning of the school year when everything was new. What did it feel like to meet a new teacher, come into an unfamiliar classroom, and learn different routines?

Empower students to use what they know to help other students be more confident in a new learning environment by creating a tour that maps out important features of the classroom and states rules and procedures for that area.

Ask students to brainstorm and identify important features in your classroom, such as the door, reading corner, teacher's desk, pencil sharpener, and so on. Create a list of these important places where all students can see them.

Before you create a map of the classroom, review or introduce key positional prepositions like: above, below, beside, in front of, behind, and next to. Knowing these words will be essential in creating a map together so others can easily find these places in your classroom.

You can introduce these words to students by reading a fun book, like Rosie's Walk by Pat Hutchins, or with a musical approach like The Prepositions Song .

Create an anchor chart of positional words, or add them to a word wall, so students can easily see each word and how to spell it.

Work together to create a map of the classroom. Unit measurements and area are too advanced for young learners, so start by drawing the shape of your classroom on a large piece of butcher paper on the floor, on your white board, or even using a digital tool, like Wixie, and projecting for the entire class to see. Have students help add each of the important places you have identified to the map.

If you want to give students additional practice with maps or written directions, create a classroom treasure hunt. Cambridge University Press’s World of Better Learning blog has a simple, yet fun, one that is perfect for primary students.

Now that you have created a classroom map, students are ready to design the tour. Assign, or have each student choose, a location they will describe and explain.

Walk around the room with students and take pictures of each place you have identified for the tour. If students are using tablets, have them take pictures themselves.

Print the images on paper or cardstock, or add them to a page in a digital tool, like Wixie. Depending on the time of year and age/ability of your learners, you can have them start from a blank page or create a template.

Have each student type or record a simple sentence naming the place with a brief description of it location in the room and purpose. For example, "The pencil sharpener is next to the door."

Then, have them type or record a second sentence about the activity that is done in this location and/or the rules for this place. For example, "Ask the teacher before you go sharpen your pencil."

Young learners are familiar with pattern stories. Scaffold writing and speaking for your emerging speakers and writers by creating sentence starters to help them write about the location and rules. For example:

• "You can find the __________ (place) ________ (preposition) the __________ (location)."
• "At the ___________ (location) you can _____________ (activity), but you should not ___________ (rule)."

Aides or older students can help students complete their sentences and record their voices.

When each student is done, collect all of their work into one book (print) or file (digital). Work as a class to decide the order the locations will be shared in your tour.

You can follow a similar process to create handbooks for classroom procedures. Have students create mini-handbooks or posters to share the procedures for checking out a library book, paying for lunch, signing in to a computer, or arriving at school in the morning.

How you share student work will depend on the audience and time that you create the tour.

If you ask students to create the tour as school begins, not only will they remember locations and rules, you now have a built in resource to share with new students who arrive after the year has begun. If you can print more than one copy, you can also share it with families as they visit during back-to-school night.

If you have students create at the end of the school year, have them add narration to their page to practice and apply fluency skills. Then, save as a video to share with next year's class over the summer to help make them feel more confident when they come to school.

Student’s understanding of prepositions and location will become apparent as you work together to create a classroom map. If you want to evaluate student understanding in this area more deeply, consider have students craft classroom maps individually as you list locations and discuss important features of your room.

Each student’s sentences can be used to evaluate descriptive and informational writing as well as reading, or oral, fluency.

Cari Meister. Where is It? . ISBN: 1977131573

Pat Hutchins. Rosie’s Walk . ISBN: 0027458504

Scratch Garden - The Prepositions Song

Red Cat Reading - How to Make a Map

C3 Standards for Social Studies

D2.Geo.1.K-2. Construct maps, graphs, and other representations of familiar places.

D2.Geo.2.K-2. Use maps, graphs, photographs, and other representations to describe places and the relationships and interactions that shape them.

D2.Civ.10.K-2. Compare their own point of view with others’ perspectives.

D2.Civ.12.K-2. Identify and explain how rules function in public (classroom and school) settings.

Common Core Standards for Mathematics

CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.K.G.A.1 Describe objects in the environment using names of shapes, and describe the relative positions of these objects using terms such as above, below, beside, in front of, behind, and next to.

Common Core Standards for English Language Arts

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.K.2 Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory texts in which they name what they are writing about and supply some information about the topic.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.K.6 With guidance and support from adults, explore a variety of digital tools to produce and publish writing, including in collaboration with peers.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.K.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.4 Describe familiar people, places, things, and events and, with prompting and support, provide additional detail.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.5 Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions as desired to provide additional detail.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.6 Speak audibly and express thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly.

ISTE Standards for Students

6. Creative Communicator Students communicate clearly and express themselves creatively for a variety of purposes using the platforms, tools, styles, formats and digital media appropriate to their goals. Students:

a. choose the appropriate platforms and tools for meeting the desired objectives of their creation or communication.

b. create original works or responsibly repurpose or remix digital resources into new creations.

d. publish or present content that customizes the message and medium for their intended audiences.

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Lesson: Spring Into Fractions

Connecting Math to Literature

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Making in Math

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Third Grade Classroom Tour : Designed For Self-Directed Learning

• Back To School , Classroom Management , Classroom Organization

This year, I decided to make some modifications to my classroom decor, and I am thrilled to share this reveal with you all.

T his post contains affiliate links for which I may make a small commission at no extra cost to you should you make a purchase.

Before I describe each area of my classroom and share links, a bit of background information about the process behind designing this classroom layout. I have been teaching for seven years, and have consistently used the same blues and greens throughout my classroom design. This is a huge money saver because I can spend a little extra on higher quality organization tools, and decor items that get reused year after year.

Those of you who have read my previous classroom tour posts will notice many of the bins and shelving units used in my first years of teaching are still used today, and have held up to the daily wear and tear of a typical third grade public school classroom (after seven years of use). When comparing my first tour to this one, a noticeable change is that I have a more cohesive look to my overall classroom design. Buying one or two quality pieces each year has finally added up to create a more unified look.

Here is a peek at my third grade classroom on the eve of the first day of school. To see what my classroom looks like when students are present daily, check out my Instagram stories . I have included Amazon affiliate links throughout this post to make it easier for you to shop for anything you’d like to incorporate into your own classroom design.

Math Workshop Corner

This is a high-traffic corner of the room where the bulk of the supplies used during Math Workshop are stored. These supplies include Math In Motion Game Cards , our math rubric drawers , and various manipulatives used for math games (place value blocks, snap cubes, timers, playing cards, dice, counters, rulers, etc).

Since we had a little extra cubby space, I also opted to store our homework drop boxes here. On top of this corner unit are a set of electric pencil sharpeners, and a timer used for various activities.

To create this corner nook, I set three pieces of Ikea furniture. One white Kallax Shelf and two Trofast Frames with green storage boxes . My amazingly handy brother designed a table-like surface to cover the gaps that resulted from arranging these three pieces in the corner. He also added backing to the Kallax Shelf so our math supplies wouldn’t fall out the back.

The walls of this corner are covered with Pacon’s Rich Blue Fadeless Bulletin Board Paper , framed by Creative Teaching Press’ Safari Leaves Border overlayed on top of their Ombre Lime Green Scallops Border .

The drawers below make it easy for students to self-assess their work when they turn it in. In third grade, we use these drawers to submit our Problem Solving Task Cards for review. To learn more about how assess students during Math Workshop, click here .

The top drawer of the unit below contains my teacher copy of everything my students have inside their desks. This is especially handy at the beginning of the year when I am modeling new routines and expectations. The lower drawers contain Math In Motion Games used for the hands-on rotation of Math Workshop.

Here is a closer look at the way math games and game supplies are stored. You can click the following links to find my favorite rulers , timers , stop watches , and durable playing card storage boxes .

Our smaller manipulatives are stored in cereal bowls, making them easy to grab and stash away each day. You can find my favorite foam dice , foam counters , and double dice with these links.

Class Couch

Our class couch sits beneath our schedule board . This is also the whiteboard where our M.A.T.H. Workshop rotation information will displayed later in the year. I always hold off on displaying most of our anchor charts, reference posters, and tools until I introduce them to my students when learning the corresponding routines. I find displaying these resources as we learn about them, or creating them together makes it easier for my students to navigate the classroom, and use these important tools more independently.

Above the board are hand signals that help students communicate the information they want to share in class. These signals are much more specific than a general raised hand, allowing me to call on students who are ready to share the most relevant information. Here is the meaning of each signal:

• Pinky up represents “I have a question.”
• Closed hand represents “I have an answer.”
• Curved c-shape represents “I have a comment.”
• Fingers crossed represents “I need to use the restroom.”

The couch itself is a Kallax shelf from Ikea. They no longer sell the five cubby unit I have, but they do have a four cubby unit. It is topped with a foam cushion designed by my mom, and four throw pillows from Bed, Bath, and Beyond. Two are Jordan Turquoise Outdoor Throw Pillows , and two are Resort Peacock Outdoor Throw Pillows . I always opt for outdoor fabric because it doesn’t fade as quickly, and washes easily.

Each cubby has a plastic box drawer specifically designed for the Kallax system. Again, Ikea seems to have discontinued this, but here is something similar. Three of these drawers are filled with student headphones (brought from home), which we use with our Chromebooks. We store them in plastic zip lock bags and keep them tucked away in these drawers so our desks aren’t cluttered. The other two drawers are used for flexible storage based on random needs or projects we work on throughout the school year.

Other items pictured in couch area:

• Round magnets
• Magnetic green polka dot border
• Green letter holder bins – currently unavailable
• Magnetic file bin
• Leaf accents

Supply Corner

This corner of the room has a compilation of student and teacher supplies. The bulletin board behind these drawers will be a display for the class rules we write together during the first weeks of school using the Responsive Classroom approach to teaching and learning.

The wall in this corner is covered with Pacon’s Teal Fadeless Bulletin Board Paper , framed by Creative Teaching Press’ Safari Jumbo Leaves Border overlayed on top of their Ombre Turquoise Scallops Border . The tree decal, along with all others displayed around the room is an Alpine Pine Tree decal from Wallums.

Both drawers are part of Ikea’s Alex system. The lower set of drawers is used mainly for project based learning ( PBL ) storage. The width of these drawers makes it easy to store large pieces of work without pages getting folded or wrinkled.

The taller drawer unit has extra supplies, our magnetic schedule cards, and our lost and found. Any time a student finds a stray supply on the floor without an owner, they add it to our lost and found, which is found in the fourth drawer…or as we call it “drawer four”.

I have covered the top of the lower drawer unit with Brewster Peel and Stick Wallpaper to cover some scratches. In the corner is our lantern, which you can learn more about here .

Student Work Wall & Flexible GroupS space

My small group area is home to this year’s new classroom addition…a beautiful white table from Ikea. I wanted to change the dynamic of this space to make it more collaborative. My old kidney-shaped table felt more traditional, and I found my students looking to me as the only teacher in the room when we worked there.

As we all know, our classrooms are filled with teachers, and I want our learning spaces to reflect that idea. This oval-shaped table makes it easy for us all to sit in a more collaborative way during small group instruction. Each student uses a Marius stool from Ikea, and I sit in a chair from The Container Store (not currently available). I still like to keep my own designated chair to cut down on contact with germs as much as possible

Behind our table is our student work wall, which has the same design as the previous corner. You will notice I have only used two shades of bulletin board paper in the room to create a more calm and cohesive environment. Once again, I used Pacon’s Teal Fadeless Bulletin Board Paper , framed by Creative Teaching Press’ Safari Jumbo Leaves Border overlayed on top of their Ombre Turquoise Scallops Border . At the base of the display, I added a diecut grass border.

To the right of our small group table is a storage tower from The Container Store. This is where I store supplies for differentiated instruction. It is also a safe spot for our smaller timer and electric stapler, and a handy spot to store supplies I need close at hand.

The side of this cabinet is an eye sore, so it is covered with the same  Brewster Peel and Stick Wallpaper  used in the supply corner. This Dr. Seuss- inspired print from The Bears Design Etsy shop was the inspiration piece for my entire mountain classroom design this year.

Each student has a spot on the wall made with a square piece of  scrapbooking paper, and a name label written on a leaf accent

Supply Cabinet

The large supply cabinet at the back of the classroom is used for two purposes. The lower half of the cabinet is another go-to spot for students to independently gather the supplies they need throughout the day. This is where we store lap desks for flexible seating, more art supplies, privacy shields for students who like to create a more secluded work space, and various types of paper.

The upper half of the cabinet is where I store supplies that are used less frequently, and where I keep math manipulatives for upcoming units. This supply cabinet is kept tidy with y-weave storage baskets from Target , and labeled with my Editable Mountain Themed Labeling Kit .

Classroom jobs are a foundational part of our self-directed learning environment. In our third grade classroom, we have over thirty jobs that students complete on a daily basis. Students apply for jobs, and get paid for the work they do each week. Their salary can be saved, or used to buy various class passes collectively created at the beginning of the school year. To learn more about our classroom economy, read this post .

Each job has a card that reminds students how to properly perform their job. Once a student is hired, the job card gets tucked in their job pocket. To create these pockets, I used Carson Dellosa Bubbly Blues Library Pockets and used my Editable Mountain Themed Labeling Kit to print mini labels with each student’s name. I laminated the pockets and the Ombre Turquoise Scallops Border because this cabinet door is opened so frequently, and I want everything to withstand the wear-and-tear of the school year.

If you are interested in trying these class jobs in your own classroom, you can grab my editable job cards for free here . You can use these links to find my favorite laminator and the durable laminating pouches  I used for the job pockets.

Task Card Board

Math task cards are used daily during M.A.T.H. Workshop as part of the “ At Your Seat ” rotation. This board keeps our task cards organized and easy to access. For every math unit, I have created three types of task cards:

• Making Meaning Tasks, which require students to apply third grade math concepts to solve complex word problems.
• Challenge Tasks, which are designed to provide enrichment opportunities to students who have mastered the math concepts introduced during each unit. Each challenge task requires critical thinking and the ability to apply known skills to solve more advanced and complex situations.
• Transfer Tasks, designed to assess student understanding. Each of these higher-order tasks requires students to evaluate, design, analyze, make connections, or find patterns while problem solving.

I do not display transfer tasks because I use them as formative assessments at the end of each unit. 

Each pocket is a folded piece of laminated cardstock paper which is stapled to create the perfect little pocket for these cards. The headings shown are not included with my task card collections on TPT as they were created to align with our district initiatives, and focus on using mastery levels for standards based grading.

Back Counter

Students also love using this space as a standing desk-style workspace. I have added a few decorative accents to the area and have continued the use of Pacon’s Teal Fadeless Bulletin Board Paper framed by Creative Teaching Press’ Ombre Lime Green Scallops Border . I don’t hang anything in the space throughout the year because many of my students benefit from the “blank visual space” to help boost their focus.

Next to the sink, I also added a mirror to brighten the space and give students a place where they can see themselves smile and check their teeth for spinach. 🙂

Classroom Library

Our ever-growing library is stocked with fresh books that reflect the interests of my students thanks to the generous Scholastic Book Clubs points system. I have used my Editable Classroom Library Labeling Kit to fully label my library by genre & topic. My goal this year is to add leveling labels to each book for my personal reference. These are also included in the labeling kit.   

Each book is labeled with a colorful sticker label that matches the colorful label on each book bin (for nonfiction books and picture books) or shelf (for chapter books). I attach all my labels using this blue painters tape …it lasts all year long.

I have used Green Neon and Blue Neon Magazine Holders by Really Good Stuff to organize most of the books in the built-in cubbies. I love using the window sill to display my seasonal teacher favorites. Here, you can see some of my top read alouds for the back to school season

We needed more storage space for our library corner, so I use this Kallax shelf from Ikea to organize more of our chapter books by series, genre, and author.

On the library counter, I have a few bins from Target which have since been discontinued. If ever I need to replace these sturdy bins, I would opt for the same y-weave baskets I use in my back supply cabinet.

The walls in the classroom library have the same design as those on the opposite side of the front of the room to create visual harmony. Therefore, I used Pacon’s Rich Blue Fadeless Bulletin Board Paper , framed by Creative Teaching Press’ Safari Leaves Border overlayed on top of their Ombre Lime Green Scallops Border . 

Near the library corner is our read aloud chair , where I sit for all our classroom read alouds. Next to our chair is another display area for my seasonal read aloud favorites, and books I like to bring to students’ attention based on our current reading unit of study. Both the chair and the table are used throughout the day as flexible seating spaces. 

Group Stations

For the seventh year in a row, these sturdy white Kallax Shelves are working perfectly to minimize desk clutter. Students keep their books and shared art supplies organized in this space. Below is a detailed look at  what’s stored at each group station.

Last year I switched from cardboard book boxes, which had to be replaced each year to plastic book boxes, which still look like new in year two. These Iris Small Open Top Magazine Files are my new favorite storage tool.

Students use these book bins during reading workshop (we use the Lucy Caulkins workshop curriculum for reading and writing). They store three classroom library books in their bin and a reading toolkit, which includes post it notes, a reading notebook, and a pencil.

Tidy up toolS

At the end of the day, many of our class jobs require dusting to cut back on allergens in the room. We store these Fuzzy Wuzzy Microfiber Mitts around the room inside Green Neon  Magazine Holders by Really Good Stuff to make cleaning quick and easy.

Shared supply boxes

Reducing desk clutter helps my students make more efficient transitions throughout the day, so we store our frequently used art supplies (markers, colored pencils, crayons, and scissors) in these Iris Pencil Boxes .

Carpet Area

At the front of our classroom is our carpet area. This is yet another flexible space throughout the day. In the morning, we gather here for morning meetings. At the beginning of M.A.T.H. Workshop , reading workshop, and writing workshop, students get a close seat where they can focus for our mini lessons. During self-directed learning times throughout the day, students use this space to apply their learning in a flexible seating style.

Our Bamboo Teaching Easel by Copernicus is often found in this space with the latest anchor charts from our mini lessons. It is easy to wheel back and forth between our mini lesson space to our small group collaboration area at the back of the room.

Teacher Cabinet

The final space I’d like to share with you is my teacher cabinet. This is where I store most of what I need to stay organized for instruction throughout the week. Most of the bins in this cabinet are labeled using my Editable Mountain Themed Labeling Kit , with the exception of the labels on the math unit enrichment bins, which are a part of my Third Grade Math Enrichment Year Long Bundle .

On the top shelf are my monthly bins where I store seasonal project samples, and pre-prepped resources used throughout the year.

On the second shelf are all my math unit enrichment resources. Each bin includes Math In Motion Games , Problem Solving Task Cards , and Project Based Learning Guides for each math unit. These second and third grade resources are available for purchase in my TPT store, but can also be purchased as a year-long bundle for 20% off the regular price.

The third shelf is where I organize my needs for the current week and month. My weekly activities are stored in these magazine files . I also store the current monthly bin on this shelf for easy access.

On the fourth shelf, I have two drawer units . One is where I tuck papers for filing, copying, and grading. The other is where I store ideas for upcoming math, reading, and writing units. Having a drawer for each of these reduces paper clutter and visual noise around the classroom.

The bottom shelf, has a large bin for completely random odds and ends and our prize box, which is used as part of our classroom economy . I don’t spend money on prizes…instead I add books sent by Scholastic Book Clubs and any random swag I get at trainings and conferences.

Interested In Seeing More?

If you are interested in seeing how my classroom space is utilized throughout the school year, be sure to follow me on Instagram for frequent Instagram stories

• Read more about: Back To School , Classroom Management , Classroom Organization

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92 Responses

How do you pay for all of this? It is stunning, but seriously, my salary doesn’t begin to aford me this type of decor.

Hi Lynnette, it has taken several years to build this collection of furniture. I buy one item each year and teach my students how to take really really good care of it so it lasts for years to come. 🙂 They take a lot of pride in having a learning environment that they know is special and are so careful with everything. Warmly, Laura

Where can I get your group station forest circle labels?! I love them!

Thank you Nicole, I don’t currently have the forest labels available, but they are on my project list. 🙂

I’m really looking forward to these labels for next years class if they become available! 🙂 Everything is so beautiful!

Hi Kristin, thank you for letting me know you are interested in the labels. 🙂 Are you referring to the tree and mountain combo labels? Warmly, Laura

Hi, Laura! I’m also very interested in the circle forest labels. Any chance they are available yet? Also, I’m wondering where you get the wood for the mountains? Any idea how thin it is? Thanks a bunch! Love, love, love your room!

Hi Angela, I recently uploaded the forest/mountain labels this week. 🙂 You can find them here . The wood is called hardboard. I used the 1/8 inch thick sheets. Warmly, Laura

I would love to be a student in this classroom. As a child in the ’50s, I longed for “art’ and something pretty to look at. All I recall are the mandatory cursive script across the top of the chalkboard and a picture of George Washington. I once used red and pink construction paper together to make a May basket, and admired my combination only to be told by Miss S. that it was a mis-match and I had to do it over with more matching colors. I think this classroom speaks so highly of your ability to convey value and self-respect to students. I admire your ability to help them care for nice things you have provided — that in itself is going to serve them well in the future. They feel worthwhile and valued to be in such a fabulous environment. Sure, I learned a lot in grade school and many things were great — but this is better. This is so encouraging to me to hear and read about, now many years after my retirement as an educator! Thank you for doing this and posting.

Murray, Thank you for your kind words. Reading your words of encouragement makes my day. Warmly, Laura

How did you make the mountains in the back? I love how they look!

Thank you Mary! They are thin pieces of wood that I draw triangles on, cut them with a circular saw, are painted with semi-goss paint. They are attached to the bulletin board with small nails and to the wall with command strips so the paint isn’t damaged when I eventually take them down one day. Warmly, Laura

Hey! I love your room and the mountains! What nails did you use and wood and where did you get them? Thanks! Angela

Hi Angela, I used a wood called hardboard (1/8 in thick) and the smallest nails I could find…both from Home Depot or Lowes. 🙂 Warmly, Laura

Where do you get all of your plants? I have been looking to add some greenery to my classroom but I kill everything!

Hi Megan, most of my plants are fake, and I get them from Ikea. I have one living plant (the one by the read aloud chair) and I always go for plants with wide leaves because they survive much longer. 🙂 Warmly, Laura

Laura~ Your classroom not only exemplifies a positive energy, but it also demonstrates such a clear purpose for learning. Thank you for sharing your hard work! It’s truly awesome! Warm Regards, Jen

Hi Jen, Thank you for taking the time to share your kind words of encouragement. Warmly, Laura

I am in LOVE with your room!! I love the organization and the flow! I came into a VERY unorganized and scattered room. Do you have any suggestions on how to create organization and flow?

Thank you Breetta! My suggestions are to start with eliminating anything that doesn’t add to the productivity and success of students. If you have items or resources in your room/cabinets that you haven’t used in the past two years, you probably need to donate to someone who will use them. Also try tucking away your teacher materials as much as possible – for the most part, our TEs and planning materials only need to be out when we are planning and shouldn’t clutter your students’ space. Once you have the students’ essentials, think about the flow of each part of your day. Are the materials students will need easy for them to access without traffic jams or the need for an adult? After you have your students’ materials in place, you can add decorative touches…but keep in mind, over-decorated walls are a huge distraction for most learners. Think of ways to make you space feel inviting but also leave “blank space” where learners can find a place to think clearly. I hope this is helpful. Warmly, Laura

Hello! I teach third and this is amazing!! I want to change so much to my room now! Where did you get the drawers u use for math games?? [email protected]

Hi Stacy, thank you for the kind comment. The math games are stored in an IKEA Trofast Frame with green storage boxes (also from IKEA). Warmly, Laura

Thank you so much!! one other question I wanted to ask was, how do you prepare for a sub? do you have a certain binder or sub paper that you use?

You’re welcome! 🙂 When prepping for a sub, I have a sub plan template I use. Due to the fact that I mostly use the workshop approach to teaching throughout the day, my students are able to keep things running smoothly while I’m out while the sub keeps them safe and answers any questions they may have. I am happy to share my sub planning routine on Instagram stories if that is helpful. Let me know if you are interested in that. Warmly, Laura

I would love to see your sub prepping on Instagram. Right when I saw this post I followed you. I watch your stories regularly to get ideas! Thank you so much!

Hi Laura, I’m a teacher in Massachusetts. I have been teaching for 26 years (23 of them in 4th grade) and have hit a wall until now. I will be teaching 2nd grade next year because I felt I needed a change. I started researching things about teaching 2nd grade online and came across your blog and resources on TpT. I want you to know that you have inspired me to continue on with a fresh new look to the future of my career and the education of my students. I am so energized to begin a new chapter of my teaching now. This is just what I needed for my soul. You are very talented in what you do! Thank you for your wonderful ideas and inspiration! On a side note: I’m purchasing your classroom labels but they get printed on copy paper. How do you get your labels to look so flat and sturdy? Do you attach them to a sturdier material first? An adhesive surface perhaps? Please advise. 🙂

Hi Pam, Thank you for taking time to share your words of gratitude. I am so happy to hear you have found inspiration. 🙂 When I print labels, I print on cardstock and then laminate them. 🙂 Hope this helps as you label your second grade room! Warmly, Laura

I LOVE the personalized labels on the student book bins with the pine trees. Are these sold in your store? I am having trouble finding them.

Hi Michelle, those labels are not yet available in my store. I appreciate you reaching out to let me know there is interest in them. 🙂 Warmly, Laura

Your classroom is beautiful! I’m wondering about your monthly bins. Are they made for hanging files? If not, how do you store your materials in them? Thank you for sharing!

Thank you Jenna. The monthly bins have hanging files in them with art project and PBL samples. Most of my samples have to be folded to fit in the bins because projects are typically done on larger paper…but saving them from year to year saves me time. 🙂 Warmly, Laura

Thank you Laura! I am moving to fourth grade with my current students, and wanted a change for everyone. We are going to have a great year next year with all these wonderful organizational ideas and soft calm colors. Brenda

Thank you for the sweet comment Brenda. Have fun revamping your room for next year. 🙂

I love your decor! It has totally inspired me to change my classroom theme. Where did you get the trees? I love that they are separated and I’m trying to do something like that for my birthday wall.

Thank you Sarah. The trees are decals from Wallums. 🙂

Laura, I really like your sign language signals for questions, etc. Can you tell me where you got the drawings for each sign? Did you draw them yourself?

Thank you Shay. I got the hand signal graphics on Teachers Pay Teachers (the store is called Teaching in the Tongass) and added the text below each graphic. Warmly, Laura

I love your classroom! It’s beautiful and bright and I wish it were mine!

Thank you Jennifer. 🙂

Do you know when you will be coming out with the forest labels? I love your room !

Hi Bailey, The forest labels will be added to my store this summer. 🙂 Warmly, Laura

I was wondering, where do you store your district-issued curriculum items? I have many items that I can storage in a closet but am trying to reorganize and many of the district issueditems are really just resources for instruction (we do the Daily 5 and Daily 3 Math). Trying to clean up my teacher cabinet but I’m not sure where to put all of my teacher guides for the curriculum that has been issued. I love the streamlined look of your teacher space! Thank you for sharing!! Shannon Menendez 3rd grade dual language teacher

Hi Shannon, I have a large set of shelves behind my sliding whiteboard where I store all my TEs and any curriculum books I refer to while lesson planning. I recently did an Instagram story showing that space and would be happy to send it your way if you send me a DM on instagram. 🙂 Warmly, Laura

Love, love, love your classroom! I get to paint my room this year and have been looking for the right shade of blue to paint one wall. Any chance you remember the name of blue paint color you used? Thanks for the inspiration!????

Hi Michal, you are so lucky…what a cool opportunity to pick your paint color! The color I have in my classroom is Benjamin Moore #2057-40 Ash Blue. ????

Hello Laura, I’m am a preschool teacher who set up my room every day for 6 years and have just gotten the key to my 3rd grade classroom! I couldn’t be more excited! I have been on the hunt for some classroom ideas that involved the mountains. I am a well organized teacher and love calm beautiful spaces for children to learn. Your classroom is AMAZING! Now I have the perfect room as my inspiration. Thank you so much for sharing:-) Katie

You are an organizational queen!! I am so obsessed with this!

Thank you Natalie. 🙂

Where did you find all your “flowers” that are hanging on you walls? I just 5he the colors you have chosen. Thanks for sharing all you ideas!

Hi Michelle, thank you for taking the time to reach out. The circular wall decor is all from Amazon. 🙂

Hello, I love your classroom organization.. truly impressed… I was wondering what your weekly work folders are? I see that you have a volunteer copy them… what goes into them? Just curious.. love the idea of having everything in one place precopied.

Hi Kelly, thank you for the kind comment. 🙂 The weekly work folders contains any graded work to be sent home for parent review. This is also where some notes from school are sent occasionally (around picture time, etc). Most of that type of communication is digital now, but there are a few items here and there. After parents empty the contents of the folder at home over the weekend, they send it back home empty on Monday morning. Warmly, Laura

How do you keep everything so white and bright? I had light blue and white items my first year, but found them covered in crayon, pencil, dirt, etc. The past few years I have done a black and red Disney theme to try and hide the dirt and marks the kids make. I would love to have a bright classroom like this, but I don’t want to spend all of my time with a Magic Eraser in hand.

Hi Carrie, I find the best way to keep a tidy classroom is to hold students responsible for the cleaning up after the messes they make each day. On the first day of school, when my students walk in the room, they are asked to observe what they notice about our classroom environment. What does it look like and feel like to have a classroom that is clean and ready for learning? Taking time to recognize and appreciate first day of school-level cleanliness really sets the tone for the high level of expectations we hold for taking care of the home where we learn each day. Throughout the entire school year, we set aside ten solid minutes at the end of each day when we work as a team to “reset” our classroom so it looks like the first day of school…only better because our walls and desks are filled with the knowledge we are building on with each new day.It’s truly amazing how responsible and respectful all students can be in their learning environment when you set them up for success. Warmly, Laura

I too was wondering if you spend your own money on the Ikea furniture.

Hi Jill, yes the majority of the Ikea furniture in my classroom is purchased with personal funds. I typically buy one item per year as needed. It lasts a really long time…last year was the first year I had to buy one replacement shelf after six years of use. Warmly, Laura

Hi Laura, Your classroom is beautiful. I love the calm organized space you have created. I am curious about where your students store their backpacks, sweaters, lunch boxes, etc. during the day. Thanks! Julie

Hi Julie, Thank you for the kind message. 🙂 My students keep their lunch and jackets inside their backpack, which hangs on hooks outside the room. Warmly, Laura

Hi, I love those Wallum Alpine Tree decals. What color tree tops and and tree trunks did you use? Thanks!

Hi April, Here are the details of my Wallums order: Set 1: Size: 47″ x 45″ Tree Trunk Color: Geyser Blue Tree Top Color: Mint Set2: Size: 76″ x 72″ Tree Trunk Color: Dark Blue Tree Top Color: Key Lime Pie Warmly, Laura

Thank you very much, I’ll be ordering those!

And one more follow up decor question: where did you get the letters on your student Work bulletin board and ones that say “our jobs”? I love how you’ve done your room and hope to replicate as much as possible! It is so calming and lovely!

Hi April, I got the letters from Lakeshore. 🙂

Love your organization!!! Where can I get a copy of your Library book labels and your pencil oh so Sharp and please sharpen signs.

Thank you Peggy. You can find the library labels here , and the pencil sharpener labels here .

Hello! I have loved your blog and all the wonderful, new ideas you share! I noticed that your tables are grouped into 6-8 for this post. How did that work out for you this past school year, compared to having groups of 4 or 5?

Hi Diana, Thank you for reaching out. I love the larger groups because it creates a lot more open space in our classroom. We use a flexible seating approach and the students have freedom to sit around the room, so it never feels super crowded with them all at their desks. 🙂 Warmly, Laura

Hi Laura Your classroom is such an inspiration. It motivates me to use some of your ideas in my room. My question concerns the 3 drawer bins in the teacher cupboard, what do you use the line the inside so you can’t see in. Thank you Debbie trempe

Hi Debbie, Thank you! 🙂 I use scrap book paper, and trim it down to the correct depth for each drawer. Warmly, Laura

Dear Laura, You are an inspiration to teachers everywhere. I have taught Montessori Lower Elementary Grades 1-3 for 20 years and never thought to get such calming inspiration outside of our Montessori teacher community! You work so hard to create independent learning in your classroom. Have you ever observed in a high quality Montessori classroom? You would be a natural in that kind of environment! Your love and respect for your students shows in all that you do. As Dr. Montessori states herself: “Children are human beings to whom respect is due, superior to us by reason of their innocence and of the greater possibilities of their future.” I am sure that the children that have you for a teacher take a huge step in realizing their potential!

Hi Michelle, Thank you so much for taking the time to send your encouragement my way. I have never had the opportunity to observe in a Montessori classroom, but based on what you’ve shared, I think I’d probably love it. 🙂 I’ll have to look into some potential visits in my area. Enjoy your school year! Warmly, Laura

Hi Laura! Congratulations on your pregnancy! 🙂 Thank you for taking so much time to share your brilliant ideas. I have purchased a few of your resources, including your Words Their Way organization and your Tidy Team cards. I love everything you do! I’m wondering if you can share how you file student work? I currently have a large filing cabinet that I’m dying to get rid of, and I’d love to know what you do. 🙂 Thanks so much!

Hi Caley, thank you so much for the kind message and warm wishes. Paul and I are really excited about Baby Santos. 🙂 I have one filing cabinet where I file my student work for the year. Each student has two folders. One folder is for assessments and any IEP/504/etc paperwork. The second folder is for their writing portfolio and any art that we hang on the wall throughout the year. I create a little package for them to take home the last week of school with these special portfolio items from the second folder. As for work that I send home weekly, I have a filing crate that I keep on the back counter where all graded work is filed by student helpers and sent home for parent review. Hope this helps as you get your filing system revamped. 🙂 Warmly, Laura

I just purchased the Math Organization Bundle. I would like my drawer labels to say Guide, Trailblazer, Explorer, and Seeker as well. The ready to print and editable file don’t have this option. Could you send me those, or tell me the font?

What do you use to hang your paper especially if it is not on a bulletin board?

Hi Lakeisha, I have only ever hung paper on bulletin boards or whiteboards. When I had to cover whiteboard with paper, I used double-sided tape and used magnets to hang everything. Command strips also work well on surfaces like cinder block walls.

Hi Laura! I love your classroom and have already purchased a lot of your stuff in your TPT store! Where did you get your turquoise square cereal bowls to store your dice and chips for the math games? I can’t seem to find it on your blog and I’m only guessing they are cereal bowls. Thanks! Marlese

Hi Marlese, Thank you for the kind message. The bowls are from Target. Laura

Thank you! Love all your stuff and every time I come back to your page I find something new I want to do or make in my classroom! Thanks again for sharing with other teachers!

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I love your classroom! What material did you use to make your mountains that are on your bulletin boards?

Hi Mandy, thank you so much. 🙂 I used a very thin wood material called hardboard.

Your classroom is so AMAZING! You’re very creative and organized;) How did you cut the hardboard for the mountains and did you paint them? Thank you!

Thank you so much for the kind message Leah. We cut the hardboard with a table saw…the perks of having a super handy dad. 🙂 They are painted.

I love your classroom, it’s so beautiful! Since I’ve got some extra time on my hands I’m doing a classroom remodel and your classroom reveals have really inspired me! I have 3 questions: Where did you get the white EXPLORE sign? Where did you get you different paper pom pom/fans on the walls? Do you hang anything from the ceiling?

Hi Nicole, Thank you for reaching out so kindly. 🙂 The letters for the EXPLORE sign are from JoAnns. They were originally brown but I spray painted them white. The poms and fans are all from Amazon. I don’t hang anything from the ceiling because it makes any space feel very closed in and is especially distracting for students who struggle to maintain focus. Warmly, Laura

Love your classroom tour. I might be going back to teaching after 5 years of being at home with my son…so nervous and excited. Thank you for sharing!

I LOVE all the classrooms I saw here today!!! Very organized, bright, and welcoming. I would LOVE to see smaller resource room type spaces that are organized and bright. I am a teacher of students with special needs. My room is 12′ x 20′. I have a kidney shaped table with 3 student chairs and one rolling chair at the table. I need to organize curriculum for three grade levels and have differentiated materials for the different leveled students. I really like the drawer idea for days of the week. Any suggestions or pictures would be much appreciated! Thank you for sharing the ideas I viewed today. Very helpful.

Hi Theresa, Thank you for you kind comment. Here are a few posts that have resource room photos that may help. Their rooms are not quite as small as the space you have, but you may be able to pull a few ideas from them.:) Option 1 Option 2 Option 3

I absolutely love your creativity!! This classroom will make anyone feel comfortable to learn and push themselves to be great. You took a minimalist approach with getting rid of a lot of visual clutter and keeping the stuff that you regularly use at hand. I’m trying to make this same look little by little and I was wondering where did you get your turquoise small plant pots? Thank you for sharing your thoughts and ideas with us in Classroom 205! I pray you have a safe and fulfilling school year. ????????????????

Thank you so much for you kind comment. 🙂 I got the small turquoise pots from Ikea several years ago. They no longer carry that color, but they still have the same pot design in white here .

So many fantastic ideas. Thank you for sharing.

I’m Laura Santos

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Free end-of-year letter templates to your students 📝!

20 Travel Classroom Theme Ideas

Show them the world from your classroom.

There’s nothing like a travel classroom theme to help inspire curiosity, foster an explorer’s mindset, and give your kids a little global perspective—even if many of your students aren’t yet travelers themselves. (Emphasis on the  yet .)

1. Use your classroom door to let students know they’re taking an adventure. 

SOURCE: https://savedyouaspot.com

You can show students your travel theme first thing with artful door décor. The Now Boarding message will let students know they are taking an adventure when they enter your classroom. 

2. Make map art. 

SOURCE: https://designertrapped.com

An old map can get new life as travel-themed art. Add inspiring words or one of these cool quotes curated from EF Tours about travel, using die-cut letters or permanent markers. 

3. Call your homework assignment boards road maps. 

SOURCE: https://juliefaulknersblog.com

On your designated whiteboard, chalkboard, or bulletin board areas that show the week’s assignments, a Weekly Roadmap sign cleverly continues your travel theme.

4. Put up an interactive postcard display. 

SOURCE: Pinterest

Postcards from your own travels can do double duty as art and provide teaching moments about international destinations. Invite your students to bring in their own family postcards to add to the display.

5. Use vintage luggage for book displays. 

SOURCE: https://tumblr.libraryjournal.com

Old luggage from your parents, grandparents, or a thrift store makes for clever and cute storage for paperbacks. It’s a travel-themed take on the book bin and allows titles to be easily seen by students. 

6.  Frame geography-themed board games. 

History and social studies teachers are known for sharing their love of Risk! and other world affairs-themed board games with their students. If you have old games that are missing pieces, or pick them up cheaply at thrift stores, display the boards’ cool artwork of the  seven continents on your walls. By the way, our friends at EF Educational Tours lead groups of teachers and students to  destinations on six out of seven of these continents   (someday, Antarctica!) as well as many different types of tours for various areas of study .

7. Drive home travel with a road trip themed display table. 

SOURCE: https://tvahlsing.wordpress.com

Grab some black paper and all the books you can find about road trips, domestic travel and transportation. Add an iconic green and white road sign, and your students will be transported during their library or classroom visits.

8.  Give travel books an aspirational display. 

SOURCE: http://thebeak.edublogs.org

Another awesome book display idea. This one places books about travel or set in far off lands front and center for reading ideas, easy borrowing and decoration, too. Be sure to subscribe (for free!) to the EF Journal and feature in your travel section.  

9. Brand your lost and found area the baggage claim. 

SOURCE: http://www.joyinthejourneyteaching.com

All it takes is simple signage and suitcase clip art printed on labels to brand your coat closet or bag hook area baggage claim. 

10. Turn a bulletin board into a flight information display “screen.” 

SOURCE: http://www.bungalow327.com

This is a super idea for that random bulletin board you never know how to fill. Transform it into a flight- or train-information screen with black paper and white or green lettering. Feature cities you’re covering in your curriculum. Your creativity is sure to bump you to first class in the classroom-theme department.

11. Adopt a favorite country as your overall theme …  

Rather that focusing on general travel, or international or domestic locations, why not choose a particular country? We love this Spanish teacher’s homage to Mexico! 

12. … or a particular historic period. 

Art teacher Cassie Stephens adopts a different destination classroom theme each year. For her ancient Egypt theme, she sponge-stamped dollar store straw mats and painted her windows. During the year she incorporated ancient Egyptian techniques and history into her students’ art lessons.

13. Jazz up a neutral palette with colorful flags. 

SOURCE: https://schoolgirlstyle.com

If in years past you stuck to a neutral theme, such as black and white or beige and brown, just add colorful international or U.S. state flags for some pops of color. 

14. Study world flags and then invite students to design their own flags. 

SOURCE: http://www.mystoryismyflag.com/

You can also offer a lesson on the flags of different countries by inviting students to research flag designs. After they learn about what the colors and symbols represent, invite them to create their own flags that symbolize their own lives and origins. Then all you have to do is display the students’ work. Don’t you love it when assignments become classroom art?

15. Add an international skyline display to a frame for a “window” into another land. 

A large picture frame or unused window can reveal a skyline to another land. Crafty teacher Gennai Henning of Bungalow 327 asked her art teacher colleague to draw the Paris skyline so her students would feel like they were really there. Wow! You could also create a group project with your students to recreate or create a skyline, or you could hang a panoramic photograph poster. 

16. Use a map to showcase the settings of books your students will read in the coming year.

SOURCE: http://schoollibrarydisplays.blogspot.com

This school library decoration links the books on display to their international settings. A map, yarn, and color copies of book covers come together to provide beautiful reading inspiration. Another piece of inspiring reading material is the free EF Tours Journal . Every issue includes inspiration for your classroom, interviews, and unique perspectives on travel. The journal is a celebration of globally minded educators. 

17. Add a world map rug. 

SOURCE: Amazon.com

If it’s time for you to order a new classroom rug, search for a world map design. You can also pick up a world map welcome map, so that when students cross your classroom threshold they subtly enter a new world of learning.

18. Repurpose thrift store clocks for a time zone display.

SOURCE: https://twitter.com/bitelyb8

Make your classroom feel like a cosmopolitan hotel and teach your students about time zones with a display of multiple clocks. Set each clock to a different local time in the world or within your country and label the time zones. 

19. Add an oversized wall map to an empty wall. 

SOURCE: https://twitter.com/bitelyb8 

Oversized sticky murals make wall art and map displays a cinch and offer lots of possibilities for travel learning and dreams.

20. Inspire your students with examples of global good.

Add images of historical or current global activists to a bulletin board map display. You will inspire your own students to become good global citizens and make the world a better place. 

EF Tours is committed to helping teachers easily organize travel that helps them challenge their students’ assumptions, spark connections, and inspire curiosity. Interested in a leading a tour? Get started today.

Want to learn more about incorporating travel learning into your classroom? Check out the EF Tours Travel Channel here on WeAreTeachers.

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classroom tour: a peek inside my 5th grade classroom.

Update: For a more recent classroom tour, check out my recent Youtube video!

Two years ago I switched schools and moved into a brand new (to me) classroom! Although I’ve posted many pictures of my room on my Instagram account, I haven’t done a classroom tour blog post yet, so I figured I’d round up some of my favorite classroom photos over the last two years to give you a closer peek into the space I spend most of my days during the school year! I rearranged a few things during these past couple years (got rid of my teacher desk, moved our small group table and mailboxes, etc.), but hopefully these pictures give you a general idea of my classroom environment! I’ve also included some affiliate links to help you easily find the resources I use and love in my classroom!

Classroom Library

Our classroom library is my favorite part of the classroom! You can read more about my classroom library and how it is organized in my post here !

Classroom Stage

After visiting the Ron Clark Academy, I just knew I had to get a stage in my classroom! I had a wonderful parent of a student volunteer to build one for me and my students absolutely LOVE it! They have lots of opportunities to stand on the stage and teach the class and share their learning!

Small Group Area

This school year I got rid of my teacher desk and moved our small group table where my desk used to be! I meet with small groups frequently throughout the day, and when I’m not meeting with groups, students love to come and work at this table! In the fall I got a whiteboard table to replace this table, which is amazing! Students love writing on it, especially during our math small groups!

Desk Arrangement

I went from teaching at a school with smaller class sizes to one with larger class sizes, so figuring out how to arrange student desks was a challenge! I like to have my students sitting in groups, and over the past two years I’ve had desks in groups with 4-9 students at each group!

My students are constantly collaborating throughout the day, so it is important for me to have them sitting in groups where there can easily discuss ideas and work together. I have a supply caddy in the middle of each team, and each student has a cup to keep their pencils, erasers, and other supplies that we use on a regular basis.

Student Mailboxes

I inherited these student mailboxes from another teacher, however since I have more students in my class now, I had to get another smaller set of student mailboxes to stack under the original ones! I number student mailboxes by gluing numbers on binder clips ( see my blog post all about it ). Students store their iPad keyboards in their mailboxes, in addition to any mail that gets passed out to go home.

Student Photo Wall

Our student photo wall takes up half of the back wall of our classroom and is full of student photos with their favorite inspirational quotes and goals! You can read more about it + get the template here !

Writing Wall

Our writing wall is a place to display amazing student writing! I bought the writing letters at Jo-Ann’s Fabrics and spray painted them with silver glitter spray paint. Then I hot-glued thumb tacks to the back of them so they would stay up on the wall!

Supply Cart, Math Manipulatives, and Clipboards

Reading Graffiti Wall

You can read more about how we use our Reading Graffiti Wall in my blog post here !

Scholastic Magazine Classroom Feature

My classroom is my home-away-from-home, and I love making it a comfortable, colorful, and functional place for my students and myself. Last year I was honored to have my classroom featured in Scholastic Magazine! You can read parts of the article and see pictures from that photoshoot here !

Here is a list of resources that I’ve used in my classroom!

• Classroom Library Labels
• Name tags on student chairs
• Chalkboard numbers for Leadership League
• Accountable Talk bulletin board
• Book Recommendation Cards
• Inspirational Classroom Posters

I hope you enjoyed my classroom tour! I love our classroom space and already have a few new ideas in mind for next year! A special thanks to Stephen Simpson for the first and last classroom pictures in this post!

read comments

What a beautiful classroom! I love all the colors.

I absolutely LOVE your classroom decor! I’m going to be starting my first year as an Autism teacher in August and have been obsessed with colorful classrooms. Your’s is by far my favorite! I’m wondering where you got that super cute map? It’s ADORABLE

Hi Macy! Thank you so much! I actually made the made the map! I posted a tutorial here with lots of step-by-step pictures!!! https://lessonswithlaughter.com///colorful-united-states-map-tutorial/

I’m completely in love with your classroom!! It’s so so pretty!! I wish my class was like yours, I’m sure my kids would have lots of fun!

Thank you SO much, Elena! It took several years of purchasing teaching supplies, books, and materials! My classroom during my first year teaching looked much different! Ha! Thanks so much for your sweet comment!

Where did you get your desk caddies? Really Good Stuff?

Hi Mark! I got most of them from Michael’s, but the orange one is from Lakeshore! I’m not sure if Really Good Stuff carries them or not, but that would be another great place to check!

Love your room and organization! How did you create the cursive lettering on the Reading graffiti wall? Do you type the word in PDF and then print and cut out by hand? If so, how large did you make the font letters and what font did you use? Thanks in advance!

Thank you so much, Ashley! I actually have a Silhouette that I used to cut the letters! I’m sure you could do it the other way too, but that would be a lot of work! I can’t remember the size, but the fonts I used were KG The Fighter and KG Part of Me!

Thank you for sharing your classroom. Can you tell us more about your Reading Graffiti wall? What is written, is is chalkboard paper and how do you refer to it or is it more decoration? Thanks

Hi Casey! I have a whole blog post about it here: https://lessonswithlaughter.com///reading-graffiti-wall/ Hope that helps!!

Hi! Loving these ideas so much! Where did you get that teacher tool box thing on type of the white shelves behind your desk?

Hi Katy! It is from Lowe’s! It was a dark blue (or grey… I can’t remember!) when I purchased it, so I just spray painted it white!

Where did you get your US map? I want one!! : )

Hi Ruth! I made it! I posted a step-by-step tutorial with lots of pictures here! https://lessonswithlaughter.com///colorful-united-states-map-tutorial/

Love the room! I just recently went to RCA came back inspired and want a stage in my room. What are the dimensions of your stage? I am moving from kindergarten to 2nd grade this year and changing my decor a little bit to be more spa like and inspirational with fun encouraging quotes.

Oh my goodness, isn’t RCA so inspirational?! It is such an amazing experience! I had a parent make the stage for me and I can’t remember the exact dimensions! I will have to measure the next time I’m in my classroom! It sounds like your new classroom is going to be amazing!

Where do you post your standards and essential questions in your room?

Hi Alice! Our district isn’t big on posting them, but when I do I just write them down on the white board!

Hey! Where is the math “TIME” poster from? I am obsessed with your classroom, great work!!!!

Hi Kelsie! The math posters are from Ladybug’s Teacher Files! She has a whole post about how she uses them in her classroom and they are AMAZING!! Thank you so much!

I LOVE the colorful bright room & ALL you did with it! Where did you get the black & white polka dotted rug? Also the #READ letters with lights? Thanks! Michelle

Hi Michelle! Thank you so much! The black and white rug is from IKEA, but sadly they don’t sell it anymore! They have a black and white striped one though, which is what I’m using for my library this year! The #READ letters are from Target, but they don’t sell those plastic ones anymore! They have metal ones, but no hashtag! Maybe you can find them at another craft store or online? It’s always such a bummer when stores stop selling the really great stuff that we love!

What a beautiful classroom! I love how all the colors combine together. I am going to try and change up my classroom design this year and I might borrow some of your ideas! Where did you get that awesome U.S. map?

Thanks so much, Kalli! I love bright colors and could never just decide on just a couple, so I decided to use them all! Ha! I actually made the map! I have a step-by-step tutorial with lots of pictures here! https://lessonswithlaughter.com///colorful-united-states-map-tutorial/

Love your white bench and the adorable striped, polka dot & pom pom trimmed pillows! Can you share where they came from?

Thanks, Lisa! The white bench and rug are from IKEA, although they don’t sell the polka dot one anymore! They have a new black and white striped one though, which is what I’m using for our library this year! The pom pom pillows are from Hobby Lobby!

Thanks for sharing these pictures. Your classroom is incredible. Makes me motivated to keep working on mine! I am in the process of creating a stage in my classroom too. Could you tell me what the dimensions of your are? Also, I am super curious about the leadership league. Can you tell me about it?

Thanks so much, Maureen! My students LOVE our stage! I’m not sure what the exact dimensions are, so I’ll have to measure for you next time I go in! And I did a whole blog post on our Leadership League! You can read it here: https://lessonswithlaughter.com///from-homework-club-to-leadership-league/ !

Where did you get that map of the united states!?

Hi Kyle! I made it! I have a step-by-step tutorial here! https://lessonswithlaughter.com///colorful-united-states-map-tutorial/

Moving to 5th grade and your classroom makes me SO excited! May I ask what you used for your “reading graffiti” letters? A cricket?

Where did you get your colorful map from??

Hi Wendy! I bought the canvas and painted it! I have a tutorial with lots of pictures that you can see here: https://lessonswithlaughter.com///colorful-united-states-map-tutorial/ Hope that helps!

I love your classroom! I teach 5th grade and my classroom is teal, grey, and black. I’m planning on adopting some of your awesome ideas. When I read the article in the magazine I noticed that you use a number file system for students to hand in their papers. Did you make the number files or did you buy them? Can you please share where you got this? Thank you for your inspiration!

Hi Laycie! Thank you so much! Yes,that file system is amazing! I bought it on Amazon back in 2012 and still use the same one since it has held up so well! Here is my affiliate link! http://amzn.to/2vaVGVH

Love your classroom!! Did you create your clipboard and manipulative labels using your computer? If so are they on your TPT?

Hi Tammy! I got the clipboard label from Ladybug’s Teacher Files! Yes, I created the manipulative labels on my computer, but those ones aren’t on TPT! I have other supply labels on TPT though (including editable ones) under my name: Molly Maloy!

Your classroom is adorable!! Where did you get your team cart with the markers and stuff on it and the white cupboard with the clips boards on the bottom shelf?

Thanks so much, Kallie! The cart is from IKEA, but I don’t think they sell that color anymore! I think Michael’s and Target both have a similar one though! The bookshelf is from IKEA and is the Billy one! Hope that helps!

Do you do all of your series’ in bins? I am redoing my library alphabetically and have all my series’ on the shelves grouped together after the other books. I am just curious to know what you think has worked best for you. My husbands boss just bought me all new book shelves for my room and I want them to look amazing, but functional. Any input would be appreciated!

Hi Melissa! I just had a few series in bins, but this year I am moving more of them over to be in with the other fiction books alphabetically! I’m planning on using the book bins more for my informational books! That’s so excited that you have new shelves for your room this year! I bet they are going to look great!

Love your room!! Where did you get your bright paper for your bulletin boards? Or is it fabric?

Thanks so much, Codee! It is all Fadeless paper from Lakeshore, but they sell it on Amazon this year! I’m using fabric for my boards this year, which has tons of bright color options too! I love both!

Where are you buying your bright fabric?

I got most of it from Joann Fabrics!!

Amazing room! Bet the kiddos love it! Curious about your “turner inner” mentioned in the Schilastic article. Can you share more info, please?

*Scholastic

Where did you get your white shelf that’s behind your u shape table that has your phone on top of it?

And your cute silver buckets on your teal cart!

LOVE!!!! Where did you get your caddies for the student desk! Mine have most definitely seen their better days!

Hi! I absolutely adore this classroom! So many great ideas!

Can you share where you found the calendar behind your teacher desk? I love those colors!

I am so happy that I found your blog through Pinterest! Your classroom library is STUNNING! That will definitely be my favorite part of my classroom one day too I’m sure 🙂

xoxo, Juliana Grace | http://www.julianagraceblogspace.com

Your classroom is such an inspiration on how I would like my classroom to look one day! I love how you focus on incorporating ways of collaboration, creativity, and communication just within your classroom. I am such a fan of working in small groups so the whiteboard desk is such a great tool to have! I also like how organized your classroom library is. There are so many options and I feel like students enjoy reading in your class because of it. I think students also enjoy having the Reading Graffiti wall that pulls meaningful quotes from the book for others to view and read.

Where did you get your white board table and which shape did you go with???? Your classroom is just FUN!!!!!

Is your whole wall cork? I have no bulletin boards and I am so jealous you can have so much on your walls.

Hi! Beautiful classroom- are your bulletin boards that big or did you stick the fabric to the walls?! If you stuck them, what did you find held them up the best? I always have a hard time once I hang things!

Love your classroom-thanks for sharing! I’m wondering where you got the colorful map of the United States??

Thank you so much! I made it! You can find the tutorial with lots of pictures here: https://lessonswithlaughter.com///colorful-united-states-map-tutorial/

Oh.My.GOSH! I love it! I have been looking EVERYWHERE on instagram and pinterest to find upper elementary decorated classrooms… I’m like really?!?!? Are they all glum and bare?! Yours is perfect! I love the students’ pictures on the wall! That’s my favorite.

LOVE this!!! I’m returning to the classroom and I love the Accountable Talk area? Possible to see more photos of it?

Hello. I love your Math time board with space to post groups. Is that available on TPT?

It’s from Ladybugs Teacher Files on TPT!

I’m moving to 5th from 1st next year and I’m nervous! I’ve never taught upper grade before! Looking at your blog I’m completely inspired and excited about what next year will hold for me!

Hi there! I absolutely love your classroom! I am a first year fifth grade teacher this fall and trying to get as many ideas I can for setting up my classroom and yours as given me so much inspiration! I wanted to ask where did you purchase the #READ letters at?

They are from Target but a few years ago!

I love all of your classroom decor. Where did you find the light up hashtag symbol and letters?

They are from Target, but a few years ago! I haven’t seen them there recently!

Where did you get the book bins on your bookshelves?

I love all of these ideas! Can you share some information about the whiteboard table you have for small groups now? I’m looking to ditch the bulky kidney table for something more modern that takes up less space.

My school bought the whiteboard table! I’m not sure where it’s from, but I would highly recommend a whiteboard table! My students love it!

Where did you get the map poster? I’ve been trying to find something that size.

Hi Molly, I love your classroom! I am so happy I found it on Pinterest! I wanted to ask you about your silhouette for your letters on the bulletin board. Where did you find the silhouette? I’ve been trying to find the font and I can’t. 🙁

Do you have the calendar squares for your calendar in your store? I could not find them, but love them!

Thank you!! My calendar is from Kristen @ladybugsteacherfiles! She has it in her store here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Editable-Events-Calendar-Set-for-the-Upper-Grades-3253245

Your classroom is amazing! I was wondering if you could explain the watercolor hand project that is on your wall. I love to include decor created by the students

Hi! This is my DREAM classroom! I love it! Do you happen to know what size your bookshelves are or have a link for them?

Hi Kylea! Thank you so much!!!! My bookshelves are the Billy bookshelves from IKEA! I love them!

Your room is such an inspiration! I’m wondering about the spaces on your walls…do you really have that many bulletin boards? If not, what did you use on the wall to make it look like a board?

Hi there, just found your blog. I’m interested in those silver brad things you used on the writing wall. Where do you get those and what are they called? I can’t figure out how to find them!

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Maneuvering the Middle

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Middle School Classroom Tour

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Ya’ll, the time has finally come!  It is classroom reveal time, so join me on a tour around my middle school classroom.

This year I started completely fresh.  My school repaints the walls and waxes the floor during the summer, so I have to pack everything up before I leave for the summer.  This always feels like a pain, but it gives me the freedom to start completely over each year.  And for me, I love that.  Decorating my classroom is my favorite thing to do at the start of the year.  Ask any teacher in my school– I am all over middle school classroom decorations. I love them so much I made my own. You can get them here and check out all of the details of our new Middle School Math Word Wall .

Update 7/28/2023: Maneuvering the Middle now has a Middle School Math + Algebra 1 Word Wall.

As you can see in the video below, our Word Wall includes 190 essential math terms, their clear-cut definitions, and their visual representations.

We’ve included Spanish translations for all terms and definitions, ensuring a supportive and accessible learning experience for English Language Learners.

They were designed to be minimal prep and flexible to customize the formatting to suit your students’ unique needs.

Here is what my classroom looked like when we started.  Heaping piles of boxes and furniture? Check.  Sad and in need of color? Check.  Wonderful sister who drove 3 hours with a car full of items she bought for my classroom?  Check.

Here is the floor plan of my classroom.  Room observations: my room is tiny.  It is smaller than the other classrooms by 5 feet width wise.  However, I have large windows that look out to trees and a large field.  I have had classrooms with no windows before, so I will take all the vitamin D that I can get.  I have lots of white space that can be stapled right into.  I have also had classrooms with concrete walls, and there was nothing I could do to keep things on the wall, so I love that all I have to do in this classroom is use a stapler.

Before I start decorating, I make a plan for the space.  Where is my small group area going to be?  How are students going to enter and exit?  Where are they going to pick up handouts?  Where are students facing a majority of class?  I use those questions to guide where I might place my anchor charts, word wall, and other pertinent information.   You can see more tips on decorating your classroom here.   Then, I add it to my floor plan.

Let’s see the afters, shall we??!

It is my best classroom yet!  Alright, let me walk you around. Form follows function in my room, so although it is pretty, I spent all last year making mental lists about what would fit best and where things should go.  I am eager to see how well routines function in my new class set up.

The wall trays  are a change in my room from last year.  I have used trays in the past, and they require a horizontal surface to live on. That was too much space wasted in my tiny room, so now work gets turned into the wall folders.  I have one for each class period (my classes are named after the colleges that the teaching staff attended).   This area also houses no name papers and extra homework copies.  If a student loses their homework, they do not need to ask me for an additional copy because they can help themselves.   Winning.

The RESPECT posters are an idea that my grade level chair suggested that we post.  It positively states all the behavioral expectations I have for students, so up on the wall it goes.

Growth mindset is all the rage right now, which it very well should be.  There is no subject students struggle with a fixed mindset more than in math.   Mathematical Mindsets was a summer read that had lots of research on the power of a growth mindset.  I wrote about it more in detail here .  This poster set will stay up all year!  Below, Ikea shelving holds math manipulates, teacher supplies that I don’t regularly need, and students supplies. Update: I wrote an entire post on classroom supplies from Ikea.

This is the most colorful area of the room.  I love my objective board area set up.  The homework section is high enough for every student can see it.  I have plenty of space to write one or two objectives. And my opening routine section is on point. Everything should be printed on neon card stock .  Amiright?!  Also, let us not forget about my sentence stem speech bubbles .

Here is my small group space.  It is situated right in the center of class.  At this point, you should know that I love Ikea. These stools are from Ikea and are around $5 a chair. ( Update: my coworkers uses these from Amazon.) I use an Ikea cart that is on casters to wheel around me.  I have reference charts and multiplication charts in page protectors and hooked onto the cart using binder clips and rings.  The cart also holds whiteboards, markers, and erasers.   Whiteboards keep small group students engaged.   Fraction strips and tiles are on the bottom shelf.

This area of the room is where I teach my introduction to new material.  I use this whiteboard space that is taped off with washi tape to record points for each class or any missing work.  My vertical number line is from Math=Love.   Also, this eraser is a game changer.  The hand signals can be found here and is one of the routines and procedures that is a must teach for middle school.

My teacher desk area is a work in progress.  I like being able to look out the window while I work during my planning period, but it feels too available for students.  We will have to see how it goes.  You can see that my desk doesn’t have any storage, so I rely on the Ikea shelf and plastic drawers to house many things.  I think open storage keeps you more organized and clutter free, so I am a fan.  Also, loving my light box from Michaels.  You can find a similar one here.

The pockets are holding pictures that I printed out.  I grabbed the pockets at the Target dollar section too.   It is also what I used to label my supply bins.  They are amazing.  I can switch out the pictures really easily too.   I have also chosen some of my most memorable student art to hang here .  Also, the black and white picture of me teaching was a Teacher Appreciation present that my principle gave to all the teachers last year.  She hired a professional photographer to take pictures of us in action.  And the clipboard holds my rosters, but I prefer to hang it cute side face up.

Hello, word wall !  I put up new words as we learn them, and I place them under the appropriate category.  By the end of the year, this wall is completely covered.

My bulletin boards are painted navy.  They appear black in the photos.  The borders are from the Target dollar section.  I stocked up, so that I can replace them if they wear out over the course of the following years.  That is how much I love them!   I plan on posting relevant anchor charts based on our current unit on the blank center board.  My mastery trackers will go on the third board.  Our campus tracks student mastery of each state standard.  It is hard to not fill up all the bulletin board space right now, but I need space to allow my classroom to grow.  Remember, your classroom does not have to be ‘done.’ Mathematical Practice Posters are from Everybody Loves a Genius and can be downloaded here .

This board satisfies many requirements made by my school.  I must have posted grades, enduring understandings, and essential questions.  For my essential questions/enduring understandings, I write them all out for the year, separate them by unit, and stuff them all into the page protector.  Another example of batch processing saving time and energy. You can read about my Pay Day tracker here.

This area is for my advisory.  I track weekly behavior on the pay day poster and the yellow chart is where I list classroom jobs.  The Team > Individual Posters help my students verbalize which sign means ‘less than’ or ‘greater than;’ I love when classroom culture collides with math!

For those of you wondering about student work, I like to display it on the bulletin boards outside my classroom for all to see.  Alas, we have made it all around the room.  Here is my door.   The file on the door is where students pick up handouts for the day on the way into class.   If this was MTV’s Cribs, I would escort you out and wave to you as I shut the door.

See, a middle school classroom can be bright and fun!  Who is excited to get started?  Who has already started?  Who has stock piles of goodies from Target in their car?

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73 comments.

July 30, 2016 at 10:54 am

Beautiful setup. If I was a student I’d want to learn there! Having your desk next to the window is such a mood booster – I love having a light and neat desk (which lasts for all of 2 weeks usually!). And just so you know – I’m so stealing your basket on the door to collect handouts! Good luck for the year!

July 30, 2016 at 11:29 pm

Thanks so much! Yes, neat desks are a constant teacher struggle. Have a great year!

July 31, 2016 at 10:47 pm

Thank you so much for sharing. You have wonderful ideas!

August 4, 2016 at 10:36 am

Thank you so much Katherine! Have a great year!

August 1, 2016 at 12:42 am

I should have known you were an Aggie with all your awesome skills (fellow Ag, Class of 2008!)!! 🙂 I love the growth mindsets ideas all over, it’s something I’m planning on implementing more this year as well. For your teacher area, I agree, I wouldn’t be too keen on having my back to everything… Maybe turn it to where it’s facing out towards the word wall with your ikea bookshelf directly behind you and the window then to your right? I have a similar setup currently and find it works really well! Also, I noticed in one picture your phone number is in it… I figured this probably wasn’t meant to be in the reveal, so I thought maybe I’d mention it so all of the Internet world won’t be calling you!! 😉 Good luck this year!

August 4, 2016 at 10:35 am

Whoop! Since my room is really small, I am going to try my teacher desk at the window. I figure I can always spread out on a table after school. Thanks, fixed that phone number. 🙂 Have a great year!

January 24, 2019 at 6:48 pm

My Mom Is Just Starting To Teach at a k8 School and is going to teach 8th grade

August 2, 2016 at 9:21 pm

Your room looks great! Where did you get the fraction posters?

August 4, 2016 at 10:33 am

Thanks Staci! Here they are: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/My-Products/page:3/sort:ItemsProperty.postdate/direction:desc

April 21, 2018 at 7:33 am

I can’t get the fraction cards to open on TPT. Can you send me a different way to search them? By title perhaps? Thanks!

June 22, 2018 at 12:18 pm

You can find them here .

August 5, 2016 at 8:03 pm

I’m a first year teacher for 6th grade math and I’m also going to be a cart teacher! I wanted to decorate a classroom but that is not going to be the case this year:/ do you have any suggestions on having growth mindset posters/visual that would still work with being a cart teacher? I think that those reminders are so important, I just don’t know how to incorporate being a cart teacher with displaying something. Any help or advice is greatly appreciated!

August 11, 2016 at 7:21 am

Hi Marissa! Being a cart teacher can be tough, but doable. I would suggest that you make sure you are super organized and have everything you need for your cart. Then, I would just kindly ask the teachers whose rooms you will be floating into. Likely, they will be happy to give you some wall space to use. Another idea would be to incorporate the idea of growth mindset into some sort of presentation or warm up or ice breaker at the beginning of the year/class/week. Hope that helps! Have a great year!

July 28, 2019 at 7:32 pm

It might be neat to decorate your cart with mini Growth Mindset posters and rotate them out so students get to see all and keep them interested. It could be an ice-breaker, caught-you-looking, etc.

June 20, 2017 at 11:33 am

Marissa I wonder if you could use a laminated piece of poster board to write things on and magnetic clips to hang it on your cart and then on the board in the classroom? If your boards aren’t magnetic you could keep a roll of painters tape on your cart to hang things without damaging the board or surface you hang them on. This will work for class time display for long term display you might want to ask the teacher as Noelle suggests. The other possibility might be to incorporate interactive notebook work, that way the student will have the information from the poster in their notebook for good!

August 24, 2016 at 8:45 pm

Fantastic room set-up! Kids must love learning in that room! Thank you for sharing.

August 27, 2016 at 12:01 am

Thanks Dawn!

September 22, 2016 at 1:27 pm

Love it! Where did you get the fraction posters that are above the anchor chart bulletin board?

October 12, 2016 at 3:12 pm

Here you go! Thanks! https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Fraction-Posters-Brights-1115816

October 30, 2016 at 10:08 pm

I just LOVE your room! My classroom is very small as well. And with 28 sixth graders, it makes it even stuffier. I really liked how even though your space is small, you managed to utilize it in the best ways! As for your behavior and classroom jobs, do you have a post that goes into detail about those? –Newbie here! 🙂

November 17, 2016 at 11:11 am

Hi Ashley! I don’t have a post on that, but I will add it to the list. Small classrooms can be such a challenge.

April 25, 2017 at 10:05 pm

I am also interested in your behavior tracking (pay day) and classroom jobs!!!

March 15, 2024 at 9:52 am

Hi, Kylie! You can find more information at the blog post: https://www.maneuveringthemiddle.com/implementing-a-classroom-economy/

November 16, 2016 at 8:05 am

I just stumbled upon your blog and I’m in love! You have such great ideas! It’s the middle of November and I’m already planning on redecorating my room over our upcoming breaks. I started off the year sharing a room, but now I have it to myself. I love creating fun atmospheres for students to learn.

November 17, 2016 at 11:07 am

Yay, thanks so much! Glad you have your own room, makes a world of difference!

November 26, 2016 at 11:19 pm

I love the organization and the great ideas. I teach 5th grade ELA in a middle school model. It is really hard to get 5th graders, especially the bunch I have right now who are a bit immature, to learn accountability and responsibility. One way I do this is to ensure students do not lose papers, lost papers are not to be replaced. I noticed you have extra copies of homework for those that lose it. I think this is great because students still get the practice, but does this disrupt the need to have students learn how to be accountable? If a student loses homework, and they get a new sheet, is there a consequence? Thank you for creating this blog!

February 20, 2017 at 3:08 pm

Hi! Thank you for sharing your wonderful classroom! I noticed that you had KIPP character graphics — are you a KIPP teacher? If so, where do you teach? I am a founding KIPP middle school teacher, I teach 5th grade, and I really like how you reorganized and placed the EQ and EU’s at the back of the room.

Do you teach Eureka Math/Engage NY math or do you use your own curriculum only? Do students work on the same material as a class? How do you balance the variability of ability within middle schoolers and also meeting grade level standards at the same time? I realize this is a lot of questions but it seems like you have a lot of resources in tackling that, and I would love your input on this issue!

Your classroom is absolutely gorgeous! 🙂

April 1, 2017 at 2:36 pm

So cool that you are at Kipp! My sister, Tyne, writes on the blog and she is at a KIPP school. See the about me section of the blog. Thanks!

April 29, 2017 at 8:31 am

What template did you use for all of your cardstock printouts? I love these!

July 1, 2017 at 2:54 pm

Hi Sarah! I created them and they can be found here.

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Classroom-Posters-for-Middle-School-Growth-Mindset-2658655

May 25, 2017 at 9:15 pm

Hi! I absolutely love this setup and plan on incorporating a lot of these ideas in my 6th grade math classroom next year. Where do your students store their belongs? Do they just stack them on the tables? Our students use lockers but they still travel with a significant amount of “stuff.” Thanks!

June 18, 2017 at 4:00 pm

Where did you get your “respect” posters? I love them! I love the bright-but-not-too-cutesy style in your room. I found an open pack of bright paper at Michaels at a ridiculous discount, so I will be printing and laminating things for most of my summer. I teach 8th grade special education, with a self-contained English and Math sections this year. My students are already aware of their lacking skills (most are SLD kids), so I am super careful with decorating my room to feel “older” and not elementary at all. Bright colors are perfect for that!

June 22, 2018 at 1:23 pm

I’m so glad you like my room! The free respect posters can be found here.

June 23, 2017 at 12:58 pm

Hi! How to you hang all your posts around your room? Ice tried everything and am always searching for something better? Does your colored masking take peel off the paint?

July 1, 2017 at 2:50 pm

I have never had trouble with the colored masking tape. I have done hot glue (which works if the AC is on during the weekend), staples, and command strips. Command strips seem to work the best.

July 16, 2017 at 9:46 pm

Did you spray paint the stools? How did they hold up? What did you use? What was your process?

August 11, 2017 at 5:27 am

Yes, we used spray paint and they held up well. Yay!

July 18, 2017 at 6:42 pm

I LOVE your classroom setup! I am a first year teacher and will definitely being using some of your ideas! My question for you is how did you post up the laminated papers on the walls? Are they stapled? Taped?

Thanks for your help!

August 11, 2017 at 5:25 am

We ended up using a combination of hot glue, command strips, and staples. Thanks!

July 18, 2017 at 6:53 pm

One more question for you….WHAT IS THAT FONT YOU USE?!? I’m obsessed with it and want to be able to use it on my own worksheets!

Thank you!!

August 11, 2017 at 5:24 am

Hi Lisa! The posters use KG Sorry Not Sorry, which is on TpT. I use several different ones on my units and activities, but they are mostly found on TpT.

July 19, 2017 at 4:08 pm

Can you give more info on the advisory board with paycheck and jobs! I’m going to be a new 8th grade teacher and want to hear about this.

August 11, 2017 at 5:23 am

I added that to my list of blog posts for the year. Thanks for checking!

July 27, 2017 at 8:17 pm

LOVE the RESPECT posters. Can you post them so I can get a copy for my classroom?

August 11, 2017 at 5:20 am

I didn’t create them or I would share. Thanks for checking.

July 28, 2017 at 11:00 pm

Your room favors mine! Best part of it is the Aggie Swag!! I have lots in my room.

August 3, 2017 at 2:35 pm

I love your blog and ideas! Are the RESPECT posters included in your bundle on TPT?

August 11, 2017 at 5:16 am

They are not. Sorry!

August 3, 2017 at 4:39 pm

Hi, what are the sayings on your respect posters? Thanks!

August 11, 2017 at 5:15 am

They are something that my school utilizes. Thanks!~

August 4, 2017 at 12:04 pm

I love your room! It’s so organized. I also love that you’ve centered your cohesion on color rather than cutesy.

Thanks so much!

August 8, 2017 at 12:17 am

Your classroom is amazing! Where did you get your PEMDAS order of operations posters? Thanks!

August 11, 2017 at 5:12 am

You can find them here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/PEMDAS-Poster-Evaluating-Expressions-FREEBIE-725604

August 16, 2017 at 11:16 am

I’m obsessed with the fonts you use. What is that style?

August 22, 2017 at 1:16 pm

Hi! Its from TpT, KG Sorry Not Sorry. 🙂

August 22, 2017 at 8:20 pm

Hi! I love your classroom! I’m a first year teacher looking for some tips and inspiration and this was just perfect! I’ve heard from other teachers the time-saver of painting the bulletin boards… what type of paint did you use? I’ve been searching online for an answer to how to paint cork boards to no avail. Thank you! 🙂

September 2, 2017 at 9:00 pm

Hi Kelly! You can use a latex paint (sample size) from Home Depot or even craft paint from Hobby Lobby.

August 29, 2017 at 8:36 pm

I was wondering what cards you use for your wordwall. Did you create them?

September 2, 2017 at 8:58 pm

Hi Jessic! I talk about word walls here: https://www.maneuveringthemiddle.com/using-word-wall-middle-school/

August 30, 2017 at 7:31 pm

Your classroom looks amazing!! Could you tell me where the fraction/ decimal/ percent posts are from or the company that makes them?! (The posters above your Anchor Chart board) Thanks so much!!

September 2, 2017 at 8:56 pm

Hi Sarah! They can be found here: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Fraction-Posters-Brights-1115816

May 18, 2018 at 9:34 am

What size are the tables where the students sit?

June 22, 2018 at 10:59 am

Hmmm… I am not there to measure, but my estimate would be 3 feet wide by 5.5 feet long.

May 24, 2018 at 7:58 pm

I’ve been teaching elementary school for 5 years. I decided to take a new journey and teach middle school next year! I have no idea how to set up a middle school classroom but you blog helped me. I want to set me clsss up exactly like this! I’m going to try my best!

June 22, 2018 at 10:47 am

You are going to do a great job! Best of luck!

July 24, 2018 at 7:30 pm

Where can I get your word wall headers? The ones that say ratios and proportions, numbers and operations, etc.

March 15, 2024 at 10:22 am

Hi, Keamber! I don’t have them available, but I did just whip them up in Power Point. You got it!

July 24, 2019 at 8:07 pm

What does the poster on Respect say?

July 30, 2019 at 11:47 pm

Random question, but what did you end up thinking about your stools? I’m planning to set up a small group area like yours, but everywhere I find those stackable stools online, they have terrible reviews about them breaking right away. I’m not sure what to do.

August 5, 2019 at 12:57 pm

Hi, Kira! I purchased mine from Ikea about 3 years ago. Here’s what I found. The ones that broke broke because students were sitting on just two of the legs. 2/5 broke this last year. Which means 3/5 lasted 3 years. You can’t beat the price, but you get what you pay for. Also, I used the stools for small group seating only, so they weren’t always being sat in. Best of luck!

October 14, 2019 at 9:02 am

thanks for all the ideas. alot of food for thought

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organization

First Grade Classroom Makeover: Come Take a Tour!

Today I’m overjoyed to take you on a tour of a first grade classroom makeover in my school. Before I dive in too deep, I should explain that this was a transformation I helped created two years ago. I had every intention of blogging about the transformation right after it was completed, but life got busy (as it often does) and I didn’t even have a chance to take photos. After an entire school year of admiring this room every time I walked by, I finally grabbed my camera at the end of the school year to and am just now sharing it with you on the blog. Better late than never, right?

I know how much a classroom transformation inspires you to create change in your own classroom. To make the process a little easier, I included shopping links throughout this blog post, including affiliate links. I earn a small commission each time someone makes a purchase through one of my links (at no additional cost to you), which helps to support the blog so I can keep sharing this kind of content with you. I hope you love today’s first grade tour!

First Grade Classroom Before Photos

I’m going to start by saying that there was absolutely nothing wrong with this first grade classroom before we changed it. Mrs. Kim Lusch ran a smooth, orderly classroom that was bright, cheery and filled with love and everyone who entered into the room wanted to linger as long as possible. Here is how her classroom looked before the transformation.

Like so many other teachers, Kim had decorated her classroom piece by piece over the years. Little by little a great bargain rug, garage sale find, or pre-loved decor item made its way into her classroom – which introduced a wide array of colors over time. Purple, yellow, orange, teal, lime, magenta, coral, gray, dark blue – just about every color of the rainbow appeared in some form. 

One day Kim looked around her room and wanted a more cohesive color scheme with a deliberate classroom design. We were chatting about her classroom and I jumped at the chance to help her give the room a refresh with a first grade classroom makeover.

Kim's New First Grade Classroom

We spent a few weeks deciding on a theme and color scheme, then dove right it! It took a few weeks, but we completely redesigned Kim’s first grade classroom into a space she absolutely loved.

We started by nailing down a color scheme. Kim already owned several pink, teal, and lime green classroom accents; which she absolutely loved. She also wanted to go a little bolder and incorporate black into her room to make those bright colors pop. Once we decided on a color scheme, we looked for printable decor to fit her style … and fell in love with the Tickle Me Pink Paisley decor collection from Schoolgirl Style. We drew our inspiration from this photo. Stunning, right?

Once we had a color scheme, a theme, and plenty of inspiration courtesy of Schoolgirl Style,  it was time to get to work! 

We immediately started a major classroom cleanup and decluttering purge. Kim sorted through the collection of items that had accumulated in her classroom over the past ten years and sold all of her decor that didn’t match the new color scheme on a local teacher swap Facebook page. Not only did she get rid of her unwanted things, but she had a few extra dollars in her pocket.

Then the real fun began! I am so excited to take you on a tour of Kim’s first grade classroom makeover!

Right away you can’t help but notice a few distinct changes. Gone was the accidental rainbow of classroom decor. All of Kim’s updated classroom accessories fit the cohesive color scheme of pink, lime, teal, and black. We also rearranged the furniture to create a more open learning area. The previous layout had a library nook in front of the bank of windows. The nook was cute, but it created a barrier in the classroom which made the room feel smaller and also made it difficult to see what was happening in the library.

We moved the library to the back wall of the room, which opened the space and helped Kim to easily have all the students within her line of sight throughout the day. I can’t wait to tell you more about the library, but I’ll hold off to show you a few more views of the classroom.

Classroom Window Display

The space above the windows always provides a challenge at my school. It’s awkward and difficult to climb up and and decorate – and they aren’t bulletin boards. Those spaces are high-gloss white boards (not whiteboards … just boards that are white and glossy). I’ve learned over time that the best trick is to cover them with paper and border like a bulletin board (using a heck of a lot of packing tape), decorate them once and then never touch them again for the rest of the year. Kim’s students created self-portraits, which she she mounted on black paper and displayed on the boards above the windows. I thought this was such a sweet way to enhance her classroom community.

First Grade Teacher Desk Area

We also moved Kim’s teacher area to a different corner on the other side of the classroom for this makeover, but that wasn’t the only change. Kim simplified the space by saying goodbye to her bulky desk unit. Instead, she purchased two sets of  stacked drawers from Walmart  to hold a variety of teaching supplies. We tucked the drawer units beside her file cabinet behind the guided reading table and it created the perfect clutter-free way to have everything she needed right at her fingertips. It was also a great surface to display family photos and mementos.

The file cabinets and bins for Kim’s instructional materials were all labeled using the coordinating tags in the Tickle Me Pink Paisley decor pack from Schoolgirl Style.

Kim’s workspace looked great from across the room and she didn’t miss the bulky desk at all.

Math Manipulative Storage

On the other side of the Smartboard, you can see a white shelf with several white storage boxes on it. This is where Kim stored all of her math manipulatives. We kept things cohesive and organized with the help of my  Black Series Visual Supply Labels.

First Grade Word Wall

Kim used the fronts of her built-in over head cabinets to display her classroom word wall. The round Alphabet Cards are included in the  Schoolgirl Style Tickle-Me-Pink Paisley decor pack .

First Grade Classroom Library

My favorite area of any classroom is the library and Kim’s First Grade classroom library did not disappoint!

Kim has a passion for literacy and she owns more books than any other teacher I have ever met. We organized all of Kim’s leveled books in patterned pink and lime bins from Really Good Stuff  (you can get them here from Amazon! ) across the top shelf of her library. 

The bottom two rows hold blue and black magazine bins from Big Lots . The blue boxes hold a variety of themed and seasonal books for Kim’s students to easily access. 

All of the bins were labeled with the White Series Classroom Library Label set from the Kinder Craze shop . We created labels for all of Kim’s favorite book character and author sets using the editable files in the pack.

The shelves were purchased from Amazon and I think the row of five identical bookshelves really helps to anchor the space and created a perfect focal point.

The giant black and white rug helped tremendously to define this area of her classroom and also served as a place for Kim’s students to gather during calendar time, read alouds, and classroom discussions. This particular rug is currently out of stock but I found a few similar rugs online. Click any of the rugs in the image below to start shopping!

Of course, every library needs a cozy place to read. We laid a 5-cube storage shelf from Walmart on it’s side to create an easy, sturdy reading bench. The long pink cushion was a hand-me-down from my previous Rainbow Chalkboard classroom and was a perfect match for this decor. Kim already owned all of the accent pillows, which helped soften the space. The black cube bins inside bench were filled to the brim with even more books for Kim to share with her students.

Tucked away behind Kim’s easel is a  tall shelf  with games for indoor recess and some chapter books for her advanced readers. Kim also used this area to create a comfy reading nook – one that she could easily see from any area of the room.

This whole space is perfect for gathering, reading, and learning. I adore how it all came together.

Remember how I mentioned that Kim owns more library books than any other teacher I know? Well, there are so many books that the library could only contain about 2/3 of the collection. The rest of the books are actually kept under the window.

Kim owns so many books that in a few different themes that they couldn’t fit in a narrow book box. We stored the larger themes in her collection in heavy duty Sterilite bins that she already owned ( these dot baskets from Big Lots  are a great, super-durable option) and tucked the books away in her classroom’s built-in shelving along with a selection of additional pink and lime bins that couldn’t fit in the main library. Her students’  book boxes  were numbered and lined neatly up across the top of the shelf.

We may have separated Kim’s library books into two different areas of the classroom, but the separation was seamless and cohesive thanks to my  Classroom Library Labels . Every single library bin clearly displayed the same label style to pull everything together. All of Kim’s books are tagged with coordinating stickers on each book so her students will easily know exactly where to return books after they are finished reading them.

The library labels helped keep Kim’s classroom organized and running smoothly while looking clean and clutter-free.

And there you have it! I sincerely hope that you enjoyed today’s virtual tour of this first grade classroom makeover as much as I enjoyed sharing it with you. I just wish that I had shared it with you sooner. Mrs. Lusch recently said goodbye to this wonderful school and classroom when she moved out of state with her family a few weeks ago.

Kim, I wish you all the best and I know your new classroom will be filled to the brim with love – just like this one was!

Recreate this First Grade Classroom

If you would like to recreate a little of the magic from Kim’s first grade classroom makeover in your own teaching space, I compiled a little shopping guide to help you get started. Click any of the images below to start filling your cart!

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Maria Gavin

Leave a comment, 12 responses.

A beautiful job, as always!

May i ask how can you glue something on the wall? Won’t they ruin the wall ( cracking the paint layer)? Sorry for my bad english Love your class

I don’t usually glue things to the wall, but I use a lot of painters tape and packing tape to make things stick

Thank you very much for your reply. Your class is amazing ?

Question, where did you get that large treasure chest that is tucked under one of your tables? Ive been looking for one. Thank you in advance!!

The hanging table labels are perfect! Where did you find those? ?

Hi Deanna, They were included in the Tickle Me Pink Paisley collection from Schoolgirl Style – https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Classroom-Decor-Tickle-Me-Pink-Paisley-Full-Collection-Bundle-1969450

Where did you find your hanging table numbers!! I absolutely love them!

They came in the printable Pink Paisley collection from Schoolgirl Style: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Classroom-Decor-Tickle-Me-Pink-Paisley-Full-Collection-Bundle-1969450

Where did you get the penny, nickel, dime and quarter posters?

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Thank you for sharing this classroom makeover. I have been looking for a cleaner way to store everyday items for my group table. I have been looking at the Alex cart, but it didn’t have very good reviews and the drawers don’t open all the way. This is a great alternative! Thanks again!

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Hi, I'm Maria.

I’m a former kindergarten teacher turned work-from-home mom. I still love sharing ideas and resources to make teaching easier, so you can focus on what really matters in the classroom. When I’m not working on the blog, you’ll find me chasing kids around the house with a cold cup of coffee in my hand (some things never change even once you’re out of the classroom!)

• Organization

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