Warning: Long Post and a Classroom Reveal!

It is time to reveal my classroom (good time since school starts tomorrow!! AKKK!) Now these pictures were taken before I had put all of my finishing touches on it. And honestly I just forgot to take pictures yesterday....it was a busy and long day (we had Back to School Night).

I am linking up with two linky parties.....

From Swimming Into Second

and....

from Brigid's Daily Lesson Log

There is a story that goes with this reveal, so here it goes.....

At the end of the 2010-2011 school year I was told that I was going to have to move rooms to make room for another 6th grade class. I accepted the challenge and all went smoothly in the move! Well at the end of last year (2011-2012) I was told I was going to have to move again. I expected this since we are getting half of our new school and we were having to add 2 more classes (one 1st and one 4th). I once again accepted the challenge, however it didn't go as smoothly this year! Since we had to add 2 more classes they moved portables in and the music teacher and the Title I teacher were moved into the portable. The extra 1st grade class went into my old room, the extra 4th went into the music room, and I went into the Title I room. This is where things didn't go smoothly! The Title teacher couldn't move her stuff until the portables were placed, so I couldn't move my stuff! However, we worked together to unpack her cabinets and load my junk in them. We couldn't move furniture until after summer school and they had waxed the floors. So I left on vacation! When I came back I was able to get in the room and I moved all her stuff to one side of the room (luckily she didn't have as much as me!) and all my stuff on the other side.... here is a picture of all my stuff on my half of the room!

Now I didn't get a picture of her side. Sorry! It was funny though because I had a path all around so I could maneuver.

After I got everything moved I spent multiple hours painting 4 bulletin boards. I was lucky because she had painted all of them but 4!

2 weeks ago they got the portables set up (they didn't get electricity until this Monday!) and all her stuff moved out and I went to work! Please keep in mind I took these with some finishing touches still left, but here is the final product... I went with the Dots on Turquoise and Paisley on Turquoise theme this year (have to say this is my favorite by far!)

My new and improved classroom library...sorted by lexile level! The shelf is accessible by both sides. The shelf came from IKEA and so did the little Green Table and  stools

After you step in the door and turn left...

My AR Board...When the kiddos reach 20 points they get on Mr. Potato Head and get a coupon to a local ice cream place. The little buzz is 70 points or more and they get a $10 gift card to a local restaurant of choice if they get there. I have been doing this for the past 2 years and it motivates them to read (which normally they could careless). The big Buzz and the thermometer is the whole class goal...the choose how many points they want to get to and they choose the reward. They have until they reach the goal before it changes (but there is only one party a semester). The red poster is where I post their points so they aren't constantly asking me how many points they have. I post it first thing every Monday morning. Up at the top is my CRAFT board that I picked up from Ladybug's Teacher Files

Turn in station... See my Monday made-its?

Looking from one of my "teaching spots" 

My reading center. I have one more black panel to hang up (that's it on the table). They create a nice see through division between "my" space (file cabinets and resources) and "everybody's" space. They came from The Container Store

My Manners board...the posters and paisleys are covering up major damage from something the teacher before me had super glued up there! That is why it looks a little funny! I picked up the posters from Alicia Wyand's TPT Store

My Curtains my mommy made! 

Hope you enjoyed the tour! I anticipate that I will have to move at least 1 or 2 more times before my classroom is built (in the second half of the new building). I plan on keeping my theme as long as I can! I will be a classroom packing pro!