Classroom Tour 2012 Part 1: Labels!

August 1st means that teachers can get back into their classrooms and start preparing for the school year.  The total music room reveal will have to wait for a few more small projects to be completed, but I wanted to post a few pictures in celebration of labels.  I made several different kinds of labels using polka dots.  Have I mentioned how much I love black and white polka dots?  Anyway...I made several labels and really just slapped them on some things I already had in containers. 
New boomwhacker storage!  I've had family members and parents saving plastic coffee cans for the last year.  We use them as drums in class which is so much fun!  Today I converted some of them into boomwhacker storage containers with a little spray paint.  Boomwhackers are pitched percussion tubes.  We use them to create harmony and play melodies.  Now that they are in separate containers it will make setting up boomwhacker songs faster and easier.  The labels show the boomwhacker pitch (letter name) and scale degree (number).

This is kind of a launch pad.  Several frequently used manipulatives are stored here.  Notice the pretty labels on the ABC sticks, lap packs and bottle caps.

Ahhh!  I hope this cabinet stays this neat all year! LOL...I know, I know, but a teacher can dream can't she?  These little baskets with the handles came from a regular classroom teacher who hadn't used them.  Hurray!  They were the perfect size for several manipulatives that I had previously stored in plastic baggies.

Polka dots!  Yay!  I also added polka dot labels to my tubs of crayons, markers, colored pencils, erasers and scissors.  Is it going overboard if I make something for my hand sanitizer too?  Cause I'm really considering it!

This picture shows my national standards bulletin board.  Last year I displayed the standards with a big dish of ice cream and this year I'm using soda cans. Teachers:  You can get this bulletin board here.

13 comments:

  1. Love the unity that everything has! My mentor was starting to collect coffee cans when I was finishing up my student teaching and I forgot about using them for drums or storage! I know you have probably mentioned it before, but what do you use the letter trays for on your polka dot table?

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  2. LOVE it!! Can't wait to see it all! No, it's not going overboard with a label for the hand sani! :) I totally wish I could come watch you teach! Neither of my classrooms are ready yet and I am soo itching to get in them and get started!
    http://lukacmusicclass.blogspot.com/

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  3. I use the letter trays/mailbox thingy for worksheets, handouts, letters, etc... for each of my classes. I've considered getting rid of it because it feels like I don't use it enough for the space that it takes up, but I do use it. :-) Teachers...we really are hoarders some times!

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  4. I am interested in the clothespin rhythms. Could you share how you use those?

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  5. I'm interested in the clothespin rhythms. Could you share how you use these?

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  6. I love your Boomwhacker storage! I'll have to do that at some point with mine.

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  7. I was also wondering about the clothespin rhythms. I have bee wanting to ask you, what types of sheets/manipulatives/papers/etc. do you use in your Lap Packs?

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  8. Love your ideas!!! I am interested in knowing more about the ABC Popsicle sticks... How do you use them?

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  9. I'd be interested in the clothespin rhythms; the ABC sticks and what's in your lap packs. I really appreciate your room tour, and would really love to see a Lesson Plan. My new Principal is considering an extra rotation for rotations for each grade level - two hours blocked first thing in the morning. Thanks for blogging this!

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  10. Gorgeous organization!
    Curious music teacher: How do you use the bottle caps? Just discovered your blog- love it!

    Elizabeth

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  11. Wow! Looks great! I'm about to start my first year of teaching music, and I would love to see some posts on many of the things in your tour:
    Clothes pins
    Yahtzee
    Poker chips
    I also saw you have a musical candy land
    Have you already posted about these? I'd love to include more games into my plans for the year. Thanks for such an inspiring look into your classroom!

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  12. So organized! Love it! I was wondering if you ever thought about having a class set of student manipulative boxes where everything is already divided out (rhythm/melodic) and will save on passing out materials? I want to but just don't know where to start!

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  13. Love it! Very organized! I was wondering if you have ever thought about setting up a class set of "music toolboxes" of all rhythmic and melodic manipulative to save on passing out materials. Each student would get there own. I have wanted to do this for a long time and I'm just having a hard time getting started/motivated.

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