[cla1stgrteach]

I will be doing a western theme in my first grade classroom this coming year. I have so many great ideas already that I have found online. However, I am looking for ideas for my classroom jobs that I could maybe use a western name instead. I also will have 3 or 4 reading groups and I would love to have a name for each group so that I can say the group name and those students know to come to the reading table.

Also, I need something for my classroom door. I have cowboy hats that I will put each students name on but I am having a hard time coming up with a title or saying for the door.

However, I will be greatly appreciative of any western theme ideas including decor, bulletin board ideas, etc.

Thanks in advance.

[iluvpooh]

I am doing a Western Theme as well this school and I teach 1st too!! Yee Haw!!
You are much further ahead in your planning than I am!!

My Door will say:
Ms. Jones' Junction
Saddling Up For Success in First Grade (will use something that I can put their pictures in).
I purchased the Mini BB set from Teacher Created Materials: Wanted Hard Working Helpers
4" Fun Font Letters in bandana print from frog street press
The Dollar Tree also had bandana print Certificate of Achievements and a notepad

I will try to come up with some names for the jobs and groups if someone else doesn't beat me to it!

Would you be willing to share some of your ideas that you have come up with?

[Mrs.Garcia]

Theme this year..... My job chart title was Ranch Hands. Your door could say "1st grade roundup" and you can buy some rope to put around door. I used burlap for ,y outside bulletin board. I also covered another bulletin board with differ colored bandanas..... Came out cute!

[jo]

I have also used "Help Wanted" with cowboy hats on their pictures of students standing by a themed background and wearing a blue or red bandana around their neck. I used western looking material for the background with oldish looking twine for a border and some plastic horseshoes for decoration. Go to a theme party website for ideas.

[ERAC]

I did the Western theme two years ago and loved it! There are some freebies on classroom with style dot com - for western stuff. In the books they have job cards that you put on the kids desks. They have the actual cutsie cards and job description. I have trying to think what they are - wrangler, sheriff, deputy (I am racking my brain, I can't think what else - summer mode). There is even a monetary system if I can remember right they were called buckaroo bucks. Really cute stuff. I also saw a post on here awhile back that said she used a saddle on a hay bale - what a cute idea. On my door I had "Wanted a Great Year - Reward Fantastic learning (I can't remember exactly). Then I had little wanted posters for all the kids. I think carson delosa has a pre made mini poster. I had a quite signal. I would say, "Round em up" and all my students would stop what they were doing and say "Yee-Haw" and pretend lasso this way I could redirect attention or transition.

[phylrob]

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...00000117184924

Here are some photos of my room from a few years ago! Western theme was one of my favorites because I grew up riding horses in Kentucky! Yeehaw! Have fun!

[phylrob]

That link didn't work for some reason! I will try again! Wow, this was a few years a go! This was before I got white boards and a Promethean!


http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...3&l=914b61da5d

[cla1stgrteach]

I also have the Mini BB set Wanted Hard Working Helpers and the 4" letters in Bandana print. I usually buy my stuff from www.teacherstorehouse.com because they have great prices and you can buy things from multiple places and you earn so much of your total to spend later. So, I am not sure where the bandana board is from but I also have that. Then I bought bandana to use as curtains and pillow covers for my reading center. I have barbwire cord from oriental trading to use around my bulletin boards.

At our school we each have a wall outside our classroom that is used to hang student work. So I found some bandana scrapbook paper to hang in the hallway and I am going to make clothespin holders for each of the students. I will take a clothespin and print a sheriffs badge with each students name. Then, I will laminate them and glue them to the clothes pins. Then, I will attach each clothes pin to a piece of bandana paper and I won't have to staple each paper every time I display a new piece of work I can just place it under the clothe pin.

Also, I found western signs from oriental trading (although some are religious but I teach in a Christian school so it works) that I used to write my rules on and I will use them for my reading center sign and whatever else I can find. They come 12 in a pack and they are pretty good size.

I have a cowboy hat that I will wear during reading groups and when I am wearing that hat the students will know they can not disturb me because I am busy.

If I can think of any other ideas I have I will post them as they come to me.

[iluvpooh]

#cia1stgrteach WOW!!! I love all of those ideas!!! I hope you don't mind if I borrow them all!! lol

I especially love the clothespin with the sheriff badge to display work! My display board is in my classroom. I will also be purchasing the bandana fabric and making my curtains and covering two small chairs that I have for my buddy reading area.

Be sure to post pics when you are all done and I will do the same.
Thanks a bunch for sharing your ideas!!!

[cla1stgrteach]

Feel free to use any and all ideas that you want. It is great to hear other people's ideas and be able to use them in the classroom. That is what we are here for.