I am thinking of a construction theme for my room. Does anyone have any ideas? I thought of different titles- "We're working hard in Mrs. Heid's class" "Come join our crew" or something like that. Any ideas of what to make, decorate, and do?
Thank you so much!
My classroom theme isn't exactly construction related, but I do have a lot of things that fit under it in my classroom. My classroom has a city theme, so I've purchased and made a lot of signs for it (i.e. Kids at Work). My suggestion is to find things on ebay (actual road signs or replicas, hard hats, construction themed rugs and fabric) and at teacher supply stores (borders etc.) that you can add to your classroom to give it that construction look.
If you look here, you can see a few pictures of my classroom. Feel free to steal any ideas you see that you like!
Hi! I am thinking about doing a construction theme too for my 1st grade classroom. I found some neat construction signs at the teachers' store and found some "hard hats" at the dollar store too. This way I can take the students' pictures in the hard hats the first day of class. Here is some other ideas I had for titles, etc.
Reading Zone
Our Construction Crew
Building Up Character
Beginner Blueprints for Reading (I was thinking about using this for a word wall. I am going to try to get some old blueprints to put up as the background to the bulletin board.)
Building a Foundation for Learning
Kids at Work
Use empty paint cans for pencil, scissors, etc. holder
Use caution tape for bulletin board borders
I was also trying to think up something for my reading corner. I may try to purchase some of the cardboard building blocks so that I can "build" some small walls (with an opening for the door) to block off the reading corner. Of coarse, don't build them too high since you want to see the kids reading! I would glue the blocks together too so that they wouldn't be knocked over all the time .
Hope this helps. I'm still in the brainstorming stage .
I am going to use the title "Building Reading Skills one Brick at a time". Plan to let kids fill in a brick with name, and book title and author for each book they read. Not sure how I'm going to display them, but I'm sure I'll come up with an idea.
Also planning to use phrase---Nailing Good Behavior for my behavior board. They will start out with 3 nails per day. Need to have a certain number at end of week to pick from treasure box
Helper board---Digging in to Help; shovels with kids name on it and pile of dirt with job listed on it.
I saw a really cute bulletin board set at the teacher store that was all "construction" type signs. The name was "Kids At Work" and they also had matching desk plates.
I'd label the areas of your room with yellow triangle signs and black lettering "reading zone," and "math zone," etc. You can also pre-cut hardhats as locker or cubby signs....and label it "hard at work in Mrs. ___'s class!"
Kim
I did a construction theme in my room last year. I had the orange signs with black around them for all my centers/areas in the room. I also made street signs above mine and my aides desks in green with white lettering (Ms.___________ Rd.). Hmmm what else did I do.....I had gotten some road sign pillows at wallmart last year and I used construction worker fabric from a local fabric store to cover up storage areas and make "table cloths" for my group tables". On my door I had a stop sign that said "Stop, Listen, and Learn" Hope this helps.
I was going to buy some of those hats at Oriental Trading but the dollar store would be cheaper, I'm sure. Which dollar store did you find them at? Thank you so much for your reply!!
I am interested in doing a construction theme, and I have found and came up with some ideas. I'm still brainstorming, but here is what I have come up with so far:
-Today's Blueprint
I'll use this to post the day's routine.
-The Job Squad
This is going to be my classroom jobs bulletin board title. I plan on using the Kids at Work border that I found in a magazine along with construction hat cut outs. I'm going to put the job on the construction hat, and on the first day of school, I am going to take individual pictures of the kids. I'll laminate thier headshot and put their faces under the hat to show that they have that job.
-Area Under Kidstruction
This is the title of the area I'm going to use to post students work. They will each have a spot that is all theirs. They can put up something that they want (picture, drawing, good test). Now, I may once and a while say that I want something certain posted. Of course, the things that they post must be appropriate and approved by me.
-In the works....
This is going to be the information board..menu, calendar etc.
I couldn't come up with another title.
-Lunch Break
This will be the title of the lunch account board.
-Reading Zone
The Reading Area
-Caution: Thinking Cap Required (instead of hard hat required)
This will be the title of a brainteaser bullentin board I wanted to do. It was serve as a place where I can also do review problems. When the submit their answer to me, they can pin up a light bulb on the board with thier name.
-Crooks' Crew
This is what I was thinking of doing for the welcome board. My last name is Crooks, so that's what I am up with. I don't know what I would really do to display it though. I don't want to do the hard hats since that is what I am doing for my job board. Any ideas for my welcome board?
Alright that's what I have so far. Anyone have any other ideas for me? Any other ideas for titles I should use instead? Help with my welcome board is needed. How could I decorate the reading area?
I'm going to be teaching third grade... is this theme idea good or should I go with camping?
I bought the hats from Oriental Trading Post last year and the kids LOVED them! They are not as sturdy as the ones from The Dollar Tree (they are not that "hard" plastic), but they are cheaper than buying 25 of them at $1.00 + tax each!!!
We uses this theme in a Character Education Building workshop. We used orangel construction zone fencing we got from Lowe's. We used caution tape. I am doing this theme this year and found several bulletin board sets on the internet. We also used orange cones and empty boxes to set this up. It looked really good. I wish you luck.
Ideas for Bulletin Board Headings....
Reading under Construction
Tools for our Toolbelt
Hard Hat cutouts to label cubbies, lockers, etc..
I am going to let my table leaders be called crew leaders. If you have anything to add, I would love to hear your ideas also.
Did this as a year round "board" last year. I'm not usually a big "theme" kind of person but with our district building a new building for our school right outside our current school and the kids watching all the construction along with it being our last year in our current building, a construction theme seemed appropriate.
I made a sign with construction worker animals (I honestly can't remember where I copied it from - I wish I could) that I traced onto cardstock and colored. I made a caption with them saying "Caution: Minds at Work".
The first day of school I took a side profile (although not quite) of my students. Then I printed them out and put hard hats on top of their pix. The hard hats had their names on it.
I had it on my opening board at first and then moved it to my classroom door all year.
For my reading strategies board, I did a "Readers' Toolbox" where each tool represented each strategy. (I got it here from a great PT friend).
I found a whole bunch of construction themed things at Dollar Tree last year like signs and borders that said "Kids At Work" and "reading zone". I also made a "Learning Xing". They also had plastic toy tools. I put velcro on them to attach them to my opening board
With the name Sharkey, I had to keep a bit of the ocean theme so I kept my job octopus and put a hard hat on him and we referred to him as our "foreman".
I'm not on my school account but if you are interested in the hard hats, I can attach them another day.
If you could send the hard hats, I would TRULY appreciate it! Our whole school is doing the construction theme this year and it would help tremendously!
Thanks for all of your great ideas!!!
dilwortk@friscoisd.org
It's not too late to fix, but I don't think it needs changing. Can you chime in. A co-worker remarked that my theme was too male gender oriented.
My door poster is :KIDS AT WORK
Building our community together
a CARPENTER'S TOOL BELT
(tribute to my dad)
BB reads: HARD AT WORK w/ TOY CONSTRUCTION WORKERS PRINTED FABRIC
Message reads RESPECT RESPONSIBILITY AND SAFETY BB: "We love our community helpers" with hearts
It seems balanced to me. Should I just ignore him.
One corner has a kitchen with frilly curtains and the other a puppet house
Last edited by bonnybelle; 08-16-2009 at 06:44 PM..
Reason: spelling
I don't think it's overly masculine - it's construction. I did this one last year and I received many compliments. The girls were equally excited as the boys with our theme.
And as far as you colleague, hasn't he ever heard of Kelly from Handy Mandy or Wendy from Bob the Builder. I actually used a pix of Kelly on my welcome board. Women work at Home Depot and Lowe's as well (and not in the "decorating center").
Honestly, I'm a bit shocked that in this day and age where you can see women in many careers and jobs, that someone would make such a comment. My husband is in the contracting business and he says that he is seeing more and more women in the construction business.
So my advice, tell your friend that you only take "constructive critcism" (and only if it's from a woman).. Sorry, couldn't resist (hee-hee)
When did you get out? We go back after Labor Day in NY but we got out of school I think the third week in June. My own 2 start school the week of the 31st here in CT. But I do have a friend who teaches one town over from me who is going back on Monday, the 24th. So funny how everyone starts and finishes at such different times.
I am thinking about doing a construction theme in my fifth grade classroom this year. Our school theme is "Word Hard, Be Kind" so I thought construction would go well with it. Do you think construction is appropriate or is it too young? If it is too young, do you have any suggestions for a more age appropriate theme?
i am doing the theme construction and i am using a wheelbarrow for my reading and my block area,they will be fill with books and blocks i am going to also use paint buckets that i found at the dollar store to put kids supplies in. i found things at birthday express a birthday sign that ypu can say whatever you want to say with the construction theme pictures really cute, i also found footstools at target and the dollar store for my reading area.i have construction aprons and tool aprons that were at michaels for 50 cent cute really cute. i also bought tools from hobby lobby screw drivers and hammers that i am going to place my children name on to use for center planning. teacher clubhouse have things that u can download for calender a word walls. name plates. birthday express also have a photo prop that each child can place their picture in. i am really excited. tonka has a cute rug that i wish i could affford but cant at this time i have a teacher salary lol
Hi i just recently saw your door poster it is amazing.. where did you get the poster at with the toolbelt etc. I would love to use it for my classroom door we are doing a study on buildings/construction.. My e mail is rivers1016@aol.com and i check it everyday.
Love the idea of tracking reading on paper bricks. If you have any pics of how you ended up displaying them I'd love to see. My email is sodawe@gmail.com
Hey Debbie! For a bulletin board, you could have "Nailing for good behavior" or "Diggin to (fill in the blank with your grade level you teach).! If you want some more suggestions just let me know!
Hi I would love to see some pictuers of your construction theme classroom. I am struggling on how to make my room look. If you don't mind sharing them I would appreciate it. Please email me at trwhit1#cox.net
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07-21-2006, 06:56 PM
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