[pinkjuice]

I went to Ikea a few weeks ago and on a whim I bought this cute blue rug with two green dragons on it for my classroom.

Now I'm wondering how I can incorporate this into my entire room!

Perhaps a Welcome to Second Grade pennant made out of felt hanging near the door (on a fake horn of course!). I'd also love to have a moat in my room.

Got any ideas for me?

[2ndgradeteacher]

You can always try creating a castle building out of cardboard boxes, or even having a castle backdrop hung somewhere in your room.

I was visiualizing the four corners having little castle towers in them, maybe labeled with certain activites or subjects you are teaching, or even centers if you use them.

Thinking about the dragon.... you could do something about "Roaring into Second Grade" or "High-Flying Second Graders"

Good luck with your theme!

[BookMuncher]

This was going to be my theme this year (until I changed my mind that happens a lot)... I didn't look to see what grade you teach. However, I was going to fill my room with fairy tales (not fractured fairy tales, but the original versions) and do a unit for about the first month. They are a great genre to start with because:

1) most kids are familiar with at least some of them
2) non-readers can "read" them by using the pictures
3) it's fun to compare versions and illustrations of the same story
4) they're good for introducing easy beginning of the year concepts: like beginning, middle, end, characters, setting, etc...
5) they can be easily acted out
6) later in the year, when you read fractured fairy tales or there is an allusion to them, they have a foundation and they "get it"

I'm a children's lit. major, so if you want some help with the elements of fairy tales, let me know!

Have fun!!

[Nat]

used butcher paper to create a castle... she drew large bricks to make it look "castlely" taped it outside her door...on on her door she used butcher paper to create a castle door and taped that on the door. it looked awesome!

I should see if she has any pictures...

nat

[iluv2nd]

Try to get your hands on an Upstart catalog. They have a whole line of dragon stuff like take home bags, bulletin board set, bookmarks. Many of the items say, "Catch a Dragon by the Tale." They don't have a website but the phone number is 800-448-4887. I made lots of signs/captions for bulletin boards using a castle them... One was for the kids to display favorite work. It said "Braggin' Dragon" and had a cute graphic I downloaded from Graphic Garden.

when you went to ikea did you buy the dragon stuffed animals too? those would work!

I also bought the same Ikea rug and I am creating a dragon theme. My back to school bulletin board is "Let's get fired up for second grade" With a dragon on it and fire coming out.

[IMSaved2]

http://www.read180.00freehost.com/intro.htm

You might find some interesting stuff on this teacher's website. Her whole site is dragon themed. It was one I had bookmarked.

[pinkjuice]

Thank you! That was super helpful!

How did you make the dragon? I am having trouble finding one and am not sure how to go about making it.