[jwithere]

Ok, I need your host of brilliant ideas. This past year my classroom was a rainforest. My jobs were "Who can Help? Toucan You Can!" and the kids names were written on toucans that rotated, I had vines growing across the room to post work, the kids built a Kapok Tree the first month, their name magnets were on snakes, the library had birds that asked you to "Branch out with a good book", blow up animals around the room, and I painted the room green and brought in a bunch of live and fake trees and plants.

We were a jungle . My favorite idea was taking the layers of the rainforest and turning them into the behavior chart. All my kids snake magnets started out in the emergent layer of the rainforest, if they had a bad day, the moved it to the canopy, and so forth until if they continued they would be on the forest floor. It worked much like the red and green light system, but students learned from it at the same time. Often I'd be caught yelling, "Move your magnet to the emergent." and the kids would answer, "You mean canopy?"

Question is, this year we're turning my classroom into the airport, my jobs will be stewards and stewardess, my library will Take off with a good book, my art teacher is building me a newstand, and a magazine turn stile....but what can I do for my behavior chart that is still educational and functional...I had the idea to do first class, second class, crew, cargo, but that doesn't really reinforce any subject or area of learning. Any idea of something I can use that will reinforce a third grade concept? Clouds? Continents?

[Pirate_Andi]

How about using the layers of our atmosphere? Just a thought, I'm still thinking. :-)

[tadlockrl]

How about from fair weather clouds (cirrus) to storm clouds? just a thought.

[tadlockrl]

I am looking for a similar idea with space as a theme. i tought about the nin planets, but that is too many steps. I want something with 3 to 5 steps and content related. Any thoughts?

[jwithere]

Perhaps the phases of the moon? New, Waxing, Waning, Full or New, Crescent, Gibbous, Full? I know that's not all of them...so I'll keep thinking!

You could also do Miles from the Sun and choose specific planets. The closer you get the hotter you are...therefore the more hot water you're in.

[jwithere]

I like those both! I may start with the 4 layers of the atmosphere and then do something with the clouds. Thanks!

[nabryant]

I am thinking about a rainforest theme for my 3rd grade classroom this year. I love your ideas. Just wondering if you have any pictures or documents that go with your theme from last year. I don't want to cause you extra work. I would be so appreciative of anything that you might share.