The Reveal of a Theme....

So here it is folks.. my inspirational camping theme for the classroom next year. Please note that I will be posting actual pictures of my classroom as it develops.

You may be asking.. Really? A theme?
and the answer is YES!!

A theme is what keeps teaching fun for teachers. A theme pulls in different lessons for the classroom, and makes student learning first hand and experiential. Most importantly.. a theme is FUN!! And when the teacher has fun, the kids have fun. When the kids have fun they enjoy learning. When they enjoy learning they become life long learners. That is really what it is all about isn't it?

I will guarantee that in 5 years 1% of the students I am currently teaching will remember the specific math lesson I taught on Friday (and without looking back in my planner, neither will I :) ). That knowledge will help them scaffold their learning so that they can understand their future math lessons. Why my kindergarten (yes I am currently teaching Kindergarten for those of you who don't know me) students will remember this year is when the story of the Gingerbread man came alive, and the gingerbreads we made ran away. The student will remember when we built a boat out of cardboard and painted it because we were learning about the ocean, or all the times we went on discovery walks.

As I reflect on my own education, I recall not what I learned in Grade 3, but what I experienced, and the connection I had with my teacher.

Yes I still teach .. of course.. after all it is an EQAO year ;)
But there is so much more to teaching than opening a book, and as I grow as a teacher and a person I realize that I don't want to be a teacher that doesn't have fun. I want to enjoy teaching. I want to come to work everyday with the same excitement as the first day of school.

I think that starts with enjoying your room, and that is why I have chosen to have a theme.

Picking a theme .. now that wasn't easy. What would be fun for me and for kids? What would tie into some of the units I will be teaching next year. How would I actually pull off decorating for this theme?

I honestly don't know how I chose this theme.. It kind of just hit me like a brick.

I want to show you .. the reader.. some ideas for themes that are out there..

This is from Beth Newingham's Site (http://hill.troy.k12.mi.us/staff/bnewingham/myweb3/)

Nautical Theme http://hill.troy.k12.mi.us/staff/bnewingham/myweb3/nautical%20theme.htm
            

Space Theme (http://hill.troy.k12.mi.us/staff/bnewingham/myweb3/Space%20Theme.htm)

         

Sports Theme (http://hill.troy.k12.mi.us/staff/bnewingham/myweb3/Open%20House%202006.htm)



And.. The Rockstar Theme (http://hill.troy.k12.mi.us/staff/bnewingham/myweb3/Rock%20Theme.htm)




********* All these pictures were taken directly from the sites referenced. They are property of Beth Newingham*******************

I mean this woman is just amazing!!!
So my theme next year will be camping. I chose this for many reasons.
1. I like camping
2. it's something most of the kids I teach probably don't do
3. It ties into the themes for next year (Aboriginal life, pioneer life, plants, soils, structures.. OOoooOO I just thought of a structures activity where they can build their own shelter!!)
4. It will be fairly easy to transform my class into a campground effectively.

Here is some inspiration I found on the web... (again... none of this is mine, but it is all referenced)
This was the best website I found for ideas http://www.clutterfreeclassroom.com/campingtheme
She has cute ideas like the Literacy Lake, and sending a postcard to the students showing what the room will look like


some other cute ideas from that same website are:
 using garland as a border
 a tent as a nice reading spot
 and sharing published stories around a campfire

Then I found this site http://www.teachersclubhouse.com/camping.htm
It has really cheap decorations you can buy and print yourself (in lots of different themes)
Some examples of things I bought are..

This page has lots of decoration ideas http://www.countryclipart.com/CabinCampFishSet/cabincampingfishing.html

I didn't purchase anything from them because I decided to buy this: http://www.cricut.com/shop/#0/1/1175/3/Cricut/Cricut Campin' Critters Cartridge


Oh yes!!! A cricut camping cartage!!!!!!

HEAVEN!!!

I was going to post some of my creations, but unfortunately my camera is out of batteries, and I am not nearly finished all my decorations yet :)

I have also planned (and booked) my "camping themed class trips" for next year. They include a trip to Crawford lake (aboriginal village), Pioneer christmas, Snowshoeing and building a snow house, and (best of all) a lesson underneath the stars in the Science Centre or ROM Planetarium.. I havnt decided which one yet, but I think it will be really cool for the kids to get a lesson under the starts, cause, there are no stars in the city :(

To Be Continued.......

Here is some baking.. I thought I would keep it tied to the camping theme. I made this BBQ cake for my dad's birthday a couple years back :) Enjoy! (I know he did!!)