Grade Level Theme

[Mrs.CLB]

Do any of you have grade level themes for the beginning of the year? (like an animal, an idea, etc...) We were thinking it would be neat for each of our 1st grades rooms to start next year as a team, with the same theme, similar bulletin boards, etc.... Maybe it would help create more unity... I don't know. Any suggestions/ experiences to share?

Thank you!

 

[Neena]

Beginning of Year

We like to start by reading "A Fine, Fine School" and discuss and write about why our school is a fine, fine school. Your theme could be "It's cool to be in school".
Also, you could have an "Under Construction" theme and have everything with a construction theme. Teachers/Children could wear plastic construction hats and have the classrooms decorated as such with many bulletin board ideas such as "First Graders are Great Workers".
Another idea could be about summer (if you start school in August). You could have an ocean theme--The hallway theme could be entitled "Sea of Learning" and have each teacher do different ocean animals and decorate as such. You could have the hallway decorated as a big ocean with water, seaweed, sand, etc.
Yet another could be the jungle. Hallway for first grade could read "It's a jungle in here" or "We are WILD about First Grade". Have different animals for each room and decorate with leopard prints, etc.
I also like the happy face theme. "We are happy to be in First Grade". Have smiley faces everywhere with various bulletin board decorations. "First Grade is something to Smile about", "We love First Grade".
The farm is another cute idea. Make the hallway a barn and enter through the barndoor. Each teacher can go anywhere with this one. Bulletin boards could read "We've picked the Best First Graders" and have a cornfield with the children's faces on the corn or "First Grade is Overall the Best" and have little overall's on the children's picture on a bulletin board.
Frogs (ponds) are also a good grade level theme. "Hoppy to be in First Grade". You could have lily pads everywhere with pussywillows on the walls. We really love the pond theme.
I hope these ideas helped...

 

[Darci]

Neena's Ideas

Neena....
How cute! I love your ideas! I have used a couple of these ideas, but did not think about making it a theme for the entire first grade!
Hope your school year is wrapping up on a good note!
Darci

 

[Mrs.CLB]

Great Ideas, Neena!

I've printed off your reply and have it in my file for the beginning of the year! How do you have so many great ideas! I hope I get more creative as I teach more years. I feel like my idea well has run dry!

 

[123abc]

just an idea

At my school this year we had a you can do it theme, our grade level slogan was 'Anything you can do we can do better' another level had 'bee the best you can bee' another had 'beeutiful students of grade one', 'leaaping into first grade', 'hopping into first grade' etc.

 

[MPage]

Frogs

I used frogs this year...Hop into 3rd Grade and Welcome to Miss Page's Pad. Not sure how your school is set up but you could use the Hop into 1st Grade for the grade level and each teacher's pad
I had it on my door I had a large frog on a lily pad with each child's name on a smaller frog. TOOOO cute I also have a Bboard in my room with AR goals (don't rag me our school uses it) Leaping to our AR goals and I have the points levels written on lily pads and the students get to move their frog (cute post it notes i found and laminated) to the corresponding to lily pad. They LOVE it.