Classrooms usually have limited space, utilize your classroom door to showcase art and much more. Simple ideas to decorate the classroom door.
Daily Riddle: Pose the daily riddle on the door. The answer will be there the next morning with a new riddle.
Current Events: Students and the teacher tape newspaper articles of interest. Above the article in bold, there is a student made caption to intrigue students to read the article.
Reading Contest: Students place a symbol such as a book on the door to illustrate they have read a book. The symbol will have the name of the book, date, and student's name. Each month, the class can count and graph the amount of books read. As well, they can learn about regrouping to make counting easier.
Significant Numbers: Students write a number in bold and tape it to the door with their name written. The other classmates must decide the significance of the number. They will write their ideas on a post it note and place it around the number. At the end of the day the student writes the significance of the number.
Subject Units: Each month, the teacher designates the classroom door to represent a particular theme in the classroom (Vikings, geometry, bullying, nouns). The teacher may choose to place items related to the theme on the door. Another option is as students learn something they draw a picture or write a sentence or two about the designated themes.
Questions: Students have inquiry minds. Have students write down questions on the door and once a week or month they will be answered. The teacher may answer the question or chose 1-2 students to find the answer and present it to the class. Students will be given free time to find the answers via the Internet or library.
Quotes: Fill the classroom door with favourite quotes from the students, teacher, and parents. The quotes are written in bold letters and are placed on the board anonymously.
A favourite quote of mine by an unknown author.
Childhood is that state which ends the moment a puddle is first viewed as an obstacle instead of an opportunity.
Favourite Person: Students are allowed to draw or bring in a photograph of their favourite person. However, the student must write 1-2 paragraphs on why this person is important to them before it is posted. The paragraph does not have to be posted with the picture but the teacher has to give the okay before it is posted.
How Many...: The teacher writes a how many question on the classroom door. Students will respond to the question with pictures, words, and numbers.
How Many Kilometers Did We Travel This Month: Students will post pictures of their different travel. A student will post a picture of a hotel in New York City and in the picture write the approximate kilometers for return travel. Each day a selected student will add to the running tally of the kilometers. At the end of the month, the teacher will have a picture or symbol to represent the statement and tape it to a bulletin board. Across the picture, the teacher will write the question and the answer.
How much television did we watch?
How many trash bags did we have?
How many smiles did I receive in one day?
