Classroom decorations can inspire the students' creativity.
The best classrooms are those that spark the imagination, encourage exploration and inspire discovery. Classroom decorations are crucial in creating the right setting. Teachers can use elements of the fifth-grade curriculum as well as the work of students to motivate and inspire. Decorating a fifth-grade classroom does not have to be a difficult or expensive endeavor, but it does require creativity and enthusiasm.
Instructions
1. Create a cozy reading corner. Decorate the reading corner with bean bag chairs, a couch, arm chairs, and a soft area rug. Allow this corner to be a sanctuary for students to relax away from their desks during quiet reading time.
2. Use the curriculum as your inspiration. For example, fifth-graders often learn about the state capitals, so it would be useful to feature a large wall map of the United States on one of the classroom's walls.
Transport the students to a different culture. For example, if they're learning about ancient Egyptian civilization, feature giant construction paper pyramids on a main wall of the classroom.
3. Dedicate one wall of the classroom to artwork created by the students. This will celebrate their creativity and to add the students' unique style to the room.
4. Create a seasonal bulletin board. Keep the students interested by changing the bulletin board every month to feature a different holiday or season. Use the bulletin board to display the names of the students who have birthdays that month. For example, the bulletin in October could feature a Halloween theme and the name of each student with an October birthday could be displayed on paper pumpkin cutouts.
5. Add a different type of lighting to the classroom. Overhead florescent lighting is standard in many classrooms, but it can create a harsh glare. Hang paper lanterns, use standing lamps or string Christmas lights across the ceiling to create a softer glow. This type of lighting is particularly welcoming in the afternoons when the students' are tired and the day is winding down.
6. Incorporate living plants or animals into the classroom both as decoration and as an ongoing biology lesson. For example, have the students plant seeds in pots on the first day of the school year. Place the plants around the classroom, on shelves and windowsills where the students can watch them grow throughout the year. Or, feature an aquarium of fish and use it to teach students about marine life.
Tags: bulletin board, Classroom decorations, reading corner, type lighting, wall classroom