How to Make Classroom Decorations

Whether decorating a classroom for an open house or welcoming students back to school, classroom decorations make a statement. Both students and parents will view these decorations not only for their aesthetic qualities, but also for their educational focus. You want to create decorations that are light and bright to add to the joy of your class, but be careful to ensure that the decorations don't overshadow the works of art you'll be displaying from your students.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Define a focus. It might be the arts in general or a specific study area, but find one specific thing upon which to focus your decorations.

2. Use that theme throughout your room. Keep the decorations simple for the lower grades and more abstract as the grades progress. For example, if the theme is springtime, a kindergarten classroom might have sight words on bees and flowers, whereas a 5th grade class might have poetry phrases that evoke the beauty of spring written out and placed on the wall.

3. Determine how you'll decorate the class. If you're on a limited budget and have little volunteer help, stick to simple decorations that can be stapled to a bulletin board. If you have a larger budget and an aide to assist you, then you can create more elaborate works that require assembly.

4. Think about the media. If you have access to the Internet in your classroom, consider using a slideshow or presentation along the theme that plays in the background. If you don't have access to the Internet, then use simple displays that will engage the children.

5. Involve your students. To tie your theme in with the work your students are displaying, have the children join in. A theme on winter might include essays on winter vacation activities or drawings of holiday activities.

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