The Race Car Year

It was my fourth year teaching fourth grade when I really started to embrace the classroom theme idea.  I decided to create a race car door with a handmade, glittered race car for each student.  The sign above the door read "The Road to Success Starts Here".  Unfortunately, I only have one photo of that door, and it isn't very good.   My door theme would begin to "enter" my classroom that year.  My bulletin boards all reflected the race car theme, as well as my nameplates, notepads and stickers.  My first week activities revolved around the theme, including a bunch of really fun learning games involving cars.  I remember buying a ton of Matchbox cars at a garage sale that summer and using them for so many activities.  The kids loved it!

Race Car Games!

The first week of school is always an exciting and often frightening time for students.  Walking into a classroom that is filled with activities that they can look forward to and enjoy always makes the year start off on a positive note.  The sense of community in our classroom grows so quickly as the students and I laugh and play and get to know each other.  Nearly every activity that I plan for the first week of school makes the children think, analyze, or communicate either verbally or in writing.  Ultimately, they are learning ~ despite all the fun!