Set up your first or second grade classroom for success! A good classroom setup will feel like each group has enough space to complete their task. This means that materials have a designated spot. Also, the flow of traffic is not too crowded or too open. Read on to see how this can be done!
Bird's Eye View of a 1st/2nd Grade Classroom
When arranging your first or second grade classroom, one of the first things to set up are spaces to support math and ELA centers. Everything else will fall into place more easily if designated center spots are made first! Take a look at the bird's eye view diagram of my classroom below so you can see what I mean. The diagram gives the bird's eye view of what my classroom looks like during math. You can sketch this out several times in a notebook or try planning digitally using the Lakeshore Learning website.
You will also notice that the teacher table is in the corner and away from the other students' centers. This is the least distractible place for kids to work and their backs are to the rest of the class.
If students are feeling crowded at their table, they do have the option of choosing a “smarter spot” for their center. Some of those spots can be the floor, reading area, rug, or standing desk. Kids are not allowed to move their center to a different table to work near other students. Discuss “smart spots” during your launching lessons when we are discussing our rules and expectations. Here's more advice about how to launch centers.
Whole Group Meeting Area
The whole group meeting area is where you will be doing some of your instruction this year. You may also use this area for read alouds, morning meetings, and giving directions for centers or small group time. Give yourself some space to include an easel close by. Many teachers like to have document cameras in this area as well.
The Teacher Table
The teacher table area is where you will do your student interventions, reading groups, guided math, or even just to hold onto a dedicated space for your para or parent volunteers. It can be ultra efficient to tuck the teacher table into a corner where it is quiet and away from distractions.
Classroom Photos
After about 100 hours of classroom time, lots of Pinterest and blog searching, and many hours of computer creating time each year, the classroom is arranged and ready to go! Here's a sneak peek of a few of the areas referred to in this post.
Teacher Table
Colorful Tables
Teacher Desk
Whole Group Meeting Spot
Classroom Library
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See how I set up and organize different areas of my classroom.
Setting Up Centers
You will likely spend the MOST time setting up for centers, so let's focus on this a bit more. The goal is to create a space that allows students to be as independent as possible. In order for centers to be successful, you need to be able to focus on the small group you are working with while the rest of your class is being productive. Setting up your centers to keep them self-contained and consistent will help keep your students on task.
Organizational Tools
Below is a look at baskets we would recommend to organize centers. One organizational tip is to match your students' math center baskets or trays to their table color. Read all about how to set up and prep centers. Get all the details about how to store and organize center materials.
Center Activities
The centers you choose do not have to remain static throughout the year, but consistency is helpful for our little learners. I tend to keep the same station types, but change out the activities monthly to match the season and the progression of skills as time goes on.
Math Centers
ELA Centers
Of course, this isn't a comprehensive list of centers for ELA or math! Use the centers that work for your classroom and students.
More Info on Getting Your Centers Up and Running
Everything You Need to Know About Math Centers
2nd Grade Centers: Launching & Management
Setting up an entire classroom can be a lot of work – but the time spent arranging and organizing before the school year starts is worth it!
When it's time to set up your first or second grade classroom, we hope these tips help your classroom run smoothly all year long!
I would love to view this training! I cannot find it (but I saw a picture on Lucky 2nd Grade…)
Thanks!
Hi Renee!
The training is the video at the top of this blog post, I hope this helps! Have a great day!
Bailey J.
Lucky Little Learners
I can’t thank you enough for sharing your tips on setting up my classroom. I am looking forward to planning and implementing a whole new classroom for the incoming children. I love being organized and I believe that setting up my classroom to more conducive I will be able to spend more time teaching than correcting & over monitoring my class. Can’t thank you enough. Hugs!
Love this! Thank you for the tips!
@sincerelybrandyk
Nice room. Our library is organized by topic/ theme.
Hey, I am interested in using the crates for seats in my class next year. Do you love them? Was it worth all the work it must have taken? Are they high enough for your tables? Do your kids use the crates to store their supplies? I would love information on how you made and what specific crates did you get? Thanks, Tiffany
Hello Tiffany! Angie says that her husband made the cushions and she used them to store supplies at the tables. She did lower her tables. She bought black crates from Target and her husband used plywood, foam, and fabric plus a staple gun to secure the fabric to the under side of the plywood. She kept them for 5 years and they worked great!
Wow Angie! I know this was a ton of work and the setup looks fantastic! Maybe I’m just more sensitive, but I find all the colors chaotic and overwhelming (preschools have that affect on me too lol). Do you find any of your students reacting negatively to this type of environment? How do you keep neurodiverse kids (ADHD, autism, processing issues, etc) on task with all the visual stimulation? I’d love to hear your tips and tricks.
I liked your teacher’s table so much. There is a room for privacy but the aura is still welcomeing to students. May I ask if this is a handmade one? Thank you!
Kimberly, are you referring to the crate seats? If so, Angie says that her husband made the cushions. She bought black crates from Target and her husband used plywood, foam, and fabric plus a staple gun to secure the fabric to the under side of the plywood. She kept them for 5 years and they worked great!
Hi there!
Would you please be willing to share those colorful monthly Sterlite Center labels?
Caroline, I’d be happy to! You can find these labels in our All Access Membership Library HERE. If you are a member, everything in the All Access library is available for you to download. If not, you can join for a very reasonable monthly or yearly fee. You can learn more about All Access HERE. Thanks for your interest!