Trading Spaces

Inspired by Franki and Mary Lee's Trading Spaces idea, I thought I would take pictures of new "spaces" that I am trying to create for readers in my new space this year(yippee!!).

This first space created with the small round table and plant stand is a little nook where I like to display books. I know kids will see it and most likely visit the table to drop off mail for me or notes
in the morning.

The books I have displayed are my favorite books about books and reading. Many of them will help me introduce discussion about reader identity during reading workshop.










This next space is made up of two cube-like beanbags and the back of a shelf. I found the cubes at Big Lots and went back for more but they were gone. The cubes were only $10 and perfect for primary kiddos. I don't think my third grader would be comfortable on one of these.

Next to the cubes, I have a series area for my readers. Some baskets here are Fly Guy Books, Curious George, Froggy, Mercy Watson, Little Critter by Mercer Meyer and the little princess series by Tony Ross.


In this corner, I decided to hang my maps and I have started to add baskets (there is a map basket of books with an atlas or two, map books and some state books) that are social studies related. You will also notice the small couch ( originally red) that I asked my mother-in-law to help me recover after being worn down last year. She used a vinyl 99 cent table cloth. It meets fire code and doesn't it compliments the space?

The colored books bins on the left are part of my leveled library and the grey shelves on the right have non- fiction on the upper shelves. I have put some of the book bins for my students on the bottom of the shelf. I like to spread the bins out across the room so that kids can get them easily and are less apt to crash into one another as they get settled during reading workshop.

New spaces, new smiling faces...12 more days of summer.