Throwback Thursday: Classroom Chalkboard

I am linking up again today with Mrs. Carroll for Throwback Thursday!

I have been obsessing over everything chalkboard lately! Yes, I am super thankful that I have whiteboards in my classroom, however I have been loving chalkboard paint and the chalkboard look and am planning on using it when I can this year! (I am especially excited about my updated chalkboard homework club board and chalkboard posters!) So today I thought I'd bring back the post from where it all began!

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Originally Posted August 13, 2012

2 weeks left until our first day of school!!

It's getting so close and I still have tons of crafty things I want to do!

This was one of my major must-dos for the summer though, and I am SO happy with how it turned out!

A while back I stumbled upon Jessica's blog Little Baby Garvin. She created an adorable chalkboard that she used each week while she was pregnant to take pictures of her baby bump. I absolutely love the chalkboard idea and how she changed it up each week! Plus her writing is simple amazing! I wanted to think of a way to use the chalkboard idea in my classroom. (I know, most teachers hate chalkboards and want whiteboards (or smart boards), but I just wanted a small, fun chalkboard!)

My plan is to switch it up each Monday but putting up a new quote or inspirational phrase. Then, during our writing block, I am going to have my students jot down the quote and write about it... their thoughts, how it makes them feel, what it makes them think, etc. Then it will be up the whole week for us to enjoy! I hung it up on the front of my desk right in front of our rug. That way people will see it when they walk into the room and it will be at eye level when my students are sitting on the carpet!

I found this quote from a pin on Pinterest. It was originally done as a canvas from Initially Amy Fay. How perfect is it for the classroom?!

I searched everywhere for a cute picture frame that I could paint, however I couldn't find one that fit what I had in mind. I ended up finding this cork board at Office Depot, which I spray painted purple and then painted over the cork board with chalkboard paint. It didn't turn out as smooth as I had originally hoped because of the cork board material, but it works, so I am happy about that!

Now I just have to add to my collection of quotes so that I have plenty of great ones to last the whole year!!

My second "project" was simple, but I love the results! I bought this cute paper tray at Office Depot for my students to turn in their tests/work. It started off white, and with all the white shelving in my room, I wanted it to be a bright color so it would stand out. I went to Blick and bought several amazing spray paint colors, and decided on the blue one for this! I love all the details in it!

I'm linking up with my sweet friend Tara from 4th grade Frolics! I love all of the wonderful things she made this week, and am definitely going to have to be adding some of them to my list!