Here is my elementary mod/severe classroom tour! I teach a 1st through 4th self-contained, mod/severe, special day class. I am going to highlight some of my classroom staples and key elements I use when setting up my classroom.
Break/sensory area
Pictured above here is my break corner and sensory area! This is an area of my classroom that my students can go to when they are feeling overwhelmed, tired, escalated, etc. This area is designed for my student to use when they need to calm down, take a break or meet there sensory needs. I also created a sensory cubby area in a former cupboard. This is an additional space for my students to de-escalate and calm down in, as needed.
Centers or academic rotations in a elementary mod/severe classroom
My classroom is setup by color coded academic center rotations. Each center rotation targets a different area. For example, in red center we focus on reading goals, orange center is for math goals, yellow center we work on writing and fine motor goals, green center is our independent work station, and blue center is our technology center where students engage with educational apps on their iPads.
As you can see in the picture above, I have white envelopes attached to the end of each center bookshelf. These are used for students to put their color coded strip into, when it is time for them to transition to the next rotation. Center rotations run about 10-15 minutes. At the end of the center rotation, the student will be given their next color strip, which indicates what center they are rotating to. The student will then place that strip in the correct envelope and sit at the corresponding center.
Organizing supplies in an elementary mod/severe classroom
In my classroom, I organize all my supplies with labels. This allows for my staff to know exactly where to find any classroom item, and where to put items back. This is really helpful with keeping classroom clutter and questions about where items are/go down to a minimum!
I also like to organize my materials I need prepped in a clear and concise way. As you can see in the picture above, I have bins labeled cut, glue, velcro, laminate, all done. This is to place all materials that are being prepped in so that staff can easily grab a bin and know what is needed to be done. Below the bins, on the bottom shelf, I have also organized prep materials they will need such as paper, laminating sheets and file folders.
I know setting up a new classroom can be hard. Trying to figure out how to set up your space to make accessible for everyone can be overwhelming. With a lot of trial and error, I was able to find out what works best for me! With that being said, I hope you enjoyed a little glimpse of my elementary mod/severe classroom tour!
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