Intermediate Elementary Classroom Tour

Welcome to a tour of my Intermediate Elementary Classroom! I teach a multiple disabilities class for grades 3 – 5 at a public intermediate school.

This is my first year in this classroom. When I found out that I would be moving rooms, I went right to the Classroom Layout Builder from the Simple Self-Contained 101 to help me plan! I was able to plug in the built-in features like the cabinets, sink, windows, and bulletin boards. Then, I could easily plan how to set up the rest of the room by clicking and dragging furniture, carpets, and other items exactly where I wanted them! It made it so easy to envision my classroom before I even stepped foot in it. I absolutely love the way it turned out!

Whiteboard/Carpet Area

This is the heart of the classroom! I have an extra-large carpet where my students meet for morning meeting, whole-group activities, and hands-on activities during center rotations.

The interactive whiteboard and calendar math activities are visible from the carpet. My students enjoy completing tasks on our daily math calendar (affiliate link) each morning.

I always keep our monthly vocabulary words front and center, too!

I prefer not having a traditional teacher desk, so the table up front is my command center and where my laptop stays during the day.

Student Tables

Instead of regular desks, each of my students has a table with two chairs. I have a small class so each student gets plenty of room to spread out!

We don’t have cubbies in our classroom, so the students keep their backpack and jacket on one of the chairs at their table.

Teacher Table

This is where students come to work with me during our reading and math rotations. Behind my chair is a ten-drawer cart that has each student’s materials for reading and math, plus a bookshelf with other items needed for academic work. One of our classroom’s hamsters, Tony, lives on a little table next to mine.

Para Station

My awesome paraprofessional works with students here during our rotations. During choice time, this table doubles as a spot for STEM activities, which are kept in bins on the shelf behind the table. We love designing structures with magnetic tiles, building blocks, and other fun manipulatives!

Life Skills Area

This is my favorite spot in the classroom! My students and I gather at this table for our life skills lessons and weekly cooking activities! We love using the life skills word wall to practice vocabulary related to what we are working on. Next to the table is a tall bookshelf where I keep all of our cooking utensils, dishes, and other supplies; plus life skills activity bins like folding washcloths, rolling socks, and sorting silverware.

Library/Break Area

This area of the classroom pulls double duty. Students visit this area during our reading rotation to practice reading independently. They can self-select their own books from the shelf. Students can also come to this area during the day when they need to have a break and relax on a bean bag or bounce on a ball for some sensory input.

I hope you enjoyed this classroom tour! Moving to a new classroom seemed overwhelming at first. But, I love the way it looks and the layout of the different areas really helps me to maximize student independence!

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