Back to School Hallway

I must first stay by explaining my theme for the walls outside of my classroom.  There is another second grade teacher that will be retiring after this year and she requested that everyone choose a Disney movie as their hallway theme.  Since this is my first year in second grade and I was one of the last to join the group, many of the movies that I would have chosen had already been claimed.  I finally decided on Mary Poppins.  I do love this movie!  So my hallway theme is Mary Poppins.  Here are some pictures of my hallway and my door.

 On transition day my students used a technique called chalk painting to make their kites.  I felt this craft really related to Mary Poppins, because of the song in the movie, "Let's Go Fly a Kite."    I also took their pictures like they were holding umbrellas, Like Mary Mary Poppins, to use as a cute way to display their work.

 Just to make it a little more personal, I put a picture of my face on Mary Poppins. The kids at Open House seemed to think this was very funny.

 Also, on transition day, the kids completed a writing prompt that had them imagine what their kite would see from the sky.   I was amazed at my students imagination when it came to what their kite would see.  I wish I had taken more pictures, so that may be coming in the future.

 I have to admit that I hate putting paper on the doors before decorating it. By the end of the first week, the kids had knocked into the door and either torn the border or marked up the paper.  This year I copied an idea from Mrs. Huber, another second grade teacher.  In fact a large number of teachers copied this idea.  I painted the inside of my classroom door with chalkboard paint.  Later in the year, I may have the kids use the door during a reading or math center.  Make sure you put two coats on if you try this idea.

To be honest, I do not love the frontside of my classroom door.  I should have added a border and spent some more time on it.  I used black and white polka dotted wrapping paper from Hobby Lobby. This paper is actually very durable and you get so much paper on each roll.  The posters or signs are centered around my Mary Poppins theme.