Bonkers for Bulletin Boards!

My new school has perhaps the cutest collection of bulletin boards I've ever seen.  It's an expectation that boards are well kept and well, fun.  This is such a refreshing change from my previous school where our boards were called "academic wall displays" and we were graded on them.  Yes, graded.  I was talked to on more than one occasion because some of my students' work contained errors...because they're ten and still learning.  Yet, perfection was expected of these academic wall displays, but we weren't supposed to jeopardize instructional time doing tasks for the purpose to put them up.  I would display partner tasks that my students did in centers but would then be marked down on for not including individual work.  Our boards had to have the standard clearly displayed and a description of what was being shown.  Cutesy titles and playful word puns? Frowned upon by my previous site...but not here!  I'm excited for yet another positive change.

I haven't decided on what my classroom theme will be nor have I picked the colors, so I won't know what my completed board will look like...but I have the outline in mind!

I picked up a roll of burlap last time I was at the craft store...

...and plan to turn it into this:

I won't be using animal print fabric but rather one of the sheets I scored on college move in clearance last year.  Flat sheets are a great cheap alternative to yards of fabric and more environmentally friendly then paper because they can be used year after year!  (Just make sure to diligently take out the staples before the annual summer wash.)

I'm excited for next year!