Teacher’s Brain

5 Bulletin Board Ideas for Your Elementary Classroom

Looking for bulletin board ideas for your next classroom masterpiece? 

I have always loved decorating a new bulletin board for my students. It’s the best way to showcase student work, share what we are focusing on, and display the hard work of the students. It’s so motivating and fun! 

bulletin board ideas

If you are looking for creative bulletin board ideas, simple bulletin board ideas, or unique bulletin board ideas for school, you’re in the right place! 

I’m sharing some of my favorite resources to make your bulletin board look spectacular! 

How do I make my bulletin board look nice? Here are my best tips: 

  • Choose a Theme: Pick a theme related to your classroom or the season.
  • Color Coordination: Use a coordinated color scheme for a visually appealing look.
  • Bold Title: Feature a clear and bold title to set the tone.
  • Visual Appeal: Add engaging visuals like student work or decorations.
  • Organization: Keep content neat and well-organized.
  • Interactive Elements: If possible, make it interactive with pockets or goal-setting sections.
  • Seasonal Touches: Include seasonal decorations for a fresh look.
  • Consistency: Maintain a consistent design for a cohesive appearance.
  • Creativity: Be creative with personal touches and different materials.
  • Regular Updates: Change content periodically to keep it interesting.

Looking for the perfect bulletin board ideas for elementary? Check out my favorite bulletin board resources! 

SPRING Bulletin Board | Growth Mindset

bulletin board ideas growth mindset bulletin board resource

Need a bulletin board that fosters a Growth Mindset and encourages your students to set goals? Look no further! This resource will help you create a beautiful bulletin board that will not only brighten up your classroom but also empower your students to embrace challenges and strive for success.

Rainbow of Possibilities Bulletin Board Set

bulletin board ideas

Explore a fun bulletin board that sparks imagination and prompts students to ponder future possibilities. With an exciting PRINT AND GO writing activity and an eye-catching bulletin board title, displaying your student’s work will be a breeze!

POETRY Bulletin Board Ideas | SPRING | National Poetry Month

poetry bulletin board ideas

 Celebrate National Poetry Month with a bulletin board that inspires creativity and showcases your students’ poetic talents. This resource includes a PRINT AND GO writing activity coupled with a captivating bulletin board title to beautifully display their poetic masterpieces.

Editable Birthday Chart Display | Bulletin Board | Classroom Decor

birthday bulletin board set

Ensure everyone knows when to celebrate by using an editable PowerPoint to display your students’ birthdays. Choose from black and white templates or add a burst of color to your classroom. Perfect for doors, bulletin boards, or chalkboards!

Movie Theater Biography | Superhero Biography for Bulletin Boards

superhero bulletin board ideas

Turn your classroom into a theater where every student is a star! Download a free Star Bio template for a Movie Themed Unit, complete with a Superhero BIO option for a Superhero Theater Day. Let the creativity shine as your students become the stars of their own biographies!

Bulletin Board – Kindness – Free

bulletin board ideas

Spread kindness like confetti with a bulletin board that captures and celebrates acts of kindness in your class. Discover the letters and setup used to create an inspiring board that reads, “Our Class loves to Throw KINDNESS Around Like Confetti.” Watch as your students’ kind deeds transform your classroom into a positive and uplifting space!
I hope you love these bulletin board resources as much as I do! For more bulletin board fun, check out this friendship resource!

Fun Ways To Celebrate Johnny Appleseed Day

Johnny Appleseed Day is coming up on September 26th, and that means it’s the perfect time to teach your students about who he is and celebrate apples! 

This holiday is all about appreciating apples and the legacy of a remarkable individual who planted apple trees across the country. If you are looking for some Johnny Appleseed Day activities and resources to have an engaging lesson to celebrate Johnny Appleseed and his favorite fruit, you’re in the right place! 

Johnny appleseed

How do you celebrate Johnny Appleseed Day?

Learn about who he was

Start by learning about the life and adventures of Johnny Appleseed! You can read books, watch videos on YouTube, or have a special lesson in class about this important historical figure. Understanding his love for apples and his contributions to our country is a great way to begin your celebration!

Do some apple themed arts and crafts

Get creative with apple-themed arts and crafts activities. Try making apple prints, drawing Johnny Appleseed’s character, or creating colorful posters that showcase the importance of apple trees. These hands-on projects will help your students express their creativity while celebrating Johnny Appleseed.

Go Apple tasting at an Apple Orchard

If possible, take a field trip! Explore the world of apples by tasting different apple varieties and, if possible, visiting a local apple orchard. Create a mini apple tasting event where you and your classmates can sample various apples and discuss your favorites. If you go to an orchard, learn about the apple-growing process and pick some apples to take home.

Plant your own apple seeds

Consider planting your own apple seeds or small apple tree saplings. This hands-on activity can help you understand the process of growing apple trees and appreciate the work this historical figure did. Over time, you can watch your apple trees grow and even produce apples of your own!

Try out some apple themed snacks and treats

End your celebration with some delicious apple-themed snacks and treats. Make apple pie, apple crisp, or apple muffins in class or at home. You can also enjoy a healthy snack of sliced apples with caramel or peanut butter. Sharing these tasty treats with your classmates is a great way to wrap up your celebration.

Looking for some easy, print and go Johnny Appleseed resources that you can easily incorporate into your lessons? I have you covered! 

Johnny appleseed

Check out this Johnny Appleseed Activities Bundle! 

Johnny appleseed activities

This bundle has it all! Crafts, writing, a digital escape, reading, math, science, and art activities! 

Johnny appleseed activities

7 Products Bundled

Craft Hat & Journal

Apple Glasses

Apple Math

Digital Escape Room (Reading and Problem Solving)

Puppet & Pop Art

Apple Sauce & Apple Pie Recipe

Biography (Week-long unit)

Opinion Writing & More

Celebrating Johnny Appleseed is such a fun activity for the fall! I hope you and your students love these Johnny Appleseed activities and  ideas as much as I do! For more activities to do with your students this fall, check out my post here!

3 Reasons To Use Escape Rooms In First Grade

Imagine turning your classroom into a captivating escape room where first-grade students become code-cracking detectives, working together to unravel mysteries while secretly building essential skills. Sound fun??

That’s where escape rooms for elementary school come in! You can use in person escape rooms or digital escape rooms, they’re all a blast!

escape rooms

What are escape rooms? 

Escape rooms are immersive and interactive adventures where participants are “locked” in a themed room and tasked with solving a series of puzzles, riddles, and challenges to unlock the room’s exit within a set time limit. These puzzles can range from deciphering codes to manipulating objects and finding hidden clues, all while working together as a team. 

Escape rooms offer an exciting way to engage individuals or groups in problem-solving, critical thinking, and collaborative exploration. 

This exciting twist on learning can ignite engagement, foster teamwork, and sneakily enhance critical thinking in the most thrilling way possible!

Using escape rooms in your first-grade lessons can be so much fun and beneficial for your little learners. 

Here are three exciting reasons why you should definitely consider doing an escape room activity with your students:

Super Engaging Learning

Imagine turning your classroom into a mysterious adventure land! Escape rooms are like real-life puzzles where students work together to solve problems and find clues. This hands-on approach keeps their minds active and engaged, making learning a thrilling experience. Your students will be so excited to explore and discover new things while trying to crack the codes.

Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

Escape rooms encourage teamwork and collaboration in the most exciting way. Your first-grade students will have to work together, share their ideas, and help each other out to solve the puzzles and unlock the mystery. This not only promotes social skills but also teaches them the value of listening to their friends and working as a team. Plus, seeing their classmates as puzzle-solving pals will create a warm and friendly classroom atmosphere.

Sneaky Skill Building

Shhh, don’t tell the kids, but escape rooms are sneaky little teachers themselves! While your students are having a blast cracking codes and deciphering clues, they’re also practicing essential skills like critical thinking, problem-solving, and logical reasoning. These skills are like superhero powers that will help them tackle all kinds of challenges throughout their learning journey.

So there you have it, my dear teacher friend! Incorporating an escape room activity into your lessons can bring a wave of excitement, teamwork, and skill-building to your classroom. Your first-grade students will adore the adventure, and you’ll love watching them learn and grow in such a creative way. 

Looking for the perfect escape room resources to get started? I have you covered! 

This First Grade Escape Room Bundle is just what you need! 

Use these 9 Escape Rooms to guarantee student engagement while they learn and solve a classroom mystery. With little prep, your students will work as a team to break into a box, which breaks them out of the classroom as they beat the clock!

What’s inside this download?

Get 9 Escape Room Mysteries focusing on sight words, comprehension, numbers, alphabet, Veterans Day, Halloween, ice breakers, word building and addition for a low price. The Escape Rooms range from pre-k to 3rd grade, but all of these hit 1st grade benchmarks.

Check it out here! Looking for more escape room fun? Check out my post!

5 Back To School Resources That Will Make Your Year Better


It’s almost time to head back to the classroom! 

As we gear up to welcome our new students and reunite with the familiar faces, it’s essential to be equipped with the best resources to make this academic year a smashing success. 

If you’re looking for back to school activities, classroom decoration ideas, classroom management resources, or back to school resources for teachers, you’re in the right place! I’ll be sharing some fantastic back-to-school resources that will help us create engaging lessons, foster a positive classroom environment, and make this school year the best one yet! 🚀

back to school

What do you do to welcome kids back to school? 

It all starts with your classroom! Creating a warm and welcome environment can work wonders when it comes to easing students’ stress and making them feel comfortable. Add colors and even a fun classroom theme to bring life to a cold and bland classroom. 

The next step is implementing a good classroom management system that will make expectations clear, and then you want to have some fun with back to school and get to know you activities! 

Here are 5 back to school resources to get you started!

1. This Boho Rainbow Classroom Decor Bundle is adorable and welcoming!  

back to school classroom decoration ideas

Create an inviting classroom decor with this calming boho Rainbow-themed set! This is a calm theme with editable pages to easily personalize. Use the suggested fonts or create your own.

What is in the download:

  • An Editable Calendar Set
  • Editable Birthday Chart
  • Editable Daily Visual Schedule 
  • Classroom Jobs Set
  • Color Word Posters & Name Tags
  • An Alphabet Line (Print and Cursive)
  • Back to School Welcome Banners, Forms, Posters & Labels for Binders

2. Try out the Desk Pet Pals Classroom Management System

back to school classroom management system

Need a great way to help your class improve daily behavior? I have you covered with this editable Powerpoint and Google Slides! Use these slides to personalize editable text boxes. Use mini erasers or the virtual pets provided to improve student’s behavior.

This resource comes with everything you need to implement this fun and engaging resource including behavior contracts, charts, pet store price list, signs, writing prompts, pet personality posters, and so much more! Just add some pet erasers. 

Try it out free here! 

3. Wondering what’s a good activity for the first lesson? Try out this Back To  School Gingerbread Man Campus Hunt activity! 

back to school Ginger Bread Man Hunt resource

Are you looking for a back-to-school activity to help students learn where different locations are on your school campus? This is a week of lessons integrating reading with a campus hunt for the Gingerbread Man! There is enough to keep your kiddos busy for weeks learning with this fun theme. It is full of extras too! Check it out!

4. Try out this First Day Jitters Glitter Slime Activity to ease the nerves

first day of school activity

Love reading First Day Jitters to your students to help them get rid of their nervousness during the first week of school? The Jitter Glitter Slime included in this week lesson plan is always a huge hit with students! Use this at the beginning of the year to get students excited about science and teach them about inferences!

5. Don’t forget a fun craft! Check out these First Day of School Hat Crafts

back to school craft

Looking for an engaging activity to do with students to celebrate the first day or week of school? Have them create their own first day of school hat to wear while using the provided writing prompt to explain their favorite part of the first day, and give them a certificate!

I hope you and your students love these resources and that you have a marvelous first day of school! 
Want more back to school resources? Check out these beachy classroom decor ideas.