I have a large classroom with a rug area in the front and tables for four in the back. Each table is named for a color and shape; i.e., red square, green triangle, etc. This helps my students to learn shapes and colors. My classroom web site has a more detailed explanation of my classroom routines. I use pictures of my students in a pocket chart for classroom jobs.

I use a combination of learning and play centers in my classroom. Centers such as book, block, housekeeping, computer, writing and art play an important role in my students' active learning experiences. I collect pigs and our classroom is filled with stuffed animal pigs, ceramic pigs, and piggy banks of all sizes and shapes. My students love my pig collection. Our classroom pigs add interest and curiosity to our unit about the farm and farm animals. In these lessons, my students will learn many interesting facts about pigs from books and the Internet. They will write and perform a play, write stories about pigs and recite piggy poems.