Are you a science teacher unsure if you should decorate your classroom? If so, then learn how to decorate your science classroom with purpose with anchor charts.
I have never been the type of teacher who could teach in a room with bare walls. I love a colorful, visually stimulating classroom; however, as you engage with the older grades, there is a fine line between colorful and immature.
Finding classroom decor for older students
Never wanting to cross that line, I try to decorate my classroom to suit my needs. I spend much of my time there, and I want to feel comfortable and create a space I want to be in. My classroom reflects my personality. I enjoy painting but never knew what to do with the paintings I created, so now they are hung in my classroom. This is a great conversation piece and ice breaker at the beginning of the year and during parent-teacher conferences.
While I feel it is important to be comfortable in your own space, I am there for a reason, to teach. Therefore, a large majority of my room will house anchor charts on the walls at any given time of the year. The anchor charts are there for the students to look at and reference the concepts we are learning in the classroom.
My anchor charts look elaborate and time-consuming, and of course, colorful; however, they are not as time-consuming as you might think. A large majority of my anchor charts are doodle sketch notes that we complete in class. Turning them into anchor charts is super easy to do.
Turning your worksheets into anchor chart masterpieces!
Step 1: Take the masterful worksheet you created as a review for your students and display it on a Smartboard.
Step 2: Next, grab a piece of anchor chart paper and cover your Smartboard so that you can see the worksheet underneath it.
Step 3: Trace everything onto the anchor chart paper.
Step 4: Color it in. (I advise you to fill in important concepts together as a class, but that is up to you).
Following these steps will give you meaningful, colorful anchor chart posters that will not only decorate your room but decorate it with a purpose.
Helpful tips: After coloring in the poster, laminate it for durability. If you laminate it before you fill in important concepts or vocabulary, you can then fill in these parts with dry erase markers so that you can truly reuse these charts year after year.
Other ways to decorate your classroom
Interested in my set of human body sketch notes? Read what teachers are saying about them:
“This is wonderful, my students aren’t a fan of note-taking, but I heard from multiple students that these sheets are fun, and they color them when they have time. Thank you! :)” – Alyssa S.
“My class LOVES doodle notes, and their retention is definitely better. Thanks for this great set!” – Casey S.
“My students BEG me for more of these! I love the visual and artistic aspects of these sorts of pages. Students can add as much extra detail as they like, and the visual learners really benefit from these. Thanks!” – Leila E.
Looking for other ways to decorate your science classroom? Read them here. These ideas are especially great if you are on a budget!
