My first finalist is 2nd grade teacher, Judy Ehlerding. Judy has taught for almost 30 years! WOW! She explained that her classroom had always looked the same – primary colors with cute children and colorful school supplies. She discovered my site shortly after she studied the new standards for Science and Social Studies and felt that my Animal Adventure collection would be perfect for her second graders. So, Judy did a complete overhaul on her classroom and created a beautiful environment for her students to learn. She also came up with the theme “Working Together For A Better World.” Judy’s lessons would focus on traveling around the world with her students as they explore the various standards.
When I opened her pictures, I was blown away by the organization and cohesiveness of the room. The colors were soothing and the room appeared to be so welcoming! Judy decorated with items from all over the world given to her by family. She even had special items that her father brought home from India following WWII.
As I went through each picture, I couldn’t help but think that I would do anything to have my own children in an environment like this one. It appears that there is a tremendous amount of learning going to take place in this classroom!
Let’s take a look!
Welcome to Judy’s 2nd grade classroom…
From this particular angle, I notice my animal print letters and how neat and organized everything looks. The book baskets are cohesive with bright yellow labels, which ties into the yellow board above. I really like the yellow bulletin board paper with the zebra print border!
Judy used yellow bulletin board paper with the zebra border on this side of the room. PERFECT! My Word Wall labels look great on the white board. I also like how she used my book basket labels to create Word Wall Words. Again, she has the blue book baskets with the yellow labels which creates the cohesiveness in the room. The rug is absolutely perfect for this theme as well!
This is one of my favorite parts of the room…the curtain and animals walking along the window! Judy used my animal silhouettes and a zebra print valance to pull the entire theme together. SO CUTE!!! Look at her bookshelves…clean, neat, and organized. I love how she has all of the books along the countertops, including safari animals, and plants. It feels so homey!
Judy carried the yellow paper and zebra print border to this side of the room! GREAT JOB!!! She also used my letters to spell out “EXPLORE MATHEMATICS.” Again, very organized and cohesive.
This area looks so nice too! I LOVE how she labeled the Writing Center with one of my signs, added more safari animals to pull in the theme, and used the clear cans to display supplies. The plants add a welcoming touch to her classroom!
I love how Judy hung my animal silhouettes over this little reading area. The rug also coordinates with her big rug on the other side of the room. Again, another cohesive move on Judy’s part! Nicely done!
Cool items from India on display, along with my multipurpose labels!
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I LOVE these! Judy had her students make travel journals with my passports! WOW!!! I mean…WOW!!!
Judy explained the suitcases…”The children took the small “suitcases”(Complete with the luggage tags you designed!) home from ‘Welcome Days’ and decorated them. They also filled them with small items that would help us get to know them and brought the the suitcases back to school to share.”
PRETTY AWESOME, HUH?!?
Judy used my labels, table signs, and door signs to create a job chart and lunch count! Judy was able to customize all of her printables with my new editable files!
Overall, I was so incredibly impressed with Judy’s classroom. I love how she used my staged Animal Adventure collection and adapted it to fit her teaching and decorating style. I love to think of my rooms as inspiration. Judy took the inspiration and ran with it! She thought of every single detail. Her student’s journals were even detailed! The theme was carried throughout every part of the room, the colors were cohesive, and the room was very attractive and organized. I LOVE IT!!!
If you love Judy’s room too, you will have the chance to vote for her at the very end of the competition! I am not the one that will pick the winner…you will!!!
Meet me here next Wednesday to find out who will be our next finalist in The Schoolgirl Style Challenge!
Happy Decorating!
~Melanie~
Love her theme ‘Working together for a better World’ with all the maps, her rugs and especially those journals. Very nice!
Thanks so much Cindy! The children are actually using their travel journals now and they love them! Our first trip is to Somalia and we are using the journals to record our learning. Judy
I love this classroom!! Where did you purchase the cardboard suitcases??
Love this classroom!!! I was curious about where you got the suitcases too.
Super cute!!! Great job warm and inviting
Thanks Holly! I can’t wait to see who the next Schoolgirl Style Challenge Finalist is on Wednesday! I get so many great ideas by looking at other teacher’s classrooms! This contest is so much fun! Judy
I want to be in HER class! I love all the little extra “touches” of animal print on the journals- what a great map center too- great idea putting the books and atlas so close to the that center. Way to integrate reading into social studies 🙂 🙂
Judy, thank you for sharing your classroom with us.
I particularly loved the reading nook with the travel chest filled with books and accented with a world map and globe. The students have the tactile option of translating the setting of the story into real hands-on learning with spinning the globe and placing their little fingers upon the country that they are reading about. As a gifted education teacher, I’ve found a great little way to incorporate reading all those geo non-fiction books our gifted ed. students love into a exploration center! Thanks for such wonderful ideas!
Thanks Connie! I am so glad you found something you could use in your own classroom. Judy
I am so impressed that a veteran teacher would change up her room this much. It looks amazing… her class is so lucky!!
Jenni – Thanks so much! I am the lucky one! I chose teaching as a career more than 30 years ago and I have loved every day. Teaching is the best job in the entire world!
Oh, so wonderful! I feel inspired to continue my own “Veteran Teacher” redo!
Thank you so much!
Joetta, I am so glad! I would love to see pictures of your classroom sometime! Enjoy your redo! Judy
Wow. What an awesome room!!! I’m in love with those journals AND suitcases!!! How creative.
Thanks Ashley! The suitcases have been wonderful! The children loved decorating them and sharing them. Now we are using them to hold their school supplies! Judy
What a fantastic room. Organized, cohesive, & creative. It is soothing and I’m sure the children will be able to focus on their learning. Great job!
Thanks Mary! I have really enjoyed everyone’s kind comments. Now I’m inspired to decorate another classroom! I am hoping to create a fun “Math Camp” in the room across from mine – Judy
Wow! How awesome!!!! I want to be in 2nd grade so that I can make a suitcase and journal!! 🙂
Emelyn – We would love to have you in second grade! I could sure use the help and I promise you could have your own suitcase and journal!
Some great ideas. Makes me want to teach younger grades to be able to do some fun cute stuff! I think my junior high kids would roll their eyes at me…Kind of made me jealous! Very cute and there is so much stuff included but not in an overwhelming way!
Thanks Stacey! When I moved up to second grade from kindergarten and first grade I wondered what I could do to create a special environment for my students. It took me several years to come up with what I wanted – I think the key may be to focus on curriculum and build from there. My sister used to teach high school mathematics, and she did some fantastic things with plants, antiques and geometric figures her students created. Her room was warm, cozy and inspiring – Judy
Wow! I love your classroom decorations. I think it’s great that your theme carries throughout your class. I especially like the notebooks with the animal print covers!
Thanks Virginia! It was easy to carry the travel theme throughout the classroom with all the beautiful decorating items Melanie has created and the inspiration I got from her photos. The shopping list at the end was really helpful as well. As soon as I decided to use the Animal Adventure theme, I jumped in the car to go shopping for jungle animals, clear paint cans, zebra lamp shades picture frames and lots and lots of plants! I had so much fun!
I’m the music teacher at Judy’s school, and her classroom always looks fabulous and inviting, but this year she has really taken it to the next level! She was very inspired by your theme, and now she has inspired her 2nd grade teammates as well. It was so awesome seeing all of our new 2nd grade students carrying their suitcases around during our Welcome Days. Judy and the rest of the 2nd grade team is using the themes of cultures and habitats around the world to tie together the new implementation of the Common Core standards, and I love how her classroom embodies this for the kiddos. I hope Judy wins your contest; she is an amazing educator who continues to seek out new and exciting ways to get kids engaged in learning year after year!
Kelly – I can’t thank you enough for your kind comments – they really made my day! I am so blessed to work with you and the wonderful staff at our building. A few days ago someone called our building “Teacher Heaven” and I couldn’t agree more. Thanks again! Judy
I was LUCKY enough to student teach with Judy. I LOVED every minute. She has always had fabulous style and organization. She gets true joy from providing an inspiring atmosphere for her students and this year she has outdone herself! Judy inspires me to be a better teacher and now people around the world get to see why! Judy deserves to win, she is simply…THE BEST!
I love this room because it has a natural feel to it and because this teacher is exposing her students to the world beyond their doors! Great stuff!
My favorite. So organized and creative.
I love this classroom! What a way to think outside the box, WOW!
I love this room! Not only a calming color scheme for busy spaces, but the theme isn’t so overpowering that you can’t add seasonal things if you want. Love the details of the journals and the animals spread throughout the room! Those little suitcases for the kids are fantastic.
Beautiful in every detail!
Wonderful classroom! I love it!
I so wish my kids had classrooms that looked like this!!! I love it! 🙂
Mrs. Ehlerding’s room is wonderful and perfectly reflects the atmosphere that she has always created for her students: inventive, interesting, intelligent, and inspiring. Her students are so lucky to be able to work and grow in such a warm, nuturing classroom–just as I was when she was my first grade teacher!
I LOVE that you carried your theme through so many areas of your classroom! I also think your theme is awesome. I thinking that carrying your students beyond their world will help them immensely! Great thoughts and details:)
I vote for Classroom #1! The safari theme really resonates with me. I teach high school history 🙂
What a great job! Everything looks so neat and organized. So important to keep things flowing! Love the zebra! Gets my vote!
Wow! Such an organized classroom! Love the theme and the labeling. There is a place for everything and everything is in its place!
What an amazing room….and an amazing teacher. If only second grade had been this fun for me…back in the dark ages!:)
Seriously, what a wonderful environment to keep the kids interested in learning. Everytime you look at the pictures, you see something you missed before! How fun to learn in Mrs. Ehlerding’s Safari room!!!
Great job Judy! I am always blown away by your work. I miss working with you, I learned so much!!
You classroom is very inviting and has a nurturing feel where all kids are able to feel safe and secure. They are ready to learn as much as they can! Love it!
Judy, your classroom is captivating and inspiring! Love the safari theme. Can’t wait to see the math camp across the hall…
Safari by Judy Ehlerding- WOW! The organization is amazing.
Mrs. Ehlerding is all the things that have been written about her here and more! My son (now a 5th grader)was one of the lucky ones to benefit from Mrs. Ehlerding as his 2nd grade teacher. She remains, to this day, his favorite 🙂 Yes, her classroom is beautiful, organized, inviting, creative and inspiring. I love the new look and can tell you her room always appears this organized and special, no matter when you visit! As wonderful as the room is in appearance, even that pales in comparision to her loving and nurturing personality, where each child feels special and unique while adding to the community of the classroom. She is a special blessing to the school, district, and community she serves. It is wonderful to see her talents and commitment being recognized. Hope you win Mrs. Ehlerding–you most definitely deserve it!!!!
I have worked with Judy for many years and she always creates the most wonderful classroom for her students to learn and enjoy. She designs her room around the core standards with a focus on supporting children to love learning. Judy is an outstanding teacher with grewat style. She is a winner in my book!
Wow! I love how neat and organized Judy’s room looks. The theme makes me want to jump right in and start learning. Great job!
I love your themed classroom. Where did you get the little suitcases?
Dear Sally,
I just happened to take a peek at all the finalist rooms from last year’s contest today and saw your question – I am sorry it has taken me so long to get back to you! The suitcases are from uline.com. They are called “indestructo” boxes and these measure 9″x6″x3″. The item number is S-16621. I hope this helps! Judy
I really love the way her classroom looks. I wish I could get this for my classroom. I do believe my students would love this! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Judy! I just came across this link today and WOW!!! I love how you incorporated the theme into your classroom.
I was wondering where you found your “suitcases” that the students designed? I am switching grade levels this year and the grade level theme is “The Jungle.” Since it will be a new grade level for me and for the students I knew we would be embarking on a new learning adventure together. The suitcase activity would be great to do at the beginning of the year!
Have a wonderful summer!
~Michelle
Michelle,
I hope your year is going well! I am so sorry – I just found your comment as I was looking back on my room last year! The boxes are from uline.com. They are called “indistructo” boxes and these measure 9″x6″x3″. The item number is s-16621. Have a great year! Judy
Love the classroom! Where did you get the small suitcases from?
Sue – I am sorry I am late getting back to you! I just happened to be checking out the classrooms from last year’s contest for new ideas when I saw your comment. The suitcases are from uline.com. They are called indistructo boxes and measure 9″x6″x3″. The item number is S-16621. I made the handles using webbing from the fabric store and attaching it to the suitcase with brads. Hope this helps! Have a wonderful school year! Judy
I love how this room is not gender specific. So many elementary room look more for girls. If is curriculum related and not just filler decorated. There was purpose in what she chose.
Thanks so much Karen! I really appreciate your kind comments – Judy
I love your room! I used this collection last year and I loved it so much I’m using it again this year. There are a few more things I want to add this year. I don’t know how I missed this post back then. I looked at this collection so many times last summer and never came across your room. Better late that never! Thanks for the inspiration.
Judy’s classroom looks very welcoming and kid-friendly. She did an amazing job carrying out the animal adventure theme. There are so many things to like…use of safari animals, zebra prints, journals with passports and “suitcases” that the students decorated. Wonderful learning environment!
My granddaughter was in second grade last year. She would have loved this classroom, because she has zebra decor in her bedroom and enjoys visiting the Cincinnati and Columbus zoos.
Great job, Judy! Would love to visit.
An amazing teacher has created an amazing classroom! The aesthetics and thoughtful organization of this room would make learning magical for any student who had the opportunity to learn in this environment! WOW! This room has my vote!
very nice, her students must really enjoy the safari motif
Cheryl,
Thanks so much for your kind comments! We really need to get together sometime! I would love to have you visit! Judy