ROOM TRANSFORMATIONS
How I've unlocked my creativity to create engagement.
After visiting the Ron Clark Academy, I was so inspired to start thinking of other ways to keep my students engaged and foster a love of learning. I decided to use room transformations as an introduction or conclusion to a unit. Room transformations do not have to break the bank! Everything I use for my decorations came from either Amazon or Dollar Tree.
Our underwater room transformation was the first lesson I decided to try. Students had to use their knowledge of nonfiction text features in order to solve the clues to open the locks. The word detectives unit gave students the tools to solve words in the texts they read. The word detective room transformation had students solving top secret tasks using MSV strategies to solve words.
In order to help students master their reading comprehension skills, I created the olympic room transformation. Students answered questions and participated in activities that they would see during the olympics.
The penguin room transformation was the first time I had ever had a transformation that lasted an entire unit. Students spend two weeks exploring the different species of penguins, what life would be like in the Arctic, and discovering special features of penguins.
The best thing about a room transformation is to see the eyes of your students when they walk in the door and see your hard work for the first time. There is nothing like that initial "woah!" I would encourage every teacher to step out of their comfort zone and allow themselves to experience true student engagement.
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