Back to School Bulletin Board Ideas
Creative, Thoughtful Displays for an Inclusive First Day of School
Aug 17, 2009
In a back to school inclusive classroom setting, a thoughtful bulletin board display can serve to help children get to know each other and appreciate that everyone is different as well as special. Students new to the community, foreign students, and even children with special needs will benefit greatly from a bulletin board activity on the first day of school.
Our Favorite Things
The first day of school can be a time of apprehension for children. If the bulletin board becomes a classroom project in which students can display their favorite things, it can serve to break the ice and kids will start getting to know each other. A teacher can have students write, draw, or trace one of their favorite things. Perhaps it is a pet cat or dog, a new bicycle, or a football.
Once they have created their pictures, help the children cut them out, put their names on each, and paste them on the classroom bulletin board for all to admire.
Puzzle Mania
The puzzle bulletin board theme will teach the students that children of all shapes, sizes, abilities, and cultures are important to complete the picture. In class, hand out construction paper cut into large puzzle pieces that fit together. The teacher can then have his or her students write down or draw an accomplishment on each. The achievements can be big or small, but each one will be a vital piece of the puzzle.
Perhaps a child learned how to ride his bike over the summer, tie a shoe, or catch with a baseball glove. Maybe the student worked with a parent to build a tree house, kept track of rainfall with a rain gauge, or read a really great adventure story. Similar to "Our Favorite Things", the puzzle bulletin board will also help students get to know each other and learn to appreciate one another's strengths.
All Hands on Deck
Create a large pirate ship out of the bulletin board with paper and/or felt. Make a mast, sails, portholes, and a flag with the room number and teacher name on it. Then on the first day of school, have children trace their hands, cut them out, and write their names. For students with physical disabilities, teachers and aides can assist with the cutting and tracing. Students can then place their hand pictures on the boat.
Construction Site
A bulletin board designed like a construction site is a great idea for a back to school display. Ahead of time, the teacher can decorate the board to look like a construction site. A yellow background and work tool/clothing drawings can be sprinkled about the display. Students can then bring in (or construct) a sample of their handwriting, drawing, or even a math work and post these on the bulletin board.
As the year progresses, children can replace their old work with the new. Alternatively, a before-and-after display can be created highlighting all the students' progress.
A back to school bulletin board project is a great way to start off the new school year. A teacher can help students create and display their pictures with the various bulletin board themes and ideas above, and enjoy observing the blossoming friendships as kids learn about each other and become more comfortable with their new classroom setting.
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