#2getherwearebetter August Linky! Bulletin Boards-Minecraft Style!

This post is part of the #2getherwearebetter linky organized by Ashley at Schroeder Shenanigans in 2nd and Angie from Lucky Little Learners! I'm so excited to be part of their linkups that they have every 2nd of the month! This month's topic...Bulletin Boards!!!

A Little Info About Me

Here's a little info about me:  teach 3rd grade in a 1:1 iPad environment. My school is located in a rural Northern Michigan community. Our district is comprised of roughly just over 1,000 students, in a K-12 connected building. We are very blessed to have a very supportive community that supports our 1:1 initiative. Grades 5-12 have MacBook Airs.

Getting Started on My Boards

Now, getting to my bulletin board situation this summer. Last year I had moved to 3rd grade from Kindergarten. I had a jungle-themed classroom in Kindergarten and I carried that theme with me to third grade. I used fun fabrics on my bulletin boards, but found it difficult to concentrate on the content on my boards with all of the busyness of the fabric. This summer I was determined I was going to paint my bulletin boards. Before I could even consider picking jungle colors, my husband suggested I make some large blocks to place in areas of my classroom--"kinda Minecraft style," he said (we have an almost 14 year old that is passionate about Minecraft!). Then I had an epiphany! With our 1:1 status and kids that love gaming, how awesome would it be have a Minecraft-themed room!

The color scheme for my 3rd grade Minecraft lair!

Now on to the color scheme. With the help of my good friend, Dawn, I chose these colors. I got the okay from my official "Minecrafter", DestructionNite, that these were good colors as the yellow and green could be considered wool block colors and the navy is close enough to a stained, hardened clay-colored block. I was on my way to making an AWESOME Minecraft board!

I didn't take a before picture of my board pre-paint, but I did think about it after I painted and started adding my double scalloped border.

Painted and measured out, my way...not the right way!

Painted and Bordered, Now What?

Last year I had used my large, long whiteboard to house my vocabulary word wall. I found it messy and though I referenced it and used it often, it wasn't used by my kiddos much at all. This year I was resolved to change this. I found the idea of a moving, or interactive, word wall on Pinterest. As you can see above, I measured it all out and placed pins where I wanted it. Unfortunately, I only planned for 24 letters, not 26! I don't have too many ideas floating in my head, do I? I was thinking...squirrel!!!

Anyway, the solution to all of this measuring and frustration was my very supportive husband! He came in, measured it all out, and helped me put it together. Then he helped with painting the rest of my boards, too! I'm blessed!

My supportive, helping husband!

Before I show a picture of the completed board, let me tell you a little about my vision for it! I've put all of my math vocabulary for the New Everyday Math 4 and Reading Wonders on Minecraft backgrounds (I also have it on Chevron and Jungle Backgrounds in my TPT store--click here or at the top of my page if interested). I printed them 6 slides to a page. This made the 3 words per page fit perfectly on a 3x5 index card. I cut them down to the block, glued them on, laminated them, and hole punched each word. Then I took a binder ring and put it through each word and hung them on a pin. I hope that my students will be more willing to use the vocabulary (I plan on working it in to my stations--that's another post for another day) by posting it this way instead of individually under each letter.

And now...here it is! My Minecraft-styled Word Wall!!

My Minecraft-styled Word Wall!

I'm so proud of this board. I think this is the BEST bulletin board I've had in my room so far! I'm excited to see my kiddos in 5 weeks.

So...that's my board. I'll keep you updated on how the others go as we finish painting. Please be sure to follow me on Bloglovin' (follow button on the right). I'll be posting twice a week--I have a schedule now!--and I'll be linking up again September 2nd with my classroom reveal!!

Thanks for following the linky. I'm eager to view the bulletin boards of the other participants!