Color Coding Your Classroom
There are many different ways to distinguish one table from another in your classroom. These ideas are gathered from Getty ArtsEdNet.
Code by purchasing different colored plastic bins - 2 bins per table. Each bin has color coded supplies: Green
bin has 3 green pencils, 1 green pencil sharpener, 3 green handled scissors,
plus 3 glue bottles, 1 eraser, markers, and crayons. Have the students do tub
checks periodically to ensure they have all their supplies.
If you have any place at all on your ceiling to hang objects, hang the colors over the tables. Ideas include: a mobile of all red, or orange, or whatever Ellison shapes for a couple years, a strange object : a red rubber boot for red table, a green umbrella for the green table, etc.
Use silver, gallon paint cans from your favorite paint store, and
have them hanging by fishing line over each table at an angle, with
paint (of crumbled tissue paper for the color) pouring out of each over
the tables... all of these are very lightweight, and can stay for a couple of years.
What about using a tape instead? Paint will scrape off; of course so will tape, but much easier to put back on. Have large colored "dots" (about 6" diameter) taped at each
student's work space. The dots correspond to the job chart. They
are taped to the table with heavy duty clear packing tape.
Purchase 1/16" clear acrylic sheets with rounded
edges and tape them to the table tops with double sided carpet tape. Anything
you want on the table (colored dots, bilingual labels, etc.) will go under the
acrylic!
Hang cards from the ceiling on a string with
their names on them at the beginning of the year. It's also a
great thing to have for subs when I'm gone.
Have a large blue plastic bin on each
table which holds scissors, erasers and pencils. Tie a tiny piece
(4 -5") of yarn - each piece a different color - around the handle of each
bin.
Write the name of the table (ie red) on a construction paper shape and tape it to the front of the table. Classes with seating charts have the kids' name written on the colored paper instead of the word. This way little ones get
word recognition, older learners know their seat and are easily moved around
if need be. An alternative is to change the table relationships to warm-cool instead of primary -secondary; all you have to do is move the sign.
Label your tables according to artist or art style instead.
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