My Favorite Classroom Themes

If you have been following along this summer, then you know just how much I love having a classroom theme! In THIS post, I told you my top three reasons for having a theme and in THIS post, I shared four ways to save money while decorating with a theme. Now, as promised, I want to show you five of my favorite classroom themes and how to incorporate them into your classroom. It was hard to pick just five, but these are the ones that made the final cut! As you head back to school, I hope some of these ideas will make it easier to decorate your classroom.

I love having a sports theme classroom And the big shocker- I don’t even like sports! The important thing is that almost every one of my students like a sport in one way or another. They might play on a team, go to older siblings’ games or professional games or watch the games with their dads on Sundays. If nothing else- they play the games in PE and at recess. I think this is an especially great year to plan a sports theme classroom because kids will probably be pumped up after watching the summer olympics!

Not So Wimpy Teacher: Sports Theme Classroom Decor

You can see lots more pictures of my sports theme classroom by clicking HERE.

The best part about having a sports theme classroom is that it lends itself so nicely to character trait education. Talking about sports helps my class to learn about teamwork, perseverance, hard work, being fair, being safe and following rules.

I also love to use big sporting events as a theme for parties and test prep! During the World Series, we have a reading challenge where students are competing in teams to read the most. During the Super Bowl, I threw a Super Bowl party and invited their dads. I put fraction centers all around the classroom. Dads helped the kids complete the centers as a review and then we enjoyed all the popular Super Bowl foods! During Spring Training, we had baseball themed test prep activities and games! It’s fun and academic!

Check out my editable Sports Theme Classroom Decor kit and Sports Themed First Day of School Activities!

I also recommend that you check out my Sports Classroom Theme Pinterest Board!

And here are some Amazon affiliate links for some fun items that would look awesome in a sports themed classroom!

Imagine that you are walking down the red carpet in a dress that costs more than you make in a month. The paparazzi are clicking photos as fast as they can. Hear the crowd of adoring fans and imagine the looks of awe on their faces. Feel the glamour! Everyone wants to feel that important from time to time but few of us will ever be super famous. So why not roll out the red carpet and make your students feel like VIPs in your classroom? I love this theme because it feels so glamour and special every time you walk in the room.

It would be so much fun to have a director’s chair and let students do author shares from the chair. Have a special open house where students dress up and show off their work to their adoring fans (their family). Read about famous actors and musicians and do a research report about California. Have students make their own videos to teach various skills that you are covering in math or science. Have a special screening of the videos with popcorn! End the year with an amazing Grammy awards ceremony where students receive small trophies for their special accomplishments. Don’t forget the red carpet and the camera!

Check out my editable Hollywood Decor kit!

I also recommend that you check out my Hollywood Classroom Theme Pinterest Board!

And here are some Amazon affiliate links for some fun items that would look awesome in a Hollywood themed classroom!

The beach is my happy place. I love the smell of the salt water and sunblock. I love the relaxing sound of the ocean waves. I feel so peaceful when I am at the beach. A classroom with a beach theme can have that same magical feel and be a happy place for your students.

It would be so fun to have beach chairs in your classroom library. Reading on the beach is the best! How about doing research on the different oceans and making presentations to present to the class? Can you integrate this into your science unit by learning about different ocean animals and their adaptations? How about adding in a STEM project where students get various materials to use to build a boat and then the class tests them to see which one can hold the most pennies without sinking? Do you see all the ways that you can integrate this theme into geography, science and reading?! Don’t forget to end the year with a class luau!

Check out my editable Beach Decor kit!

I also recommend that you check out my Beach Classroom Theme Pinterest Board!

And here are some Amazon affiliate links for some fun items that would look awesome in a Beach themed classroom!

I have always wanted a travel themed classroom, but a great theme kit never existed. So I made one! Many of your students have happy memories of family vacations to see Grandma or go to Disney or to the ocean. Other students have never been on a true vacation. Either way, your classroom can be an adventure where students will learn and travel to places all over the world. How cool does that sound?!

A travel theme is easily incorporated into your geography and history lessons. I love the idea of naming each table group after a continent or an ocean. I guarantee they will be able to name them all at the end of the year! How about having a huge map and putting push pins in the places where class read alouds and book club books take place? During your opinion writing unit, it would be fun to have them write an opinion piece about the best place to go on vacation. During your informational writing unit, they can research different places to travel and make brochures. You can bring in some math by having them make a budget for their trip! Fun and practical!

Check out my editable Travel Decor kit!

I also recommend that you check out my Travel Classroom Theme Pinterest Board!

And here are some Amazon affiliate links for some fun items that would look awesome in a Travel themed classroom!

I am NOT a camper. I prefer “camping” in resorts rather than tents! That being said, I still have wonderful memories of camping with family when I was a child. Most kiddos have been camping before and so this is a theme that they can relate to.

I think that a camping classroom is extra easy to decorate! You just need to head out to the garage and dig through the old camping gear! Plus stores will have lots of sales on camping gear during the summer. I love the idea of a tent in the class library or at least a few camping chairs around a fire pit made of rocks and some wood. Please don’t light it though! Kids might like to read with lanterns and flashlights- even when the classroom lights are on! At the end of writing units, you can have a special Camp Share-A-Story. Kids bring sleeping bags and flashlights. They lay on the floor listening to each others’ stories. For added effect, go to youtube and play a continuous video of a camp fire. The sound is so awesome and it provides some light. S’mores are a must in a camping room!