Getting Ready for the Challenge!

I have been looking for soooo many ideas throughout the web and I have found many great ones to begin my new year with my not so new class. Looping is exciting but it has become a "challenge". My admin has asked me to do trainings on Marzano, attend in school training to re- create task cards for our one year old reading program -Journey's.  Creating the task cards are no biggie. I will begin sharing those soon for those interested in using those in their second grade class.
My biggest challenge is re-creating my classroom. Many teacher friends have told me to keep it the same, but I just can't seem to want to do the same thing with my buddies. I know they will get bored by looking at the same "old thing", lol! We'll maybe that's just me.

Here's are some pics of my classroom in process... I only have until this Thursday to complete my class before kids show up for "Meet the Teacher". :-/

I have a new round table! I didn't know what to do with it at first, lol! It will be our writing center... Thinking of some fishy ideas... 

This is going to be my new reading area. I'm inspired by Corinna Gandara at www.surfinthroughsecond.com for the beach theme. I have bought many of her cute things for my new theme.