IDEAS FOR BULLETIN BOARDS

Are you out of bulletin board ideas? Below are some ideas that will work for almost any classroom, any subject, and any grade level. Most of the ideas I borrowed from other teachers. I thank them for their creativity.

Backgrounds

Are you tired of the same background for your bulletin board? Do you need a fresh idea? You've come to the right place. Below is a list of new ideas for covering a bulletin board. Most of the materials can be cut for borders as well. Also, some of the materials (even fabric) can be laminated for die cutting letters and shapes.

What Are the Six Traits of Writing?

Create a bulletin board to show what teachers look for in good writing.  Use the posters (PDF) that I have created and are free for you to download.  The set consists of a title poster and one for each trait, including the seventh trait of presentation.

Groundhog Day

Create a  bulletin board to get your students excited about Groundhog Day.  Pam Cooley did, and "it has really gotten the kids excited about Phil's prediction.  We change the "Do Not Disturb" sign daily as we count down the days 'til Feb. 2nd.  I plan to put a big "Phil" coming out of his hill along with or without his shadow (whatever the case may be) on Feb. 2nd."

Breaking Down the Walls/Barriers

Use a background that looks like bricks.  You can draw your own or use clipart if you can't find wallpaper, paper, or fabric.  Some of the bricks need to stick out further than the rest.  You can do this by cutting a brick that is exactly the same as the one that you want to stick out.  Put foam or layers of paper behind it to make it stick out about an inch or so.  On every brick that is sticking out, put a word or phrase on it that is something the students need to overcome.  Some examples appear below.  Choose terms that will inspire discussion.  For the title, paint (or draw) it on the bricks so that it looks like graffiti.

At a Glance

For this bulletin board, you need giant plastic sunglasses.  You could also use clipart to print large sunglasses onto cardstock.  The content of the board could be anything--birthdays, rules, upcoming units, interesting books, etc.  

In the News

If your local newspaper covers your school pretty regularly, cut out the articles about your students and place them on a bulletin board.  You can do the same thing if your school has its own newspaper.  I now teach at a high school, and I do this for my ESL students.  I only have two articles on it right now, but I'm sure by the end of the year, I will have several.  Also, I only have one bulletin board in my room, and it is being used for something else.  I am using the closet door for this bulletin board.

The Rules to the Game Bulletin Board

This idea works well for P.E. games and sports.  Use playing cards (front side up) as a border.  For the title, put one letter on the back of a playing card.  Or find clipart in the shape of playing cards.  

Computer Information Bulletin Board

If you have a computer or two in your room, consider this idea. It can be left up all year with changes as necessary. Create a bulletin board with any of the following:

Schedules and Calendars Bulletin Board

Make a bulletin board for all of the schedules and calendars you usually file away or have on your desk. This idea is so simple, it often gets overlooked. I change the background and border, but I never take it down because it is the one bulletin board my students use every day. I call mine "For Your Information." Below is a list of schedules and calendars I post on my bulletin board.

Baby Pictures Bulletin Board

Collect baby pictures and current pictures from your students. Place the baby pictures down one side of the bulletin board and the current pictures down the other side. Give each baby picture a number and each current picture a letter. Have a contest to see who can correctly match the pictures.

A variation is to do this with pictures of the staff and faculty on a bulletin board that the whole school can access. This is guaranteed to be a hit with the students.

Trivia Contest Bulletin Board

This bulletin board will change weekly. On Monday, post five to ten trivia questions for the students to answer. The questions can be related to your current topic or theme or be from current events in the news. Place a box or can with a slit in the lid near the bulletin board. The students are to write the answers to the questions and their name on a slip of paper and put it in the box by Friday.

Throw out papers without names or with incorrect answers. From the remaining papers, draw three to five and award small prizes. Throw away all of the slips of paper and begin fresh for the next week's contest.

Question of the Week Bulletin Board

Cover a bulletin board with blank butcher paper. At the top, write a thought provoking question. Let the students write their thoughts on the paper in their free time. They will also want to read what others have written.

Some possible questions include the following:

Riddle and Joke Bulletin Board

Cover a bulletin board with blank butcher paper and invite the students to add riddles and jokes.

Below is a list of possible titles.

Communications Map Bulletin Board

If you are communicating with others by email or snail mail, post a map appropriate to the locations. As mail comes in, put a marker on the map to indicate where the mail originated. Your students will enjoy being able to visualize the locations of their pen pals.

If you are receiving post cards, the post cards can be used to create the border for this bulletin board.

Would you like more ideas for a postcard exchange?

Puzzle Bulletin Board and First Day Activity

Cut poster board or railroad board into the same amount of puzzle pieces as you have students. Be sure to mark the wrong side for ease in putting the puzzle back together. As the students come in, give them a puzzle piece and instructions to draw or paste pictures on it that represent the student. Instruct students to also include their names. When everyone is finished, the students are to put the puzzle back together and staple their pieces in the correct position on the bulletin board.

Create a puzzle piece for yourself in advance to use as an example and staple it to the board as the first piece of the puzzle. You may also want to leave a few blank pieces for students who arrive later in the year.

Below are some possible titles:

What's Great About This Team? Bulletin Board

At the end of the year, have the students write statements on colored index cards explaining what is great about the team (or class.) Make sure the students sign their names. Save them for the next year. When the new school year starts, post the cards on the bulletin board. The new students will enjoy reading the comments and it will set a tone for what they can expect.

Step Into a Good Book Bulletin Board

Give each student a cut-out of a foot or shoe. Have the students write the title and author of book they recommend others read on the cut-out. They should also sign their names to their suggestions.

Recommended Reading Bulletin Board

Create a bookshelf background for a bulletin board. Give each student a cut-out of a book spine. Have the students write the title and author of book they recommend others read on the cut-out. They should also sign their names to their suggestions.

Oh, The Places You'll Go Bulletin Board

Cut out pictures of places, real or imaginary, from magazines and laminate them.  You can also print pictures from the Internet. Put them on a bulletin board with the above caption. 

Our Feature Attraction Bulletin Board

This bulletin board is the springboard for a theater theme.

A New Twist to a New Year Bulletin Board

For a beginning of the year bulletin board, use the game board for a Twister game as the background. Put the spinner on as well, with the words "A new twist to a new year." Add cut-out feet and hands with the students' names on them. It is very colorful!

Put Your Best Foot Forward in __________ Bulletin Board

Another idea for using a Twister game is to use the game board as the background.  Use the spots for different units you will do throughout the year.  

Remember This? Bulletin Board

This bulletin board is very simple. Cover the bulletin board with a background that will work all year because you won't be changing this one. Put up the title and you are ready for the first day. Take pictures of class activities during the year and post them on the bulletin board. Add some funny captions and you have an instant, permanent bulletin board. At the end of the year, let the students take home their favorite pictures.

Who is Your Teacher? Bulletin Board

This bulletin board is about you, the teacher.  Choose a background and border that represent your personality.  Collect pictures, clip art, book covers, etc. that show your interests.  Laminate them and post them on the bulletin board.  Let your students ask you questions about the items on the board.

The Birthday Board

At our school we have a bulletin board in the hall that we call "The Birthday Board".  Every 2nd month a member of our PTO gets the names of the students who have birthdays in those two months and comes up with a theme for the board.  They then write the name and birth date of the student on whatever they've come up with to use with the theme and post them on the board.  For example:  We started with the saying "It "Snow" Secret It's Your Birthday! and wrote each of the children's names and birth dates on a snowflake.  We made the background a winter theme.

Reflections

Place those junk mail CD's upside down on a bulletin board using straight pins to pin them on. Place them close together in rows to form a wall of  CD's. They are like a mirror and reflect the images in the room. Looks really cute in a computer lab or technology corner. You can caption it if you wish.
  

Does History Repeat Itself? Bulletin Board

I used pictures of King George of England, George Washington, and George W. Bush.  The caption was "From George to George to George -- Does History Repeat Itself?"

What's in Your Pot of Gold? Bulletin Board

For St. Patrick's Day I covered a bulletin board with paper clouds and wrote the students' names on them. Next to each cloud I put a colorful rainbow and next to it a paper box that represents the pot of gold. Inside the box I put weekly quotes for each of my students. 
          

How is Your Team Doing? Bulletin Board

Use artificial turf for a football or soccer background and tile Contact Paper or peel-and-stick flooring that looks like hardwood for a basketball court.  Place team scores on the board.

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This site last updated 14 November 2007.

External links last verified 2 September 2007.

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