I’m a big fan of changing out bulletin board decor with each unit. It can be as simple as changing out some anchor charts or reference posters to match what you are currently teaching. But if you want to take it one step further, try making your bulletin boards interactive!
I love interactive bulletin boards because they:
– Increase student engagement,
– Build a sense of classroom community, and
– Help you fill those last few minutes of class if they finish their work early.
Here are some bulletin board ideas for you!
I made these famous scientist posters and hung them in my classroom so students could see a diverse range of scientists.
@Mrsjones_science took it a step further and had her students do research on one scientist each month! They looked up some facts about the scientist, added it to a sticky note, and put it on the board. I think it looks great!
Posting QR codes on a bulletin board is a great way to keep students engaged during a lesson. They can scan the QR code, read about a topic or complete a task, and rotate to the next one. This solar system interactive board comes from Paths to Literacy (you can even download the QR codes here!)
Teaching food chains and webs? Check out this bulletin board set where students identify feeding relationships in a grassland ecosystem. Simply hang the cards with thumbtacks and students attach string between the tacks. You can find the cards here.
Sometimes students have questions that don’t relate to the lesson (so you don’t have time to answer it right then) or a question you don’t have the answer to. This burning questions board from @Captivatescience is a great place to leave questions you can come back to later.
Bridget from @MissBossScience had her students research a constellation and add it to this interactive bulletin board display. She hole punched stars they glued on, but you could also use brass thumbtacks if you have them on hand.
National parks are amazing places to visit. Have students research a national park, fill out an info card, and locate it on a map on a bulletin board. You can find a template here.
Do you have students that like to color? You can hang up some science coloring pages on a bulletin board that students can color during the last few minutes of class.
I found a black and white coloring page I liked, uploaded it to Staples website and ordered a poster sized engineer print for $5. It was ready the next day and a very affordable way to spruce up my bulletin board!
For this bulletin board, I wanted students to think about future goals they had. And not small goals (like passing a test) but BIG goals. What are their hopes and dreams? I printed out “Your Future is Limitless” for the top of the board and added a rocket with some leftover Christmas ribbon. The middle of the board says “what goal do you have for the future?” Students can add their goal to the board on a sticky note.
This one isn’t science related, but I LOVE the idea of students building each other up. This Cheers for Peers board comes from @Headoverheelsforteaching. She put this in her staff workroom but it could also be done in your classroom. Who wouldn’t love to see a nice note someone left for you?!
