Classroom Bulletin Boards Made EASY!

I have 5 GIGANTIC bulletin boards in my classroom. FIVE. Two of my walls have end-to-end bulletin boards. While I know that bulletin board space for some of you is a hot commodity, for me, it is almost a burden trying to fill them up.

There are SO many amazing bulletin board ideas on Pinterest, but honestly... not only do I not have the creative juices to plan for that, but I just don't have the time or the desire. We know the importance of anchor charts and how bulletin boards should serve a purpose and not just focus on the "cute factor," so how can we use this prime real estate in our classroom to showcase meaningful content?
I have one bulletin board for each core subject area: reading, writing & math, and the other two I use for my class rules, calendar, Take a Break spot, student work, and more. But let's focus on the three subject boards, specifically, my math board.

My boards are big enough to hang three 24"x 36" pieces of chart paper. So on my math board, I have my Number Grid posted for student reference and two blank pieces of chart paper. One piece is labeled Vocabulary, and the other sheet is titled Concepts. I leave a space at the top of each chart to add a sticky note with the unit number, and I change that out for every unit. At the top, it says "Focus on Math" in large letters.

Then, for every new lesson, I add a sticky note or two with the concepts and vocabulary we learned. I use the larger 6" x 8" sticky notes for this. By the end of the unit, we've accumulated all sorts of concepts, strategies and vocabulary words that my students can refer to when they do their independent work. I even leave them up during tests because why not? If they are resourceful enough to refer the anchor charts, then let the kids use them!
Here's a close up of the Concepts anchor chart:
And the Vocabulary anchor chart:
My reading and writing boards look similar, but have additional smaller charts on construction paper that break down larger strategies.

Why This Works

I heard this question during a PD and it really struck me: Are your bulletin boards wall PAPER or wall POWER? We are definitely aiming to display wall POWER on our boards! By adding something new every day to my bulletin boards, my students are eager to see what I will add. I often create these sticky notes with the students and ask for their input for wording, diagrams, etc. Sometimes I even let my kids make the sticky notes and hang them up!

And when a student asks me a question about a strategy or vocabulary words we've learned, I can just point to my boards, and they can independently find the answer to their own question!

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For more bulletin board ideas, check out my Pinterest Board.