As you are planning your bulletin board ideas for August, remember that bulletin boards are not just something pretty to use as a backdrop for your classroom. They serve as a reminder of key words or concepts, themes and units that you use in your classroom, and other central ideas you want to promote in your students’ minds. Beyond that, research shows that bulletin boards help visual learners better understand information and organize it in their minds. Some educators and administrators refer to class bulletin boards as “another teacher in your classroom.”
Knowing this, it becomes even more obvious that creating classroom bulletin boards is a great idea. But what makes the best August bulletin board ideas?
Table of Contents
- What makes the best August bulletin board ideas?
- 17 Bulletin Board Ideas for August
- August Bulletin Board Ideas FAQS
- Final Thoughts on August Bulletin Boards
What makes the best August bulletin board ideas?
Focus on the month. One way to create a great bulletin board is to focus on the month you are in. The month of August might feature beach scenes, vacation ideas, or summer school, as symbols of the things kids do during the month of August.
Focus on Reading. Reading should be the central part of an upper elementary or middle school classroom. You can achieve this idea by focusing on one author (such as using the Dr. Seuss theme or other authors kids love), or a combination of great reads to pin up on the bulletin board to remind kids about great titles to check out.
Focus on Writing and Literacy. Writing is the product of applying what one has read and allows them to express themselves in creative ways. Use tools for writing to illustrate this or include a picture of an iPad or computer, which are both tools for writing.Focus on Units. Refer to your school year planner and incorporate one of your most important units or a recurring unit within your bulletin board. This can be determined by the type of content you teach in your classroom and what you want to emphasize.
17 Bulletin Board Ideas for August
Below are 17 ideas for August bulletin boards that you can use in your own classroom. Just make them unique enough that you can call them your own and get kids involved to further differentiate the look and function of the idea.
Tropical Theme By Create.Decorate.Educate
This lovely tropical theme background by “Amy” offers a way to create a lush, tropical summery look that reflects August type weather. Use this background to inspire kids to enjoy the greenery that surrounds them during the summer months. Kids can create their own leaves and add them to the board to personalize it to your class. Notice how Amy weaves this idea into her academic subject areas like Math, as well. This keeps kids engaged, even if Math is not their favorite subject, kind of like visualization therapy when you think of something positive when you are doing something you don’t like. Nice trick, huh?
Class Birthday By The Teacher’s Corner
August is usually the first month back to school after the summer break. Why not start off the year by recognizing everyone’s birthdays? This birthday bulletin board fits nicely into the August theme by highlighting each student’s birthday. Then, when their day rolls around, have the class sing to them or I even heard of one teacher who let the class go wild and throw paper wads at the birthday person on their birthday! Fun!
Wild Bunch (Tropical Bird Theme) The Teacher’s Corner
This beautiful tropical paradise-themed background is a great background to use for the month of August due to the weather that is still warm in most areas of the country in August. You can add the words, “Sometimes, we go a little wild,” to add a comical approach and increase the level of mystery of what fun your class may be.
Apples For August By The Happy Scraps
One teacher from Happy Scraps uses a central idea that is unique to each month and changes it out every month. For example, August is the month she uses apples with the students’ names written on them, to illustrate coming back to school. July is popsicles since that’s a treat that is often enjoyed in that month, and so on. The symbol you choose for different months does not have to be exactly as she recommends, though. So, get inspired but remember that every classroom and every year is different, so make it your own. By the way, this site offers ideas for every month so be sure to check it out.
No Bad Apples From Pinterest
Another apple-themed bulletin board starter features a beautiful tree with apples at the base of it. The theme is “No bad apples in our batch.” This sends a great message about every person holds value and might encourage kids to do well in order to not get out of step with what the class expects of them.
Wings Already Exist By Mrs. Jump’s Class
Dehanna Jump is an elementary teacher who has her own website that features bulletin board ideas for other teachers. She has some great ideas, including this one that features a heart-shaped tree that appears to be leaves at the top. Then you discover the leaves turn into butterflies. The lettering says, “Your wings already exist. All you have to do is fly.” This nifty and creative bulletin board encourages kids to fly high to reach their goals.
Color The World By Yellow Creations
This August bulletin board helps inspire kids with the idea that being kind to others is an important part of what you expect. Teaching positive values in a subtle manner without being “preachy” is a task that only a bulletin board or other types of media can achieve.
Clock Invention By Green Light Blog
Have you ever wanted to invent a sunflower clock for an August bulletin board idea? Well, now you can with this nifty idea that uses sunflower petals and the other parts of the flower to create the illusion that it is a part of the clock. This is taking your bulletin board to new levels and thinking outside the box, literally! Who says your bulletin board has to just be in that square at the front of your class? Put it everywhere!
Just Keep Swimming By Teaching Expertise
Based upon the very popular animated film, “Finding Nemo,” this August bulletin board (or door decoration) allows you to promote the idea of never giving up. What a great way to start the school year!
Fall In Love By Today’s Creative Ideas
This play on words featuring the falling leaves of Autumn is sure to get kids to take notice. The center is filled with a beautiful tree with colors of Fall where leaves are slowly falling to the base of the tree. This gets students ready for the Fall season and teaches them that change can sometimes be a positive thing.
Where Our Adventures Begin By David Bott
This door decoration for August can also double as a bulletin board and features a balloon for each child attached to a house that is taking off just the one in the popular “House” Pixar animated film.
Write…Read…Lead By Moms Got The Stuff
Writing, Reading, and leading are the focus of this August bulletin board idea. The idea is that if students work hard at writing and reading, over time it will lead to great communication and leadership ideas.
Amazing Things Happen Here By The Applicious Teacher
This bulletin board is significant because of its outward beauty, but also because of its powerful message, that amazing things are going to happen in your classroom this year. What better message to send to your students as you begin a new year than this?
Moo-arvelous Farm Theme By 1st Grade Fantabulous
Do you have students who live on a farm? Does your school district reside near farmland or near or in a farm community? If so, we’ve got a “moo-arvelous” bulletin board idea to start your school year. Presented by Supplyme.com, this farm-themed bulletin board is a great way to bring in “country culture” and show students the importance of farming in America.
Welcome Back August Bulletin Board Schoolhouse By Creatively Taught
If you don’t mind paying for a great bulletin board set, try this link to see if it might be a good August bulletin board idea for your classroom. It features an old schoolhouse as the center, with pretty paintbrushes, paper, and art supplies to suggest creativity and learning. This is offered as a downloadable file set that you can then use as your bulletin board with no extra charge. Keep in mind that borders are not included.
Happy Culture Day By Teach Simple
Planning for the entire school year takes a lot of work! Start by working on your August bulletin board ideas including this culture day kit that could also serve as a great August bulletin board to set the tone for understanding of different cultures at the start of the year. Japan celebrates this day on November 3 of each year. But you can use this idea year-round.
August Calendar Bulletin Board By Learning In Wonderland
If you prefer to focus on a calendar and go simple, try this August calendar idea. It is colorful and visible from every part of the space.
August Bulletin Board Ideas FAQS
It depends on what you wish to focus on. If you want students to focus on the calendar, create a calendar-based bulletin board. If you want to start off the year with an exciting reading unit, it might be wiser to focus on books that will inspire kids to start reading from day one. Whatever is the most important to you for your classroom environment should dictate what you choose.
Beach themes, summertime, sun, apples (for start of school year), and anything else you want to use to kick off the school year.
Choose one that reflects your values, the units you plan to teach, or the seasons of the year. Base the way you create it on the ability level of the students and the importance of the various elements to your classroom goals.
At Teach Simple, we understand the confusion that surrounds getting ready for a another school year. We are your go-to source for great ideas for teachers! We hope that these suggestions will make things a bit easier for you as a teacher. Check out our blog and learn about the different types of bulletin boards, too!
Final Thoughts on August Bulletin Boards
Use these August bulletin board ideas in any way you see fit, remembering to make it your own even if you are inspired by other’s ideas. Think about the elements that are the most important to your students and which ones will inspire, educate, or enrich them the most.
Most of all, have fun! Because bulletin boards are just a background if they are not fun!
