Fun Classroom Themes for the New School Year

Have you considered using a classroom theme to kick off the school year? A classroom theme can do more than just make your room visually appealing. It can help set the tone for learning, build classroom community, and spark student interest from day one.

In today’s post, we’ll look at a handful of fun and flexible classroom themes that incorporate educational technology. I’ve pulled together ideas for K-12 classrooms that are easy to adapt to your grade level, subject area and interests. Throughout today’s post, I’ve sprinkled in some of my favorite EdTech tools and linked to additional resources, like blog posts and episodes of the Easy EdTech Podcast.

Before we explore some creative and tech-friendly classroom themes, let’s break down some of the reasons why you might consider establishing a classroom theme this school year.

What is a classroom theme?

A classroom theme is an idea that helps you organize your classroom space and activities. It can make your room feel more fun and welcoming for students. Some teachers pick a theme like outer space, animals, or technology. They use it to decorate, plan lessons, and build a strong classroom community. A classroom theme can also help students feel excited to learn and more connected to their classmates.

The idea of a classroom theme isn’t brand new, and you may have explored resources from others on these topics. On Edutopia’s website, they have published “Using Themes to Give Young Students a Sense of Purpose,” which features weekly themes. And they’ve also spotlighted the power of simple decorations, “Classroom Transformations Are a Fun Way to Boost Engagement.”

Why Classroom Themes Matter

When designed with purpose, classroom themes can:

• Encourage student engagement by creating immersive experiences
• Reinforce classroom routines and learning goals
• Provide opportunities for student choice and ownership
• Inspire cross-curricular connections and tech integration

Best of all, classroom themes don’t have to be static. They can evolve with your students’ interests or adapt to seasonal topics throughout the year. You might set up something before school starts and then get input from students as you move into the first quarter of the school year.

Classroom Themes Ideas to Explore

Below are classroom theme ideas to get you started, each with suggestions for EdTech tools that can bring them to life.

Futuristic Classroom

Transform your space into a tech innovation lab where students are encouraged to dream big and think ahead. Tools like Canva for Education or Adobe Express are great for students to create digital posters or futuristic infographics. Both tools let you (and students) search through graphics to add to posters related to lots of topics – including the futuristic theme.

STEAM Lab

STEAM is more than a theme, but you can use elements of a STEAM as inspiration. Design a classroom that invites exploration and creation across science, technology, engineering, art, and math. You might dedicate a space in your classroom to give students access to hands-on tools alongside digital resources. However, for an EdTech connection, you might incorporate tools like Merge EDU for augmented reality exploration. 

Time Travel Classroom

Take your students through different time periods or historical moments. Decorate the classroom with timelines and artifacts from various eras, both past and future. You can use tools like Google’s Talking Tours for historical tours or Padlet to create interactive digital timelines. It’s an opportunity to Incorporate primary source analysis, too, with DocsTeach or the Library of Congress website. As a classroom teacher, I had a big timeline outside of my classroom where we tracked historical fiction read aloud books – it was one of my favorite displays!

Movie Magic

Make your classroom feel like a film studio where students are the directors, editors, and stars. Incorporate projects where students can create trailers, video reflections, or skits. You might encourage students to use green screens or stop-motion animation while reinforcing classroom content. Here are a few resources from the blog and podcast related to movie-making:

Underwater Exploration

Create a deep-sea-themed environment filled with coral reef visuals and aquatic creatures. There are oodles of 360 videos on YouTube that provide underwater tours, including ones from National Geographic. You might connect this video content to QR codes to display it on a bulletin board when you first kick off the school year with an Underwater Exploration theme.

Digital Detective Agency

Set up your space as a problem-solving lab where students investigate mysteries related to math, reading, or science. Tools like Breakout EDU can also bring the theme to life with digital escape rooms. Use Google Forms to design clue-based activities or use an interactive whiteboard like FigJam for students to track evidence and theories collaboratively. This theme works well with inquiry-based learning strategies, and you can tailor it to different units of study over the course of the school year.

Outer Space Adventure

Launch into learning with a space-themed classroom. You can frame new units or activities as new “missions” for students to accomplish. Students can use Book Creator to document their space research in digital journals. You might even ask them to try out the new Adobe Express integration that allows them to create images generated with AI.

Eco-Tech Classroom

I love sharing resources related to Earth Day each spring, but your environmental connections don’t have to start or stop there. You can combine environmental awareness and technology by focusing on sustainability and green tech. Here are a few resources that might inspire your new classroom theme for this school year:

Innovation Station

Transform your classroom into a creativity lab for student-led invention. Set up zones for brainstorming, prototyping, and feedback. Use digital whiteboard tools like FigJam or Padlet for ideation. This is certainly a great way to connect your classroom theme to any activities that highlight a “process.” You might make a connection to a science lab, research for a social studies project, steps to solve a math problem, or even the writing process.

Make Classroom Themes Work for You and Your Students

You don’t have to go all out with a theme right away. Start small with a bulletin board, a corner of your room, or a shared classroom goal tied to the theme. As the school year unfolds, you can also expand the theme to include student voice and interests. Classroom themes are more than decor—they’re a tool for building excitement and engagement!

Looking for more ways to collaborate and plan effectively? In my book EdTech Essentials: 12 Strategies for Every Classroom in the Age of AI, 2nd Edition, you’ll find a full chapter on the essential “Plan,” which includes strategies for co-planning with colleagues and designing flexible, tech-rich classroom experiences. Already have a copy? Be sure to download the free study guide to dive deeper into each chapter.