Plant-Themed Growth Mindset High School Classroom Design Makeover

Plant-Themed, Growth Mindset High School Classroom Design Makeover

If you're searching for classroom makeover ideas, growth mindset decor, or creative ways to organize your room for maximum impact, this plant-themed classroom transformation is packed with inspiration. I gave my new classroom a makeover rooted (pun intended!) in a plant-growth mindset theme — green vibes, inspiring messages, and purposeful organization. I wanted the space to not only look fresh but also serve students with meaning. From a cozy classroom library to a faux greenery wall with classroom rules and norms, I’ve designed every area with intention. Whether you're setting up a middle school ELA room, refreshing your high school classroom, or just need classroom organization ideas, this post will walk you through five functional and beautiful zones — with photos — that support student success and foster a welcoming, motivational learning environment.

The Before

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Student-Centered Spaces

Nothing says growth like seeing where you’ve been and how far you’ve come. I create display areas just for student work — essays, projects, art, and even bellringer highlights. I don't highlight perfect scores or "improved" papers; I just hang what students have done collaboratively or creatively. It’s a rotating celebration of effort, voice, and progress. I have two HUGE bulletin boards in my room. One that we covered with shiplap-style paper. The other was a 12 foot long old-school chalkboard that I transformed into half bulletin board and half faux green wall!

Bulletin Board #1

Before After

plant theme high school classroom jfaulkner

Bulletin Board #2

For the second bulletin board, we took a piece of lattice from Home Depot. I used small clothespins (might need bigger ones) and printed out small plants to glue to the pins. (Could have cut them out with my Cricut.)

Before After

Student Seating

I place my students in groups, but I do a seating chart from the start of the year. Eventually, it changes. I label the groups for easy management. I also label the desks with letters for easy turn-and-talks, assigning responsibilities, etc.

plan theme high school classroom, jfaulkner, desk arragenment

Evergreen Spaces

An evergreen space is a space that never changes; it has beauty and/or purpose that never needs to change! I just so happens that my room is plant-themed, so my favorite wall features calming faux greenery and a warm, encourage neon light bar! Classroom norms and your rules/social contract are also evergreen content that stays put all year. I also include my phone caddy here because it has a permanent home, but I like to integrate it visually and symbolically into our classroom expectations — responsibility and respect.

The Faux Boxwood Wall and Neon Light Sign

The faux boxwood came from Walmart, and the custom neon light sign came from Etsy. See us hanging it on my Instagram.

Before After

plant theme high school classroom, faux boxwood wall with neon light, jfaulkner

Phone Caddy

I just bought a shoe caddy from Walmart. It has double pockets, which is perfect for my BIG classes!

Structure Central: Schedule + Teacher Zone

This space keeps us all on track. It includes the daily/weekly calendar, reminders, and a clean, organized teacher area for materials, laptop docking, and quick check-ins. This zone models structure and sets the tone for how we start and end each class. My stand-up teacher desk came from Home Depot, and it may sound dramatic to say, but I don't think I could teach without it. This one is an investment, but it is 1000% worth it. It is sturdy, rolls, goes up and down, and has a huge space for all my things when I'm teaching. My sit-down desk came from Target. Even my planner matches! You can grab it here!

See my write on my daily/weekly calendar on Instagram.

Watch me get my teacher planner ready.

plant theme secondary high school classroom design, stand up desk, teacher desk, classroom arrangement, jfaulkner

plant theme teacher planner, high school, jfaulkner

Changing Content Areas

These are my rotating hubs. I use this space to post current unit standards, book study posters, and new content. For ELA, it also houses my classroom library with a rotating “Book of the Month” and covers connected to our theme. It’s always evolving — just like our thinking.

Watch my classroom library bookshelf makeover on Instagram.

plant classroom library, high school, jfaulkner

Motivation Station

Growth mindset meets good vibes here! Seasonal affirmation mirror messages greet students with kindness and purpose, while graduation cards from past students serve as visual reminders that their effort now leads to something real. They are feel-good areas with meaning.

See me assemble my seasonal classroom mirrors. It's really so easy!

classroom affirmations, mirror decor, high school classroom ideas

See a close up of my graduation invite wall! I display these invites from all the various students I've had the privilege to teach when they graduation from high school and college! And this beautiful room would NOT have been possible without the help of these amazing kids I get to do life with SINCE their graduation!

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