College and Career Ready Bulletin Board

I created a bulletin board to showcase vocabulary related to college and career readiness!

My "College and Career Ready!" bulletin board is in the 7th and 8th grade hallway. I plan to make a duplicate of this board for the 5th and 6th grade hallway. I want students to see the words to begin a dialogue about what it means to be "College and Career Ready." 

Some of the words I chose include punctuality, effort, dependability, attitude, and responsibility. I used vocabulary that students should know by 5th and 8th grade in the Pennsylvania Career and Work Standards.  I made a pdf and doc version on google docs! 

Bulletin Board How To

The Graduation Cap

To make the graduation cap I cut a large square out of black roll paper. I then cut out two curved triangles to make the bottom part of the graduation cap. I cut a small circle out of the black roll paper for the button on the cap. I used strips of white construction paper for the tassel. 

"College and Career Ready!"

I cut out the letters for "College and Career Ready!" on black cardstock using my Cricut Expression paper cutting machine.  You could use an a school paper cuter, like an Ellison die-cut machine or buy pre-cut letters. (I have seen pre-cut letters at the dollar store!) 

I glued the letters onto yellow cardstock and cut around them with a paper cutter making sure to leave enough room for a border. 

Diplomas

I cut out the diplomas on cream cardstock using my Cricut Expression paper cutting machine and the Cricut Cartridge, Everyday Paper Dolls (the diploma was one of the accessories). You could print out a clip art picture of a diploma and trace it or draw a diploma free-hand and trace it.

I typed up career words from the PA Career Standards using DJ Groovy Font. I then printed out the career words on Avery Clear Sticker Paper.  I cut around the sticker career words using scissors and affixed the career words to the diplomas.  If you want to use a different font use the doc version.

Putting it Together

I arranged stapled the square and triangles from the graduation hat on a bulletin board covered with purple roll paper.

I used staples to put the words "College and Career Ready!" on the board.

I cut Scotch Reusable Adhesive Tabs into fours and used two pieces to affix each diploma to the graduation hat.

I secured the tassel with a staple and then affixed the cap's "button" with a piece of a Scotch Reusable Adhesive Tab.

And... THAT'S A GRADUATION CAP! 

(Like that's a "rap"? Get it? I can be so corny sometimes!)

Here is a full list of the supplies I used:

Supplies I used:

• Black Roll Paper
• Purple Roll Paper
• White Construction Paper
• Cream Cardstock
• Black Cardstock
• Yellow Cardstock
• Avery Clear Sticker Paper
• Scissors
• Fiskars Paper Cutter
• Cricut Expression Paper Cutter 
• Cricut Cartridge, Everyday Paper Dolls - Diploma
• Cricut Cartridge, Alpahlicious - Letters
• DJ Groovy Font (words on diplomas)
• Scotch Reusable Adhesive Tabs
• Career Words - editable doc version available too!

Will you be making a bulletin board like this one for your school? Do you have a great college and career themed bulletin board idea you would like to share with others? Comment below, tweet, contact Danielle, or share on the School Counselor Blog Facebook Page!

Danielle is a K-12 Certified School Counselor, Nationally Certified Counselor, and blogger at School Counselor Blog, a place where school counselors share innovative ideas, creative lesson plans, and quality resources. Connect with Danielle via email, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Google+, and become a fan of the School Counselor Blog Facebook Page.