The typical American classroom is far from a bastion of design, but new research reveals that students might benefit academically if more thought were to be put into the environment they learn in. And ...

The theme for Aubry Leonard's room is "bumblebees." "This carries over from last year when they studied insects," said Leonard, third-grade teacher at PEAK School.

Create a "mad scientist's lab" theme with beakers, bubbling potions, and spooky science experiments. Cut out images of science equipment like microscopes, test tubes, and chemical reactions. Add ...