The first few days of school are so chaotic! Everyone is nervous, even the teacher. Establishing relationships and classroom community is so important because without those teaching content is infinitely more difficult. The back-to-school activities that we use should be lighter on content and heavier on getting to know each other. And don’t miss my earlier posts about back-to-school.
back-to-school activities for the first week of school
There’s so much for first graders to learn about school before they can really learn anything IN school. They need to be taught everything … where to hang their coats, what to do with their backpacks, how to enter the room, how to leave the room, lunch procedures … it’s enough to make anyone’s head spin!
That’s why it’s so important for the first few days’ activities to be fun and engaging. We want them to WANT to come back to school!
Mixing small chunks of learning with fun getting-to-know-you activities and practicing procedures will help set the tone for the rest of the year. You want them to know that we’re all here to learn, but the learning will be fun and our classroom is a safe place.
Here are some ideas for back-to-school activities:
- Do read-alouds. A book that’s great to read on the first day is called First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg. This is perfect to lead into a discussion about being nervous. Have them discuss it with a partner and then ask them if they’re still nervous!
- Take them on a classroom tour or do a scavenger hunt. It will help them become familiar with their classroom which will make them feel more comfortable.
- Practice! The more practice students get at learning your procedures, the easier it will be for them to perform them to your expectations. Lining up correctly, how to use the restroom, walking in the hall … practice these as much as you can until the kids can do them without a thought.
- Draw a self-portrait! Have your students draw a portrait of themselves on the first day of school. Hang onto them! Then during the last week of school, have them draw another one. It’s fun to pull out the first ones and compare them side by side.
- “Find Someone Who …” This is a fun and simple icebreaker! Give your kids a list of statements that they have to match with someone in the room. Examples … someone wearing a blue shirt, someone who loves ice cream, etc. If you have as many statements as you do students, you can add that each statement has to have a different name!
- Take some time during the first week or two for students to share about themselves. A fun way to do this is my Back to School All About Me Activities Workbook! This resource is filled with activities that will help you get to know your students. And as a bonus, these All About Me activities are designed not only to allow teachers to get to know their students but also to gain some insight into their reading and writing abilities. What a painless way to gauge your students’ abilities and get to know them at the same time!
We’d love to hear about some of your favorite back-to-school activities!
