Ready or not....it's coming! But you can be ready -- and still enjoy the rest of your summer with a few little tips from me! This is the final part of a 5-part series I'm doing to help teacher navigate Back to School time with ease.
We start the day with a simple morning work sheet and Play-Doh. Click the picture to download a copy.
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After we get all of the morning stuff out of the way (lunch count, attendance, making sure everyone is in the correct classroom) -- then we share our morning work with one another. It's a great opportunity for students to find things that they have in common with their new friends!
We go directly into our very first Morning Meeting. Before I call everyone to the carpet, we do a quick procedure lesson and I teach my students EXACTLY how I want them to come to the carpet. I have a group of students show us the correct way, and then I have a group show us the wrong way and then we discuss why it was wrong. Then everyone goes to the carpet and I praise them heavily for doing such an amazing job.
Our first morning meeting is all about getting to know one another and developing community from the moment we start. We play Get to Know You Four Corners (after I go over the procedure for traveling within the room) and then we use my Community Conversations cards to dive right in to building community. You can download the first day for free by clicking here. These cards provide different scenarios that most students have been through at some point in their school career. They offer great discussion opportunities and challenge students to do something different each day that builds positive classroom culture. I love using them as part of our daily Morning Meeting routine.
After our read aloud, we do a small section of my Procedure Slideshow to go over expectations for class discussions, work ethic, and hallway and restroom expectations. I also discuss with them my procedures for water bottles and when it's ok to get a drink. Next I formally introduce myself with a brief slideshow about my life and family. I found the template on TpT --and there are HUNDREDS to choose from! Here is a free one from Not So Wimpy Teacher.
Next up -- academics! We do take a few minutes to review our "real" morning work that will be on their desks the following morning. We use a spiral review by Second Story Window. We review how to do your best and what to do if they don't know the answer to something on the page. We also talk about what to do if they finish early.
After they have a good grasp on morning work -- we go right into our Class Economy. This is when they get invested. Ears perk up and they start paying really close attention, especially when I mention Fun Friday and our Class Shop....and GASP! Having to pay rent for their desks each month. I have teaching slides that introduce my students to our Class Economy. You can check it out here. This is the most important part of the day because it is essentially how our classroom is run for the whole year. We go over Class Career options and how to apply. They get really excited about it!
Next we get going on our Cup Tower Challenge -- another fun team building activity. Then I remind them of their behavior during special area and lunch and we discuss dos and don'ts before I send them off.
After special area and lunch, we get started on Back to School Math, which is a great way to ease students back into the grind. It also helps me gauge who might need some extra help.
Next, I give a Mrs. Brown "pop quiz" to see what my students remembered from my slideshow. It's just a cute way to make sure they were paying attention. π You can edit your own by clicking the picture below.
At this point, we only have a little bit of time remaining because my students have a 2nd special area on Tuesdays (Spanish), so we go outside and have a popsicle party! I like those cheap Ice Pops -- I can get a whole pack of them for around $3. Having a popsicle party helps them relax and just hang out with their friends! It's a great end to the first day.
If you need another team building idea to fill some more time, I LOVE doing Tangrams with my class. It stumps them and it's a PERFECT opportunity to discuss perseverance and teamwork!
I hope you have enjoyed this Start Strong series and I hope I gave you some ideas that you can use! Wishing you the BEST First Day ever!
Coming up over the next week or so, I am going to share my 3rd Literacy Centers and how I run those in my classroom.
Did you miss the other posts in this series? Don't worry! Check them out here:
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