Tips for New

Teachers: The First

Day of School
By Linda Shalaway

Make a great first impression with these

teacher-recommended strategies,
icebreaker activities, and more.
Like other first days in your life, your first day as a teacher in your own
elementary school classroom will have you feeling excited and anxious
in equal measures. Don't worry too much, though. Even experienced
teachers feel anxious about facing new students at the beginning of
each school year. Just take a deep breath, look around your newly
decorated classroom, double-check those lesson plans, and remind
yourself of all you've done to get the year off to a successful start.
These school-year startup tips will help you make a positive first
impression.

Welcome Your Students

1. Arrive early.

2. Write your name on the board so students can learn it right away.

3. Have a fun activity laid out on each student's desk so students

can become engaged as they settle in. For primary grades, try dot-
to-dot, matching, or drawing activities. For higher grades, consider
an easy writing activity or word search game. These activities are
an easy, comfortable way to start the day.
 4. Greet students at the door with a smile and a pleasant "Good
morning!"

5. Invite students to find their desk or table as soon as they arrive.

They can wait to explore the classroom. This helps you create a
good working climate right away.

Get to Know Each Other

6. Do some fun ice-breaking activities to put everyone at ease. For
older students, consider creating a class dictionary. Students can
write a three-part definition of themselves that includes physical
characteristics, personality traits, and favorite hobbies or interests.
Definitions could also include a pronunciation key to first and last
names. Be sure to write a definition for yourself and then host a
guessing game. For younger students, give each child a chance to
share the story of a favorite experience or why they are excited
about starting school.

7. Read a funny first-day-of-school story or a book about making and

being a good friend to create a pleasant mood and ease students'
fears and anxieties.

Establish Rules and Routines

8. Introduce the important features of the room and the school with
a tour or scavenger hunt.

9. Present the most important classroom routines in a positive way,

as you would a regular lesson. Explain, discuss, and give students a
chance to practice such routines and opening-of-day exercises.

10. Work with students to develop classroom rules.

11. Post a general schedule for lunch, music, physical education,

recess, and class work. Emphasize and teach the routines that will
help students move into these periods quickly and efficiently.
Remember, they won't learn it all in a day. So, continue to
emphasize and practice classroom routines for the first few weeks.

12. Post a daily schedule stating academic goals for the day. Note
interruptions in the daily schedule, such as class pictures,
programs, assemblies, or guest speakers.
 13. Begin with simple academic activities — short reviews that
guarantee a high success rate. These will boost confidence and
ease fears. And they can serve as trial runs for practicing routines,
such as turning in completed work or asking for assistance.

14. Monitor and maintain constant contact with students. Avoid

spending time on clerical work the first day. And never leave
students unattended. In an emergency, get another teacher or
school adult to monitor students.

Reinforce Positive Behavior

15. Deal promptly with behavior problems. Offer a lot of positive
reinforcement for students picking up on routines quickly.

16. Generate interest and enthusiasm by hinting at exciting new

topics you plan to begin later in the week.

17. Issue books and discuss their care.

18. Take students on a tour of the classroom and explain what is in

all the cabinets and drawers. Show them what is accessible and
what is off limits. Areas in which students will work independently,
such as a listening center, should remain off limits until you've had
a chance to fully explain the purpose of the area and model how
students will use it.

You'll be sure to make a good impression if your first-day activities

involve all of your students in ways that allow them to be successful.
You will be seen as a caring, organized leader who is focused on
creating a stimulating and cooperative environment.

30 Classroom
Procedures to Head
Off Behavior
Problems
By Bonnie P. Murray

To keep your days running smoothly,

establish consistency using these
general procedures, daily tasks, and
activities.
Grades

The secret to warding off at least some behavior problems is

establishing positive classroom procedures for daily tasks and
activities. Your students will appreciate your consistency, and once
they have internalized classroom procedures, the day will run that
much more smoothly.

Of course, choosing the right rules and procedures for your classroom
is an individual decision. But be sure to define what you expect of
students from the very beginning. Remember to take time to teach
procedures during the first days and weeks of school.

Here is a list of general procedures to teach. You can adapt them to

your grade level and school setting.

1. Entering the room: Enter quietly and politely; remove your hat if
you're wearing one; don't interrupt other students; follow the
appropriate procedures for each time of day (e.g., morning, after
lunch, after a special class).

2. Lining up: Stand up quietly; push in your chair; take all necessary
items; line up without touching others or talking; face the front of
the line; watch where you are going.
3. Leaving the room: Tell me where you are going; take the correct
hall pass; do not run or play in the hallways or restrooms.

4. Beginning the day: Enter the room politely; put away your
backpack, lunch, and coat; turn in your homework; sit at your desk
and read alone or do before-school work silently.

5. Ending the day: Clean off your desk; leave out your work
notebook; pick up any trash within three feet of your desk; stack
your chair; collect your mail; wait quietly to be dismissed.

6. Taking out/putting away/caring for supplies: Share group supplies;

recap markers and glue; check the number written on the supplies
to make sure they belong in your group basket; if something
belongs to another group, return it to them quietly.

7. Participating in group lessons: Do not bring anything with you

unless I ask you to; politely find a place to sit where you can do
your best learning; sit flat, not on your knees; listen carefully for
new information; raise your hand to speak; do not speak when
someone else is speaking.

8. Obtaining help with assignments: Quietly ask the students at

your table for help with directions if you need it; if you are working
alone, raise your hand to get help from me; if you are working with
a group, ask them for help in understanding how you do the
assignment.

9. Handing in finished work/homework: Make sure your name is on

your paper; place your paper upside down in the "finished work" or
"homework" basket.

10. What to do with unfinished work: If I ask for work to be turned in,
let me know if it isn't finished; if I ask you to keep an unfinished
 project, put it in your class work notebook.

11. When and how to use the school restroom: If I am not teaching
the whole group, stand by the classroom door with your hand
raised; if I say "no," wait for a better class time to go; if I nod, leave
the room quietly; do not play in the restroom; return to class before
two minutes have passed (promptly).

12. When and how to use the drinking fountain or sink: When I am not
teaching the whole group, you may get a drink; take only a three-
second drink; you may bring a water bottle to keep on your desk; if
you need to wash your hands, use only a little soap; wipe up any
water you spill.

13. When and how to use the pencil sharpener: At the beginning of
each assignment, the person I've chosen to be the "Pencil
Sharpener" will invite you to have him or her sharpen your pencil; if
your pencil breaks during an assignment, use a community pencil;
only the "Pencil Sharpener" can run the sharpener and empty it.

14. Being a classroom helper; learning a classroom job: If you get a

job on Monday, see the person who did the job last week during
silent reading time, ask him or her for the job description card, and
have him or her help you on the first day. For the rest of the week,
it is your responsibility to remember to do your job.

15. Getting into work groups: Take all the materials you will need;
greet each other; complete the task doing your personal best;
make sure each person signs the project; thank the others in your
group.

16. Using the classroom library: When I am not teaching the whole
group, you may check out a book. To do so, select a book (you only
have three minutes at the class library) and sign out the book on
the sign-out sheet. Take good care of the book; when you are
 finished, return the book to the basket and check it off the list.

17. Handling seatwork pages: As soon as you get a paper, print your
first name and last initial at the top on the right-hand side and
today's date at the top on the left-hand side.

18. Preparing for lunch: Wait quietly at your desk; when your lunch
number is called, get your lunch or lunch money and line up in
order; take everything with you, as you will not be allowed to come
back to the classroom after we leave for lunch; while you're
waiting in line, think about the way you need to behave in the
lunchroom and on the playground; while you're at lunch and at
recess, find one person who is behaving responsibly and be
prepared to tell the class what you noticed.

19. Getting a tissue: You may get a tissue from the closest of the four
tissue boxes whenever you need one; you don't even have to ask;
throw the used tissue away immediately; make sure it lands in the
trash can; get right back to work.

20. Lunch count/attendance: "Hot lunch" means you are having

school lunch; "cold lunch" means you brought a lunch from home;
move your attendance tag/magnet/clothespin to the "hot lunch" or
"cold lunch" sign/spot; wait patiently for your turn.

21. Throwing away trash: You may throw away trash whenever you
need to if I am not teaching the whole group; do not play basketball
with your trash; make sure all trash lands in the can; pick up trash
even if it isn't yours.

22. Turning in lost items: Ask the people around you if they lost the
item you found; if not, write your name and the date on a slip of
paper and tape the item to it; if it is money or something valuable,
put the item and slip on my desk for safekeeping; if not, put it in
the Lost and Found box; give yourself a "pat on the back" for being
 honest.

23. Locating lost items: Ask the people around you if they found the
item you lost; if not, check the Lost and Found box; if it is not
there, ask me at a time when I'm not teaching the class; if you find
it, thank the person who turned it in; next time, try to take care of
your things. Consider going through the Lost and Found box at the
end of each month with the whole class. If an item remains
unclaimed, give it to the person who turned it in.

24. Pledge: When you hear/see the signal, stop what you're doing
immediately and stand up; place your right hand over your heart;
say the Pledge of Allegiance respectfully; during the 30 seconds of
silence, quietly think about the things you want to learn today and
how you will act in class and on the playground.

25. Visitors in the classroom: When visitors enter the room, let the
designated classroom "host" or "hostess" greet them; when the
host or hostess rings the chimes, get ready to listen to and look at
the visitor — a smile is great!; when the host or hostess introduces
the visitor, say, "Welcome to our class, __________"; remember, most
visitors are here to watch you learn, so be ready to explain what
you are working on; treat visitors respectfully.

26. Fire drill: Stop everything; stand up and head for the door quickly,
but without running or pushing; do not cover your ears; do not
make any side trips; the classroom "fire chief" takes the fire drill
packet and leads the line outside; the second person in line holds
the classroom door for the rest of the class; the third person in line
holds the outside door only for our class, then becomes the last
person in line; wait patiently, calmly, and quietly in line outside
until we are allowed to go back to what we were doing.

27. Signals for attention: When I need your attention, I will ring the
chimes (or sound the rain stick, open the music box, etc.); as soon
as you hear the signal, stop what you are doing, look at me, and
 listen for directions.

28. Helping other students: In a cooperative classroom, it is good to

help one another; if someone needs help with directions or reading
an assignment, help him or her if you are able; if someone needs
help with understanding the problem, tell him or her to ask me for
help; never put down another student who asks for help.

29. Organizing desk: Remove all loose papers; decide if they should
go home or stay at school; put papers that should stay at school in
the front pocket of your work notebook; put pencil or art supplies
in your school box; put your folders and work notebook on the left
side of your desk tray; everything else goes on the right side; pick
up your trash.

30. What to do during free time: If you finish an assignment, first

work on any unfinished assignments that are in the front pocket of
your work notebook; when you finish those, you may choose to do
your classroom job, read a book, write a story, illustrate a book,
make up math problems, work on a research project, peer-tutor
someone who needs your help, or create a song about what the
class is studying.

Creating Classroom
Rules Together
By Linda Shalaway

Students are more likely to buy into the

rules if they have a hand in creating
them. Start with this list of adaptable
ideas.
Grades

PreK–K, 1–2, 3–5, 6–8, 9–12

F ROM

As a teacher, you, of course, need to establish general rules of conduct

for your classroom. But how do you make your students want to follow
the rules? Give them a hand in creating those rules! Here's how to do
it. Start with a list of what you consider the bare essentials, and then,
through thoughtful discussion, work with your students to create a set
of rules expressed in their language.

Use this list as a starting point, adapting and expanding it to meet the
needs of your class and grade level:

1. Treat others as you would like to be treated.

2. Respect other people and their property (e.g., no hitting, no

stealing).

3. Laugh with anyone, but laugh at no one.

4. Be responsible for your own learning.

5. Come to class and hand in assignments on time.

6. Do not disturb people who are working.

Most teachers agree that it's best to select only a few rules — those
that contribute to successful learning and an orderly environment. It's
too hard to remember a long list! Make your rules as clear and specific
as possible. Then decide with your students' help what
the consequences will be for breaking those rules.
Teach the rules as you would a regular lesson. It should be your first
lesson. Discuss each rule individually, explaining the rationale behind
it and ask for examples of how it could be broken. Explain that rules
help make everyone's time in school more enjoyable, and use examples
to illustrate this point. It's also a good idea to post the rules as a
reminder and send a copy home with each student.

What to Do When
Kids Break the Rules
Brush up on these three types of logical
consequences so you can use them
when kids test the limits.
Grades

PreK–K, 1–2, 3–5, 6–8

Despite all your proactive strategies to prevent misbehavior, students

will break the rules. They will forget, become unsure, and test limits.
Be ready to follow up with logical consequences.

Logical consequences are a way to help fix problems that result from
students' words and actions when they break or forget rules. They help
students regain self-control, reflect on their mistakes, and make
amends for them. Logical consequences should be respectful of the
student, relevant to the situation, and reasonable in scale.

Here are three types to consider:

 You break it, you fix it can be used to mend emotional messes as
well as physical messes. A child can rebuild a block tower after
accidentally knocking it over. A student can repair hurt feelings
with an apology of action. An apology of action may be doing
something to soothe the injury, such as drawing a picture or
playing a game.

 Temporary loss of privilege is a simple way to help a student

remember to use that privilege (art materials, recess, group time)
responsibly. Losing a privilege for a class period or a day can help
a child pause to remember or relearn a rule.

 Time-out or "take a break" is a strategy to help students learn

self-control. A student who is disrupting the work of the group is
asked to leave for a few minutes. Give the student a chance to
regain composure and rejoin the group on his or her own.

10 Things to Remember on the First

Day of School
By: Janelle Cox

Whether it’s your 17th first day of school teaching, or it’s your first, there’s a
really good chance that you will be a nervous wreck on the first day of school.
Any new experience comes with a few jitters. But, it’s important to remember,
it’s only the first day, and you have many more to come. Here are a few things
to remember on the first day so you can take the day by storm.

1. First Day of School: Wake up Early

The last thing that you want to do on the first day of school is to wake up late.
Set your alarm a few minutes earlier than you usually would, so that you can
arrive to school a little bit early. This extra time will help you get anything,
and everything ready before the students enter the classroom.
2. Have a Plan

Make sure that you are prepared for the day. It’s important that you have a
plan that you can follow. Write down a general guideline of what you want to
accomplish on the first day. It’s not necessary that you follow it to the “T,” but
it will help you have an idea of what comes next.

3. Don’t Try to Do It All

There will probably be a whole lot that you want to accomplish on the first
day of school, but it’s not necessary that you get to it all. Make sure that you
prioritize, and set goals for your day. While it’s important that students learn
the rules and routines, it’s not a priority that learn them all in one day.

4. Get to Know Your Students

One of the most important things that you have to remember for the first
day is to take the time to really get to know your students. This will show
them that you care, and that you value them, and want to know all there is
to know about them. By doing this on the first day, you are setting the tone
for a wonderful caring classroom community for the whole year.

5. Keep it Short

Do not plan overly elaborate lessons or activities on the first day. Keep
everything that you do short and sweet. Allow time for the students to talk
too, not just you. By keeping things simple, you are not overwhelming
students. And, by allowing them to talk, you are showing them that you
value their thoughts and opinions.

6. Establish Classroom Rules

It's important to introduce your class rules on the first day of school.
These rules will serve as a guideline for students to follow throughout the
school year. Make sure that you have the rules posted in a visible spot in
the classroom, so that students can reference them when needed.

7. Start the Day with Limited Expectations

It’s important to remember that your students didn’t have to sit still all
summer! Do not expect them to be able to sit still for you all day without
some fidgeting. Give them a few brain breaks throughout the day, and
 when you want them to remember something that you say that’s really
important, have them repeat it after you at least three times.

8. Let them See You Laugh

Have a sense of humor, after all laughter has the power to help students
learn. It’s OK to laugh at yourself, and it’s OK to make students laugh.
Laughter is a powerful tool to use in the classroom. It is also an effective
way to keep your students engaged. If you want to win over your students
on day one, then make them laugh!

9. Make the Day Fun

While laughter is another important component to remember on the first

day of school, making the day fun would be the next. The first day should
not just be teaching the rules and routines, it should be a day to get to
know your students in a fun, and educational way. Play games, laugh, and
go outside on the playground. Make a day to remember, so they will want
to go home and tell their family how great school is and want to come
back tomorrow.

10. Be Mindful, Take it All in, It’s Only the First Day

Take a moment to be in the moment. Don’t rush through your day just to
get everything in your planner finished. Take it all in, and remember, it’s
only the first day, you have about 179 days left to complete whatever else
you want to do.

17 Fun First Day of School Activities to Try

August 20, 2018 Justin Raudys Teaching Activities

Whether you’ve been teaching for years or it’s your first day as a full-time teacher,
the first day of school is usually accompanied by some anxiety — no matter how
prepared you might be.
It’s the same for students. Uncertainty about friends, teachers, and schoolwork is
enough to make even the most extroverted students a bit nervous.
With that in mind, you should always consider what first day of school
activities can stimulate introductions, get students talking, and set the tone for
successful classroom management.
Get inspired by these 17 fun, creative first day of school activities and try them out
yourself. They’re easy, free, and guaranteed to ease the tension on a busy, hectic
first day of school.

1. Find a friend
The “Find a friend” game is a fun activity designed to help students become
comfortable with their new classmates.
To play, students must first receive worksheets containing a list of topics — such as
sports, foods, games, and so on — from which they must pick their favorites.

Image source: First Grade Schoolhouse, Teachers Pay Teachers

Distribute the worksheet to students, and allow five minutes or so for everyone to
indicate their favorite categories with a pen or pencil. You can create your own
worksheet or access free printables such as the one above.
Then, have students find fellow classmates fitting the description in each box. This
will give them a natural talking point as they meet one another — helping them
find what they have in common and sparking friendly interaction.
Note that:

 Students can list each classmate only once on the worksheet

 Students should spell names correctly; when they find a friend to add to their
sheet, they should ask the friend how to spell their first name

 You can use this chance to have students show you their best handwriting,
setting a good precedent for the school year

2. “Who’s new?” word search

Use a free word search generator such as Discovery Education’s puzzlemaker to
create a word search using the names of your students as the hidden words. Print
copies to place on each desk.
Students will enjoy searching for their names along with those of their classmates.
After 10 minutes or so, students naturally begin helping each other — kindling
conversation and facilitating introductions.

3. Thanks for the compliment!

This lighthearted, confidence-boosting icebreaker encourages students to share
compliments about one another.
To start, every student gets a blank piece of paper taped to their back. Then, each
classmate thinks of a compliment to write down on the back of every other student.
After the entire class is finished, have students remove their papers and read all the
compliments they received in front of the class.
4. Let’s decorate
Invite students to help decorate the classroom — sending the message that their
opinions are valued, their voices are heard, and you welcome their presence.
Split the class into four groups and designate each group to a wall. Distribute
materials such as markers, posters, tape, and pieces of chart paper. For a
personalized touch, have each group come up with one common goal they wish to
accomplish in your class, and to summarize it in one word.
Next, have students write their words in big letters on the chart paper, ensuring
each group has a unique goal.
Once the class is finished, hang them on each designated wall, encouraging your
class to embrace the responsibility of making sure they all achieve the goals they
set for the end of the school year.

5. Prodigy
Try Prodigy — a free, game-based math platform aligned with curricula —
to engage your class while reinforcing lesson content and teaching essential
skills.
Borrowing elements from video games such as Pokémon, students use Prodigy to
compete in math duels against in-game characters. To win, they answer sets of skill-
testing math questions.
Prodigy uses adaptive learning and differentiated instruction principles to adjust
problems, addressing each student’s problem areas.
It’s also backed by research. In a recent study, we found schools enrolled in Prodigy
both performed better and enjoyed greater improvements on test results than
inactive schools.

6. “Would You Rather” Questions

Lead, guide, and stimulate healthy debate among students with a set of
questions that are sure to get the classroom talking.
Consider a few examples of “would you rather” questions, such as:

 Would you rather play outdoors or indoors?

 Would you rather see a firework display or a circus performance?

 Would you rather go skiing or go to a water park?

  Would you rather everything in your house be one color or every single wall
and door be a different color?

 Would you rather visit the international space station for a week or stay in an
underwater hotel for a week?

To keep the class on the same page, consider preparing a few questions on a
printable such as the one below.
7. Group contracts
Write group contracts containing guidelines, and have everyone sign them to
foster effective student group work and good behavior in the classroom.
Group contracts — an important feature of cooperative learning — should be
based on expectations students and teachers have for one another.
You can collect the class’s thoughts by talking about what the ideal group member
does, and how he or she behaves. Once you’ve come up with the contract,
brainstorm with students to come up with consequences for breaking
expectations.

Image Source: The Creative Colorful Classroom

For example, in the flexible seating contract above, students agree to use the
learning space appropriately. If they break the contract, students agree “that my
teacher will move me to a spot that will better meet my needs.”

8. Student surveys
Use surveys to collect and assess information about a broad range of topics that
will help you get a feel for your new students and guide them to success this school
year.
Consider asking questions about preferences for seating arrangements, group
work versus individual work, and noise levels in the classroom.
Use this information to get a better sense of trends in the classroom. See if you can
use the information to differentiate instruction, assessment, and evaluation to
improve the learning environment.
One of the qualities of a good teacher is the capacity to use different teaching
strategies — especially ones that are responsive to different students’ unique
learning preferences.
For example, consider taking a survey of how students like to learn, asking the
following yes or no questions:
First day of school activity: How I like to learn

I work best when it is quiet Yes No

I can work when there is noise in the classroom Yes No

I like to work at a table or desk Yes No

I like to work on the floor Yes No

I like to work on an assignment until it is completed Yes No

Sometimes I get frustrated with my work and do not finish Yes No

I like to learn by moving around the room Yes No

I like to work by myself Yes No

I like to work in a group or with a partner Yes No

9. Classroom scavenger hunts

Send your students on a classroom scavenger hunt, helping them to get to know
each other and their new learning space.
Provide a print-out of classroom items to look for, leaving a space for students to
write a brief description of where they found each item.
The completed scavenger hunt sheets can serve as an easy reference for students
in the first weeks of school to ensure they know where to find everything in your
classroom.
You can make the list of items yourself, or use a free printable such as the example
below.

Image Source: The Creative Colorful Classroom

10. Two truths and a lie

Encourage students to write down three statements about themselves, with one of
the statements being false.
After giving students five minutes or so to write their sentences down, have them
read them out loud one by one — and enjoy the entertainment as fellow students
try to guess which of the statements is a lie.
This activity also serves as a simple, early way to get a gauge of the skill levels
of your new students: As your new students write out their sentences, you can
walk around and see which students need help might need help with written
communication.
As they read out their sentences, you can also gauge verbal communication skills.

11. Class time capsule

Create individualized time capsules on the first day of school. Fill them with items
such as personal letters about what students plan to accomplish throughout the
school year.
Letters can include expectations, clubs they would like to join, and desired grade
point averages.
You can also take pictures of your students on the first day, print them out, and put
them inside the time capsules.
On the last day of school, return each student’s time capsule and allow them to
see how much they have learned, grown, and achieved throughout the school
year.

12. Tall Thomas

Encourage students to think of an adjective to describe themselves. The adjective
must suit the student and must also start with the first letter of their name — for
example, “Tall Thomas,” “Funny Frankie,” or “Smart Sam.”
Encourage students to try and memorize every name to add a skill-testing
element to the activity.
Have the class stand in a circle, and then have one student state his or her new
nickname. Then, have the next student try to name the previous name before
saying their own name.
Make sure to keep the activity lighthearted and fun. Feel free to stand in the circle
and join the fun to further engage with your students!

13. Don’t answer

Ask your class to stand in a circle. Have one student engage with another
classmate, and pose the other student a question about his or her personality. To
clarify, give students a few examples: “What is your silliest habit?” or “What is your
pet peeve?”
However, explain that the student who is asked the question may not respond —
with the student to their left answering for them. Note that the answer doesn’t have
to be right, and that each student can make their answers as imaginative or
creative as possible.
14. Draw a Self-Portrait
Provide a self-portrait worksheet such as the one below as an easy beginning-of-
year activity. When everyone is finished, have each student present their self-
portrait to the class as formal introduction to their colleagues and to yourself!

15. Be unique
Have everyone stand in a circle. Encourage each student, one by one, to say
something they believe to be unique about themselves. For example: “My name is
Jason, and I have two brothers” or “… and I speak three languages.” If another
student also has two brothers or speaks three languages, they must sit down.
The goal is to stand as long as possible and therefore to share very special things
about yourself that no one else typifies.
16. Six word story
Get students to explain what they did over the summer using only six words,
writing the statement down as a complete sentence on a piece of paper.
Then, have students exchange papers with a classmate, with that colleague also
adding a comment comprised of only six words. You may choose to rotate the
papers to adjust the length of the story to your preference!

17. The question web

This activity helps students learn interesting facts about one another. Have your
students stand in a circle. Next, take a ball of yarn or string and hold on to the end
of the it while passing the ball to another student.
Ask this student an interesting question such as “If you could travel anywhere in the
world, where would you go and why?”
Once they have answered the question, have them pass the ball of yarn to another
student in the circle and ask them a question. When all your students have had
their turn, explain that the web they created represents the uniqueness of your
classroom — and that their participation makes the classroom a special place for
learning and creativity.

First day of school activities: Final Thoughts

It’s important to pair fun and kindness with clear and firm expectations — so think
of the first day of school as your chance to demonstrate your ability to conduct
activities that are both enjoyable and orderly.
See which activities on this list appeal to you most, and try them out yourself as a
memorable back to school introduction!

15 creative lesson ideas for

the first day of school
 by Lucie Renard — Aug 30, 2017

Back to school. Finally! In Belgium, school starts on the 1st of September, after a
summer break of two months. Other countries have already begun the new
school year, others still have a few weeks to go.

There’s one thing we all have in common: the first day of school. A special day
for students and teachers. A day full of emotions. Stress, fear, relief, happiness,
joy, …

How can you make sure those first-day-of-school emotions are good emotions?
I’m betting on creative back-to-school lesson ideas students will find a fun thing
to do.

So here they are!

15 fun back to school classroom

activities
First day of school activities are based upon one goal: to get to know each other.
Most first day of school activities are for elementary, but I included a few as well
for middle school students and high school students. Some can be used for all
ages too.

First day of school activities for

elementary students
1. All about the bag
Hand out a paper bag to all your students the first day of school and put a little
note on it:

Directions:

 Fill this bag with 4 things or objects that tell something about yourself.
(only 4 things, no more, no less)
 All your objects have to fit in this bag.

 Decorate the bag if you wish!

 Bring the bag back tomorrow and be ready to share with the class.
2. Figure me out
In fourth grade, students have already learned arithmetics. You could let them
create a profile of themselves, describing some fun facts using arithmetics. Take
a look at the image below for an example.
Students have to figure out the person by calculating the facts. Then they have to
guess who that person is.

3. Beach ball game

All you need for this first day of school activity is a beach ball and a marker. Write
down several questions on the beach ball in a random order.

Examples of questions:

 What are you most proud of?

 What’s the most heroic thing you did?

 What’s your favorite animal?

 What color is your toothbrush?

 I am thankful for _____

 What’s your favorite movie?

 What’s your favorite sport?

 How many siblings do you have?

 What’s your favorite dessert?

 What do you like to do after school?

 When’s your birthday?

 And so on.

Now form a circle and throw the beach ball to a student. Wherever the student’s
left thumb lands, is the question he has to answer. After answering that question,
he can throw the ball to another student.
4. Create a time capsule
You probably already know the concept of a time capsule. If you have ideas of
your own, go with it. If you don’t, here’s something you could do with a time
capsule an the first day of school.

Let your students write down their wishes and hopes for the following school
year. What do they want to learn this school year? Then put everything in the
time capsule and bury is somewhere safe beneath the ground. You could also
put a fun class picture in it.

At the end of the school year, you dig up the time capsule and let your students
reflect on what they’ve learned and if their wishes at the beginning of the school
year came true. You can also try to make the exact same class picture. It’s fun to
see who has changed in one year and who didn’t.

You could do this first day of school activity in college as well! If your students are
much older, like college students, you could let them write down the profession
they want to practice at the end of their studies. A lot of them will have changed
along the way, but it’s fun to see how their dreams and expectations change in
time. It’s also fun to just include a bucket list of each student. These are things
they want to do during their time as a college student.
5. Nice mnm'ing you
Everyone loves mnm’s. Besides eating them, you could also use them for a fun
back to school lesson. Divide the mnm’s over a few cups and share them with
your students. Students have to pick out a mnm blindfolded and tell a story or
answer the question. Every color represents its own story.

Tell us

 Red: something about yesterday

 Orange: something you do well

 Yellow: something about your childhood

 Blue: something you learned last week

 Brown: something you can’t live without

 Green: something you watch or listen to

Oh, one more thing… Of course students may eat the mnm’s after finishing the
question. Guess who’s going to be the most popular teacher this year? �
6. Randomness
The Randomness widget from BookWidgets is handy for creating a variety of
back-to-school games. Spin the wheel to generate a student and ask them to talk
about a randomly selected topic. Alternatively, you can give a specific topic and
spin the wheel to see which student is chosen. Curious for our example?
Click here.

Topics may include:

 What would you do with 1 million euro?

 What is your favorite place on earth?

 What is your biggest dream?

Click here to start creating your own back to school randomness activity with
BookWidgets.

7. Would you rather

To get to know your students you could ask them crazy choice questions. Make
fun cards and let them pick one. They have to answer the question “would you
rather…?”.

Here are some examples:

 Would you rather have to eat raisins every day or eat peas?

 Would you rather walk around with a hole in your pants or with a broken
zipper?

 Would you rather eat a salad or liver?

 Would you take a bath or a shower?

 Would you rather have lunch with the president or a famous singer?

 Would you rather wear gloves or a hat in the winter?

 Would you rather eat chocolate or skittles if it’s all you had to eat on a
hike?

 Would you rather adopt a cat or a dog?

 Would you rather go snowboarding or skiing?

 Would you rather wear flip flops or sneakers?

 Would you rather have an in ground pool or a horse?

 Would you rather live in Hawaii or in Italy?

 Would you rather get in trouble with your parents or your teacher?

 Would you rather ride on an elephant or a giraffe?

 And so on.
You can also put these questions in a “randomness widget”
with BookWidgets and let students spin the wheel.
8. Snowball fight
Let each student take out a sheet of paper and write down 3 interesting, but not
widely known, facts about him or herself. There can’t be any names on the
papers!

Let students crumple up their papers into balls and have a paper “snowball” fight.
After a few minutes, all the paper snowballs will be all over the classroom. Now,
students have to find a snowball, and unfold the paper. Each student must try to
find the student whose snowball he or she retrieved.
9. Fit in puzzle
Create a giant blank puzzle and hand out a blank piece of the puzzle to every
student. They have to decorate the puzzle piece with drawings that say
something about themselves. After, you collect the puzzle pieces and complete it
again with the help of your students. Now you have something to put on your
empty classroom wall!
First day of school activities for middle
school students
10. Tell it with emojis
Let your students summarize what they did during their summer break using only
emojis! If you have new students, you can also let them introduce themselves
using emojis.

For example:

 Hobby(s): � ��

 Family: �� �� �� �� ��

 pet: �

 Loves: �

 Hates: ☔

 Favorite food: �
11. Bingo
The back to School Bingo is a fantastic icebreaker activity for middle school
children as it will help them to get to know their classmates. Create a Bingo Card
in BookWidgets and in each square, write a brief description, such as:

 Lives close to school

 Likes pizza

 Has 3 siblings

 Loves sport

 Can juggle

Challenge your students to go around the room, asking classmates some

questions. When they have a match, they are allowed to tick off that square.
Click here or on the image to check it out.
Click here to start creating your own back to school bingo activity with
BookWidgets.

12. Art-phone
Social media and smartphones are going to be omnipresent during this school
year. This fun classroom activity for the first day of school is a nice reminder of
that fact. Let’s get crafty and create an art-phone like the one in the image.
Create an Instagram wall, a chat session and a social profile.

For more details, take a look at this Pinterest pin.

13. (B)all about me
It’s kind of the same as the creative Instagram activity above this one, but still a
little bit different.

Students have to decorate their paper ball with drawings of themselves. Check
out what I mean by clicking on this Pinterest link. The result is beautiful!
First day of school activities for high
school students
14. Get on that chair
For this classroom icebreaker, students need to be flexible and balanced. For
every student, the teacher places a chair. All the chairs should be lined up in a
single line. Every student has to stand on a chair. Then, the teacher asks them to
go stand in a certain order. For example: “I want you to organize yourselves from
young to old.” The students now have to change places without touching the
ground.

With this 1st day of school activity, the students get to know each other better in
an interactive way. The teacher can give other orders like: “from tall to small.” or
“from A to Z.” Every time the students have to change their positions without
pushing someone off the chairs. If you want to make it more challenging, you can
set a time limit.
15. Lie to me
This first day of school activity is a fun way to get to know your students better.
Not just the basics, like where they live or if they have a brother, but real stories
and anecdotes.

The students have to tell 3 facts about their life. Something that happened to
them. Two of them should be true, and one should be a lie. The other students
have to find out which one is the lie. You’ll be surprised what kind of crazy things
can actually happen! (Or how good your students can lie!)
I hope you now know what to do during your first day of school. Share this with
your teacher colleages to give them some inspiration. Here comes the new
school year! �

Oh one more tip: here, you can find student introduction games and fun student
energizers.

7 Great Activities for

the First Day of
School
By Jacqueline Clarke
Get to know your students — and help
them get to know each other — by
creating time capsules, playing a game
of "guess who," and more.

Grades

PreK–K, 1–2, 3–5

F ROM
New Year Resolutions
Involve students in the creation of a set of classroom new year
resolutions to guide you through the coming months. Work together to
brainstorm resolutions, and write them on a sheet of chart paper. If
necessary, reword them in a positive manner (such as "walk" rather
than "don't run"). These may be resolutions for behavioral expectations
(take turns) or class goals (learn our times tables). Each student can
write one of the resolutions from the list on a paper bubble cutout.
Place the resolution "bubbles" on a bulletin board with the heading
"We resolve to..." To celebrate the adoption of your resolutions, invite
the students to blow soap bubbles. Students can take turns reading
their resolutions out loud while the cheery bubbles fill the air.

Guess Who
Students become detectives in this get-acquainted game, in which
they uncover the real identity of a fellow classmate. Give each student
an index card and ask them to each record four clues about
themselves. At the bottom of their cards, they should sign secret code
names, such as Art or Skippy. Gather up the cards and, later on, hand
them out randomly. Challenge everyone to find the student who
matches the clues on his or her card. In this brain-boosting activity,
students move from classmate to classmate asking questions to learn
the identity behind the code name. The catch? They must avoid using
any of the words on the clue card!

Switch!
Here's a great indoor or outdoor game to get students actively learning
about each other! With the students in a circle, ask an open-ended
question, such as "Have you ever been to the zoo?" Everyone who
answers "yes" moves to the middle, while the rest of the class remains
in place. Invite one or two students to briefly tell the class about their
zoo trips. When they finish their stories, everyone steps back into the
circle. Continue with new questions such as, "Do you have a brother?"
or "Do you like to play baseball?" and once again, ask for quick stories.
As the class becomes familiar with the rules of the game, let the kids
take turns asking the questions, and you can join the circle, too.

Welcome Bags
Use these party favors to send positive messages to students on the
first day of school. For each student, fill a resealable plastic bag with
the following objects: an eraser, to signify that it's okay to make
mistakes; a small plastic gem that means each one of us is valuable; a
little pack of Smarties® candies to show there are many different kinds
of "smart"; a stick of gum so we all stick together; a star because we
always shine and do our best; and a heart to show your classroom is a
safe and caring place. Hold up the objects one at a time and reveal
their hidden meanings.

The Penny Jar

Here's a getting-to-know-you activity that really makes "cents"! Fill a
small jar with pennies. Pass the container around and invite students
to remove as many or as few coins as they wish. Explain that for each
penny they take, they must share one piece of information about
themselves. For example, if a student chooses three pennies, she
might share, "I have three sisters," "I take karate," and "I am a good
builder." Remember to take your turn with the jar, too, and let everyone
keep the pennies!

Hats Off to a New Year!

Greet students at the door with party hats and a quick craft activity
that will get everyone warmed up and ready for learning. Ask each
child to decorate a colored party hat in a personal way. Prepare a pile
of magazines and construction paper, and invite students to draw, cut
out, and glue on pictures of a favorite food, a sports team logo, a pet,
or a favorite star. They can cut out letters for their names, and then
add glitter or sequins. Encourage students to check out one another's
hats and discover the interests they share.

Create a Time Capsule

Help your students set personal goals by creating individual time
capsules for the year! Each student folds a sheet of paper into three
columns, like a simple brochure. The first column is labeled "Five
Things I Hope For," the middle column "Five Things I Have
Accomplished," and the last column "Five Things I Hope to Accomplish
in This Class." Ask students to write five things for each column and
then to decorate their page with a photograph and their own designs.
Designate a special box for your time capsule. Store it until the last
day of school, when students can reread and reflect, and set new goals
for next year.

Icebreakers Volume 3: Engaging Activities for the

First Days of School

Education World's readers responded to last year's back-to-school story with more than
two dozen great ideas. So here, in a follow-up to 14 Great Ideas for the First Days of
School, is the second batch of reader ideas -- 14 more activities for the first days of
school!

Hello, Amigos!
For ESOL tutors or teachers in schools with a multicultural population: Create a poster with
hands of different colors and write on each hand the word hello in a different language. Greet
the children, saying "Hola, amigos" and introduce yourself, giving brief background. Then ask
students to introduce themselves and to say hello in their native languages if they can. This is a
nice icebreaker, and the children enjoy learning to say hello in different languages.
Cynthia de Leon, Yolanda Heredia, Manatee Elementary School, Naples, Florida

Chrysanthemum's Graph!
Read the book Chrysanthemum, by Kevin Henkes, to the class. Talk about the main character's
name and how her parents made the decision to name her. Discuss with the children, if they
know, how they received their names -- for example, it was a family name, their parents liked
the name, etc. Discuss the length of Chrysanthemum's name. How many letters are in each of
your students' names? Give children pieces of large-block graph paper or have them draw
boxes to show the number of letters in their names. Transfer the data to a class Number of
Letters in Our Names graph. Teachers should include their names too!
Eileen Hayes, Comprehensive Grammar School, Methuen, Massachuestts

We Are All Unique!

Invite students to list some traits that make them unique. From that list, I create a bingo-like
card with a square for each student; I write one fact from each student's list in one of the
squares. Then the fun begins! Students must ask one another if
Still looking for more
they "sleep with a stuffed lizard" or another question that relates
ideas? Don't forget our
to the information in one of the squares. When students identify
archive of more than 150
the person who matches the information in a square, that person
icebreaker activities.
writes his or her initials in the box. Set a time limit and see who
collects the most initials before time runs out. We learn some very interesting things about one
another. This activity reveals commonalities and creates lively conversation!
Brenda W., Silverwood School, Silverdale, Washington
Sticker Partners!
Each student is given a sticker to put on his or her hand upon entering the classroom, but
students aren't told what the sticker is for until the time is right! Be sure there is a partner
(matching sticker) for every student. Ask students to find their partners and interview them
(name, grade, hobbies, etc.). Each interviewer is responsible for introducing each interviewee to
the rest of the class. You might find that students find it less threatening when someone else
shares information about them than when they are asked to share about themselves.
Grade 4-6 team, Silverwood School, Silverdale, Washington

Me Bag
Place a white paper bag on each desk on the morning of the first day. The bags should contain
pencils, name tags, and other items students will need to help get the class organized. Also
include a letter introducing yourself, telling of hobbies, etc. The students then empty their bags
and decorate the Me Bags with pictures from magazines or drawings that represent
themselves. You shoulld already have completed a sample Me Bag with pictures and drawings
representing yourself. Students love to hear about their teacher! Then students share their Me
Bags to help class members get to know one another. That afternoon, the students take their
decorated Me Bags home and put inside any special or important objects. You might share a
few items from your bag as examples. The students keep their objects secret until the next
morning when they share with the class. They're very excited to tell about the special things
they placed in their bags and why they are special! From this bag can stem some neat writing
assignments or coloring activities, depending on kids' ages.
Billi Walton, Addeliar Guy Elementary School, Las Vegas, Nevada
Kelly Horn, Kentucky

Candy Gets Kids Talking!

Note: Before preparing or distributing any food in the classroom, make sure you are aware of
children's allergies or dietary restrictions and caution children about choking hazards.

Bring in Skittles, one of your students' favorite candies for sure! (Another favorite, M&Ms, are
an option.) Tell the kids to take as many as they want. Most are pretty apprehensive -- after all,
it's the first day of school! -- so they usually take about ten to 15 Skittles. You should take some
too. Next, pick out some fun music. For each Skittle they took the students must say one thing
about themselves while moving to the music. You demonstrate first, of course. An option: Each
color of candy represents a category students must speak about. Example: orange = scary
memories, red = great vacations, green = something about your family, blue = favorite hobbies,
etc. The activity is a real icebreaker, and the kids love it! After that, they feel comfortable, and
the class is no longer quiet.
Laura MacDonald, Big Creek Elementary School, Berea, Ohio
Brandy Woolbright, Education Student, Lake Land College; Mattoon Illinois

Take As Much As You Want!

During the first circle time activity, have a roll of toilet paper on hand! Explain to the children
that they will need this for the next activity. Tell students that you're going to pass around the
roll. Invite students to take as much as they want. One middle school-high school math teacher
invites students to "take as much as you need to complete the job." She doesn't tell them what
the job is though! After everyone has had a good laugh over the amount of paper they took,
explain how the game works. For every piece of toilet paper the students ripped off, they must
tell the class one thing about themselves. Some realize they took quite a bit of toilet paper, but
with a little prompting and probing from the teacher, they will find things to share. In the math
teacher's class, students have to say what their favorite thing about math is when they get to
the last piece. This activity provides a nice way to find out about students' personalities,
families, likes, and dislikes -- and the students really love it!
Jennifer Tonzi, Southern Cayuga Central School, Poplar Ridge, New York
Elizabeth Popkin, Meadowbrook Elementary School, East Meadow, New York
Brandy Woolbright, education student, Lake Land College, Mattoon Illinois

Paper Dolls!
Have students cut out paper dolls. Each doll is 2 feet tall, and all are alike in the beginning. Then
students "dress" their dolls by coloring or making clothes out of fabric, wallpaper, etc. Tell them
to leave the face portion blank. While students dress their dolls, I use the digital camera to take
pictures of all of them. We crop the pictures so that we see only faces, blow them up to fit the
paper dolls, and students glue their faces to the dolls. We laminate them and hang them in the
entrance to the classroom across from each child's coat cubby. It is a colorful display, helps kids
find thier cubbies, and appears to be a quiet class standing in line. Students and parents love
them! At the end of the year, students take their dolls home.
Phyllis Diggins, Rochester City School #12, Rochester, New York

Where Do I Sit?
Make cutouts of apples. Cut each apple in a zigzag, like a puzzle piece. Place one side of the
piece on each desk in the room. As the children line up to come into the classroom, give each of
them one half of an apple puzzle. The children find their desks by matching the piece they are
holding with the rest of the puzzle on a desk. (You might find it easier to write a number on the
back of each piece; the numbers will help you locate the correct matching apple if a child is
having difficulty finding his or her spot.) This activity has the children sitting in desks randomly
and not with friends.
Eileen Hayes, Comprehensive Grammar School Methuen, Massachusetts

The Me Shield
For this activity, we use a copy of a banner from a Red Cross education program, drawn like a
shield and divided into four sections. We pose seven questions students can answer about
themselves:

 What are three things you are good at?

 What do you like most about your family?
 What do your friends like about you?
 What do you think you can do better than almost anyone else your age?
 What do you dream about doing one day?
 What is something you have already done that makes you feel really good?
 What is one thing you are planning to change about yourself so you will be even better?

Each student writes his or her name at the top of the paper and answers four of the seven
questions, one answer per section, on the banner. Students can write their answers or use a
combination of art and writing to express themselves. The students volunteer to share their
banners, and the teacher can proudly display them after the students have had a chance to
decorate them.
Debra Israel, Garfield School, Oakland, California

The Kindergarten What Is Your Name Game?

Use the Hap Palmer song "What is Your Name?" for this activity. Point to each student as it is his
or her turn to respond. Then each student is given a name card to place on a What is Your
Name? chart. We read the chart together with their names -- a first reading experience in the
classroom for many kindergartners! Later in the day, we place all the name cards on the floor,
and with the children seated on the floor in a circle, we have a name search. One child at a time
comes to the floor to select his or her name. If the child have trouble identifying it, I have a
duplicate and will show it to to the child. Kids really enjoy all the activities using their names.
Gail Wells, East Laurens Elementary School, Dublin, Georgia

The Thinker!

Note: Before preparing or distributing any food in the classroom, make sure you are aware of
children's allergies or dietary restrictions and caution children about choking hazards.

On the first day of school, many teachers like to stress to students that not everyone thinks
alike. I say the word cornfield, and I ask the children to think of the first thing that comes to
mind. Some will say they think of a cornfield they've driven by. Some have never been near one
and recall a picture of one, etc. Place a special chair somewhere in the classroom. Organize
students into groups of about six. Tell them that the group that comes up with the highest
number of unique ways to sit in the chair will win candy. Each group sends a different
representative to demonstrate a unique way to sit in the chair. I keep score on the board.
Inevitably, someone says, "This could go on forever!" At that point, we discuss whether anyone's
way was better or more correct than another's way. We discuss that everyone can come to
conclusions and solve problems in their own way, and that no one's way is necessarily wrong or
right. We think of examples in television commercials: Pizza Hut's "eating your pizza crust first,"
"How do you eat a Reese's?," or "How do you eat your Oreo?," etc. Of course, all students will
get a piece of candy -- they're all winners!
Lauren Elizabeth Rocereta, Cheatham Hill Elementary School, Marietta, Georgia

Circle of Foods
This activity helps teachers get to know their students while providing insight into healthful
eating habits as a lead-in to health lessons! In a circle, the first child begins "My name is ____,
and my favorite food is ____." The next person in the circle then has to introduce herself or
himself and the previous person to see whether they have been listening. The activity builds as
each child takes a turn!
Ann Edgar, Thornlie Primary School, Western Australia

What Are Your Goals?

Teachers of older students might welcome students to class by having them write short essays
answering questions that might include the following:

 Who are you?

 Why are you here?
 What are your short-term goals?
 What are your long-term goals?
 What do you plan on accomplishing while you are here?
 What obstacles do you have and how can you meet your goals?

This activity gives students -- and teachers -- a diagnostic tool, a self-motivating statement, and
a good feeling for being in school. A number of different activities can then be done, such as
sharing, presenting, reading to the class, hopes and dreams exposes, newspaper-vocational
interest articles