first day activities in schoolfirst day activities in school

Alternatively, print one large copy and display it on a classroom notice board or on the classroom door. Ask your kids to color or circle the letters in their names. Single Digital Addition Graduated Cylinders GET THE LATEST BLOG UPDATES, FREEBIES, NEWS, AND PROMOTIONS! It is an anxious time so you'll want to set students at ease right away with something to do walking in. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, How To Prepare Your Classroom For The First Day Of School, Classroom Management Strategies for New Teachers & the New School Year, Teacher Tips For a Successful First Day of School, A Day in Our Cozy Life #5 Bungalow Dollhouse, Vintage Linens, 1936 Noah Webster Calendar and More, A Hard Combination: Highly-Sensitive, Intellectual Overexcitability, and Truth Seeking, Breaking Our Bonds: Wokeness Will Destroy NPC Sororities, President Trumps Plans for Americas 250th Anniversary, Adolph Hitler The Greatest Story Never Told. A K-W-L chart is a fantastic tool for assessing learners background knowledge in addition to gauging their enthusiasm about a topic. Hurricane Katrina Neil Armstrong Thanksgiving Argentina First Lady of the US Red Panda Alaska Let them create whatever they want! Once you have 12 clips connected, explain that those 12 represent 1 foot. This funtemplate is ideal to use during the first week of schooland encourages students to: Share these fun facts about the sun with kids in your classroom when teaching about space. This can be accomplished with the Find a new friend activity. So weave this first day of school activity into your elementary students first day of school schedule. Mix up a batch of Jitter Juice. You may need to do a tour of the school, especially if you have new students in your classroom. Penguin This is a fun activity that allows new students to see their new school and for older students to reacquaint themselves with the school grounds and where their new classroom is located. All rights reserved. They can sip their juice while you read and discuss the book. Most first day of school activities are for elementary, but I included a few as well for middle school students and high school students. Explain how to complete each sentence. Single Digit Subtraction 8 First Day of Preschool Activity Ideas for Teachers Get a demo 8 First Day of Preschool Activity Ideas for Teachers Want to make a child's first day of preschool memorable? Invite students to fill out a reading survey and while they are doing that, call groups one by one to the library. The first day of school is very important. Here are more than 20 activities to consider for your classroom. This STEM-based team-building activity is a great way to break the ice and get students collaborating. We love it because you can easily adjust it to any subject, topic, or grade level by tailoring the questions. On a chart, write younger, older, and same as the 3 options. It takes time to label, strategically place, and store everything. Once they find their object, they stand by it, and wait for the others to find theirs. In pairs, guide elementary students in learning about or revisiting important areas of the school using this fun first day of school scavenger hunt. Hans Christian Andersen Send home a brown paper lunch bag with the kids on the first day of school. Adjusting to the constraints of the classroom setting can be a challenge after a long vacation. Global Warming This nursery rhyme is great because it incorporates movement, song, and rhyme. Whichever book you decide, be sure to show them the office, cafeteria, walk them through the lunch line area, the specials, and bathrooms. All About Me posters and pages are ideal to start the year with because any child can be successful because they know all of the answers because they are about themselves! Types of Writing Those are the memories that will stay with them forever and make them appreciate the time spent in school. Typically, this is the perfect way for them to get to know where the classroom supplies are kept. Once the introductions are out the way, you can choose some of the following activities to break the ice and set the stage for an awesome first day of school. Read end-of-year read-alouds Perhaps this is a bit predictable, but All About Me Activities deserve a mention. Educators If you teach young children and are looking for detailed lesson plans for your first day of school, filled with hands-on activity ideas as well as printables, such as a first day photo sign, class rules, certificate and much more, there is a link to my First Day of School Day Plan and Printables available below activity #35. You may need to do a tour of the school, especially if you have new students in your classroom. Time capsule letters are a great way to promote self-reflection and have your students envision their future selves. This would work well for teachers to prepare for students, or for your own child to find in their pencil case from you. Make the first day of school easier on them and you break up the first day with a brain break (or two!). Japan Set up signs with various morning greetings that your kiddos can choose from for a fun experience every morning. 2017-2023 Elementary Assessments. Use this template to create an accordion by following these simple steps: Direct each student to create anAll About Me Pennant. Get your students' refreshed on place value and their brains firing with this engaging math activity. Kids will love seeing their art work displayed in their classroom after the first day. Review fractions and pie charts while getting to know more about what makes each student's perfect day! Leaning Tower Of Pisa Interpersonal Skills, View all Social-Emotional Learning worksheets, Easter Instead, download a time-saving. I like to print extra copies of Superhero supply labels, and give those to the kids. Invite students to compare their similarities and differences. You will build community, break the ice, and learn a lot about your students! first day of school checklist for teachers, read aloud that focuses on following directions. Anzac Day Invite students to share their name and what they think is the first letter of their name. Fun activities, such as making animal noises, help ease students' fears of getting to know each other and going to school on the first day. March 17, 2022 //byJoanna Balla-Elliot. Keep in mind that if a student stands alone in their interest, you can always find them a match from other classrooms, or even other grades. Canada Day Read aloud No David, and create a list of 5 classroom rules or a promise chart. Sally Ride This is why we love the anonymous letter activity. Anaphora 10. (Heres another cool Jitter Glitter idea: calm-down jars! Swan Kids help fill in the blanks to create a chart of complete sentences describing how the first day of school made them feel. to create a word search of your students names so your kiddos can start learning each others names! Abraham Lincoln These are important lessons, and discussions especially at the start of school. Practice your expectations around raised hands and positive peer support through this game. Patrick Henry 101 John F Kennedy Pkwy | Short Hills | NJ | 07078 | (973) 921-5500, Protected: Classroom Talk-to-Text Project. This Magic Dough activity gives children the chance to share their hopes for the upcoming year in a fun and almost magical way sure to be the highlight of the day for many children. Plan ahead by creating time capsules with your kiddos that can be opened on the last day of school to show how much growth your students have achieved. It can be used as a. to reveal your students ability to write their own names and numbers 0-10. . Hold a scavenger hunt. For example, if they love dinosaurs, they can put a toy dinosaur in the bag. Identify some vocab words (like the ones shown here) and help kids learn what they mean. Why Did Trump Have a Military Escort to Bedminster. so your students get a choice of their classroom job and have buy-in on the process. I always try to keep in mind that the school is enormous to little five year olds, and a fun school tour with Pete Paws are the perfect way to calm nerves. Of course, each year is different, but my first day of school day plan and activity pages below have been tested in my primary classroom. First day of school! Emotions and Feelings Include circle time to share summer stories, and dance those jitters away! Santa Fe Trail, New York Tsunami In this version, kids help fill tiny jars with glitter (a tiny funnel will make this job much easier). To provide resources and ideas that prompt teachers to work smarter, not harder. Transition Words Weve got you covered! This will be the perfect opportunity to show the kids around the school building in a fun way. Be sure to set ground rules about throwing the snowballs and cleaning up. . During the first week of school, read aloud Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? This strategy is a gentle way to incorporate social studies and/or science on the first day without getting too in-depth just yet. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Setting, Abbreviations Without further adieu, here is a list of 25 First Day of School activities that will make your first day successful! 1. This compact, foldable mini All About Me booklet is an easy way to get children to record lots of information about themselves as they start their new grade. Since the first days of school are often all about routines, you can easily spread these activities throughout the first week of school. Now you have a collection of fun first day of school activities to try with your elementary students. Students love these type of first day of school activities for elementary because theyre absolute fun and a bit different from most back to school tasks. 1. Letters in my name This first day of school lesson for kindergarten makes complete sense. Odd & Even Numbers Cut a large heart out of construction paper. Jitter Juice is one of everyones favoriteactivities! After reading The Kissing Hand, have the kids tour the school following Chesters pawprints. Chameleon Killer Whale Lionfish, Millipede Seal the letters in individual envelopes for each student. How? If you have a volunteer, this would be a great activity for them to work on with the kids during the first week of school. Octopus I love using an apple theme at the beginning of the year. With guidance from you, students write 2 to 3 S.M.A.R.T goals. This is the perfect book and first day activity so students get to know where everything is in the school - we visit the bathroom, the library, the cafeteria, the office, etc. Cells Subtracting Money Such as "I can't do word problems," or "I can't read well." Collect the papers, place them in a shoe box or paper bag, and bury it in the school yard. Have students write about and draw what it looks like when they are doing small-group work or lining up for class. Make a Kahoot with fun facts about your life to allow students to get to know more about their new teacher. In the end, they can see that even through they said nice things, the wrinkles are still in the heart. A popular choice for the first week of school is The Wheels on the Bus. Print a Time Capsule Template for students to fill out, and stow them away in small plastic or glass jars (baby food jars work well!) A first day of school picture validates the kids sense of belonging to your classroom community. All Rights Reserved. It is a greatfirst week of schoolactivity. Because the most popular nursery rhymes are catchy, and typically have a familiar tune kids can relate to. Click the image for lots of ideas for really creative, but simple cards. These would look beautiful in a classroom to fit a fun theme. Non-contact greetings that students can do with their teachers and peers. Time goes by fast during the first weeks of school. Toss the ball around the circle. Place the photos on a bulletin board, and caption each with the respective names. I hope that the collection of first day of school ideas and activities below give you lots of inspiration as you prepare for your first day. Create a card with your child for their teacher. Another example is grouping students who love playing a particular sport or are interested in the same topic (chess, a musical instrument, writing, etc). Every year, I have students design a name tag as their first assignment walking in the door. Would you rather take a field trip in nature or in a museum? This simple get-to-know-you game is tons of fun. Even though its a picture book, First Day Jittershas some words kids may not be familiar with. Ancient Aztec, Roaring Twenties For the first day of school, school supplies, certificates or a small treat is a great idea to put in the box. Relationship Skills Every school has specific rules and regulations that all students must follow. Starfish A collection of printables for activities and exciting, unique hands-on activities to keep children engaged and make the day memorable are included. Display on your classroom door so the rest of the school can see! Then, ask them to find another student with the same or similar words under their name tag. Home Sometimes just acknowledging your worries is enough to calm you down. Students will feel a sense of belonging having added something to the room so early on in the year. If youve got a collection of pencils ready for the school year, this STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) challenge is a great, hands-on activity for the first day of school. Read aloud First Day Jitters. But dont sit your students down and speak for hours on end about this. How can I access these worksheets? Narwhal Ethics Texas Another fun event for the pupils was . I have created a list of back to school activities including hands-on activities, art activities, games, reading, math, free printables and much more! to open at the end of the year. First day of school activities are based upon one goal: to get to know each other. Learn More: 25 Kahoot Ideas and Features to Use in Your Classroom. Chinese New Year School Tour with Chester the Racoon from Kissing Hand. In this case, use our Create Your Own Wordsearch Widget to create a word search of your students names so your kiddos can start learning each others names! Multinational School Bahrain. If you are looking for some new and exciting First Day of School Activities for preschool, kindergarten, and Elementary age kids, look no further! What fraction of the names begin with a consonant? School's First Day of School Activities. As a class, students decide into which column to place their names based on the number of syllables. To shake things off and start on the right foot, weve prepared some ice-breakers and other fun first-day-of-school activities for first-grade students. Indiana We add the jitters to our juice labeled Jitter Juice. You can set up a cute background, or simply take their picture by the classroom door. Reading Comprehension Greece Find something to fit every teacher and every grade from camping to sloths to pretty patterns! This is such a cute idea for teachers! Jitter Juice is one of everyone's favorite activities! Not only because kids form first impressions about others, which last, but because they also form opinions and attitudes toward school in general. Causes of the American Revolution 1200 GMT (8 a.m. Always be kind. I am From Poems make for a beautiful, literary way to learn about each others' backgrounds. Students may share writing during authors chair. Since 2023 is Amazon's eighth year hosting Prime Day, the best deals during the event are pretty predictable, experts told us. (Hide a stuffed animal of Pete the Cat). Classroom morning greetings are so important when it comes to setting the tone for the day, and greeting students on the first day of school with the start to your morning routines is a must. These classroom decorating ideas and hacks cover everything from setting up bulletin boards to finding unique classroom themes so teachers can get things moving for the new school year. Discuss expectations for storing materials in desks, cubbies, backpacks, etc. They record their partner's answers in the respective circle and see what similarities they find. Comets, Magnetism This list of first day of school activities for elementary students would not be complete without a growth mindset activity. Bermuda Triangle If youre a first year teacher, dont freak out! First Day of School Flip-Book. Subscribe to our curated library of teacher-designed resources and tools for one easy price. Nevada Its not an easy job to find the right balance, but thats why were here to help. Lizard Launch writers workshop on day one or the first week back with these fun back to school writing prompts. Getting started with fun, informative, and relationship-building activities for the first day of school can go a long ways in developing a positive classroom environment. Sign up to be notified when we release new articles and worksheets! What percentage of the names have 2 syllables? Your new students will love to know that you dont take yourself too seriously and that you too can take selfies! graph. Breadcrumb. Stars and Constellations As one of your first day of school activities for elementary, consider using Foldables to teach virtues such as kindness and respect. Being prepared for the first day of school is one of the best ways to keep from being nervous and helping to make sure that your first day goes smoothly. The names of the first three sign-ups will be forwarded to the expert running the clinic on that day and an email confirmation will be sent to these three individuals. (Great for 1st day of school homework! Mississippi River After this, draw the papers and read each of them out loud so everyone can hear. The Pilgrims, Ancient China Statue Of Liberty Did you bring your lunch today or will you eat from the cafeteria? Coin Name & Value First day of school activities are important because they help set a positive atmosphere, stimulate interactions, and get students talking to each other. With primary students in mind,we have created a Starting School Paper Fortune Teller. Alternatively, you can subscribe to our newsletter to stay up to date with everything. After this, ask them (one by one) to stand up, say their name out loud and a few other words about themselves, while the others greet them. Therefore, the sooner the kids get to know each other, the sooner theyll feel the classroom is their own safe space. Here are their favorite children's books for back-to-school time! Collect all of their ideas on an anchor chart. 25 Foolproof First Day of School Activities March 17, 2022 // by Joanna Balla-Elliot The first day of school is all about setting expectations, learning about each other, and building culture. Level 2 would probably be best for first grade. Photosynthesis This will send the message that their opinions are valued, and you welcome their presence. Use this pennant flag template as an activity at the beginning of the year. Read aloud each incomplete sentence. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 29 Best Birthday Party Ideas that Kids Will Love, Best Back to School Kindness Activity for Kids, How to Make a Time Capsule for Kids Ideas, Memorable First Day of School Activity Kids Will Love, Best Friendship Wheel Art Project for Kids - Hands-On Teaching Ideas. For instance, they might say Im an only child. Expand what's possible for every student. Write the room is on the list of activities for the first day of school (or first week), because its an interactive way for kids in Prek, kindergarten, and first grade to feel successful with work. I sent my email for these printables, but when I try to download them, it takes me back to the email sign-up option. Fossils School's First Day of School by Adam Rex is a great story to read while welcoming your students to a new school year. They can sip their juice while you read and discuss the book. In the section above, I shared how I use play dough for first day of school activities. Little Learning Corner is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Amelia Earhart As a mom, I love finding new first day of school ideas to mark the occasion and prepare at home. Comparing Numbers, Counting Money For a fun finish, take a picture of each student and print it out. Putting away backpacks full of supplies is a big task all on its own. Victoria Day Display in the classroom by hanging with pegs along a length of a string. Then, crumple them up and seal them in the jar, explaining that theyre getting the worries out of their heads so they can focus on more fun things! However, keep in mind that you dont have to do all of the activities on the first day choose the one(s) you think your students will like the most, and leave some for the rest of the week. Building ownership of the classroom and risk-taking in low-stakes ways goes such a long way in the early days. These All About Me booklets are a great and easy, way to record special things about your child. My daughter would love this! The Renaissance, World War 1 Then, they construct a picture graph with those symbols as a class, learning about the parts of a graph as they go. Booksandgiggles.com has created a great list of Best Read Aloud Books, perfect to help get you started. This is also a great way for older children to write about themselves. Okapi, Crabs The Wheels on the Bus is a great song for the first day of school. Personal Mandalas Icebreaker What Am I? I play the piano. Other students need to guess which sentence is a lie. If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source. Then, ask them to fold the piece of paper and put it in a bowl with all the others. June 6, 2013 by Sallie Borrink Be The First To Comment The first few days of school set the tone for the entire year. Give each kid a picture of one item to locate in the classroom. For example, before they go out for lunch, explain the packing up routine and lunch procedure. Foldables enliven teaching by transforming topics into hands-on projects. Take a look through 4 very popular first day of school books for kids and try out a craft to go along with them. Jill Staake is a Contributing Editor with WeAreTeachers. Prodigy Math Try Prodigy Math a curriculum-aligned game-based learning platform for grades 1 to 8 to engage your class while reinforcing lesson content and teaching essential skills. One of the classic first day of school activities for elementary, the All-About-Me book provides students the opportunity to creatively share who they are. In advance, create a list of 10-15 questions about current pop culture, from music to movies. Place the letters on student desks on the first day of school. Great White Shark For a quick and easy way to connect with your students on the first day of school, take a selfie with your new class. 18. Introduce students to the new space by hosting a scavenger hunt or a map drawing assignment. Plus, it is perfect for first graders as theyll have the chance to carry it on as they grade up. Be sure to review your expectations for teamwork beforehand and to debrief how each group did afterward. Make your first homework assignment fun and easy by asking your students to bring a small photograph of themselves from home. Make it fun with this adorable bus craft to go along with the song. Mount Etna Teach inches/feet using small paper clips. Students mark a tally next to their choice. It also creates some beautiful pieces of art to display at the beginning of the year. To get you started on your first day of school, you can download a FREE All About Me page for children to fill out. Powered by Mai Theme, Kindergarten & First Grade Fall Unit Ideas, Crafts, and Books. Ask your students to shade the face of the template to look like themselves. Bastille Day Simply choose a subject or topic, and see all of our offers. Each day, connect another paper clip, counting the inches along the way. Once theyve drunk their Jitter Juice, take a survey to find out who liked it. Theres no better way to make students feel at home than giving them the chance to contribute to how the classroom is set up. Rivet is one of the best first day of school activities for elementary students because it is a game-based activity that motivates students to actively participate. After just one day, you'll already know the names of your kids, as well as which kids can spell their name and which ones still need more help. At the very end of the school year, students revisit these mementos, analyzing the before with the present. Subtraction Sentences Afterwards, deepen the discussion with questions such as. Praying Mantis The back to school write the room below is leveled. The idea is to ask students for their birthdays and together with them create a calendar illustrating the months of the year as boxes in which youll write the day and name of the students birthday. Self Management Read aloud From Anne to Zach, and do a name follow-up activity. Empower your teachers and improve learning outcomes. Arc De Triomphe Then, go around, and have the kids say nice things and unfold the heart. Plus, explore teacher tips to help you use sun facts in your lesson plans. Its an independent desk activity that requires minimal teacher instruction, and it will give you a chance to catch your breath on the busy first day of school. KidsKonnect uses a secure SSL connection to encrypt your data and we only work with trusted payment processors Stripe and PayPal. Have kids keep count, then graph the results. One of my favorite name crafts to hang in the classroom, and later put into a time capsule, are these sensory name posters along with the All About Me printable in the Poem of the Day Collection. You can read more about Hickety Pickety Bumble Bee on my blog post, 18 Transition Songs for Kids. On top of that, every classroom has additional rules and procedures that students need to respect. Here's what a typical first day will look like! These crack the code worksheets are all school themed and fun! Fossils White Tigers These fun first day of school activities work best with 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders. Looking for an awesome activity to do on your first day of school? Have some fun reviewing numbers on the first few days of school, or at home to practice, with this hands-on number matching activity. 1. A non-contact greeting song to use at the beginning of the day. After several kids share examples of mean things, the heart will be full of folds or wrinkles. Record what that looks like in decimal form. Bears Christopher Columbus, Joe Biden Craft this bed using the free patterns found at the link below and have students fill in the blank, describing how they felt that morning before coming to school. Set yourself up for the first day of school by following these simple steps: Make sure you remind your students to take the letter home in their folders for their adults at home! You can get to know your students while they learn about each other. So, when your students leave saying they cant wait to come back tomorrow, you know the activities have worked! If you are looking to do a bit of practice with young children for their first day of school, this ABC game would be a great choice. 1. To you, its a way to see who your good listeners are, and who will need support. Golden Gate Bridge Once the kids have spent a day in your classroom, they are eager to bring in their families, and show off all the hard word theyve already done. Sure its the first day of school, but that doesnt mean you cant think about the end of the school year already! As a teacher, chances are you already have a lot of information about each of the students. Dont forget about your students who celebrated a birthday over the Summer. 'Hunger doesn't take the summer off': Camden officials offer 2 free meals a day for students. Let kids reflect on how they felt before the first day and how they feel now that theyre living it. The first day will fly by in the best of ways with this foolproof list of engaging activities. The goal of these activities is for you to connect with your students and build those all-important relationships! This easy apple stained glass art activity would be perfect in a preschool or kindergarten class as a simple sensory art activity. Hang the lanterns around the classroom or place them on students desks. (See earlier explanation about how to do time capsule activity.). Plan a first day of preschool independent activity. Then, after you form a ball of playdoh for each kid, add a squirt of food coloring inside. This is a terrific way to assess handwriting, spelling, and basic writing skills on the first day in a low-pressure way. Ella Fitzgerald Incorporating first day of school activities for elementary students reduces jitters, encourages dialogue among classmates, sets the tone for a solid classroom management system, and helps students break the ice during introductions. Think of a simple and affordable way to celebrate, which might also turn into a classroom tradition. Context Clues As children solve the clues they unlock a lock until all locks are opened and the prize inside is revealed. India, 4th July Some options can include: blue eyes, left-handed, traveled to another country, has a brother, etc. Pair them up in small teams to complete this task. The first day is the perfect time to introduce your expectations around independent reading and your classroom library. Provide stickers or magazines to cut out for students who don't feel comfortable drawing.