The First Day of School in Upper Elementary Classroom

Wondering what to do on the first day of school in your upper elementary classroom? These ideas for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade classrooms are just what you need!

When it comes to prepping for back to school, there is so much to think about! From building expectations and mandates, grade level meetings, student meetings, fielding parent emails, and figuring out how you want your classroom to run - all before the first day of school - it can feel overwhelming! Lately, the fun stuff of prepping and decorating the classroom and prepping fun first day activities always gets rushed due to the behind-the-scenes work and mandates.

Let's bring back the fun and make it easy to prep for the first day of school in upper elementary! This quick guide has everything you need to make your first day(s) with upper elementary students fun, simple, and memorable!

1. Something to Greet Students

Having something on students' desks to complete as they trickle in on the first day of school is a must! I love to leave the first day of school coloring pages on their desks with a fresh pack of crayons. Your students may be walking in with a bag of school supplies and many questions. To ensure the first fifteen minutes run smoothly and give me a chance to greet each student, I have them simply leave their bags of supplies in the back and get started on coloring! In fact, the kids color a different coloring page each day. It's a great way to ease into the morning, especially during the first week and the start of the school year.

2. Procedure Slideshow and Rules Review

The best procedure to follow on the first day of school is to review all the procedures and class rules. I love to have a slideshow ready to go with all the procedures and rules for our class. From how to line up for a fire drill to when to sharpen your pencil, we go over it all! I also have class rules and expectations on slides to discuss.

After we go through all the slides, I have the kids sign the last slide of slideshow as a student contract. Then I print out the slides to add to my sub binder. Having the slides makes it easy to review throughout the first week of school, and throughout the year!

3. School Tour Classroom Scavenger Hunt 

Get the kids up and moving with a tour of the school. Whether your students have been in the building for a while or are new to a grade level, all kids benefit from learning how to get to different important places from your room. Whether it is a quick review or a longer tour, this is your chance to tell the kids how you expect them to behave in the hallways and the routes they should take once they leave the room. Plus, it gets them up and moving!

When you return from your tour, have a classroom scavenger hunt ready for your kids! I pair them up, and teams of students work together to find all the items on the class scavenger hunt. The team that finds everything first sits down at their desks. When this happens, I call all the kids to sit. Then, we review each item in the classroom, along with any accompanying rules or procedures. No fancy materials needed...you can easily create a scavenger hunt by listing 10-20 items in your classroom that you want your students to find on the board and have them walk around to locate them. 

4. The Perfect Read Aloud

Reading aloud in upper elementary is a must, especially on the first day! I love to stop all the directions and procedures talk and gather together to relax with a story. I usually read aloud right before lunch. This gives us a chance to calm down our nerves and listen to a story as a class before heading out to the cafeteria. I have a lot of favorites for the first day of school. I stay non-traditional with my read-aloud choices since, by the time the kids get to me, they have heard most of the traditional back-to-school titles. 

Don't worry, you don't have to scour the internet for the best back-to-school read-alouds for upper elementary; I have the ones you need to read!

Try these read-alouds:

☝Back to School Read Alouds

✌The Best Back to School Read Aloud

5. All About Me Share

Kids LOVE to share about themselves! I love to have a variety of different activities about me, ranging from simple to more in-depth, to use throughout the week. On the first day of school, we complete a simple 'About Me' page so that all students can finish it. Hold off on completing longer "about me projects" for the rest of the week after the kids are more settled in.

Don't forget that about me pages are not only for the first day or week of school. Hold on to some and use them throughout the year to continue building community, nurturing friendships, and showing your students that you value them.

6. Community Building

Three ways I love to build community are by reading a community-building themed picture book, completing a community-building task, and having a class-based management system.

I love creating a positive classroom community that celebrates teamwork. While students are responsible for their own behavior and choices as individuals, I have found that they make better choices when they work together as a team towards a common goal. I love to use a simple coloring based behavior system that is a quick, easy, and visual way to keep track of the class' behavior as a whole. It is simple and powerful!

It is as easy as 1-2-3!

1. Establish the class rules and expectations that you want your students to strive towards. 
2. Decide on a whole-class reward that students can earn and participate in together.
3. Print the themed coloring page and keep track of their amazing behavior!

Each time your students display one of the expectations you decided on, color in a piece on the page. Once the whole page is colored in, the class earns the reward! I have been using this color-tracking behavior plan for the past few years to monitor student behavior, and it has been effective. The kids love working together to color in a piece of the coloring page. Remember to be consistent! Consistency is key in keeping students motivated to work together each day.

Add this to your classroom management toolbox:

🧰Whole Class Management System

Grab free community-building activities below:

7. This or That Game

The kids LOVE to play and chat about "Would You Rather" questions, which is why I have a whole slideshow of them ready to go for the first week of school. They are perfect for use as a 'getting to know you' activity, as the kids share their opinions about popular topics. They also help build community and trust. You can do several in one day or spread them out as brain breaks or morning meeting discussions each day.

Simply shine, pose the question, and decide if you want students to talk with a partner, stand or sit, or hold up one or two fingers to show their opinion. These slides have all the directions on them, so just open, shine, and play!

8. Take them Outside

There's nothing that kids love more than extra recess, am I right? Surprise your kids at the end of the day with some bonus recess time. I love giving them this surprise. Not only do they get excited to go outside, but it also fosters new friendships and encourages conversations. It is a win-win!

9. Small Note

I always want to send the kids home with a smile on their faces on the first day of school! After a busy, but an amazing first day, send your kids home with a sweet little note. You can add a pencil, sticker, or simple school supply. Try these FREE notes and add these highlighters to make them memorable!

💡Teacher pro tip for yourself:

Be sure to stay hydrated! I know we all have a huge water bottle on our desks, but do we remember to drink from it? I know I don't, especially during the first few days when I am constantly talking and managing the kids. That is why I leave myself sticky notes with reminders to drink. It works! Try it and stay hydrated.

Whether you are starting your first year of teaching or your twentieth, these tips and reminders will help you make the most of your first day with your new bunch of students! It is easy to get bogged down with emails, meetings, and mandates, but remember you only have one first day to make the best impression on your students!

Happy teaching! : )

Looking for more engaging back-to-school activities? Head here!

You will love reading these related posts:

The Benefits of Using One Book Many Ways

About Me Activities for Upper Elementary

6 Benefits of Using Interactive Read-Aouds

Classroom Management Strategies That Work

Teaching Effective Reading Strategies

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*affiliate links: “Think Grow Giggle 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.” (source: Section 5)

Thank you!

 

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Teaching Vocabulary to Upper Elementary Students - Tier 2 Words

If you have worked with small groups for reading instruction in the last few years, you have probably noticed that lately you are spending more time preteaching vocabulary, explaining to students what words mean, and revisiting sections of the reading to clarify word meanings.

If this sounds familiar, explicitly teaching your students Tier 2 vocabulary words will help!

Students require explicit instruction in Tier 2 vocabulary because these words are essential for comprehending more complex texts across all subjects. 

While Tier One words are basic and often learned through everyday conversation, Tier 2 words are academic and appear frequently in reading materials. These words are not as commonly used in daily speech. By directly teaching these words, we are giving students the tools to better comprehend what they are reading and express themselves more precisely in writing. 

There are many benefits to helping to build your students' vocabulary. Here is why you should teach Tier 2 vocabulary and tips to for how to teach Tier 2 vocabulary in your upper elementary classroom.

9 Morning Work Ideas for Upper Elementary

The first few minutes of the school day are so important!  As students trickle into the classroom, some are still sleepy and others are full of energy; so having a calm, consistent morning routine in place will kick off your day and your students' day on a positive, structured note. 

A simple and predictable morning routine helps students transition smoothly from home to school, settle into the learning environment, and start the day with purpose. It provides structure, reduces unwanted behaviors, and gives me a few valuable minutes to take attendance, check in with students, and handle morning tasks.

However, more importantly, a morning routine sets a positive tone and aids in classroom management. When students know what to expect and are engaged from the start, it creates a smoother start and a more focused classroom culture throughout the day. 

Our morning routine includes:

• entering the classroom and saying good morning to the teacher
• putting belongings away in the cubbies
• signing up for lunch
• handing in notes and notices
• submitting homework
• sharpening pencils
• completing morning work tasks
• morning meeting time

Whether you are a new teacher, a seasoned teacher, or changing grade levels to upper elementary, you are probably asking yourself what the best morning work for upper elementary is!

Over the years, my morning work routines and expectations have varied greatly. It has been dependent on how much time I have in the morning and whether or not we have a first-period special. Regardless of our schedule, sticking to our morning routine and completing our morning work activities is essential.

💡Teacher tip: Be sure to practice your morning routine and clearly communicate your morning work expectations to your students. We practice these routines repeatedly during the first few weeks of school.

Try these ideas to make morning work an important part of your morning routine!

Morning Work Ideas for Upper Elementary

1. Read a Book

Once students finish unpacking and settling in after arrival, picking up and reading a book is a great way to ease into the day. I have students read an independent reading book or any other book they want to select. I encourage a wide range of genres, allowing the kids to explore our classroom library. The kids do not read the books from their reading bins, as they are intended for instructional purposes. Reading a book is a simple, no-prep way to start the day that encourages the joy of reading.

2. Get Coloring

Coloring is a favorite activity among upper elementary students! Over the last few years, the kids I work with have developed a love for coloring and getting creative. That's why I love incorporating coloring pages into the classroom for morning work! We use Doodle Thinker pages and Color by Code pages during morning work. These are great ways to bring intentional coloring into the classroom that promote both relaxation and fine motor skills, while also encouraging critical thinking activities, too!

Depending on how much time you have set aside for morning work, one Doodle Thinker page or Color by Code page can be carried through a few days, making them the perfect soft start to the day that requires only copies to be made. 

🖍 What are Doodle Thinker activities?

Doodle Thinker coloring pages are intentionally designed to combine coloring with ELA tasks, all focused on a specific theme. As students color the images on the page, they begin to build vocabulary and background knowledge on the topic or theme. The kids can color the pages anyway they like, offering a chance for them to get creative! After coloring, there are three activities: Find it, List it, and Write it. All three tasks are related to the topic of the coloring pages, making it easy for kids to get writing.

Try out Doodle Thinkers:

✅ Back to School Doodle Thinkers

✅ Seasonal Doodle Thinkers

✅ Holiday Doodle Thinkers

✅ Social Emotional Learning Doodle Thinkers

✅ Figurative Language Doodle Thinkers

✅ Science Doodle Thinkers (coming soon)

🖍 What are Color by Code activities?

Color by code activities are more structured way of coloring than Doodle Thinkers. Each page has a specific task or skill for students to practice. Students answer a question and color the given image based on the "code" on the page. Once all the questions are answered and the image is colored in, the students identify the mystery picture, ultimately self-checking their work.

Try out Color by Code Activities:

✅ Back to School Color by Code

✅ Seasonal and Holiday Color by Code

✅ Sports Color by Code

3. Unfinished Work

If you have your students keep an unfinished work folder, this idea is for you! In my classroom, we always have an unfinished work folder. This is a safe place for students to store any work in progress, ensuring it doesn't get lost and that it does get completed. It can be a quick math review page or a project, anything the students have not finished. Having students complete work in their unfinished work folders is a great way to incorporate a no-prep morning activity into your routine. Since not every student will have unfinished work to complete, have those without unfinished work read.

4. Word of the Day Routine

Use the morning time to build your students' vocabulary! Instead of introducing students to a word of the day, use this time to have one word for the week. Not only does it reduce teacher prep, but it also allows students to thoroughly explore the word, its syllables, parts of speech, and meaning, and provides ample time for students to practice, discuss, and write using the word of the week. This ensures mastery of each word, which is more valuable than introducing a different word to students each day.

🗣 Find out more about my tier 2 vocabulary instruction HERE! (blog post coming soon)

5. Get in Grammar

Let's face it, grammar always gets cut out of our day! Get grammar into your day by adding it to your morning routine. You can do a simple sentence at the board or a quick independent activity. Either way, you will have a chance to address important grammar concepts every day of the year!

If you want to use a simple approach, write a sentence on the board each day. One or two sentences is enough. When you write the sentence, you can include simple errors like missing capitalization or end punctuation. Edit it with the class, discussing how you are fixing each sentence. Go one step further by discussing the sentence's structure, such as subject and predicate, the type of sentence it is, nouns, verbs, adjectives, and any other skills you must address. This is a simple, no-prep way to initiate grammar conversations. While this approach offers little prep, you will need to keep track of the skills you have addressed.

If you're looking for a more structured approach, grab the Getting in Grammar bundle. It includes slides and anchor charts that you can display to review the concept, as well as independent pages for students to work on each morning. While you do have to make copies of the pages, this program offers a structured approach that will help you feel confident that you have addressed all the grammar skills and concepts upper elementary students need.

Try the free noun pack below!

6. Daily Writing - Choice Boards or Would You Rather?

The more students write, the better they become! Offering students a less formal opportunity to write, outside of your writing block, will help increase their motivation and build confidence during your writing block.

I enjoy weaving writing into my daily morning routine. I keep the prompts in the journal light, fun, and reflective of special holidays, days, themes, and seasons that the kids are experiencing. This is important because students can draw on their background knowledge and experiences to write. I have also combined my writing prompts into choice boards. This makes the morning preparation easier. I simply copy the one writing choice board for the month, and the kids can select which prompt they want to write to. You set the rules for writing that cater to your class's needs. Students can write to one prompt for the week, adding to and improving the same piece each day, or you can have students do a quick write on each topic every day of the week.

👉Love this idea? Grab the Year-Long Prompts and Choice Boards

Want something a little quicker? Try having your students respond in writing to the Would You Rather Slides of the day. It is a great way for kids to read a question, respond to it in writing, and be ready to share! This set includes a writing page, but to make it no prep, shine the question and have the kids reply in a journal.

👉Want to try this idea? Grab the Year-Long Would You Rather Slides

7. Math Critical Thinking

The kids love to correct others, so having a daily error analysis task is a great way to increase motivation and engagement. These types of activities present students with a math problem that has already been completed by a fake student. Your students must determine whether they agree or disagree with each response. Every page follows the same format, making it a true routine to promote critical thinking from your students. Since each page features an optional 'Going Further' question, you can challenge students who need an extra boost.

Grab the print and go error analysis for your grade level that covers all the standards for the grade:

✅ Grade 2

✅ Grade 3

✅ Grade 4

✅ Grade 5

✅ Grade 6 (coming soon)

8. Daily Reading Foldables

I love having one activity page that lasts the entire week! It provides a structured routine for the kids and helps them get started right away. One way you can offer that consistency for your students is by using reading foldables.

Reading foldables provide a day-by-day routine for a specific focus or genre of reading. One reading foldable has four tasks, allowing for a buffer day if students need more time to complete one of the tasks, or if there is a shortened school week.

Reading foldables come in fiction short story reading, nonfiction text structure, and author's purpose. 

Here is how you can use them all week:

✅ Day 1 - Read the story/passage

✅ Day 2 - Complete the graphic organizer

✅ Day 3 - Reflect on the given reading task/strategy

✅ Day 4 - Respond to the comprehension questions

✅ Day 5 - Catch-up day/correct and review as a class

9. Soft Starts

Start the day with some hands-on activities that kids love! I love to keep a puzzle on the back table that kids can work on during downtime, and morning work is one of those times. Other hands-on activities that kids love include previously played class games, blocks, Legos, and flashcard practice. You can do a soft start every day, or once or twice a week, as a special day that kids look forward to. I like to use this idea on days that we are especially busy in the mornings because it can last as long or short as you want.

Don't be fooled into thinking that our "big" upper elementary kids don't love a good block set or puzzle! They absolutely do and just need the opportunity to dive in!

Try some soft starts with these:

💡Teacher tip!

The best morning work is a combination of these ideas, so mix and match what works for you! You know your students and your schedule best. Customize a menu of morning work activities that will meet the needs of your students. You can mix up each day by alternating a content activity based on the day of the week. For example, you might have students complete grammar practice on Monday, reading foldables on Tuesday, math review on Wednesday, and writing on Thursday and Friday.

A sample mix may look like:

1. Enter and complete the morning routine
2. Grammar Practice, Writing, Reading Foldable, Math (depends on the day)
3. Coloring Page
4. Work on Unfinished Work
5. Read Silently

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer when it comes to morning work! You can mix and match these ideas to fit your schedule, your students’ needs, and the tone you want to set each day. Whether you have five minutes, twenty, or even thirty, a consistent morning routine with purposeful activities helps students start off calm, focused, and ready to learn.

As your classroom evolves throughout the year, so can your morning work. Don’t be afraid to change things up or rotate activities to keep students engaged. With the right structure in place, morning work becomes more than just busy work...it becomes a meaningful part of your classroom community.

Happy teaching! : )

You would also love to read:

This or That Question Slides to Build Community

6 All About Me Activities for Upper Elementary

9 Birthday Celebration Ideas

4 Classroom Library Must-Haves

Classroom Management Ideas that Work

Save time and grab this coloring bundle, perfect for morning work!

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*affiliate links: “Think Grow Giggle 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.” (source: Section 5)

Growth Mindset Activities, Read Aloud Books, Example Ideas for Upper Elementary

How to Teach Growth Mindset in the Classroom

You may wonder if teaching a growth mindset in upper elementary classrooms really works. I know firsthand that it does! After teaching third graders and fifth graders and working in various classrooms as support staff, I have seen that students with a growth mindset demonstrate more perseverance, confidence, and motivation than those without a growth mindset.

Ready to bring the value of having a growth mindset into the classroom this school year? Whether you are a new teacher, a seasoned teacher, or a substitute or building teacher, encouraging students to adopt a growth mindset is crucial to help them persevere through challenging school tasks.

I have compiled all my best growth mindset tips and tricks from several blogs listed below to make bringing a growth mindset into your classroom easier!

How to Get Started with Growth Mindset in Upper Elementary

If you are just getting started with teaching a growth mindset, this blog is filled with explanations, tips, and, of course, a must-watch TED talk growth mindset video!

Read more HERE:

Growth Mindset Read Alouds for Upper Elementary

I love reading picture books with my upper elementary kids about a growth mindset and featuring characters who have or learn about a growth mindset. This blog features a list of growth mindset read-alouds for every upper elementary and middle school teacher, along with free printables that accompany the books. 

Read more HERE:

Growth Mindset Bulletin Boards for Classrooms

Make your classroom a reflection of the value of having a growth mindset! You'll love these ideas for growth mindset bulletin boards to use throughout the school year and kick off the year with!

Read more HERE:

You are ready to bring growth mindset strategies and ideas into your classroom this year! You will be impressed with the shift of mindset your students will have. Happy teaching! : )

You will also love to read:

Positive Affirmations in the Classroom

Coloring Activities in the Upper Elementary Classroom

Bringing Kindness into Your Classroom

Kindness Read Alouds for Upper Elementary

Kindness Bulletin Board Ideas

Looking for more growth mindset activities that kids love? Take a look HERE.

                    LOVE these ideas? Pin to save!

*affiliate links: “Think Grow Giggle 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.” (source: Section 5)

6 Growth Mindset Bulletin Board Ideas

Encouraging students to have a growth mindset is a great way to promote a positive classroom community. One way to remind students and revisit the concept the having a growth mindset throughout the year is to display growth mindset bulletin boards in your upper elementary and middle school classrooms!

 

Growth mindset bulletin boards aren’t just pretty decor, they are daily reminders that effort, persistence, and learning from mistakes matter. Whether you’re setting the tone at the beginning of the year or giving your students a mid-year growth mindset boost, displaying growth mindset messages can help shift fixed mindsets and encourage students to take on challenges.

Try some of these ideas to show your students how important having a growth mindset really is! 

1. Mountain Themed Growth Mindset

Hands down, this is my favorite growth mindset bulletin board of the year! Nothing says 'growth mindset' more than a mountain climbing, exploration, and adventure theme. This theme is perfect for any grade or shared space in school and can be used at any time of the year. This one is one you will want to leave up all year long!

2. Encourage Kids to BE-LEAF in Themselves

Who doesn't love a good pun? This plant-themed growth mindset bulletin board is easy to print and display, sending a powerful message. We want our students to believe in themselves, so why not display it? These reminders are fun for the whole year and as an extra growth mindset boost during testing season. With coordinating coloring pages, you will be drilling home the importance of believing in yourself in a fun and natural way!

3. The ABCs of Having a Growth Mindset

Over the years, I have found that the kids want to have a growth mindset; they just do not know how! That is why I LOVE having an ABC poster of growth mindset terms that we can refer to every single day. This ABC display helps students not only grow their vocabulary, but put the growth mindset concepts into action. You can display this as a traditional alphabet line or use on a bulletin board. You will be wowed at the difference this growth mindset ABC bulletin board makes!

4. Buzzing with Growth Mindset Thoughts

I LOVE a good theme! Buzzing bees flying around with positive growth mindset phrases are not just perfect for Back to School season, but also springtime and testing season. These posters are fun for upper elementary but elegant enough for middle and high school classrooms. What I especially love about this set is that you can grab the coordinating growth mindset coloring pages that kids love!

5. Positive Affirmations for the Year

Positive affirmations and a growth mindset go hand in hand! Encourage students to stay positive with daily affirmations. These daily reminders truly make a difference. You can choose to display several positive affirmations on a bulletin board, rotating which ones you use each month, or you can print these posters two or four to a page to create mini posters to display around your classroom. I have used these in many different ways, both at home to encourage my own students and at home, so I know firsthand the power of positivity.

Get started with positivity with these free activity pages!

6. Get Seasonal: Build Yourself Up!

Having a growth mindset should not be something that is discussed only at the beginning of the year and then forgotten about as the craziness of each school day unfolds. Make sure you bring a growth mindset throughout the year as you learn new concepts. One way to do that is to bring in seasonal themes and bulletin board displays, like this winter-themed growth mindset bulletin board that can be displayed all winter long from December to February!

Encouraging students to adopt a growth mindset is a great way to foster a positive classroom community throughout the year. Start by creating bulletin board displays that remind students to never give up and to believe in themselves. Leave them on display all year long, or mix and match ideas to switch them up throughout the year, keeping your classroom fresh and encouraging. No matter how you style it, a growth mindset board is a meaningful way to help your students grow and flourish this school year.

You will also love to read:

Growth Mindset in Your Upper Elementary Classroom

Growth Mindset Read Alouds for Upper Elementary

Bringing Kindness into Your Classroom

Kindness Read Alouds for Upper Elementary

Kindness Bulletin Board Ideas

Looking for more growth mindset activities that kids love? See more HERE.

                     LOVE these ideas? Pin to save!

*affiliate links: “Think Grow Giggle 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.” (source: Section 5)