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
2. Procedure Slideshow and Rules Review
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:
✌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
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!
- Establish the class rules and expectations that you want your students to strive towards.
- Decide on a whole-class reward that students can earn and participate in together.
- 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
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!
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