The pencils are sharpened, your classroom is clean and the
bell rings…gulp…here they come! My feelings on the first week of school are
conflicted. On one hand, it’s one of the most important weeks. Explaining and
practicing the class procedures and expectations sets the tone for the rest of
the school year. Success is vital. On the other hand, I’m so excited to start teaching
my historical content that waiting until all the expectations are explained
requires a lot of patience! Every teacher has their own plan of action for that
pivotal time.
Here are 5 things I can’t live without during the first week of
school:
One: An Icebreaker.
I aim to try and make kids feel comfortable in my classroom on day one. One of
my favorite little activities is Fact or Fiction. Each student receives a small
slip of paper and they’re instructed to write one fact and two fictions. Then
each person (including myself!) introduces themselves and we all try to guess
which statement is the fact! It’s a great way to quickly learn about each
other.
Two: Classroom
Information and Expectations. This is every teacher’s staple, I know, but
it had to go on the list because it’s a must-have! When you’re making your own,
spell everything out – from the obvious grading procedures and late work policy
to how to pass back papers and when to sharpen pencils and go to the bathroom.
Trust me, leave no stone unturned. Your classroom will function much better if
you set the tone from day one. (Oh, and don’t forget a seating chart!)
Three: Fun and Games.
On the second day of school, I love to start class with a little game. It’s a
great way for the kids to start practicing our classroom procedures and
expectations while getting familiar with their teacher and classmates. Here are
some of my favorite games that I use during the first week of school: (P.S. Some
of these activities can be found in my Back to School Activities resources! Click
the grade level you’re teaching to check them out: Sixth, Seventh, Eighth)
InstaFriend: This activity gets students moving around the room and
interviewing fellow classmates! Their InstaFriend paper has a series of
descriptions and characteristics. When they find a student who matches the
description, they write their name in the box. Each name can only be used once!
Right or Wrong: I love skits. LOVE THEM. I like to introduce
students to the idea of skits during the first week by allowing them to create
their own based on our class expectations. I first divide students into small
groups of 2-3. Each group then randomly receives one of our class procedures or
expectations. As a group, they have to work together to create two mini skits –
one showing the RIGHT way to follow the expectation, the other showing the
WRONG way. They get to be silly and I get to reinforce my class expectations.
After each skit I happily point out all the positive behaviors as well as each
time a class policy was violated. It’s a light-hearted way to grab their attention
and create a positive atmosphere all while practicing the laws of the land.
Classmate Bingo: I love to play this game at the end of the first
week. I give each student a blank bingo board with a large selection of
personal characteristics, hobbies, etc. at the bottom. The students choose 16
off the list and create their customized board. Then, I randomly select
characteristics from the list. If a student has that characteristic on their
board, they have to write down a student’s name that matches the characteristic
– but no cheating! They have to use what they’ve learned about others during
their first week of school to try and win the game.
Four: A Pre Test.
After a few days of class information and fun, it’s time to start getting down
to business. Each year, I make a short pre-test on the information they’ll
learn about that year. It gives me a chance to see what the kids already know
and gives them a feel for what subject matter they’ll be learning about in the
coming weeks. FYI: Your pre-test probably won’t take the whole class period.
Make sure to have plans for other activities, too, on the day you give your
pre-test!
Five: A Writing
Activity. True fact: when I tell kids they’re going to do a writing
activity, they groan every time. It’s a signal that the “real work” is about to
begin. Luckily, they’re always relieved when I assure them that this activity
will require very little research because it’s about a subject they’re experts
in – themselves! I have a few different activities to choose from each year.
Here are some suggestions:
Student Survey: What are your strengths? Weaknesses? What do you
hope to learn in this class? These are just some of the questions I ask
students in the survey. The more I know about my students, the better I can
help them achieve success in my class.
Write Away: A staple of many: write a letter to a future you! I ask
students to write goals for the year, dreams they wish to see realized, and
questions they want to ask their “End of the Year” self. I tuck these letters
away and revisit them during the last week of school.
I’m Ready: Like every middle school history class, we do a lot of
writing and students always have to back up their reasons, statements, etc.
with evidence to support their claim. In this writing activity, students have
to identify which class rule or expectation they believe is most important and
provide evidence to support their claim. This activity both reinforces my
classroom policies and secretly gives me a preview of their writing
proficiency.
Have I left anything out? If you have any fun plans for the
first week of school, share them in the comments. I’m always looking for new
ideas for my classroom!
