BACK TO SCHOOL: FUN ACTIVITIES FOR THE FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL!

With some districts in America already going back to school, my social media is abuzz with back to school ideas. While up here in Ontario we won't be going back for another month, I like to prepare. I have used and created many back to school activities over the last few years that really help me to get to know my students better.

I always like to begin the year with back to school read alouds. Here is one of my favourites:

I also like to decorate my classroom with All About Me Activities so students can see themselves reflected in their classroom. I have created a fun All About Me activity that allows students to share their favourite things like to play, their family, their friends, and themselves. I learn a lot about each student with this activity.

Of course, students come in the first week nervous so I like to do an ice breaker with a die. I like to call it DICE Breaker. I have a large die from Dollarama that I give to a student one at a time. They roll the dice and from the chart, they read the question of the number they rolled and answer it. This gets students talking and sharing about themselves. With older students, you could have them play this game in small groups.

Who doesn't love a SELFIE? I like to give students a template of a phone and draw themselves on their first day of school. They cut them out and we post them in the classroom. It's a great bulletin board idea.

Math About Me. I recreate the handout on chart paper and hide my answers with sticky notes and students have to guess my answers. This activity is great at getting students using numbers they use in everyday life. Students are given their own activity sheet and they have to fill out how old they are, how many family members they have, how many teeth they have lost etc.

These are just some of the fun first week back to school activities I do with my class. Lucky for you, I created a package with these very activities you can purchase so the hard work is done for you!

Click here to get the Back to School Activities Package!

Let me know of any fun back to school activities you do with your class in the comments below!

Thanks,

Tara