Teach Your Classroom
Students love getting up and moving the first day of school. Plus, to be honest, they are just tired and need to move! So, this fun little booklet gets the job done!
There is some prep for you with this First Day of School activity. Of course, printing the materials before the first day and assembling the booklets is key!
You also need to have students access some materials around your classroom. For instance, I always have them "discover" the dictionaries, as these are going to be key in our learning. Another great thing about this activity is that your students dive into the classroom library! During this time, I ask the kids to pick out four great books they find that they would like to read. This preps the possibility of students being able to read later in the day when everyone needs a break!
You also need to have students access some materials around your classroom. For instance, I always have them "discover" the dictionaries, as these are going to be key in our learning. Another great thing about this activity is that your students dive into the classroom library! During this time, I ask the kids to pick out four great books they find that they would like to read. This preps the possibility of students being able to read later in the day when everyone needs a break!
Another thing this booklet does is gives the students an opportunity to talk to each other! We tend to want to avoid this on the first day, BUT isn't that how we create community! They need to get to know each other, even if some of them have been friends for years. They still need to know what it is like in our classrooms. Parameters can be established within this simple activity. An example of this is how we talk to each other and how long within the classroom setting. This activity will do that!
Plus, it gives you the chance to expose other areas of your classroom to the students. I always have the students find the clipboards, because this is a key tool in our classroom. I list the clipboard rules out and have them available for students to view when this activity is going on. This way, students are able to know their location and know the rules that go with them.
Simply by putting up these cute tweet signs, students have a marker for where they are to go. They also move around to find these tweets at different rates, so you won't have kids gathering in huge groups. If you do, this is your opportunity to step in and express the need for them to move about and not be social, but to concentrate on completing the activity. To be honest, this is the first step in developing your expectations in a way that is facilitative and allows them the opportunity to grow in success through redirection!
Plus, it gives you the chance to expose other areas of your classroom to the students. I always have the students find the clipboards, because this is a key tool in our classroom. I list the clipboard rules out and have them available for students to view when this activity is going on. This way, students are able to know their location and know the rules that go with them.
The Secret is in the Tweets!
You may have been reading this wondering how students know where to go! Well, the secret to getting the students to the right location on the first day of school is to TWEET them!
Simply by putting up these cute tweet signs, students have a marker for where they are to go. They also move around to find these tweets at different rates, so you won't have kids gathering in huge groups. If you do, this is your opportunity to step in and express the need for them to move about and not be social, but to concentrate on completing the activity. To be honest, this is the first step in developing your expectations in a way that is facilitative and allows them the opportunity to grow in success through redirection!
What Else is There?
Every year I have tried to accomplish this entire product on the first day of school, but, well, I've failed! So, there is MORE that can be done, even past the first day of school! Here's what you get!
Tweet Tweet our Class is so Sweet Little Book helps your students understand rules and procedures! Students get to reflect on what they are learning by writing it in their own words! This can also double as a direction following activity, giving you an idea of what students are capable of doing with directions.
My Tweet Friend allows students the chance to work with a friend discovering things about each other by using letters in their names! The kids LOVE this activity because it gives them a chance to interact with a friend and discover similarities about themselves! For you, it can guide you in understanding how well kids can use and interpret Venn Diagrams from their past experiences and how their handwriting is in an open ended activity.
As you can see, there is so much packed into these first day of school activities that you can fill your lesson plans with them so quickly and easily! Students just love them, and so will you! Let me know what you think! I'd love for a comment below about your first day of school activities! Or, follow me on Facebook or Instagram to keep up with all the action!
Pin for Later!
Love the Bird Theme? Check out My Watercolor Bird Theme Decor and More!
