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Easing BACK into SCHOOL – 1st Day Fun!

Home » Easing BACK into SCHOOL – 1st Day Fun!
Back to School - 1st Days Activities

Easing BACK into SCHOOL – 1st Day Fun!

Some of you teacher peeps are already heading back to the classroom and enjoying all that 1st day fun!

Craaaazy!

The first day is always a crazy one.

Each year I take more and more OUT of my plans for the first day. I have found that all the cute crafty stuff is just too difficult to tackle with wee ones who are struggling with being in school for…
A WHOLE DAY!?!

Those poor babies… it’s tough. (HEY, it’s tough for me and I’ve had a zillion first day in first grades!)

That difficult transition is a definite downside to half-day kindergarten.

Last year my day consisted of a few basics. Of course I read them a couple of first day stories… my favorite:

Click to follow my Amazon affiliate link to snatch up this sweet book

And, the first thing the kiddos did was make their self portraits while I took their photos. Each of these things get saved for their end of the year “Sea How I’ve Grown” folder.

Behind those photos (this is actually from many years ago because I keep forgetting to take a new picture!!) is a collection of work from the first day and nearly the last day. The kids do the exact same assignments both times so that the comparison is of apples and apples – as they say. 🙂 I put all of these assignments together in The First Grade Measuring Stick. You can find out more about that {here}.

We also toured the school.
Had a snack.
Established some rules and routines.

It was very calm, but I felt like I needed to do a little more – without making things crazy.

I decided I needed a few more calm but engaging activities for that first day. I’m adding in a simple “get to know your classmates” game. To play this game, I will give each of my kids a card. The cards are “paired” so the kiddos will mingle with the each other to find a new friend with the same card. Before we start I will let the kids know the things they need to learn about their new friend. We’ll go around the room and have each student share those two things with the class. I plan to use this game throughout the first week so that everyone gets a chance to “meet a friend” and set the “community” tone for our classroom.

 

Back to School - 1st Day Activities

 

First grade is a tough transition, for students and their parents! Most years, at least one kid cries… and many parents leave my room after drop off with tears in their eyes. I TOTALLY get it. I want the parents to know that even after a rocky, nervous, emotional start, the kids always end the day in a fabulous frame of mind. This year, I’m going to have the kids share their emotions with a quick little “How I Feel” activity. Often the kids are a little nervous about first grade expectations. Some simple activities will engage their minds a bit while being stress free.

 

Back to School 1st Day Activities

 

I love using readers in my classroom for all sorts of things, not just reading lessons. This little all about PLAYING at school reader will be fun for the kiddos and allow the advanced students a chance to spread their reading skill wings. Plus, it will be an awesome coloring/decompressing break. If there isn’t enough time to squeeze this one in on the first day, it will fit in perfectly anytime during the week. I will use it as a choral read, follow along as we read, take home reader.

 

Back to School Reader

 

Grab 1st Day Fun! in my store.

 

Back to School 1st Day Activities

 

I can’t believe I will be back in the classroom in just one short month. Summers seem to get shorter and shorter every single year! When do/did you go back?

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6 Comments

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  • Melinda
    · Reply

    July 30, 2014 at 8:13 AM

    In my district, teachers start back on Friday, August 1st, with students beginning on Monday, August 11th. FRIDAY. I'm pretty sure it's really only the start of summer, as I cannot possibly go back to work this early! Also, I love love that reader! I love everything, I just extra-love the reader. We also go from half-day K to our full-day first, so a nice coloring/reading decompression break will be handy when the "What do you mean I still have to stay at school??" time period after lunch begins. Great work!

  • Teacher and Life Long Learner
    · Reply

    July 30, 2014 at 3:49 PM

    Wonderful post. Have a wonderful 2014-15 school year.

  • Jennib
    · Reply

    July 30, 2014 at 8:46 PM

    Teachers officially report August 25, with students arriving Sept 2. However, I, and many of my coworkers, have been back a bit already. I'm switching schools so needed to move my things and unpack.

  • Jen R
    · Reply

    July 30, 2014 at 9:37 PM

    I go back into the classroom on the 11th!! BUt I'm already there unpacking my storage unit – STRESSFUL!

    I would love this little pack!!

    ♥ Jen
    Teacher by the Beach

  • Heidi Martinez
    · Reply

    July 31, 2014 at 4:15 AM

    Great post. I also love that book! The author has a couple more with the same characters.

  • vicky1970
    · Reply

    August 3, 2014 at 2:32 AM

    That first day is coming a bit too soon…Aug. 13th and my baby girl will have her first day of high school…eek!
    love ya girl
    Vicky

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Hi! I’m Traci and I’m super glad you’re here. I’m passionate about sharing all the *wisdom* gained over my many years of teaching. I love helping teachers find their joy, develop efficiency and ignite their own teaching strengths. I believe simplicity and fun coupled with effective strategies and engaging and focused lessons are the key to it all. Also… laughter can carry you through just about all things.

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