WELCOME BACK TO SCHOOL ACTIVITIES FOR TEACHERS
Curated and edited by Shannon Ossinger (mmepoulet.blogspot.com)
Well, it’s almost that time here in Alberta--
where the vast majority of kids and teachers head back to school. I have been
researching some fun and engaging ways to make that first day special, as well
as effectively setting the year up for success.
This year, my school will be involved with The
Leader in Me, and I will most definitely be doing some activities specific
to that later on. As for now, getting through the first day(s) are a task of
survival, especially for those newbies out there.
Here are a few of my favourite activities,
taken from throughout the Web and also compiled from my years of teaching, as
well as from the wisdom of my wonderful friends and colleagues.
I took the liberty of giving these activities
a title if they were without one, so that they can be more easily identified in
our 21st century world.
Remember this, before the first day of school gets you bogged down:
“Most
people are so busy knocking themselves out trying to do everything they think
they should do,
they never
get around to what they want to do.”
(Thank you to
@teachertoolkit on Twitter for sharing that wisdom!)
_______________________________________________________________________
We’re
All in This Together
Author: Shannon Ossinger
Source: Original Unknown, ideas found at @mmepoulet
on Twitter. That’s me!
Starting with the teacher, each person shares a quirky/cool/unknown
fact about themselves with the class, then passes the ball of yarn to the next
person. Each person continues to hold on to part of the string. At the end of
the activity, there is a visual “web,” showing how we are all connected.
* I would preface this with “Be sure it is something
you feel comfortable sharing with a crowd,” as over-sharers need protective boundaries
in this activity.
This activity helps demonstrate the need for integrity
and cohesiveness in the classroom, and could be used for grades 4-12, in my
opinion. It could also be used in a variety of ways, including demonstrating how
the web is much like The Web, in that everyone has access to everyone else.
Shannon’s note: My daughter is in sixth grade and we
bought a ball of yarn for her teacher as well. She is beginning a new school
this year, and a shared activity is a great way to introduce herself to her
class.
The
Empathy Poster
Source: @edutopia on Twitter.
Start the year right with a poster detailing how to
use and foster empathy in the classroom.
Everything but the Kitchen Sink
Author: Janet
Procedure:
I bring
a sack with a running shoe, a bread pan, a piece of stained glass, something of
my daughter's etc. I group students and dump a few things on each table, then
give them a few minutes to decide what they think each item says about me. I
invite them to bring their own sack on the following day and you may be
surprised at how many actually bring one!
I also
give them a paper with questions on it about where they were born, where
they've lived, who they live with, their previous schools, and their
favorite/worst subject. I also throw in some "What is your favorite band,
clothing, person, color, food, etc?” You can either have them share their own
paper with the class, or use it in groups of 2 as an interview and have the
students introduce each other.
People
Bingo
Source: My dear friend, retired teacher Bev Gibson
A fun activity to do with grades 2-6.
The Time Capsule
1) Give each student an empty Pringles can to
decorate as a "Time Capsule."
2) Each child will fill out a short interest
inventory: a handwriting sample, a tracing of their hand, a self-portrait, and
a few other things. (You can get creative here -- make the task fit your grade)
3) They will place their sheets into their
time capsule and have a little ceremony to put them away until the end of the
year. I'm planning to cheat and open the time capsules that night in order to
learn a little more about each student's interests and abilities)
4) At the end of the year, have the kids
complete the same sheets and then open their time capsule to compare how they
have changed during the school year.
Shannon’s PS: You don’t need Pringles cans!
Spaghetti tins, jam jars, etc.
We’re On A Roll!
Author: Kelly
Evans
E-mail: kevans@peoriaud.k12.az.us
- Have all the
students sit at their desk, without talking.
- Take out two rolls
of TP and tell the students to "Take as much as you think you'll
need." This provokes a lot of questions, but DO NOT say anything
more.
- Send a roll around
at both sides of the room (this helps the activity to move along more
quickly).
- Once all students
have taken "what they need," collect the unused TP.
- Now tell the
students that for each square they ripped off, they have to give one fact
about themselves.
TEACHER'S NOTE: My
sixth graders always love this activity.
Editor's Note: There
are other variations of this game that use candy
(M&M's, Smarties, etc.).
Remember Me?
Grade: Any
Materials: None
Activity time: About 60 min
On the first day of school challenge
the students to a competition.
Them against you.
Who can remember the most about the other?
The students start, taking turns they each stand up
and tell at least 5 facts about themselves.
For example: "My name is Shelley. This is
my first year at this school. I have 3 sisters and one brother. I have a pet
goldfish called "Fluffy", and I like soccer."
Then
tell at least 30 facts about yourself.
For example:
"I'm married. I have 2 teenaged children, a girl Kelly and a boy,
Doug. I have a pet dog called "Baby" and about 50 walking stick
bugs, etc etc."
When you are
finished introducing yourself, the children get to start. Let them volunteer
answers and give them a tally mark for each new fact they remember about
you. After they have exhausted all possibilities, (usually around 39 facts for
a room of 28 grade 6/7 students) go around the room and try to remember
facts about them.
Extending a Warm Welcome to Students on the
First Day
Modified from: Susan Kovalik's ITI (Integrated
Thematic Instruction) ITI: The Model by Susan Kovalik with Karen Olsen. ISBN-1-878631-18-7.
The following is a list of ways that I feel you can
help students feel comfortable on the first day and throughout the year.
1) Let
students know that you are a "real" person. Tell them about yourself through pictures and
stories.
2) If you
want students to know that you care about them show them by greeting them at
the door, use eye contact when speaking with them, show compassion and always
be honest.
3) Establish
procedures in the beginning. Let them know what is expected of them. Do not
make a list of rules telling them what they can't do. Instead make a student
created list of what is expected. For
instance, do not say "Don't run in the hall," say "Walk calmly
and quietly in the hall."
Review the procedures often. Most of all, be
consistent.
4) Create an
atmosphere in the classroom that makes the students feel comfortable. The
colors blue, green and purple are most calming. Natural lighting and plants are
also good ideas for a comfortable classroom.
(TEACHER'S NOTE: This point hit home when
the instructor at the seminar I attended asked us to think about the places we
go to feel relaxed and what colors were there.
Try it.)
5) Be
realistic in your expectations. Don't
expect the students to do more than they are capable of - this causes
anxiety. At the same time, don't make
things so easy that they become bored.
6) Make an
effort to create a community in your classroom.
Use activities that help the class get to know each other as well as
developing a sense of trust.
Remember to continue doing these activities
throughout the school year.
(TEACHER'S NOTE: The book Tribes by Jeanne Gibbs is
loaded with activities that promote these things in the classroom.)
7) Teach to
all learning styles, beginning on day one.
Remember that all students do not learn the same way. Give choices whenever possible.
8) Learn the
students’ names quickly and use their names when talking to them.
Be Careful With Your Words
Grades:
Any
Help students understand the
importance of thinking before they speak. I just went to an inservice that did
an interesting thing in the beginning. The instructor asked for a volunteer to
come up. She was handed a tube of toothpaste to squeeze out all over a piece of
construction paper. The volunteer squeezed it all out. Then the instructor
asked her to put it back in the tube. The volunteer said she couldn't. Then she
was thanked and sat down. The instructor said the toothpaste symbolized words
that are said and they cannot be taken back. It is "out there" and no
apology can erase it. I thought this would be a good beginning of the year
demonstration. I think I'm going to use it to remind my class to be more
careful with their words.
Have a wonderful first week back,
teachers…enjoy your students!
Mme Poulet
