Here are my top 5 First Day of School Activities
1. Leo the Late Bloomer
2. Voracious Learning (Product)
3. Stamina
4. Attention Signal (Blog Post)
5. Work Center practice
1. FIRST DAY READ ALOUD
This is my favorite 1st day of school read aloud. The story is about Leo, a little lion, who can’t do all the things that he friends can do. His father is worried, but his mother knows that he will bloom in his own time!
Students come to realize that different students need different things to be successful.
A sweet story with an important message:
Everyone is successful in their own time!
CLICK ON THE PICTURE FOR A FREEBIE
TO USE WITH THIS BOOK!
2. VORACIOUS LEARNING
From the first week, I teach my students to be voracious learners! Voracious means to be eager. As we start the year, students need to know that being a voracious learner will help them be successful. Even if something is challenging, student know that having an eager attitude will help them overcome obstacles. I teach them the word and they learn to apply it in everyday situations. We return this concept throughout the year as well. Here’s a FREEBIE about voracious learning.
3. BUILDING STAMINA
Building stamina is an important skill that I teach my students on the very first day of school.
First I teach my students that stamina means practicing without giving up. Next I ask my students what activities they have practiced without giving up. Finally I ask why do we practice an activity? To get better!
To build stamina on the first day of school, I choose an activity where all students can be successful. This could be something as easy as using blocks to explore or a simple math game.
Click here for FREE math games with dice.
I teach the directions for the math game and set expectations. I expect students to stay focused on the math game and build their stamina. Once everyone has their materials and understands the directions-they start! I watch the clock and see how long students can stay focused. I don’t stop them if 1 or 2 students gets off task-sometimes they can refocus themselves. However if several students are off task and/or are being disruptive, then I stop everyone and record the time for our stamina. Then students try again to see if they can have longer stamina.
I repeat this process for independent reading, writing and any other activity where I want my students to be working independently.
THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT CONCEPT IF STUDENTS WILL BE EXPECTED TO WORK INDEPENDENTLY WHILE YOU TEACH SMALL GROUPS.
4. ATTENTION SIGNAL
On the first day of school, I teach my attention signal to my students. I need them to know my expectations. when I need their attention.
I use a call back or a call and response to get my students’ attention.
