Teacher Forums

[jennj]

What are your best welcome back or first days lessons or activities?

[EducatorStudio]

I usually try to incorporate something from Population Connection: http://www.populationeducation.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=335&Itemid=2#Activit....  These activities are appropriate for middle and secondary schools.  The link provided is to the free lessons, but they do have some paid resources as well. 

They have a really cool exercise that has studnets make country outlines on the classroom floor and use props to illustrate how resources are distributed throughout the globe.  It usally takes a day or two depending how on much discussion is generated.  

[looneyteachr]

Have kids jot down favorite food, music artist, website, movie etc.  Point to a student & ask "what's your favorite _____?" Student replies, "My name is _______ and my favorite _____ is _____."  Anyone who wrote down the same thing jumps up and says "Just like me!"

[meera]

After a long summer break, many students need to refresh their math concepts from the prior grades -- TenMarks is a great web-based product (free for schools!) that helps students do just that! www.tenmarks.com -- the content is aligned to state and common core standards and is a snap to use. Students love it because the interactive worksheets come with helpful hints and video lessons and they have help just when its needed. Differentiate curriculum as needed for the entire classroom.

[Plantgeek]

Great site!  I'm teaching Environmental Science for the first time this year and this site has tons of stuff!  Thank you, thank you.

[JIreland]

With my upper level Latin students, we play beach-ball vocabulary and name review.  We stand in the audion in a large circle and toss the ball back.  I start by calling out a student's name and tossing the ball to that student.  The student continues by calling out another student's name and tossing the ball.  Then we start in on vocabulary and the students and I take turns shouting out Latin words and tossing the ball to each other to see if everyone remembers the definitions.  It's a fun activity that gets everyone out of his/ her seat!

[May]

Keep it laid back and getting to know one another again...so games )

[JillGF]

I teach 5 different courses through Fresno Pacific University's Center For Professional Development that are packed with some great back-to-school experiences. (I would especially recommend ART 903: Building Self-Esteem Through Elementary Art.) Each of these courses is completed at home on your schedule, and are worth 3 units of graduate level credit. Visit my website  ArtForElementaryTeachers.com to read my blog and find a link to my courses at Fresno Pacific University.

[mrmogard]

I like to do a classroom scavenger hunt where the students work with a partner to find various things throughout the room (such as trash cans, staplers, room number, hallway passes, etc.).  The students get to know some of their classmates through the project and also learn how to find certain things in the room independently.

I also like to have the students setup our classroom library.  I certainly could have all of the books on the shelves when they walk in, but having them help put the library together helps build some ownership of the books.  Plus the students have the opportunity to see the wide variety of books offered in the classroom library, and they keep a list of books they might be interested in reading throughout the year.