Plan the first days with 30 back to school ideas for the classroom teacher. Try the activities, community-building ideas, and classroom management tips!
30 Back to School Ideas for a Stellar First Week
Are you gearing up for the first days and weeks back to school? These 30 fun and inspiring first-week activities and back to school ideas will make your start to the school year memorable. Sit down, grab a pencil and your planner, and use these creative ideas as a starting point as you map out your return to the classroom. You won’t be disappointed!
Table of Contents
- 30 Back to School Ideas for a Stellar First Week
- Back to School Ideas that Seasoned Teachers Know
- Community Building Back to School Ideas
- Classroom Activities for Back to School – Ideas that Work
- Back to School Ideas for Effective Classroom Management
- Classroom Organization Ideas for Back to School
- Back to School Resources
- FREE Back to School SEL Resource
- Learn More for Back to School
Back to School Ideas that Seasoned Teachers Know
The first week of school is often harried with anxious students, the uncertainty of schedules, last-minute finalization of plans, and lots of coffee! Begin thinking about what you’ll do now – well before the first day, and remember these essential points:
1. Get organized, plan your classroom management strategy, and don’t forget any important details with these ten tips for teachers for the first week of school.
2. Are you a new teacher? Thislist of tips for new teachers, based on what I wished I knew initially, can help you get started!
3. Communication and showing that you care are important when meeting with parents that first week. Take these three tips into considerationto create positive relationships with families.
4. When setting up your classroom routines, don’t forget these important details.
5. You will find excellent, actionable tips and activity ideas for your first week in this post geared for 3rd-grade teachers that first week!
6. Model appropriate behaviors, keep things positive, and plan well; you’ll be on your way. These nine things will help you start your year off right!
Community Building Back to School Ideas
Everyone wants to ensure their classroom is a haven for community and collaboration—where everyone feels comfortable and invited to participate. Help your students feel part of the bigger plan by engaging them in the following activities.
7. It’s always fun to throw some cooperation and teamwork activities throughout the day to build community. Try thesefast and easy games and activities.
8. Aclassroom contractallows everyone to agree on desired goals and attitudes mutually. Creating the arrangement together, encouraging students to follow it, and enforcing it are vital to a thriving classroom community.
9. On the first day of school, get warmed up with thesefive cooperative learning activities. Watch as your kids get to know each other and learn how to work together and communicate, making the first day a hit!
10. Thiseasy activity to inspire a growth mindsetwill encourage your students to think positively about challenges and mistakes. It will also give them the vocabulary needed to promote courage and persistence.
11. Thesechit-chat cards (free printable)are great for opening up lines of communication and breaking the ice. Try them with your class!
Classroom Activities for Back to School – Ideas that Work
Start the year with engaging activities that excite kids about coming to school, and encourage them to grow and learn. These classroom activities will keep students smiling and looking forward to the next thing you have in store for them.
12. Give your students an opportunity to practice listening and following directions with this funback-to-school bus directed drawing activity.
13. If you want a meaningful literature-based activity that builds character and name recognition,this unit centered around the bookChrysanthemumwill undoubtedly do.
14. Help kids learn the names of their classmates with some ofthese fun name activities! You’ll even pick up on the new names quickly, too.
15. Here are manyeducational and motivational activitiesto try during the first week back. Puzzles, games, and exploration activities will get the students talking and working together.
16. Browsethese FUN back-to-school activitiesfor neat ideas, including leaving a can of play dough on their desk on the first day and quizzing the teacher on the first day.
17. Get to know your students, and help them to get acquainted with each other throughthese four first-day activities. Including a FREE first day of school cootie catcher!
18. Tossa beach ball with get-to-know-you questions, and watch students engage in the friendly game and build connections.
Back to School Ideas for Effective Classroom Management
Classroom management is something you really must have a handle on. Without effective strategies for maintaining order, teaching, and reinforcing expectations for behavior, attitudes, and productivity, your classroom can quickly become chaotic.
19. Try a few of the tenpositive classroom management tips and tricksI’ve found most effective.
20. Prepareways to reward your studentsahead of time with these five creative and cost-effective options. Achievements, successes, and good behavior deserve praise and recognition!
21. Need a unique way to reward a child with something special, being a good listener, showing kindness, or some other achievement? Theseclass couponswill come in handy.
22. One way to show students the power of hurtful words is to use this“Sticks and Stones” activity. They will learn the harsh reality that words can cause as much damage to the heart as physical harm to the body.
Classroom Organization Ideas for Back to School
An organized classroom is a well-run, predictable haven for your students and saves you your sanity! Take some time in the weeks before school to ensure you’ve got your classroom organized and ready for kids.
23. Check out this roundup of20 things teachers must havefor back-to-school! See if you have all these things on your list.
24. Have you thought about how your students can help out? Havingclassroom jobsmakes the day run smoother and gives everyone responsibility in the classroom.
25. Looking to save time and work smarter, not harder? These10-time saving tips for teacherscan help you accomplish this! Grab a copy of the FREEbeginning-of-the-year checklist for teacherstoo!
26. If you have a Silhouette Cameo, you’ll lovethese ideas for organizing and creating pretty thingsfor your classroom!
27. Looking to spend the least time possible on classroom set-up? Rachel shows youhow to set up your classroom in less than two hours! Impressive.
28. If you’ve ever considered alternative seating, check outthis description of different possibilitiesand how well they worked for one teacher.
29. Pamper yourself by buying theseschool supplies for teachersyou can’t live without!
30. Be prepared and ready for any new students to be added to your roster by creating anew student welcome kit.
These 30 back to school ideas and activities will motivate and excite your classroom students at the beginning of the year! Try some of them out, and your future Teacher-of-the-Year title will be well-earned. Have a great year!
Back to School Resources
Thisback to school social, emotional learning resourceis the perfect companion to your start of school lesson plans. It includes mini-lesson ideas and engaging activities that build classroom connections and teach children important social and emotional skills during the most critical time of the year!
Themind+heart SEL back to school resourceand activities will support kids as they learn to be positive members of the classroom community, develop self-awareness, build new relationships, and act with kindness and empathy.
FREE Back to School SEL Resource
Get a head start with back to school planning with these three done-for-you lessons. Click the link below and get your free copy of the Back to School SEL Resource!
Learn More for Back to School
Back to School Classroom Activities
Classroom Community
First Week of School Activities
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