If it's your first year as a teacher or your very first day in a brand new classroom, you may be wondering what to do on the first day of school for students. Don't worry!
Our team of expert teachers have put together dozens of first day activities that you can explore throughout this collection, but we didn't stop there. Here are some more things to do on the first day of school! Some things you might want to add to your list:
Introduce Yourself — Giving your students a chance to get to know you is the first step to a great student-teacher relationship, and that all starts on the first day! Introduce yourself to your students, share the name you prefer they use (Mrs. S? Mr. Jones?) and share a little information about your own background and interests. How much of your personal life you want to share here is up to you, but a few details like what you like to do in your spare time or if you have any pets can help students see that you're a lot more like them than they may have thought!
Break the Ice — Once you've introduced yourself, it's time for your students to introduce themselves, allowing everyone to become familiar with each other. Icebreaker activities like name games or "get-to-know-you" exercises help create a sense of classroom community and start kids off on the road to solid student bonding.
Give a Classroom Tour — Give students a tour of your classroom and highlight important areas such as where the supplies can be found and areas where they should store personal belongings.
Introduce Your Classroom Rules and Procedures — The first day is a good time to introduce the specific procedures or rules that you expect students to follow, such as raising hands, taking turns or using classroom resources. It's also a good time to share your rules and expectations, emphasizing the importance of respect, kindness, and cooperation. You may want to get your class involved in creating a set of class rules, fostering a sense of ownership and responsibility. Important Note: Although rules and procedures should be introduced on the first day of school, don't expect kids to "get" it all right away! Practice, practice, practice!
Explain Any Classroom Routines and Schedules — In addition to rules and procedures, you'll also need to familiarize students with the daily routines and schedule they'll need to follow, including arrival and dismissal procedures, transitions between subjects or activities and any special events or routines unique to the classroom. Establishing a predictable routine helps create a sense of structure and security for students, but once again, expect to keep practicing these far past the first day!
Establish Classroom Procedures for Asking Questions or Sharing Concerns — Key to any safe classroom environment is ensuring you provide a space where students feel comfortable asking questions or expressing concerns. Establishing the procedures that students should follow when they need to ask for help sets the tone for the entire school year!
Collect Important Student and Parent Info — The first day of school is often homework assignment day ... parent homework, that is. Maybe your district sends email reminders to ask parents to fill out all that necessary student information online. If not, you may need to distribute forms for parents to fill out so you can gather the required information, such as emergency contact numbers or details on allergies.
Assess Students' Strengths and Weaknesses — Starting on the first day or first week of school, you can start simple assessments or activities to gauge the students' academic levels and identify their strengths and weaknesses. These assessments will help guide instructional planning and differentiate instruction to meet individual student needs.
Try Some Get-to-Know-You Activities — Expanding on the icebreakers that are a fun way to get students acquainted on the first day of school, you may want to incorporate fun and engaging activities to help students become more familiar with one another. This collection of activities is full of fun teacher-created "All About Me" posters plus group games and discussion starters to make your planning easier!
Explore Classroom Materials — Students don't just need to know the procedures for accessing supplies. Give them a chance to explore and familiarize themselves with classroom materials, including textbooks, books from your classroom library, manipulatives and more. You might want to organize a few small group or independent activities that allow students to interact with different materials in a hands-on manner.
