Setting the Stage for the School Year

A 5 Day Plan to Start your School Year

Day 1: Get to Know Your New Class

Focus: Learn classmates’ names + break the ice

Activity:

• Circle: Students say their name and a movement (e.g., “I’m Olivia and I like to jump!”).

• Resource Used: Back-to-School Get to Know You Activity

  • Display the PPT on the board in front othe class. Students respond to "Does your teacher like this or that" questions. They go to the side of the room where they think their teachers preference is!

  • Then they do the same activity, but instead they answer the question of what they like better!

Wrap-Up: Reflect with a partner—“What is one new thing you learned about someone today?”

Day 2: All About Us Collaborative Poster

Focus: Build classroom identity and teamwork

Activity:

• Introduce the idea of “We are each unique, but together we are a team.”

• Resource Used: All About Me Collaborative Coloring Poster

  • Students complete their section of the apple display and color it. As parts are finished, begin assembling on the apple display on a bulletin board.

Wrap-Up: The class can talk about something they wrote on their piece. Then talk about how all of our pieces (and information about us) work together to make the full apple display.

Day 3: Our Classroom Contract

Focus: Create shared expectations and build responsibility

Activity:

• Read a book like Our Class is a Family or What If Everybody Did That?

• Discuss: “What kind of classroom do we want this to be?”

• As a class, brainstorm and vote on 4–6 key expectations (e.g., Be Kind, Listen, Try Your Best).

• Talk about what a contract is. Legally when someone signs an official contract they have to abide to the contarct, otherwise there will be repercussions.

• Write the Classroom Contract on anchor chart paper or digitally.

• Each student signs it (can be with markers or digital stamps).

Wrap-Up: Display the contract somewehre in the classroom that is visible. Make sure students can see it and refer back to it when necessary.

Day 4: Mini Dodecahedron All About Me Project

Focus: Learn more about classmates + express individuality

Activity:

• Resource Used: All About Me Mini Dodecahedron

  • Each student completes 12 mini sides with prompts (hobbies, favorites, family, goals).

  • Assemble the dodecahedron if time allows and save for display during Open House.

  • Have students walk around the classroom and find other students with similarities on their cubes.

Wrap-Up: Each student shares one thing they learned about another student.

Day 5: Letter to My Grown-Ups

Focus: Practice writing + prepare for Open House

Activity:

• Reflect: “What have you liked about school so far?”

• Model writing a letter to parents or guardians.

  • Show them how to format a letter. "Dear"...."From"

  • Sentence starters: “My favorite part of this week was…” / “I’m excited for you to see…” / “One thing I want you to know is…”

• Let students decorate the letter or envelope.

Wrap-Up: Place letters in a basket or student mailbox to be displayed or handed out during Open House.

I hope this makes your summer planning go a little smoother this year!

Happy Taching!!

Alyssa