Back To School Activities

 

Toronto • London • Auckland • S ydne y New York • Toronto Mexico City • Ne w Delhi • Hong K ong • Buenos Aires

 

Scholastic Inc. grants teachers permission to photocopy the reproducible pages from this book for classroom use. No other part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher. For information regarding permission, write to Scholastic Inc., 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012. Cover design by Maria Lilja Cover illustrations by Bob Masheris Interior design by Maria Lilja Interior illustrations illustrations by Bob Masheris, Rick Brown, Rusty Fletcher

ISBN 0-439-18842-3 Copyright © 2003 by Scholastic Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

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09 08 07 06 05 04 03

 

Contents Introduction   . . . . . Before the First Day  .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 .

Prep-Steps Checklist   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8 Save This! Checklist   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9 Procedures Checklist   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 10 Classroom Organization Checklist   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 . Class List   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

All-Purpose Chart   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13 13 Flexible Grouping Techniques   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 . Letters Home   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 . Preparing for Substitutes   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

The First Day   .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 .

The Reading Connection   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 . Name Games   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Student Information   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 2. 5 Class Rules and Routines   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Getting to Know Kn ow You You   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .32 32 Classroom Discoveries   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .34 Listening Activities   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 35 Reproducible Reproducibl e Activities   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .36

First Week & Beyond  .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 .1 4

Following Directions   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .44 44 Community Building   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 4. 5 Reproducible Reproducibl e Activities  . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 4. 9 Home–School Connection Reproducible Forms   . . . . . . . . . . 60

 

Introduction elcome back to school! Getting the school year off to a great start is important for both students and teachers.

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The beginning of the school year is a time for you to learn about students’ abilities and interests. It’s also a time to initiate routines and set the tone for learning. For students, it is an exciting time to meet new classmates, adjust to an unfamiliar environment, and find out what they can look forward to in the year to come. Whatever your approach to the first days of school, your goals probably include most, if not all, of the following: l building a sense of community; l establishing rules, routines, and other boundaries; l helping children get to know the classroom space,

as well as the other people in the room; l

encouraging children to look forward to learning each day; and l providing a welcoming and engaging environment.

To help you achieve these goals, this book contains a wonderful variety of learning-filled games, a short play, bulletin board ideas, reproducible activity pages, and more. Turn to this book for tried-and-true classroom-building ideas your students will love.

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You’ll find activities that help settle down and focus students, as well as those that get them into an enthusiastic, “I can do it” frame of mind. Best of all, each activity in the book requires minimal preparation! We’ve also included ideas for getting organized: convenient checklists to help you remember the things you need to do and the supplies you need to get, a sample newsletter to send home to parents, and even tips for preparing for substitute teachers. You’ll find ways to get started with class rules and routines, fun listening activities, and lots of other engaging activities that help build community in the classroom.

 Makee the start  Mak start of this this school school year year the best best yet!

Roll Into Learning o liven up your classroom instantly instantly,, try the Roll Into Learning bulletin boar d set (Scholas (Scholastic, tic, 200 2003). 3). The bright bright and colorf colorful ul set is perfect perf ect for welcom welcoming ing

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your students students back to school. It includ includes es 31 readyto-personalize, to-personali ze, kid-pleasin kid-pleasingg animals on skateboards and skates. A teaching guide pro p rovide videss lots of of ideas ideas on using the set for classroom management and displaying displa ying children’s children’s work, as well as cross-curri cr oss-curricular cular connecti conn ections ons for langua language ge ar ar ts, math math,, scie science, nce, and social studies. studies. It’ It’ss a perfect way way to roll into into the new school year!

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Before the First Day t’s no secret that when you prepare for something, the sooner you start and the more time you devote to it, the easier it will be. The checklists and tips in this section can help you prepare for the first day of school with ease.

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(page 8) (page Prep-Steps Checklist The Prep-Steps Checklist is intended to help you with all the pre-term preparation you need to remember to do. Copy this list each year to help prepare you for the first day of school. Save This!Checklist This!Checklist(page 9)

Copy and post this list as a reminder of materials to save for class projects. This list also includes ways to put these materials to work. You may also want to send copies of this list home to parents so they know what you need them to save and donate.

TIPS!

Proced Pr ocedur ures Chec Checklist klist(page 10)

Use the categories on this checklist as guidelines to create your own checklist for classroom procedures. (page 11) Classroom Organization Or ganization Checklist This page lists important things to consider when organizing your classroom (including safety reminders). Class List andAll-Purpose Char t (pages 12 and 13)

The reproducible reproducible class list and all-purpose chart will come in handy for recording all sorts of things all year long!

l

Set time limits for tasks.

l

Take advantage of  the time you spend waiting in line, at an appointment, for meetings to begin, and so on.

Flexible GroupingT GroupingTech echniq niques ues(page 14)

This page suggests how (and when) to group students randomly, by ability or skill, for cooperative learning, by interest, task, or knowledge of subject, as well as student choice. You can use this all year long. Letters Home(page 15)

A weekly newsletter is an effective way to communicate with parents on a regular basis. Try sending the first one out before the first day of  school to help students look forward to coming to your class. Preparing or f  Substitutes(page 19)

Prior to the first day of school, develop Plan B and Plan C to minimize disruptions to learning.

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Prep-Steps Checklist CLASSROOM ❑

❑ ❑ ❑

❑ ❑ ❑

Decide what will go on bulletin boards: • Where Where will you post announcements, announcements, the lunch lun ch menu, menu, and a calen calendar dar?? • Wha Whatt kind of welcome-back display will you put up? • Which boards will be for subject-area work?? • Wher work Where e will students’ students’ original original work be displayed? Set up learning centers Make signs for room Postt your name, Pos name, class, and room room number on on both the board board and the door, door, where parents and students can easily see them

STUDENT INFORMATION ❑ ❑

❑

❑ ❑

Make class list to post on door (can be used used later for report cards, etc.)  _______________________  ___________ _______________________ ______________  ___ ❑  ___________  _______________________ _______________________ ______________  ___   _______________________  ___________ _______________________ ______________  ___ ❑  ___________  _______________________ _______________________ ______________  ___ 

SUPPLIES ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

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Prepare class rolls and permanent records Prepare packets for students to take home the first day day.. Include: ❑ Emergency forms ❑ School rules ❑ Supplies ❑ Bus or transportation rules ❑ Notes to parents Check to see which students may be going to special classes Prepare a file for correspondence from parents Make a checklist for returned forms

Textbooks Supplemental materials Plan book  Grade book  Attendance materials Paper clips Construction paper Manila folders Adhesive labels Different kinds of tape Rubber bands Stapler and staples Handwriting paper Scrap paper Spare pencils and pens Sticky notes Tissues  __________________________________   _______________________ ___________   _______________________  ___________ _______________________  ___________ 

OTHER LOGISTICS

❑

Reconnect with other teachers Find Fin d out schedu schedules les for lunch, lunch, gym, art, mus music, ic, and library Check out Read-Alouds and other librar y books Set up a substitute folder. folder. Inclu Include: de: ❑ Daily schedule (fill in as soon as possible) ❑ Seating chart (fill in as soon as possible) ❑ Reproducible activities (across content areas) Prepare a file for faculty bulletins Write tentative lesson plans for the coming week  Duplicate materials needed for the first few days Find out how to add information to the school’s Web site (if available)  _______________________  ___________ _______________________ ______________  ___   _______________________  ___________ _______________________ ______________  ___ 

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 _______________________  ___________ _______________________ ______________  ___ 

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❑ ❑

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Adapted from Learning to Teach Teach by Linda Linda Shalaway Shalaway (Scho (Scholasti lastic, c, 1998 1998))

 

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Save This! Checklist SAVE THIS:

TO USE FOR:

❑

Paper Pape r ba bags

Costumes, masks Costumes, masks,, fold fold-aw -away ay towns, wigs, puppe puppets, ts, forms for papier papier-mâché -mâché animals

❑

Plastic lids

Coasters, Coast ers, frame frames, s, mobi mobile le parts, molds for for plaster plaster plaques plaques

❑

Buttons

 Jewelry,  Jew elry, mosaics, eyes for stuffed animals, collages, games

❑

Pantyhose/stockings

Weav eaving, ing, braidi braiding, ng, knitt knitting, ing, cro crocheti cheting, ng, soft sculpture, sculpture, heads for dolls or puppets

❑

Nuts,cones,pods,and seeds

Mosaics, jew Mosaics, jewelry elry,, deco decorated rated wreat wreaths, hs, candl candle e rings, rings, box boxes, es, frame frames, s, flower pictures

❑

Sto nes,she Stone s,shells lls,and ,and water wat ersmoothed glass

Paperwe Pape rweights ights,, sculpt sculptures ures,, jew jewelry elry,, mosa mosaics ics

❑

Pressed flowers, lea leav ves, and gras grass s

Place mats, wind window ow transparencies transparencies,, colla collages ges

❑

Rug and tile samples

Hot-dish Hot -dish mats, mats, cov covers ers for small books, books, mosa mosaics, ics, fuzz fuzzyy boxes, dio dioramas ramas

❑

Odd mittens, mitten s,glo glov ves, and socks sock s

Finger and hand puppets, clothes for small dolls

❑

Hangers

Simple Simpl e mobiles, mobiles, clot cloth h banners, banners, wea weavings vings,, masks

❑

Scrap wood

Toys, carvings carvings,, const constructi ruction, on, games games,, build building ing blocks, blocks, print printing ing blocks blocks

❑

Bits of string,yarn, and cord

Weav eaving, ing, stitc stitchery hery,, knitt knitting, ing, cro crocheti cheting, ng, braid braiding, ing, strin stringg paint painting, ing, animal tails

❑

Gift Gi ft wrap pa paper per

Collages, Coll ages, paper wea weaving, ving, paper chains chains,, orig origami, ami, beads beads,, diora dioramas mas

❑

Old jewelry  Wire

New jewelry jewelry,, accen accents ts in ceram ceramics, ics, holid holiday ay ornaments, ornaments, colla collages ges Armatures for papier-mâché papier-mâché or clay sculpture, flexible skeletons skeletons for cloth dolls, dolls, jew jewelry elry

❑

Plastic meal tra ys ys

Printmaki Print making, ng, neckl necklaces, aces, frame frames, s, dior dioramas amas

❑

Plastic packing chips

Decorative chains, constructions

❑

Foil pans and tra ys ys

Plaques, Plaqu es, ornam ornaments, ents, jew jewelry elry,, lante lanterns, rns, rhy rhythm thm instr instrument umentss

❑

Egg cartons

Container Cont ainers, s, sculp sculpture tures, s, animal animals, s, plant planters ers

❑

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 _______________  ________ ______________ ______________ ________ _ _______ ______________ _______________ _______________ ______________ ______________ _______________ ___________  ___ 

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 _______________  ________ ______________ ______________ ________ _ _______ ______________ _______________ _______________ ______________ ______________ _______________ ___________  ___ 

Adapted from article in Instructor  (October 1980) by Diane Crane

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Procedures Checklist Beginning Class

Ending Class

Assignments

❑ ❑

Roll call, call, abse absentee nteess Tardy students

❑

Putting away supplies, equipment

❑

Communicating homework  Communicating assignments

❑

Get-ready routines

❑

Cleaning up

❑

Turning in assignments

❑

Distributing materials

❑

Dismissing class

❑

Returning assignments

❑

 ___________________  _________ _____________  ___ 

❑

 ____________________  __________ ____________  __ 

❑

Checking assignments in class

❑

 ___________________  _________ _____________  ___ 

❑

 ____________________  __________ ____________  __ 

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Students exchanging papers

❑

Making up missed work  Marking and grading

Work Requirements

Other Procedures

❑

❑

Heading papers

❑

Rules

❑

 ____________________  __________ ____________  __ 

❑

Use of pen or pencil

❑

Lunch procedures

❑

 ____________________  __________ ____________  __ 

❑

Writing on back of paper

❑

Student helpers

❑

Neatness Neat ness,, legib legibility ility

❑

❑

Incomplete work 

❑

Substitute procedures Borrowing books

❑

 ___________________  _________ _____________  ___ 

❑

 ____________________  __________ ____________  __ 

❑

Grading criteria

❑

 ___________________  _________ _____________  ___ 

❑

 ____________________  __________ ____________  __ 

❑

Contracting with students for grades Extra credit

Instructional Activities

Room/School Areas

❑

❑

Signals for students’ attention

❑

Shared materials

❑

 ____________________  __________ ____________  __ 

❑

Teacher’s desk 

❑

 ____________________  __________ ____________  __ 

Signals for teacher’ teacher’ss attention

❑

Student desks

❑

Learning centers, stations

Academic Feedback

Student talk during seatwork  Activities to do when work is done

❑

Playground

❑

Rewards and incentives

❑

Lunchroom

❑

Posting student work 

❑

Water fountain

❑

❑

Bathroom

Communicating with parents

❑

Pencil sharpener

❑

Students’ record of grades

❑

Written comments on assignments

❑

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Grading Procedures ❑ Recording grades

❑

Student movement in and out of small group

❑

Bringing materials to group

❑

Expected behavior in group

❑

Expected behavior of students not in group

❑

 ___________________  _________ _____________  ___ 

❑

 ___________________  _________ _____________  ___ 

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 ____________________  __________ ____________  __ 

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 ____________________  __________ ____________  __ 

❑

 ____________________  __________ ____________  __ 

❑

 ____________________  __________ ____________  __ 

Excerpted from a list developed by the Mid-continent Regional Educational Laborator y, 2550 S. Parke Parkerr Road, Road, Suite 500, Aurora Aurora,, CO 80014

 

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Classroom Organization Checklist Seat Arrangement Using grid paper, paper, pencil in the shapes and spaces of your room and organize groups or rows of of desks. Make it simple to change seating ar ar rangements by writing each student’s student’s name on a small sticky note and r earranging as necessar necessaryy. Keep in mind the f ollowing suggestions: suggestions: ❑

Let the physical layout of the classroom reflect your personality and  teaching style. style .

❑

Arrange the room so that that y ou can make eye contact with every stude student. nt.

❑

Keep high-traffic areas (like the pencil sharpener) free of congestion.

❑

Create special special comfort areas for reading and writing.

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Make space available for students to store their belongings.

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Label classroom materials to help struggling readers and second-language learners.

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Post classroom rules and the discipline policy where students and visitors can see them clear ly ly..

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Organize the classroom Organize classroom librar y by categories, such as genre genre or  theme, to facilitate independent book selection.

TIPS! l

Place needed materials within reach of your work space.

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Move your desk from view of the door to discourage colleagues who may be prone to chat.

l

Do your best, but avoid perfectionism.

Revise your layout as necessary necessar y.

Special Safety Checklist: ❑

Fasten rugs so no one one tr ips.

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Keep window and door door exits unobstr unobstr ucted.

❑

Eliminate frayed cords and other electr ical dangers (such as extension cords across a pathwa y).

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Display or store breakable items in safe places.

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Safely store ar t and science supplies—especiall supplies—especiallyy anything sharp or toxic.

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Review various emergency emergency procedures, procedures, such as the fire-drill route. route.

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.Class List Name 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 28. 29. 30.

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All-Purpose Chart

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Flexible Grouping Techniques Grouping Technique

How

Use when . . .

Example

Random

This is completely arbitrary; have students group  themselves by like titles titles or by given colors.

...placement is primarily for management and forming groups of equal size. size. Also good good to use when you are trying to get students to know one another.

Students choose a title from a bag you circulate and group  themselves by like title. There are enough titles to form groups of equal size.

Achievement (Ability)

Use performance on a reading measure; students with similar  scores are placed in the same group.

. . . you want want to have student studentss read literature selections at their  instructional levels as determined by the reading measure.

 When compl completing eting a folk tale tale unit, stude students nts are directed to read a folk tale that corresponds  to their their general general reading levels.

Social (Cooperative)

Group students according to specific social skills skills (leader s, followers) heterogeneous in  that each has different skills.

...students will need to function in different different roles; stude students nts learn different roles from one another and work together to complete a group task.

Students read a script and glean important information to share with the rest of the class.  When prepa preparing, ring, one person reads,, anot reads another her takes notes, another draws. One child child is  the grou group p spokesperson spokesperson..

Interest

This group is based on an interest survey.Assign survey. Assign students students  to a group or have them assign  themselves to a group based on interest in a topic .

. . . stude student nt interest interest is the main motivating force for learning about a topic.

Students who are interested in a favorite author or illustrator come together to learn more about him/her.

Task

Those who are successful in completing given types of  activities are grouped together.

. . . you want want to enable enable students students  to use their strongest strongest modality  to show understanding.

Children who find drawing enjoyable enjoyab le are grouped  together to construct scenery scener y for the reenactment reenactment of a stor y.

Knowledge of  Subject

Students with knowledge of a given subject or hobby are grouped together.

. . . you want want students students to see likeness among one another and share information.

Students who are interested in baseball cards are grouped  together to share the the statistics of their favorite players.

Skill/Strategy

Students lacking in a skill or  strategy are grouped together.

. . . you want want to teach the the skill or  strategy to those who need to learn it.

Children who need to lear n specific print concepts are grouped to learn them.

Student Choice

Students are allowed to group  themselves according according to a like characteristic such as author or genre.

. . . you want to use literature response groups in which students take take the lead; lead; also good good  to use when student student success is not dependent on choice .

Several books are displayed and students are invited to choose  the book book they they would like like to read.Those with like titles are  then put in the same same group group..

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“Flexible Grouping Techniques” Techniques” adapted from Flexible Grouping in Reading: Practical Ways to Help All Students Become Michael Opitz. Opitz. Cop Copyright yright © 1998 by Michael Michael Opitz. Used by permission permission of Scholas Scholastic, tic, Inc. Better Readers by Michael

 

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Letters Home During August, help set the stage for positive attitudes toward school and learning by writing a note to each each student on y our roster, roster, welcoming the child to your class. Students will look forward to the first day of  school,l, feel schoo feeling ing that you are really really interested interested in them. them. If at any time new students are enrolled in your class, class, writing a note to them at the end of  their first day will help them feel welcome.

Collaborative Classroom Chronicle A weekly class newsletter is an effective way to foster home–school communication communicati on any time of the year y ear.. To help both parents par ents and children better know what they can expect in the coming coming y ear ear,, try mailing one to each student’s family family before the school year begins. The newsletter might feature articles on your approach to teaching, the class goals you’ve you’ ve set for the coming y ear ear,, any homework homework or absence policies, important class important class rules, rules, the first first book the class class will r ead, as well as a list of needed neede d classroom supplies. This is also a g ood time time to mention mention weekly evaluatio eval uation, n, repo report rt card, or conference conference procedur procedures. es. Her Here e is a sample letter you may want want to include in the first first ne wsletter: Dear Parents, Please enjoy this first issue of the Classroom Chronicle. Chronicle. I’ve sent this newsletter home to you to introduce myself, share some of my philosophies on teaching, and give you and your child a hint of what to expect in the coming year. This year promises to be a great one. Your child will be learning many new things this year—academic, organizational, organi zational, and social skills, as well as self-conf self-confidence idence and responsibility. In order to keep you informed of your child’s progress, I plan to send home a weekly newsletter announcing upcoming projects, reporting on the previous week’s activities, and informing you of special needs our class might have. If you have any questions or concerns throughout the year, please do not hesitate to contact me. A note or phone call to request a meeting time in advance will help me to give you and your child my undivided attention.

 

I am looking forward to meeting you and your child. I’m looking  forward to working with you this year as we help your child reach his or her maximum potential and experience all the joys of learning. Sincerely, 15

 

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Classroom Chronicle: All Year Long Creating a classroom newsletter on a regular basis may seem like yet another responsibility responsibility.. By sharing sharing the task task with students, students, you can provide not only necessary necessary information to parents, but also a quick and easy easy wa y to publish students’ writing on a r egular basis. Monda Mondayy through Thursda Thursdayy, choose one student eacshe each h night to write tw learned o complete para about something he or he did that da y, one whatorwas fromparagraphs from thegraphs experience, and how he or she felt f elt about the day’s activities. activities.The The next day that that student will type type the information into the computer, computer, including a title title,, name, and date date at the top top of the the ar ticle. By the end of the week, w eek, four different students will have written about the school day and added the article to the computer. computer. (If no computers computers are available, available, students should neatly rewrite the information onto a sheet of pa per per.) .) At the end of the w eek, write a brief article that describes your thoughts about the past past week, information about upcoming e vents and thematic units,, req units requests uests for for parent volunte volunteers, ers, and so forth. Add your your brief article, article, as well as the four student articles, to the Classroom Chronicle template template (pages 17–18), (pages 17–18), incl include ude some related related clip art, cop copyy the newsletter newsletter, and send it home home to parents. par ents. If your school school has a digital digital camera, camera, cons consider ider taktaking snapshots of your students each week to add to the newsletter. Students will connect to their classr oom community and practice writing skills. Parents will appreciate being kept well-informed and and they will enjoy reading about students’ experiences. clip art

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Classroom Chronicle

Extra! Extra!

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Read All About Us!

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Monday

Tuesday

c  c 

Wednesday

Thursday

 

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Preparing for Substitutes (and the Unexpected)

TIPS!

So you’ve you’ve made all of your y our preparations for the first day of school. You’ ou’re re ready to greet your new students and and start star t the school year off right. Out of the blue, an emergency emergency happens. happens. How Howev ever er,, an unexpected unexpected absence absence on the first day (or any day) doesn’t have to be a disaster, if you’re you’re prepared!

l Create a form letter to

Prior to the first first day of school, when planning your own classroom classroom procedures (see Procedures Checklist, page 10), pay special attention attention to how you envision your class having a productive pr oductive day with a substitute teacher,, ensuring that “lost” teacher “lost” time becomes “learning” “learning” time. You may have

l While detailed lesson

already even developed developed an emergency activity activity file f or this very purpose! It always helps to revisit and add to these ideas from time to time. The reproducible substitute teacher information form (page 20) is a great way to record all of the essential essential inf ormation a substitute will need. You can use it “as is” or adapt it to suit the par ticular needs of your classroom. Whate Whatever ver you use, it is important to familiarize familiarize substitute substitutess with daily dai ly proc procedures edures such as lunch and attendance counts, discipline and other class classroom room routine routines, s, and seating seating charts. charts. Also Also,, let them them know the shortest route to the near est restroom! Remember to prepare students as soon as possible possible f or the inevitability of a substitute. substitute. As a class, class, brainstorm possible situations situations that might lead to a substitute (such as a teacher meeting) or another kind of disruption (such as a fellow f ellow classmate classmate getting sick or a par ent or the principal knocking on the door). Remind them how they can help the substitute and why their cooperation is important. impor tant. You can also brainstorm brainstorm a special version ver sion of the the class class rules. rules. Write them them on a chart. Ask students students to sign it showing they agree to follow these rules when there is a substitute or or another disruption. disruption. And if the consequences consequences of br eaking the rules are also posted, this can minimize less-than-optimum less-than-optimum behavior when you’re you’re not around.You around.You might even wish to include beha vioral expectations for substitute days in your y our first newsletter ne wsletter.. One of the most effective ways to find a reliable substitute is to thank  those who do a g ood job in your classroom. You can call or write them a note. Inform the principal principal when you’ve had an exceptional substitute

students encouraging their good behavior in your absence. plans will help you feel  more at ease, when possible give substitutes the chance to teach. Most can—and want to—undertake genuine teaching responsibiliti responsibilities. es. l Create a folder that

contains quick warm-ups and ready-to-go work such as the repr reprodu oducible cible sheets and short activities found in this book. This limits the paper to go through and provides a place to put collected work. Keep a list of a few books students are sure to love hearing read aloud. l Ask the substitute to

list negative and  positive experien experiences ces of the day. You may want to develop a form or checklist.

and ask for them each each time you are in need. The continuity of of the same great substitute time after time is ideal.

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The First Day he first day is the most important one during the first weeks of school.

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It is crucial to create a positive first impression. Students will view both your actions and the classroom environment as informal cues to your expectations of them. If classroom activities flow smoothly, students will notice and, ideally, behave accordingly. One way to set the tone for a productive year is to have an assignment ready to go on the first day—so students can begin working as soon as class begins. The Reading Connection (page 22) To help reduce first-day worries and lighten everyone’s mood, try sharing a good story or laugh as a class. Turn to page 23 for a list of some just-right first-day books to read aloud. Name Games(page Games(page 24) Typically, students answer roll call with a standard “Here.” To liven up this procedure—and learn a little about your students—try students—try some alternate ways to take attendance. Student Inf  ormation(page ormation (page 25)

Gathering student information on the first day is a necessary, but often time-consuming, task. A reproducible student information form (page 26) will make make gathering gathering student student information information as easy as possible. Class Rules and Routines (page 27)

Presenting classroom rules and routines as you would a regular lesson is an effective way to familiarize students with many of the situations they’ll encounter over the course of the year. While there are bound to be a few rules not open to discussion, it’s helpful to involve students in brainstorming some classroom rules. Share the read-aloud play (page 28) with your class to precede the brainstorming process.

TIPS! l There’s no match for

arriving early. Give yourself plenty of  time so that your stress level remains in check, and you have time to put your things away and be at the door in time to greet students with a welcoming smile. l Try starting students

with something something they already know how to do, such as a simple drawing or writing activity, or a word search. This will help them feel successful  and confident.

Gett Ge ttin ing g to Kn Kno o w You (page 32)

Discovering similarities among one another is a favorite part of the back-to-school season. Remember to help students “get to know” the important features of the room and the school, as well.

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Listening Activities (page 35) The opening days of school are such a whirlwind of activity that some of  your students may find it hard to concentrate. So here are a few activities to help them do just that. Reprodu Repr oducib cible Act Activit ivities ies(page 38)

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Remember to write your name on the board so students can learn it immediately. If your name is difficult to pronounce, try dividing it into syllables, or including a phrase like, “rhymes “rhymes with . . .” You may also invite children to write their own names on the board before sitting down quietly. Post or store extra assignments in a regular place. Students who finish assignments early will know exactly where to find another one.

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If possible, limit the amount of clerical work you do on the first day. Also try to avoid leaving the room while students are there. However, providing a ready-to-go activity or two for students can keep them productively engaged from the start, allowing you to take care of any necessary details as they arise. Cursive Nameplate: This is an instant cursive alphabet. Students can practice tracing both upper- and lowercase letters, and write and display their own names. First-Day Challenge: Students can work on their own or in pairs. For an extra challenge (or in teams), ask them to include more than one answer per box. What’s Wrong With This Picture?: Find ten zany things in a classroom scene: wacky clock, rain under the umbrella, dog-student, fish outside window, upside-down flowers, calendar, girl on swing, girl in pajamas, missing desk leg, flippers for shoes. Back to School: Find the correct path through the maze to get from home to school. Hidden Words: This word search contains twenty school-related words .

The Reading Connection Opening-Day Book Sharing Promote enthusiasm enthusiasm for reading throughout the year by b y sharing your love of reading on the very ver y first day of school. school. Describe your favorite favorite books and ask pupils to tell you y ou about theirs. Encourage them them to share share what they read during the summer.W summer. Was it different from what they the y read during the school year? Perhaps they read comics, statistics on the back  back  of baseball baseball cards, or directions to a game game.. Invite children children to bring to school and share whatever they enjoyed reading the most. When children arrive, arrive, let them discover books books in all sorts sor ts of places and containers. Perhap Perhapss have have books hanging hanging from the ceiling, ceiling, or piled high high in a reading corner corner.. Why not not fill a basket with magazines and a toy to y sink  with books? Remember Remember to give giv e children plenty of time to browse br owse through the books.

 

Back-to-School Read-Aloud Books  Amber Brown Is Not a Crayon by Paula Danziger (Putnam, 1994) What’s third-grader Amber Brown going to do now that her best friend

Miss Nelson Is Missing! by Harry Allard and James Marshall (Houghton Mifflin, 1985) Miss Nelson’s class tends to be a little

Justin is moving away?  Amelia’s Notebook by Marissa Moss (Pleasant, 1999) A nine-year-old records her thoughts about moving, school, her sister, her best friend, and a new friend.

unruly substitute teacher Swampuntil straightens them out. Viola

Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes (William Morrow, 1996) Chrysanthemum loves her name— until she goes to school and the children make fun of her. Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs

by Judi &Barrett (Simon Schuster, 1982) Life is delicious in this tall-tale town where it rains soup and juice, snows mashed potatoes, and more! The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me by Roald Dahl (Penguin Putnam, 1998) Billy joins the Ladderless WindowCleaning Company and gets not only a new job but also three new friends. Leo the Late Bloomer by Robert Kraus (HarperCollins, 1994) This is the reassuring story of Leo, a young tiger, who finally blooms— proving that eventually everyone does. Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes (William Morrow, 1996) When Lilly can’t resist showing off her purple purse, her teacher shares a lesson about apologies and forgiveness. The Lost and Found by Mark Teague (Scholastic,, 2000) (Scholastic Two boys show a new girl in school  the Lost and Found, and end up having quite an adventure. Measuring Penny by Loreen Leedy (Henry Holt and Company, 1998) Lisa learns that there are many ways to measure a dog.

The New Kid on the Block by Jack Prelutsky (Greenwillow, 1990) Includes over 100 hilarious poems children will love. Sometimes I Feel Like a Mouse by Jeanne Modesitt (Scholastic, 1996) A child experiences different feelings. Somewhere Today by Shelley Thomas (Whitman, 1998) People bring about peace by caring

Some Favorite Authors Born in September 3

Alik Al ikii Bran Brande denb nber erg g (192 (1929) 9)

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Jack Ja ck Pre Prelu luts tsky ky (19 (1940 40))

13 Ro Roal ald d Da Dahl hl (1 (191 916) 6) 15 Tom omie ie de deP Pao aola la (19 (1934 34))

for one another and their world. The Teacher From the Black Lagoon by Mike Thaler (Scholastic (Scholastic,, 1997) On the first day of school, a boy falls asleep and dreams that his class is taught by Mrs. Green—a monster! Thank You, Mr. Falker by Patricia Polacco (Putnam, 1998) Mr. Falker, a very special teacher, recognizes Trisha’s dyslexia and helps her. Tom by Tomie dePaola

(Putnam, The author1997) draws from his own childhood in a story about his grandfather. We Are Best Friends by Aliki (William Morrow, 1991) This story is about keeping friends and making new ones. Where Are You Going  Manyoni? by Catherin Catherinee Stock (William Morrow, 1993) In Zimbabwe, a child encounters several wild animals on her long walk to school. 23

 

Name Games  Fun Ways Ways to Call Roll and  Line Up or Dismiss Students Attendance Instead of answering roll call with a standar d “Here, “Here,”” during the first week of school, ask children to respond to one of the f ollowing quesquestions when they hear their names:

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TIPS!

To encourage listening skills, try “quizzing” students on their classmates’ responses. If several students have similar responses, you may want to use the information for a whole-class graphing activity.

Day 1: Day 2: Day 3:

What is your favorite food?

Day 4: Day 5:

What is your y our favorite animal? What is your y our favorite game?

What is your y our favorite TV show or movie? What is your y our favorite holiday?

The second week of school, you might might have students answer these questions at roll call:

Day Day Day Day Day

6: 7: 8: 9: 10:

In what city or town were you born? What is your y our favorite school subject? When is your birthday? Who is your y our favorite celebrity? What color are your eyes? e yes?

You are sure to think of many man y other lively questions to ask students.

Lining Up With a Twist When you’re you’re pressed for time, the quickest way to line your students up for classroom exit is probably row by row or group gr oup by group. However Howe ver,, if you’ve you’ve got a few extra minutes, why not not try tr y a fun and and unusual un usual method? Lining up for lunch or dismissal dismissal at the end of the da y is a perfect time time to play a game game using students’ names. It requires the use of various various language language terms and skills. Start by giving giving a clue clue about a name . shar es the number of syllables syllables f ound in For example: If your name shares “syllable,” “syllabl e,” please line line up . Or: If your first name contains contains eight eight letter letters, s, please  line up . If a student (for example, example, Rey Reynald naldo) o) recognizes recognizes the the clue as referr referring ing to his his name name , he calls calls out out the name name . If correc correct, t, that perso person n gets in in line. If, in a reasonabl reasonable e amount amount of time time,, he does does not recognize recognize the clue referring referring to his name name,, any student student who does may answer though no one may get in line.

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Besides names, you can can focus on other student attributes:

1. Students Students who who have have green green anywher anywhere e on their their socks, socks, plea please se line line up . . . now stude students nts with with red on their socks . . . now students students with yellow on th thei eirr soc socks ks . . . Stud who whose favo rite icin ice e tcream flanvor flavor i.sst rocky roa road 2. Students now no w ents pis ista tac chi hio ose . . .favorite pepp pe pper erm m int . . . ba bana nan a . . is stra rawb wber erry ryd. .. .. .van aniill llaa . . . choc ch ocol olat ate e ...

3. Stud Studen ents ts wh whos ose e fav favor orit ite e sport sport is is ten tenni niss . . . so socc ccer. er. . . vo voll lley eyba ball ll . . . swimming . . . skiing . . . basketball . . . football . . . baseball . . .

TIPS!

There’s no end to the n umber of clues and categories you can devise There’s de vise for lining up. l

Student Information

Gathering student information on the first first day is a necessary necessar y, but often time-consuming, task. Remember Remember,, being as as thorough as possible possible the first first time around will will help maximize maximize the rest r est of your classroom classroom time, making it more productive and learning-filled.

opening-of-day exercises. l

Textbook Te xtbook Distribution To keep track of textbooks, try an alphabetical filing system using index index cards. car ds. On each each card, card, ask student studentss to list list their their name name , addr address, ess, and phone phone number,, as well as each subject number subject that has a textbook (y ou can write a list list on the chalkboard chalkboard or an overhead). Then students can can write the name of the textbook and the n umbers numbers each text ayour fter the a ppropriat ppropriate e subject on the index cards. Remindofstudents ofafter own rules regarding textbooks, such as as not marking in them, creating a protective protective cover for them, whether they they are allowed allowed to remove remove them from the classroom, classroom, and what any related consequences are.

Explain, discuss, and give students a chance to practice such su ch routin routines es as

Post a general  schedule for lunch, music, physical education, recess, and classwork. Emphasize and teach routines that will  help students move into these periods quickly and efficiently.

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Remember, students won’t learn classroom routines all in a day. Continue to emphasize and practice for the first few weeks.

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Student Information

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Name_____________________ Name________ ___________________________ __________________________  ____________   ____  Address________________ Address___ ___________________________ ___________________________ ________________   ___  ___   ___________________________  ______________ __________________________ ________________________  ___________   _____   _ ____  Phone number_____________ number___________________________ __________________________  ____________   _____  _ ____ Birth date__________ date_______________________ __________________________ ____________________  _______   _____   _ ____ 

These are the subjects I like the most (check all that apply): ❑

reading

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math

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social studies

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science

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art

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music

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gym

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other____________________________ 

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writing

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spelling

When I don’t understand something I usually: ❑

ask the teacher

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ask a family member

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try to figure it out on my own

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other______________________ other_________ ___________________________ ____________________  ______ 

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ask a classmate

These are some of the things I can do (check all that apply): ❑

use a computer

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play an instrument

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take care of a pet

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play a sport

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take a bus

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ride in a car

To get to school I usually: ❑

walk 

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ride a bike

My favorite kinds of books to read are (check all that apply): ❑ ❑

biographies adventure

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mysteries science fiction

❑ ❑

tall tales ❑ historical fiction ❑ nonfiction other_________________________________________ 

What do you like to do in your free time? ____________  __________________________ _________________________  ___________   ___________________________  ______________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________  _____________ 

Who is someone you admire? ____________  _________________________ __________________________ _________________________  ____________   ___________________________  _____________ ___________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________  _____________ 

What would you like to be when you grow up?  _____________  __________________________ ___________________  ______   ___________________________  ______________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________  _____________ 

What is one of your goals for this school year? ____________  _________________________ ____________________  _______   ___________________________  _____________ ___________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________  _____________ 

 

Class Rules and Routines Class Rules and Routines Presenting the most important classroom rules and routines as you would a regular lesson is an eff ective way to familiarize familiarize students with many of the situations they’ll encounter over the course of the year. Once you’ve you’ve explained the routines, open the floor to questions, questions, and give students a chance chance to practice .

Class-Created Rule List Ask students to imagine imagine there ther e are no stop signs or or traffic lights an ywhere on the streets. Why might might that be dangerous? Help them to understand that street signs and and stoplights k eep the streets safer, safer, so that fewer accidents occur occur.. Then ask: Why do we need rules in our classroom? (Some students may not know the answer.) answer.) Help them to understand understand that classr oom rules, like street signs, signs, make things safer by telling children children what to do. Present each of the following hypothetical situations. For each one one,, ask: What rule rule could we invent that would make mak e things better? (Remember never to use use the name of a child child in y our classroom.) classroom.)

baseball in the classroom, classroom, and it broke a window. 1. Tony threw a baseball whisper ing 2. While Ingrid was giving a repor t, two children were whispering  to each other. Ingrid’s feelings were hur t. Chantal were racing in the hallway. hallway. Kevin tripped and and 3. Kevin and Chantal skinned skinne d his knee. knee .

4. Paolo was talking to a fr iend while the teacher was explaining  the homework. He didn’t hear the assignment. spilled some glue on on the w orktable and left left it there there . Later Later,, 5. Sierra spilled Calvin put his paper on the tab le and now the paper is gooey.

TIP! Who Need Rules? Perform this read-aloud play (page 28) early in the school year to help show your new students the importance of following rules. Assign each student a part. The Chorus can be made up of as many students as you wish. Ask the Narrator, Rule Reciters, and Rule Breakers to read their lines in turn. (Each Rule Reciter should also hold up a sign with the pertinent classroom rule written on it, for example, “Be on time.”) The Chorus can recite each classroom lesson—or sing it to the tune of “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.”

On a large large sheet of oaktag, oaktag, write the rules that the students suggest. Challenge students to come come up with mor e situations where rules are needed.. Hang the needed the list of rules in the classr classr oom. Chanc Chances es are it will be strictly adhered to because the students made made the rules themselv es.

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Who Need Rules?

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Narrator:

Welcome to our classroom play. It tells of rules w e must obey. You have to follow every rule. If you don’t, you’ll be a fool! Let us see what comes to pass When rules are broken in our class.

Rule #1:

Rule number number one: Be on time. time. (Holds up a sign that says “Be on time.”) 

Latecomer:

I am Latecomer Latecomer,, late to school. school. I thought being late was cool. But then I missed the work w ork assigned, assigned, And now I’ve fallen way behind!

Narrator:

Latecomer broke broke an important impor tant rule. What can we learn from this mistake?

Chorus:

Be on time to school each da y, You’ll know what to do that way. Class can be a lot of fun If you’re here when the day’s begun. Be on time and don’t be late, Watch the clock and y ou’ll feel great!

Narrator:

Now let’s see what comes to pass When another rule is broken br oken in class. class.

Rule #2:

Rule number two: Be neat when you work. (Holds up a sign that says “Be neat.”)  neat.”) 

Mr. Messy:

I’m Mr. Mr. Messy all day long. long. I never care what I do wr ong. But once with paint I made a mess And spilled it on m y classmate’s classmate’s dress!

Narrator:

Uh, oh! Mr. Mr. Mess Messyy broke broke another another important rule. What can we learn from this mistake? mistake?

Chorus:

When you’re you’re working, do be neat, Don’tt be messy at y our seat. Don’ Careful,, carefu Careful carefull what you take,

C ast Narrator Rule Reciters: • Rule #1 • Rule #2 • Rule #3 • Rule #4 • Rule #5 • Rule #6 • Rule #7 Rule Breakers: • Latecomer • Mr. or Ms. Messy • Jabbermouth • Hall-Runner • Line-Pusher • Roughhouser • Bus Show-Off  Chorus

No one spill be spill or neat br eak. Don’t Don’ t bewants messya, just messy, When you’re working at your seat.

 

Narrator:

Here’s a third rule you should know, If you you bre break ak it, it, oh oh,, oh oh,, oh oh!!

Rule #3:

Rule number three: Listen closely closely when someone is speaking. (Holds up a sign that says “Listen closely.”) 

Jabbermouth:

I’m Jabbermouth, Jabbermouth, I talk all day, day, I never hear what people say. But once, once, on a walk walk,, I got a fright fright,, The class turned left, left, and I turned turned right!

Narrator:

 Jabb ermouth  Jabbermo uth was lost beca because use of not n ot listening to the teacher’s directions. What can we learn from this mistake?

Chorus:

Listen closely closely,, listen hard, hard, Always Alwa ys keep your ears on guar d. Do not speak when others others do ,

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They will think it’s rude of you. Listen closely, closely, lend an ear, ear, Never miss what you must hear.

Narrator:

In the hallwa hall wayy, there’ there’ss a rule You should never break at school.

Rule #4:

Rule number four: Walk in the halls. halls. (Holds up a sign that says “Walk in the halls .”) 

Hall-Runner:

I’m Hall-Runner Hall-Runner,, on the run, Running in the halls is fun. But one day I ran and tripped, You should see the pants I ripped!

Narrator:

Hall-Runner learned learned this lesson the har d way. way. What can we learn from this mistake?

Chorus:

In the hallway hallway, do not run, Falling down is never fun. Walking is the way to go, Not too fast, just nice nice and slow. Don’t go running in the hall, Make the building saf saf e for all.

Narrator:

In the lunchroom line each day, Here’s a rule we must obey.

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Rule #5:

Rule number five: Be patient in the lunchroom lunchro om line. line . (Holds up a sign that says “Be patient in line .”) 

Line-Pusher:

I’m Line-Pusher Line-Pusher,, at lunch I love To cut in line and push and sho ve. But one day when I tried to push, I dropped my my lunch, and now it’s it’s mush!

Narrator:

Line-Pusher went hungry that day. day. What can we learn from this mistake?

Chorus:

In the lunchroom, do not push, Or your lunch may turn to mush. m ush.  Just be patie p atient, nt, wait in line l ine , Take your turn and you’ll be fine. Neverr push, or food may Neve may toss, toss, Apples could be applesauce!

Narrator:

On the playground, playground, there’ there’ss a rule. If you break it, it, you’ you’re re a fool.

Rule #6:

Rule number number six: six: Pla Playy safely safely on the playground. (Holds up sign that says “Play safely.”) 

Roughhouser:

I’m Roughhouser when I play, I don’t care what others say. But once I threw Mike in the dirt And accidentally accidentally he got hur t.

Narrator:

Roughhouser didn’t didn’t mean to hur t anyone, but that that is what happened. What can can we learn from this mistake?

Chorus:

On the playground, playground, don’ don’tt be rough,  Just play safe safely ly,, never toug tough. h. Have fun when you’re in the yard, Play your your best but not too har d. Cut the roughhouse when you play, No one will get hur t that way. way.

Narrator:

Our final rule rule is f or all of us Who come to school on the bus.

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Rule #7:

Rule number seven: seven: Sta Stayy sitting on the bus. (Holds up a sign that says “Stay sitting on the bus .”) 

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Bus Show-Off:

I’m a show-off on the bus, I walk around and make a fuss. But one time, time, when we made made a stop, stop, I fell down and went “KERPLOP!” “KERPLOP!”

Narrator:

After that that accident, accident, Bus Show-Off Show-Off was very sore.What can we learn from this mistake?

Chorus:

On the bus, bus, yo you u must sit down down As the driver drives through town. Never stand stand up in the aisle . You may fall and lose your smile. On the bus, bus, just keep keep your seat, seat, You’ll be safe, which can’t can’t be beat!

Narrator:

Those are the rules we must obey In class, class, at lunch, lunch, or when when we play play. You must follow every rule, If you don’t, you’ll be a fool. Now let’s have a quick review So we’ll remember what to do.

Rule #1:

Be on time.

Rule #2:

Be neat.

Rule #3:

Listen closely.

Rule #4:

Walk in the halls.

Rule #5:

Be patient in line.

Rule #6:

Play safely.

Rule #7:

Stay sitting on the bus.

All Students:

We remember all the rules, We will keep them—we’re no fools!

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Getting to Know You Get Acquainted Bulletin Board This activity activity,, which you can begin on the first first day da y of school, school, can help you become better acquainted with your students by leaving notes for them that they can answer.

TIP! On the first day, ask students to bring one special thing from home—a favorite toy, a pillow, a game, a picture.. Place all the picture special things in a quiet corner and let children use it for a reading nook.

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First, attach one envelope with each student’s name on it to the bulletin bulletin board.Then explain to students that every e very Monday Monday,, for instance, you will leave lea ve them each each a note that they the y should pick pick up, rea read, d, and reply reply to. In the first first note, note , inclu include de a little information information about about yourself. yourself. For example, example, you might write:

Dear Daniel, I like to make my own kites and fly them. What things do you like to do? Your teacher, Ms. Manderville

 

Ask students to write notes in r esponse and leave them in their envelopes for you you to find the following f ollowing day day. The second note might might tell about an upcoming upcoming class activity. For example:

Dear Sonia, This week we will make leaf rubbings as a science project. What else would you like to do in class this year? Your teacher, Ms. Manderville Again, ask students to write notes in r esponse and leave leave them in their envelopes for you to find the f ollowing day. day. You might want to read r ead aloud to the class some of the letters y ou received.. Discuss your students’ hobbies or the activities received activities the y would like to do as a class.

Do You Remember? This activity activity can be used to facilitate quiet time , to engage students, and to help you get to know them better. Write ten questions questions on the chalkboar chalkboar d or an overhead. (See the following sample questions.) questions.) Ask students to try tr y to write write answers to all of the questions.When questions. When they’re they’re done, collect their papers (or journals). You may be surprised what you learn! Sample questions: l

What was the last movie you saw? 

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What was the first sentence you spoke after waking up this morning? 

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What Wh at was the last veg etable you ate? 

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Whe here re were you last Sunday Sunda y night at six o’c lock ck?  ? 

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What is the earliest moment in your life that you can ca n remember? 

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What wa wass the first book you ever re read ad by b y yourself yourself?  ? 

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What Wh at was the weather like last Saturday?  Satur day? 

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What wa wass the t he fi f irst birthday bir thday par party ty you ever went went to, besi besides des your your own?  own?  What was the last holiday you celebrated celebr ated?  ? 

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When did you last pet an animal? 

TIP! Hand out five index cards to each student. Ask them to write one question on each card (about the school, classroom, daily routine, or anything else on their minds). Sample questions: 1. What books will we read this year? 2. Will we keep the  same seats all year? 3. Will we go on a  field trip? 4. When can we go to the bathroom? 5. How long is recess? Collect all the cards and put them in a box. Pull  a card at random and answer the question. Continue the activity as long as it is helpful. For the first week of school, you may wish to spend a few minutes each day answering questions.

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Classroom Discoveries At the beginning of the school school y ear ear,, children often want to investigate in vestigate all all

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To boost confidence and ease fears, begin the year with simple academic activities that guarantee a high success rate.

the nooks crannies of your classroom.Why not turn this discovery period intoand a game? Write ten questions questions on the chalkboar chalkboard d or an overhead. (See the following following sample questions.) Challenge each student student to find at at least one ans ans wer to every ev ery question. question. When students students are done, hav have e them share their answers with the class. You’ll be amazed at at the variety of items items the y discovered. discovered. Sample questions: l

Can you find f ind something made of wood? 

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Can you you find f ind something made of plastic? 

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Can you you find something made of metal? 

These can serve as trial runs for practicing such routines as turning in completed work or asking for assistance.

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Can you find something taller than you? 

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Can you find something shorter shor ter than you? 

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Can you you find f ind something that is green?  gr een? 

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Can you f ind something that tha t has r oun ounded ded cor corners?  ners? 

Have an activity laid out on each child’s desk so children can be productively engaged from the start and you can take care of “housekeeping” details. Try something students already know how to do, such as a simple drawing or writing activity, or a word search.

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Can you find something that has wheels? 

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Can you find something you can see thr thr ough? 

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Can you find something something that that locks?  loc ks? 

 

Listening Activities Observation Is a picture really worth a thousand words? Show an ordinary photograph to your students and see how many things they can tell you about about it. A few questions questions might might be necessar necessar y to stimulate their thinking. thinki ng. For example, example, with a photo photo similar similar to the pictur pictur e at right, you might ask: l

Is the sun out? 

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About how many trees can you count? 

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Is the sun to the r ight, left, behin behind, d, or in in front front of of the the phot photo o grapher? 

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Is the photographer facing north? 

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Is it sunrise or is it sunset? 

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A re there trees to the left left of the photo grapher that tha t ar e not pictured? pictured? How can you tell? 

Tell Me About It A variation on the Obser vation activity above above is Tell Me About It. Show your class class a large intricate intricate picture, pictur e, either from a Big Book, a poster, poster, or a projection that that you shine on the wall. wall. Allow the class class to study the picture for one one full minute. Then remove remove the picture and see ho how w many details each student can recall. Ask questions such as: l

How many people were in the picture? 

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What color was the woman’s dress? 

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What was the boy carrying in his r ight hand?  What han d?  What animals animals were in the picture? 

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How many people people wore hats hats?  ? 

Children love this this type of activity, activity, so even if you forget to do it often, often, your class will remember to ask for it!

Anybody Listening? Try whispering. Improv Improve e students’ listening skills skills with a ne w twist on the old game Simon Says. Instead of speaking the commands commands in a normal voice, voi ce, whisp whisper er them. them. This is also also a great way to slow slow down the pace of a game while capturing ca pturing the children’s attention. attention.

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 W r  i    t   e   y  o  u r  f    u  l    l   n  a  m  e  n i    c   u r   s  i    v  e   .

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First-Day Challenge

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Fill in each of the boxes below. Each word you write must begin with one of the letters in First in  First Day .

Food

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TV show or movie

Famous person

Clothing

City, state, province, or country

 

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What’s Wrong With This Picture?

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Find and circle ten things that are wrong in this picture.

11 12 1 8   > 3 9 >  2 6 10 754

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Back to School Find the correct path from home to school.

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Back to School Word Search

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Can you find all of these hidden words in the puzzle? Circle each one. bell bus

chair chalk

cafeteria

clock

desk

glue

eraser field trip

library notebook

office paper pencil

principal ruler scissors

stapler teacher

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First Week & Beyond You’ve gotten through the first day of school successfully and any jitters and nervousness have subsided. Now it’s time to refocus and continue building on your first-day momentum. Before you know it the classroom community will be in full swing. Follo Foll owin wing g Direct ection ions s(page 44)

Practice with following directions is a great way to start any day. Students will look forward to it if you give it a fun twist. Any directions given orally reinforce listening skills.

TIPS!

Community Building(page 45)

One of the first steps toward community building is for students to learn their classmates’ names. Another important step is for students to learn which of their classmates’ names go with which faces. Once students know their classmates’ names and can put names to faces, it’s time to start finding out what they all have in common. These activities make getting to know one another’s names, faces, and interests fun! Repr Rep rodu oducib cible Act Activit ivities ies(page 49)

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Be fast fast,, firm firm,, fair fair,, and predictable in enforcing rules.

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Reinforce good behavior by commenting on it.

Scavenger Hunts and Classmate Interview: These are great ways for students to discover interesting facts about their classmates (or the school). Distribute one of the question sheets (pages 49–52) to each child. Give students 15 minutes (more or less if you desire) to answer the questions by circulating among classmates and briefly interviewing each other. Only one answer is needed for each blank.

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All About Me Flip Book: Students create flip books that tell about themselves.

 

Materials • doubledouble-side sided d copies copies of of the All All About About Me Me template template (pages 53 and 54) • scissors • stapler • co collor ored ed pen penci cills 1. Copy the templates for the flip book back-to-back as they appear in the book. Give one template to each student. 2. Have students cut out the three panels along the thick solid separating lines. 3. Direct students to fold each panel along the dotted line as shown above. 4. Help students students slip the panels panels together together so they can see the titles for each panel. Fasten the top of each book with two staples. 5. Students should follow the directions on each of the panels to complete their flip books. Super Categories: First decide if you or your students will select the letters to use in Super Categories. Then copy and distribute one sheet to each student or student pair. You can determine the number of  words they should come up with.

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Who Am I? Glyph: Copy and distribute one sheet to each student. Students should use the legend on the page to decorate the faces so they represent themselves. For a quick bulletin board, ask students to cut out their pictures on the dotted line. Then label a bulletin board, “Meet Room XX” and post all of the pictures. Picture Writing Prompts: Copy and distribute one sheet to each student. (You can also copy, cut out, and laminate each prompt to use in a writing center.) Ask students to read their stories aloud to show that different people can see the same thing different ways. Writing Prompts: Copy and distribute one sheet to each student. (You can also copy, cut out, and laminate each prompt to use in a writing center.) Ask students to simply make a list of things in a category. You can also ask them to use the prompt to help them write a story. Wacky Words: Copy and distribute the Wacky Word puzzle sheet:

newspaper column, the light at the end of the tunnel, school crossing,  jump in the lake, lost in the woods, around around in circles, break all the rules, little sister, new underwear. Home–School Connection(page 60)

School Stationery: Use this reproducible sheet for notes to students. You can blank out the writing lines to use it for notes to parents. You can also copy it for students to use in a letter-writing activity. While You Were Out: This handy form can be used to let students know what work they missed due to absence, and when it’s due. Reward Coupon: Use thisachievement. reward coupon as an incentive for both academic and behavioral Weekly Evaluation and Conference Reminder: Keep parents apprised Weekly of their child’s progress and encourage conferences, as necessary. Remember to invite parents in to hear good news, as well! Parent Volunteers and Thank You!: Parents’ help is an invaluable resource. Don’t hesitate to request it. Follow up with a thank-you note to encourage additional help. Ask Me Ab Ask Abou outt . . . : Help parents to focus their children when asking them about their day at school. You can list the things you’d like students and parents to discuss. As the year goes on, suggest that children come up with their own topics about the school day.

Days to Remember in September l Labor Day (First Monday) l Grandparents Day

(First Sunday after Labor Day) l Citizenship Day (17) l International Day

of Peace (21) l Autumnal Equinox

(22 or 23) l American Indian Day

(Fourth Friday) l Constitution Week  l Hispanic Heritage Month l Library Card Sign-Up

Month

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Following Directions Preposition Practice

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Write each student’s name on a wooden stick and place the sticks in a can. Draw names from the can randomly as a fair way to call on students. Have a participating student choose the next person to participate. For gender equity, a boy must choose a girl. A girl  must choose a boy. To select fairly between two students or groups who want to volunteer, vary the use of triedand-true methods. Try: • rock-paper-sciss rock-paper-scissors, ors, • flipping a coin, • drawing straws, • rolling a die for the highest number, or • guessing a number you have secretly recorded.

Here’s a following-dir Here’s f ollowing-directions ections starter to tr y that reinforc r einforces es positional words.. Whisper a direction words direction for each child to follow f ollow upon entering the classroom: l

Put your hand

on  your

head.

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Put your hand

under  your

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Put your hand

behind   your

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Put your hand

over  your

chin. ear.

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Ask children to keep their hands in place place until the y reach their seats.

Wild Walk-Ins Try this follow-directions activity that also builds v ocabulary in action words. wor ds. As each child child arrives, whis whisper per a verb that describes describes how to enter the room room (you may may need need to demonstr demonstrate). ate). For exampl example: e: hop hop,, skip skip,, jump jump,, walk,, str walk stroll, oll, jog, glide, stri stride, de, and tipto tiptoe. e. You may may also also ask ask kids kids to desc describe ribe to you how they would like to enter the room r oom (subject to your approval).

Picture Grids First trace a simple simple picture pictur e onto graph paper. paper. Next give each student a sheet of blank graph graph paper (page 65). Each child begins begins at a common common starting point and and follows f ollows a set set of directions you give orally. orally. Then describe which which lines to draw to complete the picture. picture . Directions may be giv given en in ter terms ms of lef left, t, rig right; ht; up up,, dow down; n; or north north,, sou south, th, eas east, t, we west. st. By counting squares and and following the lines on the graph gra ph paper, paper, students find outlines of pictures forming on the graph paper.The pictures may be filled in as imagination indicates. As children learn the meaning of of the term diagonal  or such such directions directions as northeast, northeast, south southwes west, t, and so on, on, diag diagonal onal lines may be added to the picture.

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Community Building Learning Names

TIPS!

Class List Spelling Bee This special spelling spelling bee is designed to help students students r emember their classmates’ names.The procedure is simple: Have everyone stand up.Then select a student and give her the first name of a classmate classmate to spell. If she spells it cor correctly rectly,, give her her another name to to spell, spell, and so so on. If a student student miss misspells pells a name name , ask her her to sit sit down, and choose another another student to spell it.

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Decide on some small prize for the winner to receive, such as a book, a computer pass, a homework pass, or lunch with the teacher.

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Use student helpers.

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Eat lunch with students during the first few weeks.

If you run out out of first names, use students’ last last names (or e ven middle names, if necessary).The necessary). The winner of the spelling bee is the last student left standing in the room.

Word Search Puzzle Students will love hunting for their names in a custom-made w ord search puzzle. On a piece of plain paper pa per (or graph paper), create a puzzle that contains contains each of your students’ first names. The names can run horizontally, vertically,, and diagonally. vertically diagonally. Make copies and distribute distribute one to each child. Then see who is is first to cir cle all of the names. If it’s it’s very early in the year,, you might want to provide students with a list of class members. year

Linking-Name Game This activity challenges students to link the letters of their names to those of their classmates. Write the first names of all students on the chalkboard or on a sheet of  paper that you duplicate and hand out. Give each child a piece of graph gra ph paper, paper, making sure the boxes bo xes are big enough for students to write letters inside . Challenge students to connect as many names as possible.The names can be connected either horizontally or vertically. vertically. See if anyone can link  link  three, four four,, or more more names names together. together. Can anyone link the entire class?

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What’s in a Name? Game Ask students this riddle: What belongs to you, you, but  other people use it more mor e than you do?  The answer: Your name! This activity lets students use their classmates’ names in a creative cr eative exercise. exercise. Ask each student to write his first and last name at the top of a piece of pa per per.. Collect the papers and redistribute them at random. (If anyone anyone gets his own paper back, back, hav have e him switch with someone else.) Challenge students to create as many words as they can from the letters in the name at the top of the page. You can set a time limit limit such as fiv e minutes, or allow children to take it home overnight. When the activity activity is complete , hav have e each student read the name he received and the words he made from the letters of that name .

Learning Faces Guess Who? Game This writing exercise is a fun game and effective eff ective way for students to get acquainted with their new classmates. Begin by having each student write his name at the top of a piece of  paper.. Collect the papers and redistribute them at random. paper random. If a child receives receiv es his own name, ask him to trade papers pa pers with a neighbor. Since students may not know everybody’s everybody’s name, hav have e each child stand up and introduce introduce himself.Then write questions on the boar boar d, such as: color ar are e his/her eyes?  ey es?  1. What color

2. What color is his/her hair?  3. How tall is he/she?  wear ing today?  4. What is he/she wearing

Tell students to answer the questions about the child whose name appears on the paper they received. Hav Have e them write their their responses r esponses on that same sheet of pa per per.. When everyone is finished, collect the papers and choose one at at random. Read the description aloud. How many classmates classmates can guess who the subject is? is? Contin ue reading the papers aloud until every child has been described.

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Mystery Photo Game It’s easy to identify a person It’s person fr om his photo, photo, but not so easy when only a fraction of that photo is revealed, rev ealed, as in this fun-filled activity. activity. T ake a photo of in of each y our Have Hav e your students gather a gr grchild oup in close toclass. you. Secretly select one photo and place place it in an en velope.V velope.Very ery slowly,, start to pull the pictur slowly picture e from the envelope. Stop when the top of the subject’s head is visible. Then ask: Can anyone identify this per son?  If no one can can guess cor cor rectly rectly,, pull a little more of  the picture out out of the en envelope. velope. See which student can be the first first to identify identify the classmate classmate . Repea Repeatt the activity using several or all of the photos. For another challenge, you can can show just the eyes, nose, or mouth mouth of a photo photo .

More Fun With Mystery Photos: Baby Pictures For a fun twist twist on the the Myster Myster y Photo game, game, ask students students to bring bring in bab bab y pictures (you may even choose to join join in this game). game). Post the pictures pictures in random order and ask students to guess which of their classmates is in which baby picture!

Classmate Concentration This game will also help students match their classmates’ names to their faces. Cut pieces of pa paper per so they are the same same size as a typical photo . (If a photo is smaller smaller than an a verage one, you can affix affix the photo to one of the pieces of paper).Then write each student’s name on a piece of  paper.. If possible, paper possible, laminate the photos and the name pieces pieces f or greater greater durability. To play, play, place all pieces face do wn. wn.As As in a r egular memory memory game, one by one, stude students nts should should turn turn over o ver two two cards, cards, trying to make make a match. match. This time, the match match should should be a name to a face face . Whoe Whoever ver ends ends up with the the most matches wins!

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Getting-to-Know-You Interest Inventories Scavenger Hunts This is a wonderful icebreaker any time during the first week of school. It’ss critical to stick to y our predetemined time limit for It’ f or this activity because with the excitement this activity generates, generates, it will be tempting tempting to let it continue. Ask students to raise their their hands if the y have all 15 questions answered. If no one one raises raises a hand, hand, kee keep p going (14, (14, 13, 12) until until you can colle collect ct a paper with the most most completed answers. ans wers. Review the sheet sheet with the class. Talk to each of the students whose name is listed under each categ ory ory.. Verify that they they fit the given category. If they do not, not, deduct one point from the total. total. Continue until a winner winner is established. Variations: l

Have students work in pairs or small groups. Allow students to work on the scavenger hunt during the first week of school.

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Encourage students to find a diff erent classmate for each answer. answer.

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Invite students to make up their own scavenger hunts.

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Classmate Interviews This icebreaker icebreaker allows students to get to kno w each other better. Each student gets a chance to be both a star star r eporter and a sought-after celebrity.. When you collect and read the papers, you will celebrity will learn a lot about each of your students. Distribute copiesinto of the class classmate mate view form to each student. Divide Divi de students pairs pairs. . For thisinter activity, activity , 20 minutes works best. Give each each student 10 minutes to inter view their par partner tner,, switching roles after the first first 10 minutes min utes so they each get a chance chance to ask and and ans wer questions. As a class, create a graph graph that will help students see that they have many many things in common. common. After you have have read these papers, you may wish to add them to a classroom time capsule so students can see how their interests have have changed, or not, over the course of  the school year.

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Scavenger Hunt: Classmates Part I

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Find a classmate who fits each of the following categories. Record each name on the lines provided. Try not to use the same person more than twice. When you have finished, circle each category that also applies to you.  ___________________________________________________  ______  1. Who has a birthday in September? _____________________________________________  _______________________________________________________________  _____________________  2. Who has green eyes? __________________________________________  ______________________________________________________  ___________  3. Who walks to school every day? ___________________________________________  ________________________________________________  ___  4. Who lives within two blocks of school? _____________________________________________  ___________________________________________________  _____  5. Who does not have a middle name? ______________________________________________  __________________________________________________  _____  6. Who is new in the school this year? _____________________________________________  _____________________________________________________  __________  7. Who went to camp this summer? ___________________________________________  _____________________________________________________  ____________  8. Who knows how to bake a cake? _________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________  ______________  9. Who has ridden a horse? ______________________________________________  ______________________________________________________  ______  10. Whose favorite color is purple? ________________________________________________  _____________________________________________________  _____  11. Whose first name starts with M? ________________________________________________  ________________________________________________________  ____________  12. Whose family has a blue car? ____________________________________________  ________________________________________________________________  _________________  13. Who is left-handed? _______________________________________________

 ____________________________________________________________  ________________  14. Who can play the piano? ____________________________________________  __________________________________________________  _  15. Who has more brothers than sisters? _________________________________________________

 

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Find a classmate who fits each of the following categories. Record each name and follow-up answer on the lines provided. Try not to use the same person more than twice. When you have finished, circle the number of each category that also applies to you. 1. Loves to read.

Name:________________________________________________  Favorite book:__________________________________________ 

2. Has a younger brother.

Name:________________________________________________  Brother’s name:_________________________________________ 

3. Has two older sisters.

Name:________________________________________________  Sisters’ names:__________________________________________ 

4. Has tried asparagus.

Name:________________________________________________  Likes it?_______________________________________________ 

5. Speaks a foreign language.

Name:________________________________________________   What language?_________________________________________  language?__________________________________ _______ 

6. Can play a musical instrument.

Name:________________________________________________   What instrument?_______________________________________  instr ument?_______________________________________ 

7. Has a birthday in January.

Name:________________________________________________   What date?____________________________________________  date?___________________________________________ _ 

8. Plays on a sports team.

Name:________________________________________________   What spor t?_______________________________________ t?___________________________________________  ____ 

9. Owns more than two pets.

Name:________________________________________________   What are they?_________________________________________  they?________________________________________ _ 

10. Has lived in another state.

Name:________________________________________________   Which state?___________________________________________  state?__________________________________ _________ 

11. Has two favorite school subjects.

Name:________________________________________________  Favorite subjects:________________________________________ 

12. Has a magazine subscription.

Name:________________________________________________   What magazine?________________________________________ 

13. Likes ice cream.

Name:________________________________________________  Favorite flavor:_________________________________________ 

14. Has been to a zoo.

Name:________________________________________________ 

Favorite animal:_________________________________________ 

 

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To learn more about your school, find an answer to each of the following categories. Record each answer on the lines provided. 1. What is the mailing address of the school? ____________________________________________   __________________________________________________________________________________   _________________________________________________________  ____________  2. When was the school built? _____________________________________________

3. What is the highest room number in the school? _______________________________________   ________________________________________________  _____  4. How many windows are in the library? ___________________________________________  ________________  _________  5. How many days can you keep a book that you’ve checked out of the library? _______  ____________________________________  _________  6. What else can you find in the library besides books? ___________________________

7. What vegetables are being served in the cafeteria this week? ____________________________   __________________________________________________________________________________   ________________________________________________  _  8. How many tables are in the cafeteria? _______________________________________________  ____________________________________________  ________________  9. How many trees are on the school grounds? ____________________________  ________________________________________  _  10. How many drinking fountains are at the school? _______________________________________  ________________________________________________  ______  11. How many elevators are in the school? __________________________________________  _______________________________________________  _____  12. What can you find that is painted blue? __________________________________________

13. What teacher has been at the school the longest? ______________________________________  14. What teacher’s last name starts with a letter closest to the end of the alphabet? __________________________________________________________ 

 ___________________________________________________  ______  15. How many exit signs can you find? _____________________________________________

 

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Classmate In Interview terview

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Take turns interviewing and being interviewed by your partner. You may be surprised with the things you have in common. Name of person interviewed: int erviewed: ___________________________________________  ___________________________________________________________  ________________  1. If you could be anything in the w orld when you grow up, what would you be? Why?____ Why?_____________  _________ 

 __________________________  _____________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ ________________  ___  2. What are your hobbies?_________ hobbies?______________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________  _____________  3. What kinds of activities do y ou like to do with friends?_____________________________ friends?____________________________________  _______ 

 __________________________  _____________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ ________________  ___  4. What kinds of activities do y ou like to do b y yourself?______________________ yourself?___________________________________ _______________  __ 

 _______________________________________  __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ ________________  ___  5. What is your favorit favorite e sport spor t to watch?_________ watch?______________________ __________________________ __________________________ _______________  __  6. What is your favorit favorite e sport spor t to play?____________ play?________________________ _________________________ __________________________ _______________  __  7. What is your favorit favorite e book of all time?_________ time?______________________ __________________________ __________________________ _______________  __  8. If you could be an y animal, which one would you choose? Why?___ Why?________________ __________________________ ______________  _ 

 __________________________  _____________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ ________________  ___  9. If you could be like any one great gr eat person, whom would you choose? Why?___ Why?________________ __________________  _____ 

 __________________________  _____________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ ________________  ___  10. If you were given $1,000, what would you do with it?__________________________ it?______________________________________  ____________ 

 __________________________  _____________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ __________________________ ________________  ___ 

What else would you like to know about your partner? Think of one last question to ask. Question:___________________ Question:_____ ___________________________ __________________________ ____________________  _______  Answer: ____________ _________________________ __________________________ __________________________ ______________  _   _________________________  ____________ __________________________ ___________________________ ______________________  ________   _________________________  ____________ __________________________ ___________________________ ______________________ ________  _________________________  ____________ __________________________ ___________________________ ______________________ ________

 

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

  s   e   o   ?    d  o    )   s   r   y   e   l   c    h   p    i    t   a   p   a   s    t    i   r   e   a   e   b   h    t     t    l   c   o   l   a   a   r   t   k   a  e   c    h   k   e    (   c   c   t   a   h    t   a   t    h   i    W

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   :_   e    l    t    i    T

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   n _   o   n   r   o    b   s   a

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

   d   n    i    K

   t    l   r   a   a   y   m   o    S    L

  y    l    d   n   e    i   r    F

   ?   u   o   y   e   r    i   p   s   n    i   o   r   e    h   r   u   o   y   s   e   o    d   y    h    W

     ❍      ❍      ❍      ❍

  e   v   a   r    B

   t   s   e   n   o    H

  s   u    i   o   r   u    C

  s   u   o   m   a    F

     ❍      ❍      ❍      ❍

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   :   r   o    h    t   u    A

  s    i    f    l   e   s   y   m   r   o    f   e   s   o   o    h   c    d    ’    I

 .  .    d    l   e   o    d   a   s   r   r   a   g   e _   y _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   e _ _   m _ _   a _ _   n _ _   n    k   c _      i     i   n   m   m

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

 .   s   r   a    t   s _ _ _ _ _ _ _    k   o   o    b   s    i    h    t   e   v    i   g    I

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   s    i   g   n   o   s   e    t    i   r   o   v   a    f   y    M

  C     C     C     C     C

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   s    i   w   o    h   s    V    T   e    t    i   r   o   v   a    f   y    M

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   s    i    d   o   o    f   e    t    i   r   o   v   a    f   y    M

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   s    i    k   n    i   r    d   e    t    i   r   o   v   a    f   y    M

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

  c

  o    N

  s    ’   e   n   o   e   m   o   s   e    b   o    t

     ❍   e    b   y   a    M

     ❍

  e   ?   y    k    i   a   s    l   d   e   u  e    Y   o  m   y  o      ❍   s    d    l   u  o   o  r   e    W    h

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   e   r   a   s    d   n   e    i   r    f   e    t    i   r   o   v   a    f   e   v    i    f   y    M

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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 .   e    f    i    l   e   r   n   u   o  o    t   y   s   f    i    L  .   o   e   r   n   a   e    i    l   y   e   h   m  c    i    t    a    i   e   n   r    i   o    f   m   a   u   o    t   e   y   a   o   e   r   t   c   t  ,   n   a    k   t   c   r   a   o    b   p   e   m    h    t   i    t

  C

  j

  o    r    e    H   y    M    t    e    e    M   j

  c   C

j   s    g   n    i    h    T   e    t    i   r   o   v   a    F   y    M j

   e     f    i    L   y    M     f   o   y   a    D    t    s    e   g    i    B    e    h    T

  r    D    *

  e   w   a   a    h    I    I    I    T

_ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _

_ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   s    i   e   m   a   g   e    t    i   r   o   v   a    f   y    M

_ _ _

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _

_ _ _

_ _ _

_ _ _

  n       O  e   v    *   e

 

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   s    i   y    t    i   v    i    t   c   a    l   o   o    h   c   s   e    t    i   r   o   v   a    f   y    M

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   g _   n _    i _    h    t _ _   e _    t    i   r _   o _   v _   a _ _    f   y _   s    M    i    d   n   e    k   e   e   w   e    h    t   n   o   o    d   o    t

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   s    i    t   r   o   p   s   e    t    i   r   o   v   a    f   y    M

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

   D    L    O    F

  :   w   e    i   v   e   r    i   n    i   m   y    M

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

  C

    c

  j

  r   e   n   r   o    C   s    ’   c    i    t    i   r    C

     C

  j   c

 ✃  .   w    t   s   o   o    h   m  o   d   r   t   n   a   o    (   e  ,   r   y   y   s   u   h   a    d   e   w  ,    t   B  n   s  .   e   e   e   h   g   f   g   i    l   w    i  ,    b  r   e   r   e   u   o   e    h    t   y   h    t   i   n  w  ,   u    t   o   )   a    b   t   h   a   n  w   e   y  ,   r   v   e   o   o    h    t   t   s   n  w   a   e   a   t    d   e   r   o   l   u    t    i   p   c   r   m   n    W    i    i

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

   D    L    O    F

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   e   r   a   s   r   e    b   m   e   m   y    l    i   m   a    f   y    M

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _   e    b   o    t    t   n   a   w    I   p   u   w   o   r   g    I   n   e    h    W

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

 .   .   .    s    I    e    m   a    N   y    M

 ✃

  c

  c

       E

    M

     -

0

1

-

2

-

3

-

4

-

5

-

6

-

7

-

8

-

9

10

   D    L    O    F

     T    K    O      U     O      O   B       B   P    I    L    F      A        L         L

    A   c

  c  

N ame

C

D ate

c 

Super Categories

c

c  C

c

Select a letter of the alphabet for column 2. Then list as many entries as possible in column 3 that match the description in column 1, and that begin with the letter in column 2.

CATEGORY a musical instrument a bird a wild animal

a type of transportation something you slice something you wear something you read a precious gem

a type of leader or ruler an industry a body of water a city in Europe a green vegetable a container an animal that lives in water

LETTER

WORDS

 

Na me

C

Da te

c 

c 

Who Am I?

c

C

c

Using the legend below, decorate the face to represent you. HAIR

NOSE

FRECKLES

Brown: I walk to school.

Triangle:My favorite season is fall.

One for each year of your age

Circle: My favorite season is winter.

SHIRT

Black: I ride in a car to school. Yellow: I ride in a bus to school. Red: I ride a bicycle to school.

Sq uar Squa re: My favorite season is spring.

Polka dots:girl Stripes:boy

Diamond:My favorite season is summer.

CAP

Black: I have a brother.

MOUTH

Pu rple Purpl e ca c ap: I like reading the most.

Brown: I have a sister.

Smile: I like green apples

Orange cap: I like

Blue: I have at least one brother and one sister.

the best. Squiggle:I like red apples the best.

math the most. Green cap: I like science the most.

Straight line:I don’t like apples.

Bl ue ca Blue c ap: I like social studies the most.

Eyes

Green: I’m an only child.

Add eyelashes if you have a brother or a sister that goes to this school.

        ✃

 

N ame

C

D ate

c  c

Picture Writing Prompts

c  C

c

 

Na me

C

Da te

c  c

Writing Prompts

c  C

c

 the sounds sou nds in a department store

 twilight colo colors rs

 things that are a re lighter l ighter than a watch w atch spring sprin g

 things that crumple cru mple in your hands

all sounds heard for the next five minutes

 things that you lov lovee

“squashy” things

 things that harmonize

 things that hurt hu rt

 things that reflect

 things made more beautiful be autiful by age

 things found in two’s

sour things

 happy things thin gs

wet things

morning mor ning things

 things that sparkle under u nder an ev evening ening sky

beautiful things

 things that chill

adjectives describing people you admire

 

N ame

C

D ate

c 

c 

Wacky Words

c

C

c

These wacky word puzzles represent everyday expressions or familiar words. To solve them, remember to look at the way the word is placed. Is it up, down, to the right, to the left, or in the center of the box? Is it over, under, before, or after another word? Does it remind you of anything? Let your mind play with the ideas. And most important—have fun!

N e  w  s p a p e r

 jum mp lake the th e  ju

tunnel

woods

woods

woods

woods

woods

woods

woods

woods

woods

woods

woods

woods

woods

woods

woods

woods

woods

woods

woods

woods

woods

woods

woods

woods

woods

woods

woods

woods

woods

woods

woods

woods

woods

LOST

woods

woods woods

woods woods

woods woods

woods woods

woods woods

woods

woods

woods

woods

woods

all the

rUL ULEEs

the light

 

SISTER

S C H   SCHOOL O L

    d

 a   r   o  u   

      n

    a       o     r       u

n     

  d 

wear new ne w

 

c  c 

 

E  O  L E E   Y   U   W ER E   W HI L  U T T      O O 

















Date:_____________________ Date: _____________________

 We  W e missed you today, _____________________________.

c 

c   The homework/classwork that you missed while you were gone is . . . Math: _______________ ______________________________ _______________________________ ________________________________ ___________________ ___ Reading: ______________ _____________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ __________________ ___ Science: ________________ ________________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _________________ _ Social Studies: ______________ ______________________________ _______________________________ ____________________________ _____________ Language Arts: _______________ _______________________________ _______________________________ ___________________________ ____________ Spelling: ______________ ______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ __________________ __ Other: _______________ _______________________________ _______________________________ _______________________________ ___________________ ___  Your  Y our work is due on: _____________________________

 R EW  A R 

N   U PO N 

D    C O



















Date: _______________________   _______________________ 

Congratulations! Name:_____________________________________________

Because of your hard work and cooperation, you’ve earned a reward! Reward:______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________

Sincerely,  __________________________________________  Your Teacher 

 

U A T  T I O  K L Y  W E E K  O N  Y     E  V A  L 

















Name: _____________________________________________ Date: Date:_______________________ _______________________

c 

Homework/Classwork Homework/Classwor k missed for the week:

c 

_________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ (All missed work due on Monday, or the next day of school.)

Behavior for the week:



Satisfactory



Unsatisfactory

Comments and Test Grades: _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________________________ Parent Signature: ________________________________________________________________

M I N  F E   C ON F  E R E N C E   RE M  N D E  E R   





 









Date: ___________________   ___________________ 

 ____________________________________________________, _______, Dear _____________________________________________  _________________________________________________________________________________   ______________________________________________ ___________________________________   _________________________________________________________________________________   ______________________________________________ ___________________________________   _________________________________________________________________________________   ______________________________________________ ___________________________________   _________________________________________________________________________________  ______________________________________________ ___________________________________

Sincerely,  _______________________________________  Your Child’s Teacher 

 

R  E  E N   P A R N T 

E E   L U N T E 

  V O

R S 













Child: __________________________________

Dear Parents, Throughout c  the year I like to supplement my teaching with guest speakers who are knowledgeable in areas of the curriculum we are studying. I also rely on parent volunteers to help chaperone field trips and aid in classroom activities. Please complete this form and return it to me as soon as possible. Thanks for your help in making this a fulfilling and exciting school year.

c 

Sincerely, ______________________________ Parent(s): _______________ ______________________________ ______________________________ ________________________ _________ Phone: _______________ ____________________________ _____________ Address: __________________________________________________________________________________________ Occupation(s Occup ation(s): ): _________ ___________________ ____________________ ____________________ ________________ ______ Hobbie Hobbies: s: _________ ___________________ ____________________ _____________ ___ Other areas of expertise: ______________________________________________________________________________ I would be happy to:

❏ Help with classroom activities

❏ Go on field trips

❏ Be a guest speaker 

❏ Supply classroom materials

❏ Make phone calls

❏ Other______________________

Comments: __________  ____________________ ____________________ ___________________ _____________ ______________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ _______________  _____ 

 ___________________  _________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ ____________________ __________________ ________

N K   T H A N   U ! Y   O  















Date: ___________________   ___________________ 

 ____________________________________________________, __________, Dear __________________________________________  _________________________________________________________________________________   ___________________________________________ ______________________________________   _________________________________________________________________________________   ___________________________________________ ______________________________________   _________________________________________________________________________________   ___________________________________________ ______________________________________   _________________________________________________________________________________  ___________________________________________ ______________________________________

Sincerely,  _______________________________________  Your Child’s Teacher 

 

Na me

C

Da te

c  c

c 

Ask Me About...

C

c

c   C

c