The first day of school is an exciting time but it’s also nerve-racking! Even after all of my years of teaching I still get nervous on the first day of school. Each year I hope for a year as great as the last one and of course, I want my students to enjoy being in my class.
safe, loved, and excited to be at school. And, I always hope there are no tears
from the students or ME! On the first day, I strive to learn everyone’s names
and make sure my schedule gets us everywhere we need to be on time. My dream
best first day ever includes staying patient, remaining calm, and not losing
anyone. I want every single one of my students to want to return with a smile
on their face for their second day of school. I want the first day of school to
be the best day ever.
Teachers…we put so much pressure on ourselves to ensure the first day is the
absolute best day. Mostly, I want my students to be excited to learn and I want
to be excited to teach and learn from my students. To have the best first day I
have to ensure that I am including activities that are engaging, hands-on, and
fun. And, the first step is mapping out a plan on how to do just that. So, I
have included my go-to tips for having not only the best first day ever but the
best year ever!
The first day sets the groundwork for how you want each morning to go which is why on the first day I
show my students what will happen each day. We hang up our backpacks and do morning greetings. Morning greetings lay the foundation for the day. I can wake up grumpy and walk into school but if someone stops me and says “Hey, Cecelia!” with a positive attitude, it automatically perks me
up. This is why I spend a ton of time on the first week going over morning greetings
and practicing. It’s also a great way to help us learn each other’s names.
* If you would like to read more about how I use morning greetings, check out this blog post.
2. Build Community
Calendar and morning meeting is a time when we all come together. We share, we sing, we dance, and it allows my students to be comfortable and participate. I want my students to know right off the bat that we spend this time together each day to build our classroom family and that our
classroom is a safe space. I have used this interactive SMARTBoard Calendar and Morning Meeting for years now because it’s always a hit with my students. I give my students a tour of the different slides as a way to get them excited for what’s to come. I also use Morning Meeting and Calendar for the Year on Google Slides and PowerPoint to switch things up!
3. Read The Pigeon Has to Go to School
The Pigeon Has to Go to School is always my first day of school book choice because my students always love it. It’s fun, it’s relatable and I use an activity as an extension. This resource requires students to advise Pigeon on how to calm his nerves by giving him tips on how great
school really is. It’s a way for students to calm their nerves because when writing to Pigeon they will be able to think about why they are so excited to be at school. Choose your favorite book to read on the first day and let students know all the reasons why it’s your favorite.
- Classroom and School Tour
Give your students a tour of the classroom. Show them where the supplies are, and each of the different areas of the classroom. Giving them a tour of the classroom also reminds them of expectations for the different areas.
Next, take students on a tour of the school. My school is a big circle so I make sure to show students the bathrooms and drinking fountains located in our pod. I also highlight important areas like the office, nurse, cafeteria, and library. I also have a conversation on what happens if you get a little lost as well as how we are expected to behave while in the halls.
Last, consider making this book that lets students and parents know the basics of the new classroom. As a parent, I found it helpful to know the schedule, staff names and used it at times to reassure my son or daughter. This resource is editable so you can put the grade you want and prompts you want.
- Draw a Self-Portrait
The first day of school is busy and we all need a bit of quiet time! I allow my students to draw a self-portrait on a blank sheet of paper. This gives me a chance to learn a bit about them from their drawing and writing abilities, it’s a bit of a quick assessment. I also hold onto the drawings as a keepsake for students to look back on at the end of the year. And, my goodness- the progress is amazing!
- Me Bags
Me Bags are a great way for students to get to know one another. I have a few students share theirs within those first few days of school. I pass out the Me Bags at Meet the Teacher Night but this could also be something you send home on the first day of school.
- Teacher Interview
First-graders are curious little ones. They want to know everything from my favorite food to my kids’ names. I give them a chance to do a teacher interview, each student has the opportunity to ask me a question. It’s so fun to watch them get excited as they learn about me.
- Teach and Practice Procedures
The key to classroom management is to be consistent and predictable. Teaching students exactly how to use materials and what you expect at different times of the day is important. Students need a lot of practice before you can expect them to do exactly what you want.
I use these slides to keep me on track and ensure I cover all the procedures and materials I want to.
- Read-Alouds!
There are so many great books to read on the first day of school so I make sure to include a few fun read-alouds. I always choose First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg because we are all a little nervous and it helps students to know they aren’t alone. I also always read I Wish You More by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, it’s one of my favorite books and it shows my students how much I truly care about each of them. I read it on the first and last day of school every year (Remember, when I said no tears on the first day- this one makes it tough).
Then I include a writing activity to have students write their wishes for the school year!
Two of my newest favorite back to school books are Our Class is a Family by Shannon Olsen and You’re Finally Here! by Melanie Watts.
Our Class is a Family lets students know that we will spend a lot of time together this year and we should know and appreciate each other. We love to make a class book in which students can learn more about their classmates. We put it in the classroom library so students can read it all year round.
You’re Finally Here! is a book a squirrel waiting for the reader to arrive. It’s a great back to school book! Students
- Practice Elbow Partners
I use elbow partners all year for so many different activities. If you aren’t familiar, it’s when you ask students to engage with a student whose elbow is near one of your elbows, so not their best buddy from across the room, someone close.
I teach students the process of quickly finding an elbow partner and make sure we can do this efficiently and without hurting anyone’s feelings. I practice this by asking students to share if they are nervous or not and why. I listen in and get a better grasp of how my students are doing on their first day.
- Introduce Go-to Games
We play a ton of different games throughout the school year but with games come rules and expectations. I teach my students how to play a math game that I select from my Beginning of the Year First Grade Math pack. I review the rules, expectations, and model the game on my document camera.
- Review Classroom Rules and Expectations
From walking in the hall to noise levels in the classroom. Students have a good amount of expectations but we can’t expect them to just know so we have to make sure we teach, review, and model these expectations. I provide opportunities throughout the day to practice especially when we are headed out to specials, I make sure to include time to practice walking in the hallways.
I use this voice level chart in my first grade classroom. It makes a great visual for students.
- Ice Breakers
The first day of school is busy, a lot of learning is happening and it’s pretty exhausting for all of us. I add in a few more getting-to-know-you activities towards the end of the day because students enjoy them and they are pretty low-pressure. These activities let students end the day on a positive note allowing them to get excited for another day.
One of my favorites is this M&M activity because who doesn’t want to end the day with chocolate? And, I’d much rather send them sugared up 🙂
You can download it here for free!
- Relax!
Most importantly remember to take a deep breath. The first day of school is busy and often includes a bit of chaos. But, remember it’s ok that everything didn’t go perfectly, we are all learning together.
- Take Pictures
Take an individual picture of each student on their first day and then again on their last day. The differences will be incredible and it’s a fun keepsake for parents at the end of the year.
- Goodbye Routine
Finally, we practiced how to pack up and do our daily dismissal. We give high-fives, and hugs, and share a ton of smiles. I always let my parents know what an awesome day we had and how much I enjoyed the class. I want my firsties to go home with a smile on their face sharing how excited they are for another day. The best first day of school includes easy, fun, and small chunks of learning filled with the opportunity to get to know one another as we begin to build our classroom family.
I hope you all have the best first day ever!
If you like these ideas, check out my First Week of First Grade Lesson Plans and Activities on Tpt, and right here on the blog. You may also like my mega Back to School Bundle on Tpt that’s 30% off or here on the blog all of the resources (and more) discussed in this post.
