Comments on: What Do You Do On The First Day Of School?

By: Melissa Seideman

Melissa Seideman — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 03:01:56 +0000

I break my US history classes into groups of 4 people. In their assigned group they have to decide how a random item relates to US history. It starts an interesting discussion when they share. After they share their thoughts I add some details about each item. For example:

1. A Teddy Bear- Share story about Ted Roosevelt and the bear
2. A barbie-a reflection of women’s roles and the changing times (i show images of barbies from the founding to today)
3. GI Joe- Cold War,, (not a doll- masculinity)
4. Davy Crocket Hat- obvious
5. Lincoln Logs- build a house, westward expansion, AB Lincoln
6. Monopoly- created 1920s popular in the 1930s etc.

Anyone have any other ideas that I could add to this lesson?

By: Dave

Dave — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 00:32:24 +0000

I introduce myself and tell the students a little about me and my background, hobbies, and interests. Then I have each student introduce themselves and tell about their hobbies, interests, or something interesting about themselves. I then talk briefly about the class and what we will be doing and what they can expect. They get a copy of the syllabus on their way out.

I teach high school physics, so I have grades 11 and 12.

I hand out the textbooks and go over class policies and procedures on the second day.

By: Marie

Marie — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:43:38 +0000

I am going back into the classroom after 10 years out so my main aim for the 1st day is to survive!!
I have a questionaire to hand out to the children. Although I already know them I hope this will give me more of an insight into each of them and make it easier to tailor my lessons for this class. It will also make it a bit easier to connect with each of them during the year. I will also spend time community building where we will discuss our expectations and how we all feel the classroom should be run (rules, consequences etc)

By: Dave

Dave — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 16:33:58 +0000

I teach fifth graders and have been doing this activity successfully for the past 29 years. After everyone is seated, I ask the students to look around the room to find THE most valuable item. I tell them it is not in a drawer or a closet, and that they can walk around and look if they want. After a few minutes I ask for what they believe is the most valuable object. Computers and stereo and ipod and TV and Smartboard are often mentioned. Sometimes it’s the artwork or books. I recognize that it IS valuable, but not THE most valuable. Eventually someone mentions the students and I concur… but add that it’s not only the students, but any person in the classroom, and I will not allow any damage to occur to the most valuable item(s) in the classroom. We refer to this lesson throughout the year as the first lesson they were taught in fifth grade. They don’t forget.

By: Paige

Paige — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 14:57:36 +0000

I love that idea. What a great visual it provides for them. Then you get to refer back to it throughout the year. However, I am a vegetarian, so I need to come up with another food.

By: cthumphreys

cthumphreys — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 12:57:19 +0000

Last year I taught 3rd grade, and I wanted the focus of my first day (and many after that) to be the cultivation of community. I showed pictures on the Smartboard of my husband, our dog, and from a trip I had taken to Argentina that summer. I let them ask lots of questions (they especially wanted to know all about the trip to Argentina because I had worked with kids their age). The purpose of this was to let them know that I wanted them to know me– to really know me, and this helped set the tone for the rest of the year. I shared my life with them, and they shared theirs with me.

We then played a game called “Connections.” I used a big piece of butcher paper and wrote all our names around the paper at the edges. Everyone sat behind their name with a marker, and we started the game with one student sharing something about himself. If a student found a connection with what he said, he drew a line connecting their names. They also wrote what connected them on the line. At the end, when the paper was a barely legible mess of lines and words, we drew conclusions about what this game taught us.

By: Heather Mason

Heather Mason — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 20:32:26 +0000

I teach 8th grade Language Arts. By the time they get to me, they know most of the rules, so I go over them QUICKLY and pass out a supply list. Then I take any “I must know or I’ll die” questions, but I put off all the class info stuff until the next day (when all of the other teacher aren’t doing it).

We write the first day, usually a fun assignment and never a graded assignment. Last year they wrote an essay entitled, “What I Did This Summer” but the weren’t allowed to tell the truth. The crazier the better. They they shared with a partner and a few shared with the whole class.

This year, I think we will write a poem using the mini-whiteboards I have. Each student will write a word that describes school, then I will video the word while they say it and post the video to my website. If there’s time, we will do the activity again, this time with a word describing what they wish school was.

I want kids to know right off the bat that this class isn’t about listening or being quiet and following directions (although those are important skills), it’s about doing.

By: Mona

Mona — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 06:55:26 +0000

Thanks for the reply, Larry And I forgot to mention the Time Capsule. I believe it’s nice to write your thoughts, hopes, expectations on the first day of school and then come back to them on the last day and see if they actually came true they way you’d expected.

Same Mona

By: Mona

Mona — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 09:04:24 +0000

If it’s a new group, I of course want to know their names and a little bit about them. However, I know I don’t like boring introductions, so I’m guessing they don’t either. That’s why during the first meeting I sometimes ask “different” questions, like: “Do you have a nickname?”, “What book is on top of your shelf?”, “Who would you invite to an imaginary party?”, “What are you most proud of?” etc. These unconventional questions get them to open up and it’s always a fun class, especially since I too answer the same questions. Also, this type of getting-to-know-each-other exercise sets the ground for a good collaboration.
With groups with which I plan on using technology, I’d probably adapt the questions and ask stuff like “When was the last time you read a book/webpage?”, “When was the last time you received a letter/an email?”, “When was the last time you browsed an encyclopedia/wikipedia?”.
This is what I normally do, but I’m on holiday now, so maybe until school starts I’ll come up with something new, thanks to you and the people who’ve contributed their answers here

Best,
Mona

By: Terri Hart

Terri Hart — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 13:43:26 +0000

I spend time not only on the first day, but the first few weeks community building in the classroom. Taking the time to build community in the classroom from the very first day of school sets the tone for the rest of the year. Norms naturally emerge and relationships form that allow for productive cooperative learning. The students take complete ownership of the classroom, their own behavior, and their classmates’ behavior.

I also assign lunch groups and a topic of discussion. The groups sit together at lunch and report back the next day in class. Topics range from finding 3 unique things the group has in common to something that helps them to reflect on a previous day. We have 5 feeder schools that filter into our middle school and for sixth graders the lunch groups help to settle the anxiety that naturally emerges in regard to that time of the day. I only assign lunch groups for the first two weeks of school, but the students tend to continue sitting with each other throughout the year.