The first few days back to school are always so hectic with meeting and greeting classes and trying to establish some good norms for your classes. After almost 15 years of teaching, I’ve found a few options that I find work really well in those first three days back to school. Check out these lessons for back to school.
DAY 1 – INTRODUCTION STATIONS
Introduction Stations – introduce you, them, the class, the course, etc. I also wrote about the stations that I use for the first day back, please check out that post here.
DAY 2: (Non-Traditional) ICE BREAKERS
I don’t know anyone who does back to school lessons and doesn’t do ice breakers.
Confession: I HATE ICE BREAKERS! BUT… there are ways to do them that maybe are a little less cringeworthy! And if you love an ice breaker then have at it; your enthusiasm is probably the best sales pitch in the classroom. For me, I simply can’t ‘sell’ it to my students so I opt for a different type – an ice breaker but not a traditional ice breaker.
Survival Plans
Put students in small groups of 3-5. Devise a scenario:
- Heading out on a vacation and you’re worried your luggage will get lost. What do you pack in your carry-on?
- A little lost in the middle of the forest without cell reception and the sun is setting…
- In a department store and the power goes out meaning the doors won’t open… trapped!
- And the classic, on a desert island. What do you bring?
And then provide 5-6 items (you can create the ‘survival kits’ with real items, provide a list, or even print out images of the items and give them to students). Students are given the items but told they can only use 3… what three are they picking and why?
Additional options:
Students can write up their choices and the why on big paper. At the end have the whole class circulate to see the findings of each group.
Student can present their findings to the class at the end of an assigned time period (I usually give this 10 or so minutes and then allow time to present).
Or you can simply have them bond as a group and complete it and move to the next thing!
Blind Date with a __________ book, movie, tv show
Give students a series of task cards with 4-5 keywords or short phrases to describe the text. I write up a few on index cards based on the top 10 lists on online streaming services (a good way to gauge what’s popular).
Students guess what the book, movie, or tv show might be. They discuss as a group and submit ONE list with their responses.
As a next step, I have students in the group create their own versions to share with their classmates. Since I like to incorporate pop culture into my classroom in meaningful ways this provides me with a ready-list of student-approved options to draw from when I’m planning my lessons.
DAY 2: CO-CREATING CLASS RULES
Pick up from those class rules that students suggested on Day 1 in the learning stations. Create a slideshow with their suggestions and share it with the class. Brainstorm/Discuss the criteria for a good rule. The biggies for me here are:
- Equitable to the members of the whole class
- Doesn’t contradict a school year where there is no say in repealing it in the moment (if this comes up I share with students avenues they can take to express their discontent with established school rules!)
- It doesn’t place an undue burden on me as their teacher (Yes, I can negotiate deadlines. No, I can’t have things due the night before midterm marks are due).
Once criteria is set then students review all of the contributions and rank their top 3-5 on paper. Then complete a think-pair-share: How could this rule work in the classroom? How could it be modified to work within the 3 biggies.
DAY 2 or 3: WHAT MAKES FOR A GOOD… STUDENT, TEACHER, COURSE?
Depending on the timing of classes, I like to have this accompany rule-making day.
SUPPLIES
- Poster or chart paper – one for each prompt
- Markers
- Space for students to crowd around the paper to write on
PROMPTS
- What makes a good or successful student?
- … teacher?
- … course?
ACTION
Students answer the prompts – can be in point-form – with their ideas for what is necessary for each of the ‘good things’ on the list.
This is often VERY illuminating as a teacher. It can also really help to get to know the students in the room quickly and in a less conventional way. Quickly observe who take the lead in the task, who requires more thinking time, and other first impressions that might factor into lesson planning and group dynamics.
This activity also establishes some big ideas for the class as a whole. It’s low stakes and high yield!
OPTIONS
To introduce accountability have students claim a specific color pen/marker to write with. Then make sure to include their name at the top of their group’s page using their chosen color.
Next, you can have students complete a ghost walk where they quietly move to other groups’ pages and review the content before returning to their own to add more ideas.
For more critical thinking, have students rank the top 3-5 options on their groups’ pages. This will also help you, as the teacher, to figure out what really is important on the pages that can be integrated into your planning for the course.
DAY 3: DIAGNOSTIC
This depends on the grade. If students are in grade 9 and 10 I like to do a diagnostic of their inference skills and paragraph writing. Check out this FREEBIE using “Eleven” by Sandra Cisneros. I do these stories with prompts throughout the year and you can check out other stories and an introductory lesson to inference skills in this no-prep bundle of stories.
If it’s students in grade 11 or 12 I provide students with the choice of a couple of prompts to write about for 20 minutes. These prompts might be to tell me about a time, person, or things that has been life-changing or made a significant impact on them. I have them revise this diagnostic into a polished piece that works as their first assignment – a personal essay. Read this post with all of the details of that lesson!
Looking for more back to school lesson ideas?
Check out these posts:
3 Ideas for Poetry Creation in Everyday ELA Lessons
Using back to school stations for a seamless first day
Missy from A Better Way to Teach has suggestions for great first day back lessons.
Sam from Samantha in Secondary includes 5 Classroom Routines and Procedures for Secondary Students that are sure to start you and your students off on the right foot.
What does the first week back to school look like for you? What lessons for back to school are you planning? Let me know in the comments below or share with me on instagram!
