A First Grade First Day of School

Well, we've made it through decorating the classroom and our information nights, and finally the First Day of School! Oh, and what a day it was!! 

To kick things off, the students came into the classroom, found the book that they picked out at Meet the Teacher in the circle, sat down, and started reading!  
{When I took the photo, not all of the students had chosen a book yet - I make the circle a little larger and all students fit in the circle}

After the announcements, I complimented the students on what a wonderful job they did entering the classroom and reading! I then collected the books and had the students introduce themselves to one another (by going around the circle & saying "Hi, My Name is _______."  

Next: A good ol' simon says brain break.  I said things such as simon says "stand up if you have a brother."  That way the students had a way of getting to know one another.

Then we read "I'm So Glad You're Finally Here!"

Next up - heading to our tables to receive our school boxes to talk about our school supplies and then to sort the certain supplies that go in our boxes. As we moved to the table, we discussed how to move from the carpet to our tables and students modeled this. 

We moved back to the carpet (as we came back to the carpet modeled returning to the carpet) to discuss procedures such as bathroom, water, entering the classroom, etc.  The students do not receive assigned carpet seats until Day 2. 

Walking in the hallway.  We practiced lining up and then we practiced walking in the hallway BUT we did not actually go in the hallway just yet.  We walked around our classroom instead (playing follow the leader).  

We read "The Night Before First Grade" and discussed what we each did last night.

Recess

Cafeteria tour

Read Aloud: First Day Jitters and made Jitter Juice.    

Lunch

Magic Play Dough 

Summer Souvenir Shirts. We made t-shirts to remember our favorite summer memory. {On Day 2 we wrote about what was on our T-shirts as our beginning of the year writing sample & shared our t-shirts.}

Specials {P.E., Music, Art}

Dismissal Practice

Pack Up

Dismissal

How did you celebrate the First Day of School?

Open House

Back to School is such a busy time of the year.  With organizing your classroom, to prepping for Open House and Meet The Teacher, to getting everything ready for the First Day it is quite the marathon.

First Up...

As I greet the parents at the door, they come in and find a file folder that has their child's name on in it.

While the parents are waiting for everyone to make it to the classroom, they begin filling out the information within the file folder (it has the student's first & last name). 

Once everyone has entered the classroom, I get their attention and share with the parents about myself (experience, etc), about our daily classroom routine, more specifics about homework, highlight what the papers are in the file folder, etc.

Once I have finished, I ask the parents to please fill out the Student Information Sheet, Letter to Their Child, and to stop by the 3 stations (All About Me sign up, Volunteer sign up, and Wish List) before they leave.

Next...

This is literally my FAVORITE day before school "officially" starts.  I always have the same sentiment as I did during sorority recruitment of the moments right before opening the doors and excitedly shouting "WE'RE SO GLAD YOU'RE FINALLY HERE!!!!" Each year, I am literally so excited about the group of firsties who are finally here. :)

During this morning, I greet the students at the door and hand them a checklist of fun things to do with their guardian during this time.

For the bedtime reading, I hand them a letter about myself with letters from my previous Firsties about what First Grade is like stapled behind. They absolutely LOVE it!

How do you do your information night(s)? 

Before we know it...it will be the First Day!

Back At It With A Classroom Tour

Well, it is officially August and time to start prepping the room for my next group of firsties.

I've got to say, I love the feeling of walking back into the classroom after summer break. 

I thought I'd start out the year by sharing a peek at my classroom.  

The back carpet area (where I do read alouds and any lesson that I just need a white board and no projector).  In the cubbies (which tomorrow will have a sticker inside with each student's name on it) the students put anything that they need to take home.

We will also put our trains that remind us of perseverance throughout the year on the clothespin lines.

      

Bathroom/sink area and our book cart that houses all of our leveled books. I updated the stickers in front of the leveled books but was out of the light blue stickers (so sad) so I was unable to do those bins - the OCD part of me is just dying for those stickers to get delivered! 

Classroom library 

Work on writing area.  On the clips above the windows, I put the students work.

The front of the classroom where my small group table is.  As well as my students FAVORITE part - the basketball hoop.  We use this hoop for a fun behavior tool called a Shoot Out on Fridays.

This is where I put our anchor charts and our word wall (just need to put up the letters!).  Also, on the balloons in the background - I have laminated them & use a dry erase marker to write each child's birthday on the month that corresponds.  

Updated: Letters are up and I am loving them!

Now, off to start prepping for Parent Night and Meet The Teacher! 

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