Planning for the first week of school?

Question

The children start school next Tuesday. I am a tenured teacher going into my 4th year but I am new to 2nd grade. I am trying to organize my first week effectively.

My first day will consist of icebreakers and getting to know you activities, teaching and re-teaching class rules, rewards, consequences, and procedures as well as a lot of modeling in these areas. I will do a read aloud that is connected with a literacy activity (don't know what yet though).

Over the next couple of days I will review all the class routines and expectations as well as start diagnostic assessments in the areas of reading, writing, and math.

I'm probably going to start some of my academic instruction next week as well. But it won't be full throttle.

What are some other good things to do to fill my days with this grade level during the first week? They range in age from 7-9 years old.

Answer 1

Some activities that include getting to know the other children in the class so they can get acquainted with others and you, their teacher.

Answer 2

1.  Have the students work in groups to create a "rule" book.  Basically list the rules and draw pictures that go with each book, that way when you have a new student, they can read the class books and learn the rules.

2. Have the students do word/ part to whole.  Give them a they might now like baseball or teamwork... write the word on a sentence strip and then cut  or separate them by letter.  Put the letters in an envelope.  Have the students work individually or in groups to use the letters to make different words.  (teamwork= at, ate, eat, meat, etc) then have them try to figure out the whole word.  How many three letter words? four letter words? five or more letter words can they make?

3. Do you have access to a lot of magazines?  Have them cut out pictures that describe what they like or not like, have them talk about them, write a few sentences, and then hang them around the room.  (they love to see their own work!)  You can have them make posters or mobiles.

4.  Play Fairy Tale Charades.  Put several titles of Fairy tales in a hat or bucket.  Have the kids draw a fairy tale and act it out in front of the class.  This is a great way to practice, "one voice at a time", "taking turns", getting the students not to be afraid about getting up and talking or acting in front of others.

5.  Have them create riddles about the different places they might go in the building, write down three clues and have others guess where they are in the building.  (There's a place with lots of bean bags.  I like to read in this place. There's even a stuffed "cat in the hat".)  This describes the library in my daugther's building.

Good luck have a great year.  (We started back today)

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