First Day of School Lesson Plan

First Day of School Lesson Plans

Times are approximate.

May need to add specials, adjust for recess/lunch times

 

Needed:

Envelopes for storing extra supplies, labeled with student names

Precut construction paper circles 5" diameter, 1 per student, extras available

New Student Bingo, 1 sheet per student

Notepad to take notes on Classroom Rules

Class Job setup

Student list with bus numbers, etc. Clipboard

 

Stand by the door, greeting students and parents.

As students arrive in class, have them put their back packs on their desks. (Note this on the board as well.) Jackets can go on the backs of chairs for the time being.

8:00 - 8:10 Take attendance. Ask students for their nicknames and note this for future reference. Introduce yourself to them. Hand out (or have on desks) envelopes labeled with student names for extra supplies.

8:10 - 8:45(?) Begin organizing supplies. Have students keep 4 pencils, plus scissors, 1 glue stick, 1 pencil sharpener, markers/crayons/colored pencils, (to go in a pencil box) and all paper products. Extras should go into their envelopes. (Write this on the board.) When this is accomplished, collect (or have parent) the envelopes and show students where they will be available in the student center. Next, show students where their backpacks and jackets will go. Call students up in groups to stow these away. (Have a parent) collect tissue boxes and store in a box or in a cabinet.

8:45 - 9:00 Once all students have stored their backpacks, hand out the circles and explain that these circles will be their name tags for where their backpacks go. Have them decorate them appropriately, making sure their name is clearly written. While students are completing this task, collect loose leaf paper or copy paper and store. Collect tissue if not already completed. Spirals should stay on the corner of students desks.

9:00 - 9:30 Collect circle tags for lamination (have a parent laminate if possible). Hand out New Student Bingo. Students will need a pencil. Explain the rules (students will walk around, introduce themselves and see if they can find a person the matches one of the spots on the sheet. Once someone has a bingo line, see if they want to go for a second line or blackout. Once this has been achieved, we will return to our seats and introduce someone from your sheet. Go around the room. See if one square was never covered, etc. )

9:30 - 9:50 Classroom Tour and attention getting. Have students stay in their seats while you touch on the areas of the classroom. Show students where the Student Center is, the Library, Schedule, what each wall is for, bathrooms, water fountains. Also explain basic expectations about each area (putting things away, treating things with respect). Do students have questions? Comments? Also discuss how we get each other's attention (bell, chimes, etc. and hands up, fingers crossed, etc.)

9:50 - 10:10 Recess. Remind students the rules about going to and from recess (walking feet, noise level, listen for whistle, what door to exit and enter through, etc.) Have student line up to go to recess.

10:10 - 10:30 Snack and Read Aloud. Have students return to their seats after recess (write this on the board). Excuse students a group at a time to get their snacks. Give students a few minutes for talk time and settling in. Introduce the read aloud book. Read aloud and have students eat, take bathroom breaks, get water, etc.

10:30 - 11:15 Rules. Talk about important school rules and expectations. Review recess rules and how students returned from recess. What kinds of improvements need to made? What compliments can we give? Have students select one of their spirals as their Personal Journal. Once they have chosen one, have them open it up to the first page and have them write down the classroom rules they feel are the most important. There should be a minimum of three, maximum of 6. (Write on the board) There is likely to be lots of repetition. While they are doing this, go around the room with labels and label each Journal. Give students about 7 minutes to complete this task. Once completed, have students leave their pencils at their desks, bring their Journals to the carpet area, and discuss the rules. Write down rules proposed. Make sure each student gets to share, even if it is to repeat what may have already been said. Add in any rules that may have been overlooked. Tell students you will make a list of the rules and post them. This is also a good time to discuss carpet rules, lining up rules, and practice. This may take longer than time allowed.

11:15 - 11:50 Name Game. Have students return their Journals to their desks and return to the carpet, standing in a circle. Have each student come up with a movement associated with their name. The next person has to copy it and add their own. The teacher comes last.

11:50 - 12:35 Lunch. Have students line up for lunch. Select students to take lunch wagon. Remind students to take lunch cards (if necessary). Practice lining up, walking quietly in line. Remind them where to meet after recess.

12:35 - 1:00 Student Writing. Have students get their personal Journals and open to the second page. Take about 10 minutes and let them write "What a ____ Grader Looks Like". (Write this on the board. ) Ask students to share if they want to. Have students turn them into the turn in basket.

1:00 - 1:30 Jobs. What jobs are necessary is the classroom? Brainstorm and write on board. Select students for jobs. Post at Student Center. Have students get lunch wagon.

1:30-2:00 List out walkers, bus riders, daycare, etc. students. Talk about how to leave the classroom. What days are Chairs up days? Practice lining up.

2:00 - 2:10 Clean up, excuse students to go home.

 

After school:

Review Personal Journal Entries, return to students

Laminate name circles and post to cabinets

Type up, print and post classroom rules

Review bus/going home information

Post Classroom Jobs

Make notes for tomorrow, review events of the day, review plans for tomorrow

Label other spirals Math, Writing Journal, leave on desks.