Math Tales From the Spring
Ice Breaker Activity - Name Reflections
Get to you know your new class members with an ice breaker activity that uses their name and creativity. Scholars write their first name in cursive on a folded sheet of paper, cut around the curved lines, open the paper to view its new...
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Opening Day Lesson: Getting to know each other
If you want an ice-breaker type activity, you should look at this resource. It introduces the idea and purpose of a press conference and then uses that concept for pupils to learn about one another. The teacher models the activity by...
Really Good Stuff
New-Teacher Classroom Set-Up Guide
Packed with teaching tips and best practice ideas from veterans, this 16-page packet is a real boon to new teachers, as well as a great resources for those more experienced professionals. Ideas about how to set up your classroom physical...
Math Tales From the Spring
Ice Breaker Activity - Bio Pyramid
Get to know your pupils and create a stunning display in your room with a class set of bio pyramids. Scholars answer questions about themselves, their hobbies, hopes, and dreams. Autobiographical information is written on a...
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Meet Your Neighbor: Action Verbs
Get your kids moving on the first day of school! This action verb activity doesn't have to be used as an ice breaker, but it sure will work as one. Simply place pairs of cards face-side down on the carpet, each with an action verb...
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Ice Breakers and First Day Activities
Build rapport and engage students with get-to-know-you activities
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Special Candy Game
Building a strong classroom community starts with group activities focused on sharing and respect. The class sits in a circle, shares a talent they possess, then tell peers to throw them a piece of candy if they don't have the same...
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introduction
Young scholars participate in a lesson plan that is intended for the first days of school. They are led through introductions and how the class is organized for working on a daily basis. They sign behavior contracts and other paperwork...
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First Day of Class
Students create birthday bar graphs, read books, make math windows, and more for the first day of math class. In this first day of class lesson plan, students also create pyramids.
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Would You Rather?
Break the ice with a series of silly questions. This slide show asks 10 different, would you rather, questions. Each question has three silly answers to choose from. Great for classroom fun, the first day of school, or as a way to take a...
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Getting to Know You
Need a first day ice breaker? Try this getting to know you exercise. Pupils stand in a circle and introduce themselves. The trick is they add an adjective that describes them and starts with the same letter as their first name. Add a...
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1,2,3 Art (First Day of School)
Students participate in a first day of school survey. In this art lesson, students answer three questions about art class, such as one thing they don't like about art class and their goals for art this coming year.
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Language Arts Ice Breakers
Activities that build rapport and help students demonstrate their skills can be a great way to begin the school year.
Facing History and Ourselves
Frame a Special Item
If you could frame something important to you, what would it be, where would you hang it, and why would you choose this particular thing to frame? These questions launch a lesson designed to help class members get to know each other....
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Back To School Ideas_Compiled
Help your class participate in hands-on activities to get them back into the swing of going to school everyday. This list is designed for all grade levels with unique ideas for each (note that many ideas are geared for elementary, but...
Phys Ed Games
Classy Moves
Choose a leader to stand in the middle of a circle of students. The leader does any sort of move for 20 seconds, including tuck jumps, jumping jacks, silly dance moves, push-ups, burpees, etc. The rest of the class must mimic the leader...
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How To Calm Back-to-School Nerves
Set students up for success with these tips for getting the year off to a smooth start.
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An Author Study: Kevin Henkes
Kevin Henkes' books can be a great way to introduce students to an author study in the classroom.
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Feudalism
Students have tournaments in teams after learning information about The Middle Ages. In this Middle Ages lesson plan, students learn that tournaments are mock battles, but that they will have these battles by answering questions in teams...
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Who Is Who?
First graders complete the resource page Who's Who? then survey their classmates to see which phrases describe their classmates.
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Sportsround
Students devise a plan to help get kids more active by encouraging them to participate in sports. Student, using spreadsheets, devise a weekly exercise timetable for a fitness fanatic and a realistic one of themselves.
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Introduction to Creative Thinking and Dr. de Bono's Thinking Methods
Students become more familiar with the setting of the lesson. They know who Dr. de Bono is and what he invented. Students know the lessons ground rules. They have sparked their creativity to be stimulated.