Back to School in First Grade!

Here’s a peek at some of our Back to School Activities, perfect for the first day of first grade!

We started the day with a little Play-Doh Play.  I invited the parents in {first day treat only!} and had this note projected on the Elmo. It was a fabulous, low-key way for the kids to stay busy while I said hello to parents!

Click {here} to snag this freebie!

We read one of my favorites – Chrysanthemum and had a great chat about being proud of our names. I gave each of the kids a blank piece of paper and they wrote their names in giant letters. Next, they traced over the pencil in bright crayons and finally painted over their letters with watercolors. It’s such a fun bulletin board to welcome everyone into our classroom!

Just inside the front door {and right next to the bulletin board} is this outrageously cute piece of art! I used Halle’s adorable poster and framed it in a cheap Ikea frame.  It makes me happy to walk by it!

We’ve had many discussions about our classroom rules over the past few days. I have three simple classroom rules:

* Say & Do Kind Things.
* Be a Good Listener.
* Take care of yourself, others, our classroom & our school.

Basically, if a kid is making a “bad choice” it will fall under not following one of those three rules!

Yesterday, we illustrated the rules in a mini-book for the kids to take home and share with their parents.

Related Reading: Teacher Self-Care at Back to School Time

Last night we had Back to School Night. Kinda brutal on the second day back, but I am glad to get it over with! I made this fun little fill-in for the parents to complete while they waited for my presentation to start. I think this mother nailed the “fast-talking” part!

You can snag this freebie {here}

My class is great! They are sweet, kind, and most importantly, great listeners! I know this will be a fabulous year!

Related Reading: Back to School Icebreaker Activities for Elementary Students