Engaging Back-to-School Activities to Kickstart the Year
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The first days of school are a golden opportunity to set the tone for a successful year. Icebreakers, creative assignments, and classroom rituals help students transition from summer break and start building community. Whether you're an elementary teacher who's excited to wear your teacher shirts again or a middle school advisor, or high school educator, having a toolkit of engaging back-to-school activities makes all the difference.
Here are some fun and purposeful ideas to try:
1. Getting to Know You Games
a. Two Truths and a Lie
A classic icebreaker where students share three statements about themselves—two true and one false. The class guesses which one is the lie. It’s a great way to spark laughter and conversation. Here you can also wear your first day of school teacher shirts so that your students will feel comfortable with you and they'll easily know you are a cool person that they can look up to.
b. Human Bingo
Create bingo cards with fun facts (e.g., "Has traveled to another country," "Has a pet cat"). Students mingle and find classmates who match each square.
c. Interview a Classmate
Pair students up to interview each other and then introduce their partner to the class. This helps quieter students feel more comfortable.
2. Creative Expression Activities
a. All About Me Posters
Students design posters with facts about themselves, including favorite books, hobbies, and goals. Display them on classroom walls to celebrate individuality. If you want to be more adventurous, you can even have them design their very own personalized shirts just like your own teacher t shirts so that it can boost their creativity and they will be comfortable with their classmates as well, to form a bond over the class.
b. "My Summer Snapshot"
Invite students to draw or write about a highlight of their summer. This blends storytelling with reflection. This essay will highlight how they enjoy their summer or what they look forward to do next summer.
c. Time Capsule Letters
Ask students to write letters to their future selves about their hopes for the year. Seal and store them to be opened on the last day of school.
3. Team-Building Challenges
a. Classroom Scavenger Hunt
Create a scavenger hunt that helps students learn the layout of the classroom and introduces rules and routines in a fun way.
b. Escape Room or Puzzle Break
Design a themed puzzle challenge that students must solve together. You can tailor this to your grade level and subject area.
4. Reflection Journals
First and foremost, wear your empowered women shirts to inspire your students to this next activity. Introduce journals for students to reflect weekly on their learning, emotions, and growth. This builds mindfulness and self-awareness.
5. Digital Collages (e.g., Google Slides)
Ask students to create a slide or collage introducing themselves with images, text, or even audio.
These are just some of the fun and exciting activities that you can try for your students this coming back to school. This will encourage them to look forward going to school because amazing activities awaits them aside from learning. Make it a habit to bond with them because school is there second home.
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