Activities for engaging first days of school

Back-to-school season can be an exciting time for those who like school, but for many of our students, it can be a time they dread. But fear not! Those of us here at the Secondary English Coffee Shop have crafted some lessons and activities that can help all students feel excited that they landed in your class on the first day of school.

1. Team-Building Activities That Students Love

I always find the first few days of class a bit tiring for students. New teachers, new routines, and new rules! To keep my students engaged and excited, I created this Back to School Escape Room. Students work together to complete school-themed challenges. This is a great way to kick off your school year, as these activities promote communication, cooperation, and team-building skills. This activity is truly one of the best team-building activities to start a new school year. 

~ The Classroom Sparrow

2. Build Skills AND relationships at the same time

I am a huge proponent of the importance of building climate in a classroom, and so I devoted lots of time to it. However, I know some teachers worry about the judgment they will face if they spend too many days on back-to-school activities.

That's why I created a series of climate-building activities that also give your students an introduction to or review of some of the skills and ideas they will be using in your English class all year. The first activity uses Stand Up Stations, where students help create the norms and expectations in your classroom. Next up, they explore some common elements of fiction while creating the Story of Your Class. Finally, they will practice skills for writing intros and conclusions while they reflect on what they want the year to be like for them. You can grab them all in the bundle and get a detailed explanation on how they all work together!

~ Jackie, from ROOM 213

3. Back-to-School Stations for the First Day of School

Get your students moving around the first week of school with this engaging Back to School Stations activity. Your new students will explore the classroom and the course syllabus and also help create some classroom decor this this engaging activity that promotes a positive classroom community. 

You can choose to have students complete all of the stations in one day or spread them out over a series of days to plan your perfect first week of school! This resource includes five different classroom stations your ELA students are sure to love! 

~ Christina, the Daring English Teacher. 

4. The Classroom Challenge

Kick off the school year on a positive note with this engaging Back to School Activities Classroom Challenge! Designed to foster connection, teamwork, and creativity, this challenge offers 20 activities that encourage kindness, collaboration, and self-expression among students. From icebreaker games to collaborative projects, each activity is designed to promote a positive classroom community and allow students to share their ideas and opinions in a supportive environment. Whether you choose to implement these challenges daily, weekly, or monthly, this resource provides a versatile and fun way to build rapport among students and establish a welcoming classroom atmosphere from the start. 

- Bonnie, from Presto Plans

5. Unique Get-To-Know-You Activity for the First Week

Try something different this year (and have some ready-made classroom decor) with this fun and unique get-to-know-you activity: Back to School Letter Project. 

Students choose a letter that represents them (it could be associated with their name, or a favorite team, etc.). Then they follow the prompts (you can use my prompts or create your own in my editable version) to decorate their letter. On the back, they'll write a quick paragraph on why they chose that letter.

You can display the letters on a board, wall, or in the hallway, so the students can learn about their classmates. It's a fast way to get to know your students AND learn about their writing skills. I included a grading rubric.

~Tracee Orman