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HMH Classcraft pairs ELA and math content with research-based lesson plans resulting in reduced educator planning time and increased student engagement.

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With Google Earth for Chrome, fly anywhere in seconds and explore hundreds of 3D cities right in your browser. Roll the dice to discover someplace new, take a guided tour with Voyager, and create your own maps and stories. Coming soon to more browsers.

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With Google Earth for Chrome, fly anywhere in seconds and explore hundreds of 3D cities right in your browser. Roll the dice to discover someplace new, take a guided tour with Voyager, and create your own maps and stories. Coming soon to more browsers.

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Edheads: Activate Your Mind with FREE Educational Games & More

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Learn about science, technology, engineering, and math while playing free interactive games, watching fun original videos, and more!

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BrainPOP - Animated Educational Site for Kids - Science, Social Studies, English, Math, Arts & Music, Health, and Technology

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Duolingo is the world's most popular way to learn a language. It's 100% free, fun and science-based. Practice online on duolingo.com or on the apps!

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For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood... and the Rest of Y’all Too: Reality Pedagogy and Urban Education (Race, Education, and Democracy)

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For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood... and the Rest of Y’all Too: Reality Pedagogy and Urban Education (Race, Education, and Democracy) [Emdin, Christopher] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. For White Folks Who Teach in the Hood... and the Rest of Y’all Too: Reality Pedagogy and…

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Truth For Teachers - Truth For Teachers Podcast

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Truth for Teachers is consistently ranked as a top K-12 podcast on iTunes, with over a thousand five star reviews and 9 million downloads. Subscribe below to get a fresh dose of inspiration for the week ahead! You can leave a short voice message to comment on any episode or submit a question for me to answer.

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1:09:55 Guest(s): Amanda Morin, Emily Kircher-Morris

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The Cult of Pedagogy Podcast | Cult of Pedagogy

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Teaching strategies, classroom management, education reform, educational technology -- if it has something to do with teaching, we’re talking about it.

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The #edtech podcast that explores how technology is changing the way teachers teach and the impact that technology is having in education. Whether you…

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Positive Mindset Habits for Teachers: 10 Steps to Reduce Stress, Increase Student Engagement and Reignite Your Passion for Teaching

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Amazon.com: Positive Mindset Habits for Teachers: 10 Steps to Reduce Stress, Increase Student Engagement and Reignite Your Passion for Teaching: 9780998701943: Stevens, Grace: Books

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"Playful and lovely to read aloud. Even older budding naturalists will find something to enjoy here." - School Library Journal

A secret underwater world brought to life: In this book, readers will discover the plants and animals that make up the rich, interconnected ecosystem of a mountain pond. Over the pond, the water is a mirror, reflecting the sky. But under the water is a hidden world of minnows darting, beavers diving, and tadpoles growing. These secrets and many others are waiting to be discovered.over and under the pond.

* An entertaining and educational look at the beauty the ecosystem has to offer. Stunning illustrations paired with an easy-to-follow storyline make this a great read for any early elementary school student
* Includes a glossary of animals that live in, near, and around the mountain pond to enrich the reading experience
* Inspires a love of nature and encourages young minds to explore the world around them
A gorgeous companion to the acclaimed Over and Under the Snow and Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt, Over and Under the Pond is an excellent addition to any emerging readers collection.
"A contemplative journey through an ecosystem." - USA Today

* Great read-aloud book for families and classrooms
* Books for kids ages 5-8
* Early elementary school books
* Books for grades 1-2

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over and under the pond: (environment and ecology books for kids

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science & nature - earth sciences - water (oceans

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science & nature - environmental science & ecosystems

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juvenile nonfiction / science & nature / earth sciences / water (oceans

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juvenile nonfiction / science & nature / environmental science & ecosystems

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juvenile nonfiction/science & nature - earth sciences - water (oceans

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juvenile nonfiction/science & nature - environmental science & ecosystems

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science & nature - earth sciences - water (oceans

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science & nature - environmental science & ecosystems

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ecosystem; pond; minnows; tadpoles; habitat; over; under; children; kid; book; down; animal; nature; garden; dirt; fish; water; hardcover; picture; ocean; lake; snow; kate; messner; educational; learn; school; preschool; kindergarten; underwater; world; read; discover; plants; sky; beavers

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over; under; pond; children; kid; book; down; animal; nature; garden; dirt; fish; water; habitat; hardcover; picture; ocean; lake; snow; kate; messner; educational; learn; school; preschool; kindergarten; underwater; world; read; discover; plants; ecosystem; sky; minnows; beavers; tadpoles;

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juvenile nonfiction / science & nature / earth sciences / water (oceans

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juvenile nonfiction / science & nature / environmental science & ecosystems

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juvenile nonfiction/science & nature - earth sciences - water (oceans

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juvenile nonfiction/science & nature - environmental science & ecosystems

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Over and Under the Pond: (Environment and Ecology Books for Kids, Nature Books, Children's Oceanography Books, Animal Books for Kids)

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Over and Under the Pond: (Environment and Ecology Books for Kids, Nature Books, Children's Oceanography Books, Animal Books for Kids) [Messner, Kate, Neal, Christopher Silas] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Over and Under the Pond: (Environment and Ecology Books for Kids, Nature Books, Children's Oceanography Books

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In a spare, powerful text and evocative illustrations, the Newbery medalist Katherine Applegate and the artist G. Brian Karas present the extraordinary real story of a special gorilla.
Captured as a baby, Ivan was brought to a Tacoma, Washington, mall to attract shoppers. Gradually, public pressure built until a better way of life for Ivan was found at Zoo Atlanta. From the Congo to America, and from a local business attraction to a national symbol of animal welfare, Ivan the Shopping Mall Gorilla traveled an astonishing distance in miles and in impact.
This is his true story and includes photographs of Ivan in the back matter.

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Ivan: The Remarkable True Story Of The Shopping Mall Gorilla

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In a spare, powerful text and evocative illustrations, the Newbery medalist Katherine Applegate and the artist G. Brian Karas present the extraordinary real story of a special gorilla. Captured as a baby, Ivan was brought to a Tacoma, Washington, mall to attract shoppers....

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A New York Times Bestseller and tie-in to Academy-Award Winning Short Film "Hair Love"Hair Love is highlighting the relationship between a Black father and daughter. Matthew leads the ranks of new creatives who are telling unique stories of the Black experience. We need this."

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It's up to Daddy to give his daughter an extra-special hair style in this ode to self-confidence and the love between fathers and daughters, from Academy-Award winning director and former NFL wide receiver Matthew A. Cherry and bestselling illustrator Vashti Harrison. Hair Love

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Not your everyday calendar, here you can find important events in literary history, authors' birthdays, and a variety of holidays, all with related activities and resources that make them more relevant to students.

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Not your everyday calendar, here you can find important events in literary history, authors' birthdays, and a variety of holidays, all with related activities and resources that make them more relevant to students.

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World's most popular online marketplace for original educational resources with more than four million resources available for use today.

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TeachThought – A Critical Thinking Classroom

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TeachThought promotes critical thinking and innovation in K-12 classrooms

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George Lucas Educational Foundation

The benefits of movement in the classroom aren't limited to younger students. Pairing new words and concepts with gestures or dance moves locks in understanding-and active brain breaks prime students to learn even more.

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A free source of information, inspiration, and practical strategies for learning and teaching in preK-12 education.

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Instantly access over 40,000 of the best books & videos for kids on Epic

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Educreations is a community where anyone can teach what they know and learn what they don't. Our software turns any iPad or web browser into a recordable, interactive whiteboard, making it easy for teachers and experts to create engaging video lessons and share them on the web.

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Providing teachers and pupils with tangram activities

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The Tangram Channel provides a great number of tangram puzzles, short videos, step by step tutorials and tangram-related activities.

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Edheads: Activate Your Mind with FREE Educational Games & More

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Learn about science, technology, engineering, and math while playing free interactive games, watching fun original videos, and more!

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Enjoy fun science games for kids while learning more about science and technology. There's a range of free online activities to try with something for everyone whether you're interested in animals, plants, chemistry, biology, physics, space, magnets, electricity, forces, light, sounds, gases or other science related topics. Put yourself to the test by trying to complete as many of the interactive challenges as you can, the games start off easy but will be fully testing your technology skills and understanding of the science behind the game in no time.

Have fun learning online with these cool science games. It's free and easy to use so just scroll down the page, find a game you like the look of and give it a go!

Learning about living things is a very important part of science. Humans like yourself are part of this group and the more you can learn about how your body works the better. There are also lots of games & activities to do with other living things such as animals & plants.

This selection of games & activities include some of the physical processes that control our everyday lives. Find out how electricity works, how our eyes use light to see, how forces such as friction work and the physics behind how the earth sun & moon behave.

The matter that makes up our earth can do weird and wonderful things, find out more with these fun games & activities. Experiment with solids, liquids and gases as you learn more about material properties, melting points, rocks, soils, ice, water & steam.

Solids, Liquids & Gases

Have fun learning about solids, liquids and gases by experimenting with different forms, using different conditions to change them from one form to another.

Detective Science Games for Kids

Use your science skills while playing the role of a detective in a range of fun games and activities that will challenge your knowledge of electricity, friction, magnets, microorganisms, life cycles and other interesting science topics.

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Fun Science Games for Kids - Free Interactive Activities Online

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Enjoy fun science games for kids while learning more about science and technology. There's a range of free online activities to try with something for everyone whether you're interested in animals, plants, chemistry, biology, physics, space, magnets, electricity, forces, light, sounds, gases or other science related topics.

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Spotlight on Classroom Resources

OER Project materials provide a view of the larger world to your students, preparing them for college, career and beyond.

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OER Project's free, online social studies and world history curricula are aligned to state standards and develop key historical thinking skills.

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At Crash Course, we believe that high quality educational videos should be available to everyone for free! Subscribe for weekly videos from our current courses! Right now, we're producing Organic Chemistry and European History. We also recently teamed up with Arizona State University to bring you two more courses: Study Hall Composition, and Study Hall Algebra.

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Easily create beautiful interactive video lessons for your students you can integrate right into your LMS. Track students' progress with hassle-free analytics as you flip your classroom!

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Teachers and admins love Edulastic because it makes

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Edulastic: Interactive Formative Assessment for classroom or distant learning

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Online assessment tools with technology-enhanced items, help students learn and measure growth all in one easy system in the classroom and at home.

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Kids must be given activities that match their level of skill and ability. By engaging kids with grade-based activities, parents and teachers can monitor each child's learning and growth. Choose from preschool activities, kindergarten activities, 1st grade activities, 2nd grade activities, 3rd grade activities, 4th grade activities or 5th grade activities and make learning an enjoyable process for kids of all ages.

You can plant the seed for a lifelong love of learning in your preschooler with interesting preschool activities. Simple, easy and fun, these activities can set the foundation for better learning and development. Both informative and productive, fun activities such as preschool science activities, preschool art activities and preschool math activities will build their confidence and unlock their imaginations.

Engage your kindergartners with easy, fun activities. A great resource for all parents and teachers, these activities for kindergartners will hold their attention and satisfy their curiosity. You can pick from a wide variety of activities such as kindergarten math activities, kindergarten reading activities, kindergarten science activities, and a whole range of other printable activities!

Activities for first graders can be both educational and fun. They are designed keeping in mind the abilities and level of skill of six- to seven-year-olds and are effective tools when it comes to teaching different concepts. Educational activities for 1st graders make the learning process much more enjoyable. Easy and exciting activities such as first grade reading activities, math activities, science activities and art activities keep kids engaged and occupied.

Second grade activities take learning and skill to the next level. More confident of their abilities, second graders have longer attention spans, making learning an easier task.

Activities for second graders are plentiful. From math activities and science activities to reading activities and art activities, there is a wide array to choose from. Second graders are more confident with their vocabulary, reading, math, and fine motor skills and enjoy working on different kinds of activities. They finish their tasks faster and are more familiar with different concepts. It is, therefore, important that parents and teachers give them activities that are a little more advanced and that stimulate those active brains!

Third grade activities can be both exciting and educational. Since 3rd graders are more mature and confident, activities for them are more complex and challenging.

There are many kinds of activities for third graders including math activities, science activities, reading activities and art activities. Third graders are able to grasp new concepts faster and build easily on existing ones. Apart from activities on different subjects, these kids should also be encouraged to participate in sports and other extra-curricular activities. After all, such activities help kids grow up to be well-rounded!

Finding fun but productive activities to keep fourth graders engaged with can be quite an uphill task! Our free and printable 4th grade activities come to the rescue of homeschooling parents and teachers who want to give their kids something exciting to do. We have activities on a wide array of topics and subjects that you can choose from.

5th graders need something more challenging and exciting to keep them interested. Therefore, most of the free 5th grade activities easily found online are designed keeping in mind their developmental characteristics. From science activities to math activities to reading activities, you can find a plethora of 5th grade activities right here!

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Kids must be given activities that match their level of skill and ability. By engaging kids with grade-based activities, parents and teachers can monitor each child's learning and growth. Choose from preschool activities, kindergarten activities, 1st grade activities, 2nd grade activities, 3rd grade activities, 4th grade activities or 5th grade activities and make learning an enjoyable process for kids of all ages.

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When putting together lesson plans for the upcoming school year, it can be tempting to dive into reading and math curriculum from day one. There's always so much to get through, and time seems in short supply. But it's worth making time for social-emotional activities early on. These can make a big difference for your students when they happen during the first weeks of school.

One of the biggest predictors of a positive school experience is whether students have made friends in class.[3] Students with friends in class generally consider their school experiences as positive, whereas students without friends often feel unhappy at school. As a teacher, you can use get-to-know-you activities to help students bond as much as possible.

Bonding during the first week of school can significantly improve your students' academic trajectory far beyond their time in your class. Students whose schools include social-emotional curriculum often see improved social skills, behavior, and even academic performance.[1] And in the long term, social-emotional learning is linked to an increased quality of life, better mental health, and reduced risky behavior for older students.[4,5]

50 First Day of School Activities for Elementary Students

If students can connect with their peers early in the school year, those positive relationships can make a world of difference throughout the year. Use these 50 classroom icebreakers and community-building activities to help your students bond during the first days of school.

1. "Dicebreakers:" All you need to play this first day of school icebreaker is a few sets of dice and plenty of willing students! Students roll the dice to answer a variety of get-to-know-you questions.

2. Autograph Scavenger Hunt: This activity encourages students to connect with as many peers as possible on the first day. Tell students to locate a different person for each box, if possible.

3. Wrinkled Heart Empathy Craft: Empathy is an important skill to teach your students for building a strong classroom environment. Use this activity to explain the importance of compassion to your students and help prevent bullying.

4. Beach Ball Buzz: If you're looking for a getting-to-know-you activity on the first day of class that gets students moving, try this one! Write a question on each side of the beach ball in permanent marker and have fun tossing it around while learning all about your students.

5. Get-to-Know-You Jenga: Even board games can be icebreakers if you make a few tweaks. As students build the Jenga tower, they'll ask and answer fun questions that are all about them.

6. Two Truths and a Lie: This simple icebreaker doesn't require any materials to play. Gather your students together in a group and see if you can guess which fun facts are the truth and which are lies.

7. Know Thy Neighbor Game: How good are your students at guessing facts about their new classmates? Play this creative getting-to-know-you activity to find out!

8. Name Planes: Putting together these "name planes" can be a crafty way for students to get to know each other. After everyone has created their paper airplane, send them soaring through the room and use them to have students introduce each other.

9. Inside-Outside Game: This game (number five on the linked list) encourages students to open up with each other and be vulnerable about what makes them unique as well as what qualities or experiences they share.

10. Meetball: This game (third on the list here) helps students memorize their classmates' names in a fun, stress-free environment. Gather your students in a group and take turns tossing the ball and practicing each other's names.

11. Math About Me: Finding engaging ways to teach students math can make a big difference during the first days of school. Use this activity to let students introduce themselves while learning about numbers.

12. Loaded Questions Game: Having students ask a list of questions back and forth can get repetitive. This game shakes it up by letting students pick questions out of a paper bag.

13. "I Am" Poems: Your students could be poets and not even know it! Make these visual poems together, then hang them up in your classroom.

14. Gummi Bear Share: A snack just might help your studentsGiving your students a snack can help them loosen up on the first day of school. Grab a bag of gummi bears and use the colors to assign students a few icebreaker questions they share with the class.

15. Color My Feelings Art: This art project is a great social- emotional learning activity to do during the first few days of school.

16. Personalized Plates: The upcoming school year will be a journey, which makes this license plate activity all the more fitting. Have your students describe themselves in a short word they can use as their own license plate, then encourage them to decorate the plate in a way that shows their personality. This is one of several activities listed at the link.

17. Trust Walk: This team-building activity is designed to boost your students' listening, communication, and goal-making skills.

18. Collage Mobile Craft: Why not get to know your students through a fun craft? These collage mobiles allow students to explore their creative sides as they introduce themselves.

19. Icebreaker Bingo: Using bingo to learn facts about other students can help make the getting-to-know-you process fun. It is the last activity listed on the link.

20. In the Not Seat: This icebreaker is like a cross between musical chairs and traditional get-to-know-you games. It's also a great way for younger elementary students to get their wiggles out, a welcome side effect if your students have some first-day nerves.

21. Forehead Dots Game: Can your students arrange themselves into different groups without talking? Find out by playing this challenging, fun game in class!

22. A Fan of Validation: Everybody likes to know that they are wanted and belong in class. Use this activity to show students how compliments can lift a person up.

23. Think-Pair-Share: Even early elementary students can learn how to use critical thinking skills with this class discussion activity. Scroll down a bit at the link to see more about this activity.

24. Movie Ball Game: This game is similar to the beach ball activity but with favorite movies and higher stakes. If a student doesn't think of a favorite movie to name by the time someone passes them the ball, they're out for that round.

25. Me Commercial: Need an "all about me" activity for older elementary students? The 10th activity on this list has you pair your students to create commercial-type skits so they can all get to know each other.

26. This or That?: If you need a simple icebreaker activity, try playing "This or That?" with your class. Students get to weigh in on questions like "Batman or Spider-Man?" or "Cats or dogs?"

27. Four Corners with a Twist: This fun get-to-know-you game gets students moving all over the classroom!

28. Meet Your Match Game: One way to build student relationships is by encouraging them to see how alike they all are. By handing each child a puzzle piece and helping them find the classmate with a match, you can show every child that they belong in school.

29. First Day Jitters Activity: It's normal to be nervous on the first day of school. This activity will remind students that they're not alone and that this school year will be one to remember.

30. Stringing Conversations Together Game: Activities that teach social skills can be especially helpful for early elementary students. This game encourages students to practice making conversations with new people.

31. A Great Wind Blows: Where will "the wind" blow your students as they answer icebreaker questions? Find out by playing this game with your class!

32. Paper Chain Challenge: This fun team-building activity requires your students to work together in teams to build the longest paper chain.

33. All About Me Selfies: Drawing self-portraits can help your students express themselves with the class. Your students can take (or rather, make) their own selfies to show off their unique personalities.

34. Newspaper Game: This activity will test your classroom's cooperation skills by seeing how far they can hop on newspaper sheets without touching the ground.

35. I Wish My Teacher Knew...: Let your students know you care about them by giving them a space to share their stories. It might surprise you what your students wish you understood about their lives.

36. Tale Toss: This team-building activity (see page 10 on the link) requires the whole classroom to work together and tell a story. How long can your classroom story get before dropping the object?

37. Speed Friending: This social skills activity gives students plenty of opportunities to make new friends in a short time period.

38. Alphabet Relay Race: One of the best ways to teach students important concepts is by making it fun. In this game, students work in teams to put together the alphabet.

39. Emotional Intelligence Reading: If you want to promote social emotional development from the first day of school onward, try reading one of these books as a class.

40. Time Capsule: A time capsule can be a fun way to measure your students' progress over the year. Plus, your students can get to know each other by seeing what they put in the time capsule.

41. Classroom Scavenger Hunt: Familiarize your students with their classroom while they get to know each other with this fun activity.

42. What Does a Social Friend Do?: What does it mean to be a true friend? Brainstorm qualities of a good friend with your students, then create a poster together to hang up on the wall as a daily reminder.

43. "I Like It" Tag: Turn this classic P.E. game into a bonding activity by using it to unite students with similar likes.

44. All About Me Bag: For this activity, students fill up a paper bag with their favorite things and share them with the class. This can be a fun twist on traditional show and tell.

45. The Toilet Paper Game: If you're looking for a quirky get-to-know-you game, try playing this one with your new class!

46. Chit Chat Cards: It can be tough for new elementary students to think up conversation starters. Help your new students connect faster by putting together some "chit chat cards." (After clicking on the list, scroll to activity number three.)

47. Get-to-Know-You Snowball Fight: You don't have to wait until winter to have a snowball fight! Have fun making paper snowballs with your class, then use them for a unique icebreaker (pun intended!) game.

48. Name Game: Getting-to-know-you activities that teach your students their classmates' names can be especially helpful for kindergarten students. This game pairs each name with an adjective to help students remember the names better.

49. Back-to-School Resolutions: Have older elementary students freewrite a few resolutions for the school year, then take turns sharing them with the class.

50. Whole Body Listening Games: Teaching your students how to listen early on can make a big difference later in the year. Use these activities to give your students the tools they need for active listening.

Sources:

1. Durlak, J.A., Weissberg, R.P., Dymnicki, A.B., Taylor, R.D., and Schellinger, K.B. The Impact of Enhancing Students' Social and Emotional Learning: A Meta-Analysis of School-Based Universal Interventions. Child Development, January/February 2011, 82(1), pp. 405-432.

2. Denham, S.A., and Brown, C. "Plays Nice With Others": Social-Emotional Learning and Academic Success. Early Education and Development, 2010, 21(5), pp. 652-680.

3. Peters, S. "I Didn't Expect That I Would Get Tons of Friends More Each Day": Children's experiences of friendship during the transition to school. Early Years: An International Research Journal, 2003, 23(1), pp. 45-53.

4. Cohen. J. Social, Emotional, Ethical, and Academic Education: Creating a Climate for Learning, Participation in Democracy, and Well-Being. Harvard Educational Review, July 2006, 76(2), pp. 201-237.

5. Payton, J.W., Wardlaw, D.M., Graczyk, P.A., Bloodworth, M.R., Tompsett, C.J., and Weissberg, R.P. Social and Emotional Learning: A Framework for Promoting Mental Health and Reducing Risk Behavior in Children and Youth. Journal of School Health, May 2000, 70(5), pp. 179-185.

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50 Back to School Activities for Elementary Students - Waterford.org

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Use these 50 classroom icebreakers and community-building activities to help your students bond during the first days of school.