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Easy + fun back to school game: GUESS WHO!? 💻✏️📓🍎

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@fivefootoneteacher
Easy + fun back to school game: GUESS WHO!? 💻✏️📓🍎
♬ original sound - britt

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This is a great Back to School Activity to try with your class! #teachertok#tiktokteacher #teachershare #teacherlife #edutok #prek #kindergarten #fyp #literacy #kindergartenteacher #literacyteacher #readingteacher #classroomorganization #classdecor #teacherhack

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@ms.campbell.teach
This is a great Back to School Activity to try with your class! #teachertok#tiktokteacher #teachershare #teacherlife #edutok #prek #kindergarten #fyp #literacy #kindergartenteacher #literacyteacher #readingteacher #classroomorganization #classdecor #teacherhack
♬ original sound - Ms. Campbell

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Back-to-School Resources These are all resources that I use or have used at the beginning of the school year. Please enjoy! I am happy to provide these resources completely free of charge. If you would like to support my work, you can Venmo me (@sabocat_teacher) or purchase something from my

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The first week of school is unlike any other week of the school year. We are tasked with getting to know 20+ students and establishing a classroom community while still teaching them classroom and school procedures and expectations. Oh, and we have to squeeze it all into a week because we hit the ground running with pacing the following week. It's exhausting and can be overwhelming. There is no wonder I usually crash on the couch at 5 every night that week.

As I am gearing up for my 8th year in the classroom, I've come to realize what really works in my classroom to check off all the boxes mentioned above. Every year I try out a couple new lessons, but I definitely keep my tried and true in the mix. I've condensed my back to school must-do's into 10 lessons that I teach during the first week of school. The first 4 lessons are all about setting up my classroom data wall and establishing behavior/learning expectations. The second set of 6 lessons focus on building my classroom community and fostering relationship not only between the students but between myself and them as well.

I've spent some time this summer writing formal lesson plans for my big 10 lessons and creating all the resources you would need to teach them in your class. The resources can be found in my TPT store, by click on the links below.

⭐ First Week Essentials: Classroom Community Lessons & Activities

⭐ First Week Essentials: Data Wall & Lessons

⭐ Back to School Pack (10 First Week Lessons & Data Wall) BUNDLE
Building Your Data Wall & Expectations Lessons
Pre-Lesson: Data Wall rundown, graphs, and header

Lesson 1: Crafting a Mission, Vision, and Goals

Lesson 2: Crafting Classroom Expectations

Lesson 3: Defining a Quality Student and Teacher

Lesson 4: Establishing Classroom Procedures
Building Your Classroom Community Lessons
Lesson 5: Student Surveys

Lesson 6: Creating a Birthday Board

Lesson 7: Creating a Class of Problem Solvers

Lesson 8: Laying the Groundwork for Reader Leaders

Lesson 9: Setting up a Writing Portfolio

Lesson 10: Sharing Summer Experiences ( You can download this lesson as a freebie and a sample HERE.)

This will be my third year departmentalizing to teach reading and writing in third grade, so you know I'm a sucker for a good read aloud. Below are some of my favorite books to use during the first week.

I am always looking for recommendations for read alouds or lessons for the first week back. Don't be shy! Drop your ideas below.

Talk to you soon,

Adrienne

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Back to School with 10 First Week Lessons - Adrienne Teaches

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The first week of school is unlike any other week of the school year. We are tasked with getting to know 20+ students and establishing a classroom community while still teaching them classroom and school procedures and expectations.

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An amazing way to get to know your new batch of students! #highschoolteacher #teachersoftiktok #teacher #backtoschool

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@megandean290
An amazing way to get to know your new batch of students! #highschoolteacher #teachersoftiktok #teacher #backtoschool
♬ Float - Sonlan

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@mrs.paprocki
The Great Chain Race #backtoschool #teambuilding #teachersoftiktok #teacherlife #middleschoolteacher
♬ Send Me on My Way - Vibe Street

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@teachinginroom6
Favorite BACK TO SCHOOL activity ever!
♬ FEEL THE GROOVE - Queens Road, Fabian Graetz

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Officially my favorite back to school activity ✨ #teachersoftiktok #teachertok #backtoschool #teachercrafts  #bulletinboard #retroclassroom #classroomdecor #tiktokteacher

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@mrscowmansclassroom
Officially my favorite back to school activity ✨ #teachersoftiktok #teachertok #backtoschool #teachercrafts #bulletinboard #retroclassroom #classroomdecor #tiktokteacher
♬ original sound - Ashleysanderslife

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More than 80 million players worldwide have already enjoyed Incredibox. The right mix of music, graphics, animation and interactivity makes it ideal for everyone.

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I saw another teacher do something like this but couldn’t find the video ANYWHERE so I tried made my own version! #fyp #brainbreak #teachersoftiktok #classroommanagement #classroomfun

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@ashcmichalski
I saw another teacher do something like this but couldn’t find the video ANYWHERE so I tried made my own version! #fyp #brainbreak #teachersoftiktok #classroommanagement #classroomfun
♬ original sound - ash

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The start of the school year is a terrific time to get to know your students and encourage them to get to know one another. It is so important to foster a sense of community within your classroom to ensure it is an inclusive and welcoming space for all. Icebreakers for kids can help with getting to know each other, reinforcing important skills like listening and sharing, and, most importantly, having fun! Here are 34 of our favorite elementary icebreakers to start forming positive relationships and building community in your classroom.

1. The Book of Me

Have your students create a book jacket cover and table of contents about themselves. Encourage them to come up with a clever title and embellish the front cover with an illustration that represents who they are. On the back cover, have them write a mini-biography like an "About the Author." For the table of contents, have them name each chapter with something that is important to them, like their family, their hobbies, their favorite things, etc.

2. Who's in Your Circles?

Have your students draw three concentric circles on a blank piece of unlined paper. Choose a category (for instance, food, sports, TV shows, etc.) and have students write that word in the smallest center circle. In the adjacent circle, have them write "love," and in the next circle out, write "like." Have them write "don't like" on the outside of the circle.

Students will circulate and find a partner. They will ask each other to tell them one thing to fit into each circle (except the center) and write their classmates' responses on their paper. For example, one sport they love, like, and don't like. Once they've recorded each other's answers, they mingle around and find another partner. The goal is to speak to as many classmates as they can in the allotted time. Change topics midway through if you'd like.

Learn more: The Thinker Builder

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3. Jigsaw

Use a large piece of poster board to draw out a jigsaw puzzle with enough pieces for each student plus yourself. Cut out the pieces and give one to each student. Have each student decorate their piece with their name, words that describe them, and pictures. When everyone is finished, have each student share their puzzle piece and what it means. Then put the puzzle together on a bulletin board or blank wall. The finished puzzle will not only make a colorful display, it will represent how each student is part of the big picture of who your class is.

4. Spider Web Questions

Gather students in a large circle. Take a ball of yarn and, holding tight to one end, toss the ball to one student. You can either ask them a question, such as "What is your favorite type of birthday cake?" or have students share one piece of information about themselves. Once they answer, they will hold on to a piece of yarn and toss the ball to another student. They will ask them a different question or the student will share something about themselves and so on. Once the ball has been tossed to every student, you should have an impressive web in the center of your circle. Take a moment to admire it and remind students that it took everyone's effort to create this beautiful work of art.

Learn more: Mrs. Fotini's English Class

5. Windows

If you're looking for elementary icebreakers that allow students to share something from home, try this activity. Using masking tape, divide a bulletin board or empty wall in your classroom into "window panes," one for each student in your class. Assign two students each day to bring in a small artifact that represents who they are. At morning meeting, ask each student to present what they brought. Later, label one of the panes for each student and mount their item in the middle. When everyone has had a turn, you'll have a lovely display for your class, and your students will know each other a little better.

6. Labels

Pass out a 2″ x 4″ mailing label to each student. Instruct them to fill in their label with the following:

Center: name

Top left corner: one word that describes their personality

Top right corner: favorite subject in school

Bottom left corner: a hobby

Bottom right corner: favorite place

Or tailor the topics to fit your particular set of students. Once everyone is finished with their label, set a timer for three minutes and have each student pair up with a classmate to talk about their labels. When the timer goes off, everyone switches partners, and the process repeats. Continue mingling until students have had a chance to get to know many of their classmates.

7. Inside, Outside Circle

The best elementary icebreakers allow students to get to know everyone in the classroom. For this activity, divide your class in half and line them up in two circles, one inside (A) and one outside (B). Have students in each circle turn to face the classmate adjacent to them in the other circle. Choose a topic, such as "my favorite thing to do on weekends," and have students in circle A talk and students in circle B listen. Then switch so that B talks and A listens. When everyone is done, have the students in the outside circle rotate one student to their left. Pick a new topic and give each student in each pair a chance to share. Repeat.

Learn more: Eastern Washington University

8. Observation

Pair students up and have them form two lines, partners facing each other. If your class has an odd number of students, you can play the game too. Give students 30 seconds to look each other over, paying close attention to all the details about their partner's appearance. Ask students in one line to turn around and face the other direction. Students in the other line will now change one thing about their appearance. For example, one student might put their shoes on opposite feet, and another may remove a clip from their hair. When the students in the first line turn back around, they have to guess what their partner changed. Now switch and let the first line make the change and the second line guess the difference. If you have time, have students change partners and play again.

9. Colors

To prepare for this activity, write the following information on a large piece of chart paper, then cover it until after the activity begins.

Red-a favorite summer memory

Green-your favorite thing about school

Blue-a favorite sport, hobby, or activity

Yellow-one of your favorite books

Black-free choice (share anything)

Now, put together a bucket of colored pipe cleaners with the same colors. To begin the activity, pass the bucket around and ask each student to take five pieces, each one a different color. Now, reveal the chart. Give each student a turn to introduce themselves and give one fact for each pipe cleaner. After everyone has had a chance, let the students twist their pipe cleaners together to make a bracelet, necklace, or headband.

10. Emojis

Need elementary icebreakers you can use for online classes? Give students a list of topics and ask them to share information using only emojis in the text feature. See the example below. If you are teaching in person, have students answer on paper and design their own emojis.

Family: 👩🏻👨🏻💁🏻‍♂️🙋🏻‍♀️

Pets: 🐶🐢

Hobbies: 🏄🏻‍♀️🎿✍️📓

Favorite foods: 🍕🥑🍦

Loves: ☀️

Dislikes: ☔️

Future goal: 👩🏻‍🚒

Learn more: HMH/Emoji Icebreaker

11. Introductions

Icebreakers for kids should help them get to know one another and feel more connected. To start this one, pair up two students and set a timer for three minutes. When the timer starts, one student will interview the other, asking as many questions as they can think of to get to know the other student. When the timer goes off, switch. After both students have had a chance to interview and be interviewed, call one set of partners up to the front of the class at a time. Each partner will introduce the other student to the class, recounting as much information as they can remember. This is a great activity to teach students how to ask questions, remember information, and speak in front of others.

12. Would You Rather ...?

With students seated at their desks or tables, ask a series of "Would you rather ...?" questions, like these. For example, "Would you rather fly like a bird or swim like a dolphin?" Have students give a thumbs-up for the first option or thumbs-down for the second. Make sure to pause for a few seconds to give students the chance to look around and see how everyone votes.

13. Build a Tower

Are you looking for elementary icebreakers that challenge kids to work as a team? Divide your class into groups of four or five students. Give each group a bag of drinking straws and a roll of duct tape. Set a timer for 15 minutes. Explain to the class that the goal of the activity is to build the highest tower, using only the straws and tape, that remains upright. Observe carefully to see how well students work together. Circulate through the room and offer tips if necessary.

Learn more: Lemon Lime Adventures

14. Flash Sign

Elementary icebreakers can help get kids moving. For this one, ask each student to come up with a unique movement or sound. For example, two claps, a whistle, a curtsy, a high kick, word, or gesture. Circle up and start by saying your name followed by your sign. Go around the circle, giving each student a turn to say their name and flash their sign. Circle through a couple of times so students can remember each other's names.

15. Superpower Paper Dolls

Icebreakers for kindergartners should be simple but also appeal to something they love, like superheroes. Ask your students, "If you had a superpower, what would it be?" Then give them each a paper doll template to decorate what they would look like as a superhero. On the back, have them list what their superpower would be. When everyone is finished, invite students up, one at a time, to share their picture, and pick three students to guess their superpower. This is one of those elementary icebreakers that is quick, easy, and takes no time to prep.

16. Corners

Label the four corners of your classroom with paper signs reading "Strongly Agree," "Agree," "Disagree," and "Strongly Disagree." Students begin seated at their desks. Call out a statement such as "Math is my favorite subject in school" or "Cats are better than dogs." Students get up and move to the corner that best represents their opinion on the topic. This is a great activity for students to see what opinions they have in common with their classmates. It can also be adapted as an outside activity.

17. Bingo

Want to try icebreakers for kids that are also popular games? This icebreaker, "Get To Know You Bingo," is a great tool to help students learn more about their classmates. Download a blank Bingo card, and fill in each square with statements such as "has a dog," "traveled this summer," "plays soccer," etc. Hand out a card and pencil to each student, then send them off to find one person that meets the criteria in each box. Players can only use their classmates once on their sheet. The game is over when someone fills in every box on the entire grid with a different name.

18. Common

Divide your class evenly into small groups. Give them five minutes to talk amongst themselves, trying to find three things they all have in common-the stranger (or funnier), the better. When time is up, have each group tell the class their three things. After everyone has gone, have the class vote on which group has the strangest (or funniest) three things in common.

19. All My Friends

Gather your students into a large circle. Stand in the middle and say, "All my friends like ..." and fill in the blank with anything you like-pepperoni pizza, swimming, kangaroos, etc. Any student who also likes that thing has to leave their place and switch places with another person in the circle. Just like musical chairs, anyone who doesn't have a spot to switch to then goes in the middle, and "All my friends like ..." starts all over again.

20. Guess Who

Pass out an index card to each of your students and ask them to write three unique facts about themselves. Make the first fact fairly common, like "I have brown hair." Make the second fact a little trickier, such as "I am left-handed." And then make the third fact something that you don't think anyone else will have in common, such as "My grandmother is from Italy." Gather the cards, and throughout the day, pull one out and read it aloud to the class. Call on three students to guess whose card you just read. If no one guesses, ask the student who wrote it to stand.

21. Blobs and Lines

These engaging elementary icebreakers from Cult of Pedagogy are sure to get your students moving, talking, and finding things they have in common. For lines, ask students to line up in a particular order, for example by birthday, height, shoe size, etc. For blobs, ask students to gather in groups based on something they have in common, for example, favorite dessert or movie or number of siblings. Students will really need to communicate with one another to form their lines or blobs.

22. Music Mingle

Give each student an index card and have them write a question they would like to ask the other students in class. For example, "What is your favorite movie?" or "What is your favorite animal?" Next, put on some music and have the students get up and mingle around the classroom. When the music stops, students have to stand beside the person closest to them and ask each other the questions on their cards. Both students have to answer both questions. When the music begins again, students mingle once again and pair up with a new classmate when it stops. Repeat.

23. Three Words

Brainstorm a story topic with your students-anything from a soccer game to a snowstorm to a day at the zoo. Now start the story for the class with just three words. Each student will take a turn, contributing three more words. Try to say the first three words that come to mind, whether they make sense or not, and move quickly from one person to the next.

24. Where in the World

Ask students, "If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go?" Have each student write their name and three clues about their chosen destination on an index card, but not the name of the place. Collect all the cards, then one by one, read the clues to the class. Allow three people to make a guess. If no one guesses correctly, have the person who wrote the card reveal the destination. Once the destination is revealed, have the student explain why that is where they would want to go.

25. Never Have I Ever

Have your students sit in a circle and hold up both hands in front of them, spreading all 10 fingers. Read one of the statements from this list of elementary-appropriate Never Have I Ever questions. If students have done what the statement says, they put one finger down. For example, if the statement is "Never have I ever seen a shooting star," you would fold down one finger if you HAD seen a shooting star. At the end of the game, the person/people with the most fingers still standing wins.

26. Play Dough Fun

Icebreakers for kindergartners should include a calming activity like playing with play dough since there are likely to be some first-day jitters. Before using it for an icebreaker, give your students some time to just play with it independently. Once everyone is all warmed up, try some fun icebreaker activities like having your students mold their name or their favorite animal. Finally, have them share their creations with the rest of the class. You can even tie in a writing lesson by having them write about their creations. Check out some more ideas for play dough activities here!

27. Hot Seat

One student is selected to start in the "hot seat." That student should sit facing the rest of the class with their back to the board. Write a word on the board behind them and then have the rest of the class describe that word without actually saying it. The student in the hot seat must guess the word. We especially love that this game uses critical thinking and gets students thinking about descriptive details.

28. Animal Sounds

Before playing with your class, cut strips of paper and write animal names on them (hint: include some exotic animals that make distinctive noises). Make sure that each animal is repeated at least once so friends can find their pairs. Once ready to play, hand out strips to your class. Finally, have them find their pairs by using only the sounds that animal makes. This game will surely result in a lot of laughter!

29. Question Jenga

Before playing, write icebreaker questions on Jenga blocks. Once that is done, you can play in several different ways. Set up the towers yourself and then have students answer the questions as they successfully pull a block out. Or have small groups compete to see who can build the tallest tower, but the catch is they must answer the question before adding the block.

30. Snowball Fight

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34 Elementary Icebreakers To Start the School Year Off Right

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Looking for the perfect meet-and-greet activity for the first weeks of school? We love these friendly and fun elementary icebreakers.

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At the start of a new semester, teachers around the world turn their attention to the very first class. With a new group of students to integrate and make comfortable, icebreakers are an activity that are essential to those first days. But what makes a good activity? Ideally, teachers need icebreakers that are low in social risk, matched to your class's proficiency level, and perhaps just a bit silly. A good activity will encourage bonding, participation, motivation, and allow students to relax both mentally and physically. Of course, it's an added bonus if they can be easily adapted as warm ups or speaking activities during the year. Here are 13 adaptable icebreakers that we love...

Moving activities

1. Blobs and lines

This activity is easy, quick, keeps students moving and talking, plus helps them discover what they have in common. The idea is for students to listen to their teacher's prompts and organize themselves in a line (for example, in alphabetical order of last name) or in blobs according to something they have in common (birth month).

Try these prompts:

Line up in chronological order of your birthdays

Line up in order of how many siblings you have

Find those who are allergic to the same things as you

Gather with those who have the same colored clothing as you

Line up in alphabetical order of your fathers' names

Gather in four blobs: those who traveled by car to class, those who traveled by bus, and those who traveled another way

2. This or that

Along the same lines, in this activity students move to a particular side of the room to represent their opinions on a certain topic. To make this icebreaker work, "yes/no", "true/false", or "would you rather X or Y" questions are best. (A quick Google search will reveal dozens of sites with icebreaker questions to use or adapt.) Examples are:

True or false (teacher indicates the sides of the room that correspond to each answer): I had breakfast this morning.

Would you rather be invisible for a day or be able to fly for a day?

Yes or no: Do you speak more than three languages?

Tip: If you want to have questions with multiple answers you can assign each to a specific corner of the room.
3. Signatures

Ask the students to invent a "signature" movement or sound. It can be extremely simple: a clap, cough, turn in a circle, bow, word, mime, or gesture. Show yours first and go around the class (the students' signatures shouldn't repeat). Then it's time to remember them, beginning with yours and going around the circle again.

Mingles

4. Classmate bingo

An oldie but a goodie. Create bingo cards with prompts for students to use to ask each other questions. The idea is to cross off all the squares. Use simple prompts like those below, or try more complicated ones for higher level classes:

5. Who's in your circle?

Ask your students to draw three cocentric circles on a piece of paper. Give them a topic (food, seasons, sports...) and ask them to write it in the center circle. In the second circle students write "love", in the third "like", and outside the circles "don't like". Under the topic, students individually choose a specific example to focus on (e.g., bananas, spring, tennis). Students then mingle and ask their classmates how they feel about the item they have chosen, writing the students' names in the circles that correspond to their opinions. Repeat with another topic.

Small group speaking activities

6. Toilet paper roll

Produce a roll of toilet paper and ask students to take as many sheets as they like, without telling them why. Once the class has their sheets, reveal that each sheet corresponds to a question their small group will ask them. You can also do this with pieces of candy.

7. Two truths and a lie

Students write down three sentences with information about themselves, however, one must be a lie. Other students then ask them follow-up questions to discover which statement was a lie.

_Tip: This is a great way for teachers to give information about themselves on the first day of class. Ask students to think of follow-up questions in pairs.
_

8. Three things in common

Small groups must identify three things that they have in common with each other - the stranger, the better. Put prompts on the board if you would like, then give students time to talk. Later, students report back and vote on which group has the strangest three things in common.

Open class speaking activities

9. Time bomb name game

This is a fun, quick activity for students to remember each other's name. Ask your class to form a circle and say their name. Then, throw a tennis ball to one of your students. They have two seconds to say some one else's name and throw the ball to them, before it "explodes" and they are out of the game. Continue until only one student remains.

10. Beach ball toss

Before class, write icebreaker questions over a beach ball in permanent marker. Standing in a circle, students throw the ball to each other. When caught, or when the teacher says "stop", the student with the ball must answer the question closest to their left thumb. Repeat until each student has answered at least one question.

11. Candy pass

Give each student a small handful of colored candy (such as Skittles). Tell the class that a question has been assigned to each candy color. Write these on the board, considering having a mix of serious and more humorous questions such as:

Blue: Would you rather be a tiny horse or an enormous chicken? Why?

Red: What is your ideal job and why?

Green: Tell the class about your house and who lives in it.

Yellow: What are three countries you would like to visit and why?

Students are then told to eat all their candy - except for one piece. In this way they can choose the question they will answer.

12. Sit down if...

With the class in a circle the teacher asks a series of quirky yes/no questions. Students sit down if they can answer "yes" and the last student standing is the winner.

13. Speed dating

This activity allows students to talk to a maximum number of classmates in a short time. To begin, have your class form two concentric circles facing each other. Ask an icebreaker question and tell them they have a minute to discuss it. After one minute, the outer circle rotates counter-clockwise one position - and the activity is repeated with another student and another question. Continue until students have returned to their original partners.

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13 fail-safe icebreakers to use in class today ‹ EF Teacher Zone

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You can never have too many icebreakers up your sleeve. Here's a list of activities to get your class moving, chatting, and interacting in no time...