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Building Classroom Community in Secondary Classrooms 

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Building Classroom Community in Secondary Classrooms 

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With the pressure for secondary teachers to meet curriculum expectations in such a limited time, building a classroom community can sometimes be put on the back burner. What many teachers don't realize is that by intentionally taking time to build a positive community in your classroom, you can ease the challenges of classroom management, improve student attitude toward learning, and create an environment where students feel welcomed and supported.

Below are my 5 favorite ways to build classroom community in middle and high school.

Establish a positive classroom community by having students complete short activities that encourage kindness, collaboration, teamwork, expression, and the sharing of ideas and opinions.

These challenges don't need to take up a lot of time.Have them last 5-10 minutes.They can be used daily as a bell-ringer, weekly as a fun Friday activity, or even randomly when you finish class a few minutes early!

How it works: The teacher sets up a "Classroom Challenge" bulletin board display that includes 20 hidden activity prompts. Once a challenge is revealed, the teacher finds the corresponding activity, passes it out to the class, and they are ready to go!

Here are a few of the prompts I include in my challenge to give you an idea of the types of activities can help build community:

* Write a thank you card for someone you appreciate.

* Talk for one minute to a partner about the topic you receive from your teacher.

* Write a top 10 list on the topic of your choice.

* Imagine you are stuck on a deserted island. Pick one book, one movie, and one other item to bring.

* Play a game of 20 questions with a partner.

You know that nostalgic feeling you get when you are reminiscing with your friends about times past?Bring that into your room with "Classroom Throwbacks."Students use small cards to write down funny, interesting, and memorable moments that happen within the classroom and put it in the "Classroom Thowbacks" jar/box.

You can have students fill out the cards randomly, or you can pass them out from time to time, put students in small groups, and have them fill the cards out with a couple memories. Once the throwback jar starts to accumulate some cards, you can begin sharing them in class. You might consider sharing one a week for a "Throwback Thursday" activity. Grab this free resource by clicking here.

I once had a principal who left notes of appreciation (and a small treat) in teachers' mailboxes for little things she had noticed them doing (staying late at school working, helping out at an after-school event, giving extra help at lunch etc.). It was such a small gesture, but it had a dramatic impact on the morale of the staff. Build this same kind of morale in your classroom by finding ways to celebrate your students for the things you see them doing that deserve some praise and appreciation. There are lots of ways you can do this.You can post student work in your classroom, call or email parents to brag up those students who don't often get a pat on the back, or even have a student of the month/week display for those who deserve special recognition!I also like to keepfunny cards tucked away in my desk for those occasions where a student surprises or impresses me.

Ask for volunteers for "student paparazzi". Their job is to take pictures of students in the classroom and send them to you via email to print and post. Of course, students should only take pictures when you deem it appropriate.They could take some before and after the bell rings or during a class activity (when appropriate and with permission) or at the end of the period if class finishes up a couple minutes early. When you post the pictures in your classroom, consider framing them! I pick up low-cost frames at the dollar store and put them in different locations in my classroom (on the wall, on my desk, on the desk at the front of my room, on a bookshelf). No need to go use expensive photo paper. Simply print the pictures on regular letter paper to fit the frame's size (pictures below from the classrooms of @CamilaCdipietro and @Tarafarah7)

Framed photos create a home-like, family atmosphere where students feel welcomed and accepted. If you have a classroom website or social media account, you could also post the pictures there as long as you have parent media release permission forms.

Providing students with an opportunity to reflect on the positive moments of the week and look forward to the next week is another way to help foster classroom community.One way you can do this is by starting a weekly tradition called "Friday 5-4-3-2-1".

Students fill out the sheet by jotting down 5 things that made them smile, 4 words to describe the week, 3 things they have planned for the weekend, 2 things they learned, and 1 goal they have. Give students a few minutes to fill it out and have them share with a partner, a small group, or have a whole class discussion. If you'd like to try this out with your students, you can You can also choose to make up your own 5 prompts, as a blank version is included! download it for free here. Just write the prompts on the board and students can fill it out.

Looking for more ways to promote class community? Find more ideas below!
Student-Teacher Conferences from The SuperHERO Teacher
Classroom Community Bell-Ringers from The Daring English Teacher The Kindness Project from Room 213

Do you have any other ideas for fostering a positive classroom community?Click the comments button at the top of the post and share your ideas!

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With the pressure for secondary teachers to meet curriculum expectations in such a limited time, building a classroom community can sometimes be put on the back burner. What many teachers don't realize is that by intentionally taking time to build a positive community in your classroom, you can ease the challenges of classroom management, improve student attitude toward learning, and create an environment where students feel welcomed and supported.

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Learners Edge is lucky enough to review outstanding coursework from teachers across the country. Sometimes their coursework is so fantastic, we think it needs to be shared! Below are some great suggestions from submitted coursework along with some ideas from our own Curriculum and Instruction team on how to build community within your classroom...

There they are - staring at you. Cute lil' folks in desks or at tables, looking a little fearful but mostly excited, catching side glances from their buddies. You stare back - trying to figure out what you were supposed to be doing with them, completely drawing a blank and your heart beginning the telltale palpitations of increased nervous adrenaline....

For many students, and not just those who live in poverty or suffer from trauma, school is a place of routine, stability, even safety. As excited as you are to be back at school, your students need to see from you a message of love, welcome, and most importantly, that you truly value each and every child. Time spent building community is time extremely well spent. Below are 4 steps you can implement in your classroom to help with your classroom management and help create a sense of community.

1. Introduce morning meeting. You can create a sense of community by consistently holding a morning meeting. Have your students design a poster or anchor chart to display in the classroom. Dedicate the first 30 minutes of each day to this important social-emotional learning and building relationships.

2. Establish rules together. At the beginning of the year, discuss and come to agreement on classroom rules and expectations. Students can and should be reminded of the classroom rules/procedures and practice them daily. Discuss how and why these rules help students stay safe, learn respect, and how the rules help them learn and care about others. You can provide positive affirmations when students follow the classroom rules.

1. Greet each student as they enter the room, everyday. Some teachers stand at the door, some play music, while other write a daily quote on the board. Whatever you decide, do your best to get the day started of in a way that tells your students you care. These small gestures lets each student feel acknowledged and starts the day out on a positive note.

2. Focus on relationships from day one. From the very first day, provide students with opportunities to share their voice and experiences with one another. When we know our students, and our students know each other, we feel safe, supported and respected. The stronger our community, the fewer conflicts we have. When problems do arise, this strong foundation carries us through and helps find real solutions.

Community is vital in creating a successful classroom, but it doesn't just happen. A teacher needs to plan, prepare, and implement procedures and expectations (with the help of students), to consistently make creating a community of learners a priority.

Want to explore numerous ways to establish an ongoing social curriculum while creating a strong sense of community in the classroom? Enroll in Course 993: Shaping Respectful, Responsible Learners In Your Classroom and learn the tools and techniques for creating a classroom community that is nurturing, respectful and full of learning.

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Learners Edge is lucky enough to review outstanding coursework from teachers across the country. Sometimes their coursework is so fantastic, we think it needs to be shared! Below are some great suggestions from submitted coursework along with some ideas from our own Curriculum and Instruction team on how to build community within your classroom...

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As more schools consider restorative practice in areas of discipline, Talking Circles, a core component of the restorative justice process, enter the conversation. A Talking Circle, sometimes called a Peacemaking Circle, uses a structural framework to build relationships and to address conflict within a community. But Talking Circles serve other purposes as well: They create safe spaces, build connections and offer teachers a unique means of formative assessment.

The Talking Circle Process

Begin by gathering in a circle and creating norms that will help build trust in the space. In my class, we write our norms on a poster board placed in the center of our Circle. A talking piece, an object of significance chosen by Circle members, is passed around inviting equal participation. Whoever holds the talking piece is invited to speak, while all others listen to and support the speaker. To familiarize students with this process, you might ask them, "What does it look and sound like to listen respectfully?"

The Circle Keeper facilitates the Talking Circle by selecting the time and place, inviting members and preparing introductory remarks. Once the group reviews its established norms, the Circle Keeper can read a short piece of text to set the tone or just dive into the first question or reflection. Although the Circle Keeper is the facilitator, she participates as an equal member of the group. Once students learn the process, they can be invited to be Circle Keepers-an empowering process.

Restorative Justice in Schools

Restorative justice is a philosophy that recognizes that alternative approaches are needed in our criminal justice and school disciplinary systems. As research shows, suspensions and expulsions are often linked to higher rates of future involvement with the criminal justice system. This impact, often called the school-to-prison pipeline, disproportionately impacts students of color and students with disabilities.

A Talking Circle can be part of restorative justice when used as an alternative to traditional suspensions and expulsions. To begin, invite students who have been involved in a conflict at school to participate in the Circle. In this confidential process, students can invite an ally to attend. As the Circle progresses, the students are welcomed to speak openly about their experiences, as well as to seek support and plan action steps to repair the harm done. All in all, the Circle space is about accountability to one's community.

Building Connections in a Safe Space

My middle school made a clear decision that we wanted all students to have a close connection with at least one adult in our building. Thus, we began using Talking Circles in each of our advisory periods once a week. Students and advisors select questions that are meaningful to them or that connect to a relevant current event or community need. Often students raise concerns about inequities, bullying and conflicts within their classes. When appropriate, and with students' permission, we create action plans to help alleviate the stressors in their lives and intercept systemic injustices.

I have been amazed at the strong relationships that develop. One student expressed, "I began to realize that you all [teachers] are real people too and that you have gone through some of the same stuff we have." Another student reflected, "You know, I didn't really know some of you before the year began. Now I feel like each of you has become a part of my family." The Circle allows students to feel vulnerable, to take risks and to speak their truth. Thus, I believe Talking Circles, used in partnership with appropriate actions, have the potential to help restore justice to our youth.

Formative Assessment Tool

In my reading class, I often use Talking Circles to gauge my students' background knowledge of a topic or to assess their understanding of key concepts or text. For example, I might say, "Let's think a little more about the poems we read during our close reading yesterday. What is the author's message about injustice? How do the characters convey this message?" As the Talking Piece moves around the Circle, I mentally monitor students' progress, asking myself, "Did they get this? What surprises me? Where do we need to look more closely? What do we need to reread later?" Because each student is able to voice his or her thoughts, I'm able to differentiate and plan next steps accordingly.

As you can tell, Talking Circles are a cornerstone of my classroom practice. They allow children to see their community as a place of significance, a place of positive change and a place where their voices are heard. How might you use them in your practice?
Bintliff is a reading teacher at Oregon Middle School in Oregon, Wis. She is also a recipient of the 2014 Teaching Tolerance Award for Excellence in Teaching.

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Talking Circles: For Restorative Justice and Beyond

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As more schools consider restorative practice in areas of discipline, Talking Circles, a core component of the restorative justice process, enter the conversation. A Talking Circle, sometimes called a Peacemaking Circle, uses a structural framework to build relationships and to address conflict within a community.

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Ice Breakers and Get to Know you Activities 

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Ice Breakers and Get to Know you Activities 

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Blog Post: Building Classroom Community 

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Blog Post: Building Classroom Community 

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This blog is a reflection on implementing strategies and tools I learned as a student in the inaugural course offered by the Futures Initiative in Spring 2015 at The Graduate Center/CUNY. Though my students gave permission for me to write about their experiences, I have intentionally obscured any identifying details.

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In the second week of the semester, my students were assigned to give introductory speeches to the class. As this is a public speaking course, I wanted to demystify the experience of public speaking and naturalize students' anxiety, so we dove right in. I was unprepared for what happened next.

Simply put, the students amazed me with their bravery, honesty, risk-taking, and emotional openness. One student spoke openly about their struggle with addiction and overcoming this to return to school. Another opened up about rebounding from a sexual assault in their past. Yet another told us about the emotional cost of immigrating to the US and being separated from parents for many years. Others shared stories of being bullied and having to fight their whole life. Some students also shared their joys with the class from making music to speaking French to discovering new passions like fitness or performing slam poetry. Remember, all of this happened in just the second week of the semester.

How did students get to feel safe enough to allow themselves to be so vulnerable so soon?

The biggest single reason comes from implementing student-centered pedagogy that encourages students to take ownership of and responsibility for their learning. I explained to the classroom on day one that I am not there to be a content delivery system but that I see my role more as facilitator of their learning.

In the first week of class, I gave students a few choices about this speech assignment: they could interview and introduce each other, they could introduce themselves according to their cultural/familial or academic background, or they could begin with a prized object or a newspaper headline from the year of their birth. The majority voted the second option, speeches of self-introduction. This speech was intended to be a "get your feet wet" experience. It was low-stakes in terms of assessment. Each student received full credit simply for getting up and delivering their speech. They were asked to use a notecard and to provide an outline, the purpose of which was for me to assess the level of their familiarity with basic academic preparation skills.

The first assignment that we did was based upon the Think-Pair-Share exercise. Students were asked to consider the best and worst classes they've ever had and to write down what both the teachers and students did in each of these classes. You can view the results here and here. While this was a fun way to get to know each other and to discuss what makes a good classroom, the point of the exercise was to be the starting point for our Class Constitution (I was inspired to make this with the class by Kalle Westerling and Cathy Davidson). Like Kalle's class, we created this using Google Docs and we looked to theirs as a model.

The Class Constitution helped foster an instant community. We spent time in class together discussing it and then students were assigned to contribute to it on their own. At the top of the document is our motto: "Consider Everything an Experiment" (from John Cage's " Ten Rules for Students and Teachers ").

The students asked that I "be mindful that each student is different in how long they take to adapt, especially those with a Zero level comfort of speaking in front of others" and "grade according to each student's own personal level of improvement and not according to the rest of the class." In turn, they promised me that they will strive to "apply what we've learned in this course into our lives to help us become overall better people." They promised each other to "grow together as a class in terms of listening, teaching, speaking, and presenting. Leave no one behind" and to "honor and respect each other's ideas."

Students were also tasked with providing peer review for each other's speeches, which also fosters a supportive classroom and helps students remain engaged listeners. Though this is an experiential course about the practice of public speaking wherein every student is required to speak, it is still important to me to build in structures of equality beyond those assignments. Peer review is one way for shy students to contribute. Another way is to insert time for reflection in class (metacognition!). Ask each student to write two reflections from the assignment/reading/etc. and then each student reads one aloud in a lightning round where we go around the room and everyone contributes. I have also recently experimented with using strategies from James M. Lang's series of columns in the Chronicle of Higher Education on small changes in teaching. Lang gives several activities that will encourage metacognition in your class. FI Fellow Danica Savonick recently wrote a great blog about classroom conversations, which you can find here.

One of the biggest takeaways from this classroom experience is that students will take more ownership of the course if they are involved in planning its structure to some extent. Their concerns deserve seen and heard because, after all, it is their education. This means building in structures of equality and agency into your pedagogy. This means giving up the need to be the sole expert or authority in the room and letting students activate what they already know, which is more than they think. This means implementing student centered pedagogy.

What I expected were basic speeches delivered by nervous students taking this class because it's a requirement at their college. What I got was a gift. In return, I aim to keep creating a space in which we can experiment, grow, and honor the commitments we made to each other in our Class Constitution.

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On Building a Community in the Classroom

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This blog is a reflection on implementing strategies and tools I learned as a student in the inaugural course offered by the Futures Initiative in Spring 2015 at The Graduate Center/CUNY. Though my students gave permission for me to write about their experiences, I have intentionally obscured any identifying details.

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Back to School and Building Classroom Community 

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Back to School and Building Classroom Community 

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Teaching Tools | Resources for Teachers from Scholastic

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Many teachers incorporate class meetings or morning meetings into their everyday classroom routines. These daily gatherings can be incredible tools for modeling and reinforcing both academic and social skills. This page will give you ideas for setting up your meeting area and provides tips for running morning meetings that set a positive tone for the day.

What to do during class meetings

Some teachers use morning meetings primarily for socio-emotional development and others focus entirely on academic skills, while other teachers address both areas to varying extents. In early childhood classrooms, class meetings are often called Circle Time, and consist of a greeting song, calendar, weather, a review of the daily schedule, class news, and sometimes a group team-building activity. Primary classrooms sometimes include a combination of these elements are more in-depth calendar math.

I've also held afternoon meetings, which take 2-3 minutes and involve a time of personal and/or shared reflection on what students learned and accomplished during the day. I once read that the hug at the end of the day is as important as the greeting in the morning, and I tried to always end things on a positive note with my kids.

Regardless of what time of day you choose to hold meetings or what you focus on during that time, I feel that having a regular (if not daily) routine in which students gather together on the rug or carpet to interact is a very powerful concept. It's a great alternative to keeping kids at their desks or tables all day, and it's often easier to keep kids focused when they're sitting at your feet rather than across the room.

Start with a greeting

I've held a variety of class meetings with my students (including students in the upper elementary grades) to build community and establish the day's agenda. To set the right tone, we would always start with a greeting activity.

In the beginning of the year when I was still establishing behavioral expectations, I liked to start with a very simple greeting. Usually I'd teach students to say 'good morning' in different languages and we'd practice shaking hands and saying greeting each other. I'd introduce a different language each week for about a month, and then the fifth week, let students choose which language they'd like to use.

The next greeting I typically introduced would usually prove to be one of the most popular: the One Minute Greeting. I'd set a timer for one minute and the students would try to greet each person in the class (using a verbal greeting including the person's name,a smile, eye contact, and a handshake or hug). It was a lot of fun and really created a sense of being a family, and I loved that it took so little time!

You can see a 4th grade example of the One Minute Greeting in the video below by Responsive Classroom. The video clip does not show the entire process of explaining the greeting to students or what happens when the timer goes off, which is unfortunate. However, I like the way this teacher models the technique with three students before having the whole class practice. Take note of how she debriefs afterward-this is a good example of how to establish morning meeting routines:
Experiment with different greeting activities and encourage children to come up with their own! For more ideas, you can download some excellent morning greetings here.
Social problem-solving and review of behavioral expectations

Morning meeting is a fantastic time to hold problem-solving sessions that address class issues such as bullying, name-calling, misuse of playground equipment, hallway behavior problems, etc. I loved knowing that morning meeting was a set time in our class devoted to solving problems because I rarely had to take away instructional time during the day to address issues. I'd often incorporate read-alouds, such as the ones featured on the 5 Pro-Active Strategies page, and facilitate discussion based on the books.

I also tried to include some sort of sharing time in which students could talk about important things happening in their lives (kind of like a show and tell without the 'show', so as not to emphasize materialism and a sense of competition). The children would talk about what they dreamed the night before, share a poem or drawing they'd created, show a photo of something they'd done over the weekend, or talk about something funny that happened when they were very little. Afterward, they would take three comments or questions, which was a time to build both receptive and expressive oral language skills and reinforce social norms. One year, I kept this sharing time separate from the meeting and allowed students to eat their snacks during it. This was a nice mid-morning break and helped maintain the sense of collaboration that we'd started building in the morning meeting.

Incorporating academic routines

A class meeting is also a perfect opportunity to conduct routine practice exercises, such as calendar math (Everyday Math, Every Day Counts, etc.) The key to making this interesting for students day after day is a quick pace and fun activities that they look forward to. Varying the routine a bit over time is also very important.

Here's a video of how a kindergarten teacher keeps morning meeting fast-paced and exciting. There are a number of other morning meeting videos on YouTube but this was one of the few that I felt consistently demonstrated effective teaching practices. This teacher utilizes lots of whole brain teaching techniques, which means you'll see how she keeps all her students actively involved. This clip is actually part two: she review class rules, then moves into calendar math, weather, and other academic concepts. You can view part one of the clip here, in which she demonstrates how students move from their desks to the rug in an orderly way and begin the meeting. Her teaching style is more high-energy and regimented than mine, but I just love how all the students are so on-task and engaged-very impressive!

Decorating and arranging your class meeting area

After you've determined the purpose of your class meetings, you can create an area that supports your goals. Be sure to design the space so that your materials are close at hand and students can easily see the props and materials you'll be using. I prefer to have assigned seats for students (written on tape for early childhood classrooms) to make sure that students aren't seated near people that will get them off-task. By the middle of the school year, I let kids choose their spots (and change them whenever there is a problem), although I did reserve the right to overrule if I thought the choice wasn't working out.

Here are some photos of how real teachers have set up their meeting areas (click to enlarge).

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Tips for morning meetings and class meetings

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Many teachers incorporate class meetings or morning meetings into their everyday classroom routines. These daily gatherings can be incredible tools for modeling and reinforcing both academic and social skills. This page will give you ideas for setting up your meeting area and provides tips for running morning meetings that set a positive tone for the day.

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ELA.SL.5.1b

Common core State Standards

ELA: English Language Arts

SL: Speaking and Listening

5: 5th Grade

1b: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative
discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacherled)
with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and
texts, building on othersâ\x80\x99 ideas and expressing
their own clearly.

a. Come to discussions prepared, having read
or studied required material; explicitly draw
on that preparation and other information
known about the topic to explore ideas under
discussion.

b. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and
carry out assigned roles.

c. Pose and respond to specific questions by
making comments that contribute to the
discussion and elaborate on the remarks of
others.

d. Review the key ideas expressed and draw
conclusions in light of information and
knowledge gained from the discussions.

Download Common Core State Standards (PDF 1.2 MB)

|

ELA.SL.5.1c

Common core State Standards

ELA: English Language Arts

SL: Speaking and Listening

5: 5th Grade

1c: Engage effectively in a range of collaborative
discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacherled)
with diverse partners on grade 5 topics and
texts, building on othersâ\x80\x99 ideas and expressing
their own clearly.

a. Come to discussions prepared, having read
or studied required material; explicitly draw
on that preparation and other information
known about the topic to explore ideas under
discussion.

b. Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions and
carry out assigned roles.

c. Pose and respond to specific questions by
making comments that contribute to the
discussion and elaborate on the remarks of
others.

d. Review the key ideas expressed and draw
conclusions in light of information and
knowledge gained from the discussions.

Download Common Core State Standards (PDF 1.2 MB)

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Discussion and Supporting Materials

Thought starters

1. What types of academic skills are addressed in the morning meeting?

2. How do students accomplish their learning goals while also taking time for such activities as "self-reflection" and "greeting?

3. " What role does Ms. Noonan play during the morning meeting?

School Details

Think College Now School
2825 International Boulevard
Oakland CA 94601

Data Provided By:

Teachers

English Language Arts Math Social Studies / 5 / Teacher

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Madeline Noonan starts every class day with a morning meeting. Students use vocabulary to describe how they're feeling, practice speaking in front of peers, and gain trust by sharing a little about themselves. A daily "greeting" adds a bit of fun.

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Continue Class Team-Building All Year Long | Scholastic

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Continue class team-building all year long with these quick, easy, effective, and FREE activities!

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The first week of school is a crucial time for both teachers and students and can often set the tone for the entire school year. Luckily, there are a multitude of fun activities that can help form bonds that will strengthen all year. From orienting students to the new classroom to learning how to collaborate as a team, these interactive ideas will get students and educators off on the right track.

1. Classroom Treasure Hunt

The Treasure Hunt activity is a great way to help your students get to know the setup of their new classroom while also learning how to work together as a team.

Make a list of several important items in the classroom, such as reference books, art supplies, staplers, paper and more. Then, in teams of two or three, have the students locate each item on the list. A simple, but effective, game that will have everyone feeling more at home in no time.

2. Tennis Ball Transfer

This game requires small groups to focus and collaborate on a task-building on skills students will need in the classroom and beyond.

Each group of about four to five children will need a cup, string, a large metal washer and a tennis ball. The students will need to work together to decipher the best way to hold the strings and balance the tennis ball on the washer while walking toward the cup. (The teacher should determine how far the students need to walk based on age/grade level.) Once the team arrives at the cup, they'll need to work as a group to figure out how to drop the ball into the cup without touching either object.

3. First Day of School Puzzle

This clever craft project allows students to express what's special about themselves, learn about fellow classmates and create a unique art piece they can enjoy year-round.

Come to class prepared with puzzle piece cutouts -one for each student-in various colors (be sure they connect as a complete puzzle). Using old magazines and any other materials you like, have the students decorate their puzzle pieces with cutout photos, words and visuals that describe who they are. Go a little deeper and have each student give a brief presentation of their puzzle piece before fitting them all together.

The overall message: Every piece of the puzzle is different and it takes all of them to make a complete picture.

4. One-Minute Talk

Based on topics either chosen by the students or determined by the teacher, have students give an impromptu 60-second talk on anything they are interested in. It could be a favorite book, a memorable vacation or even a hobby they're passionate about.

This exercise may be best suitable for middle to high school aged students, but could also work with younger kids, depending on the topic.

5. Inside-Outside Circle

It can sometimes be difficult for students to open up to one another, but this kinesthetic activity is designed to get students moving and talking.

Instruct students to form a circle within a circle-aim for an equal number of students for each circle. Students in the inside circle turn and face those in the outside circle. The group facilitator-this can be the teacher or a student-determines a topic and the partnered students share their thoughts on that subject, alternating every 30 seconds or so. Then, ask the inside circle to rotate and repeat the exercise.

These short exchanges involve everyone and can be used to dig deeper into a lesson or simply as a means of getting to know each other.

6. Alien Greeting

Perfect for new groups that don't know each other very well, Alien Greeting is an amusing game that's rooted in improv.

Have students form a circle. Then ask each to imagine they are from another planet and to think of a sound or movement that would be used as a "hello" on their fictional planet. Give them a few minutes to think of something.

When ready, ask each student to greet the student on their left with their unique "alien greeting." Next, have everyone share their greeting with the class along with some insight into how they came up with their idea.

7. Where-We-Come-From Map

This mapping activity is a wonderful way to illustrate how diverse your classroom is.

Project or hang up maps of the United States and the world. Ask each student to write their name on a piece of paper or sticky note. One at a time, have each student come to the front of the class, tell everyone their name and where they were born, while placing their piece of paper on the state or country they are from. For some younger grades, students may need a teacher's assistance to find their state or country on the map.

There are plenty of follow-up opportunities, such as creating a graph that shows all of the different states and countries the students are from, geography lessons, research projects and more.

8. Q&A Hands

Students will learn important information about their fellow schoolmates and create a fun display for their classroom with this project that combines sharing and art.

In pairs, ask students to trace their partner's hands on paper and cut them out. Students should write one question on each finger. It's helpful if the teacher provides some questions, but it's also fun to allow students to come up with some of their own.

Some examples are "What is your favorite TV show?" What's your favorite subject?" and "Which countries have you visited?"

Have students write the answers to their questions on the fingers and then ask them to share their answers with the rest of the class. When the activity is complete, hang the hands on the wall for an informational art display!

9. Classroom Promise

Having an agreed upon set of rules will help create a classroom atmosphere that's collaborative and respectful. By developing a promise or mission statement with your students, it gives everyone a chance to take ownership of their actions.

During the first week of school, lead students in a discussion about responsibilities, respect, safety and more. As a class, write a promise, pledge or mission statement that incorporates tenets from that dialogue. Recreate the classroom promise on a poster. Hang it prominently in the classroom and refer to it often throughout the year to instill a positive classroom climate.

10. Have You Ever

Have You Ever is one of the most popular "getting to know you" games for a reason-it's simple, effective and fun.

Have students stand in a circle, each on a marker, with one person in the center. The person in the center of the circle is "it" and will ask a question starting with "have you ever?" followed by something they have done (Example: "Have you ever gone to Disneyland?").

The person who is "it," and everyone in the circle who has done the thing that was asked, must move to an empty spot, but not the spot right next to where they were originally standing. Whoever is last to get to a safe spot becomes "it."

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10 Team-Building Activities for the First Week of School " Connections Article

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The first week of school is a crucial time for both teachers and students and can often set the tone for the entire school year. Luckily, there are a multitude of fun activities that can help form bonds that will strengthen all year.