Here are some beginning of the school year ideas and activities.
First of all I have a checklist that I created to help myself make sure I am prepared for the start of the school year. It is divided into the following categories: classroom management, procedures and routines, organization, first week activities, and materials.
If you would like this free checklist, you can get it from the Teachers pay Teachers website where it is listed as a free product. Click here for the free product. This is a website where teachers can sell their own materials and buy other teachers' lessons and activities. Membership is free and you just need to register and then you can access free items like the one I mentioned.
It is also a good idea to create a welcome or introductory letter to the parents. I address the following in my letters: who I am, supplies needed, homework policy, rules and discipline, grading, and curriculum. I also use these same categories when I create a Back to School Night powerpoint for the parents (this of course I only could do when I had a projector at one of the schools I worked at -- otherwise you can distribute the letter instead).
I also created a textbook scavenger hunt where students fill out a worksheet that asks them what page they can find certain sections of the textbook and why that section would be useful to them. It helps them get familiar with the textbook and think critically about how each part will help them throughout the year.
Good luck with the start of the school year and hope these ideas and activities can be of help.
Now it's your turn...I would like to hear from you :).
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