Back2School

Get Their Attention:

Use Marilyn Western's Timer 5 minutes before the start of class to get your students ready to begin instruction. Use Online Download a Copy

Education World's Activities for the First Day of School

Seating Chart Template for PowerPoint97 or later. This template from Microsoft can be used for many different kinds of room arrangements. You could include pictures of the students also

Seating Chart from Microsoft for PowerPoint 2003

First Day Checklist This checklist will help you to see if you are ready for that important first day

Resources for Christian Teachers:

Teaching is A Work of Heart Suggestions:

Kindergarteners always have a lot of stuff that they bring on the first day. Inevitably, the majority of the stuff is not labeled with the student's name. What I do on the first day is dump all the stuff from the backpack into a paper grocery bag that I have written names on previously. This allows time to write the student's name on the supplies after everyone is engaged in an activity. Rebecca De Shazo

The Kit is assembled by teachers or students, depending on the grade level, to welcome back students to an exciting, creative, and rewarding year.

METHOD:

1.Place all items in lunch bag, staple a welcome note and include the following meanings:

cotton ball-this room is full of warm feelings and kind words
movable eyes-keep "an eye out" for each other
toothpick-pick out the good qualities in yourself and others
rubber band-to remind you give a little "hug" when needed
button-to remind you to "button your lip" and don't tattletale
star-always shine and try to do your best
clothespin-"hang in there"; we are all here to help each other
chocolate kiss-to comfort you when you are sad/for a special treat
eraser-everyone makes mistakes and it is OK
apple-you're the apple of my eye
orange-orange you glad you're in this class
Band-Aid-heal hurt feelings
gold thread-friendship ties our hearts together
happy face sticker-keep smiling ;wear a smile everyday
tissue-dry the tears of friends
Lifesaver-you can come to me if you need to talk
pipe cleaner-we all have to be flexible; bend a little
penny-because you are special and valuable to this class
small flower-our class will see you bloom and grow
I Owe You Note-this year I owe you the opportunity to read, listen, and speak in a creative, active room where books are valued as friends
(thanks to Donna of Grand Island, Nebraska)

2.Decorate with stickers and names of students and place on desks the first or second day of school

First Grade Welcome Bag

Donashel2

Welcome to your new classroom community. The items in this bag have special meanings.
The cotton ball is to remind you that our room is full of kind words and warm feelings.
The chocolate kiss is to comfort you when you are feeling sad.
The sticker is to remind you that we will al stick together and help each other.
The gem is to remind you that you are valuable and special.
The star is to remind you to shine and always try your best.
The tissue is to remind you to help dry someone's tears.
The toothpick is to remind you to pick out the good qualities in your classmates and in yourself.
The bandage is to remind you to heal hurt feelings in your friends and yourself.
The gold thread is to remind you that friendship ties our hearts together.
The eraser is to remind you that everybody makes mistakes and that it is okay.
The Life Saver is to remind you that you can come to any adult in our school community if you need someone to talk to.
Print Shop Card

I make a card from Print Shop with Mrs. ______First Grade Welcome Bag with the poem on the inside of the card, and I gather the items together and place them in a zip lock baggy with the card and pass them out to the parents on Back To School Night.

Ziploc Baggy

I put this on a card from Print Shop and fill a ziploc baggy with a tea bag, tissue, cotton ball, and the following letter and give to parents who can't seem to break away. Pat

Dear Parent,

Thank you for entrusting your child to me. I promise to do my best every day to be your child's companion in learning. After you have wiped your tears, make yourself a nice warm cup of tea. Put your feet up and relax. Then hold the cotton ball in your hand. The softness will help you to recall the gentle spirit of your child. I will work alongside you this year to help your child grow.

Homework Folder

One thing I do on the first day of school is provide each student with a Homework Folder. We do not have allot of homework but this folder helps with notes and papers to take home. I buy Yellow 2-pocket folders. On the outside I write Elizabeth's Homework Folder. On the inside I write on the left Papers to keep at home and on the right Papers to return to school. We practice reading these 2 sentences all day. Their home work that first day for school is to go home and read the sentences to their parents. The first day of school the parents always have many papers to fill out and return. This folder has really helped me over the years. I make sure to stress that each student bring the folder to school every day. This year I'm gong to purchase a few extra folders for the ones that get lost. It is nice to say get out your homework folder and see all the yellow folders and spot the one who do not have their folders. I have been teaching 1st grade for 16 years and I still get the jitters

Fill-in-the-blank

Teri~preschool~Indiana

On a sheet of paper I have generated about 30 statements (see some examples below) about people. The students are give about 20 minutes to quietly wonder around the class talking to me and the other students asking if anyone fits the profiles. They can only use each child's name twice, so they have to talk to several children (and myself). At the end of the 20 minutes, we come together and discuss who fits in each blank (sharing people's names and giving those who didn't get finished a chance to fill in their sheet). I have used this for the past few years and the kids love it.

Examples:

Likes to fish ___________________

Is left handed __________________

Went camping this summer _________________

Had a brother or sister in this class __________________

Takes the bus _________________________

Plays the piano _____________________

Likes spinach ______________________

Is the oldest in their family ___________________

Tori:)

A to Z Teacher Stuff:

People in My Family Assessment... Barbara, 2nd grade teacher

On the first day or shortly thereafter, I have the children draw a picture of their family, but the rule is: only the people that live in their house. It's amazing to see how unsure some children are. It gives a lot of good information to the teacher. For younger children, they dictate the names and ages of family members, for older students, they can write them themselves.

Turning over a new Leaf... Andrea, Grade 4

On the first day of school students see their names written on a leaf that is hanging from a tree in our reading center. The quote, "Turning over a new leaf" is written on the board and we brainstorm ideas as to what it means. Once the children have an understanding of the quote, they then write me a letter that begins, "This year I am turning over a new leaf. Last year I.....and this year I want to...." Many students wrote about grades, and others wrote about wanting to change their behavior. Students feel better after we have discussed that they are indeed turning over a new leaf because they are starting the new year with a clean slate!

First Days Activities ... Lisa Slaughter, 2nd Grade

For the last several years, we have started back with students in the middle of the week. Those "odd" days I have spent slowly introducing the classroom rather than begin active lessons. A new grade level and classroom is so overwhelming...there is so much so to see and do! I make a word search using my new class list and have a crossword puzzle (or similiar "seat work") available. I set out many math manipulatives for free exploration. Learning Centers are a big hit in my room--so, I have really neat ones out that first week. We spend those first days going over discipline, listening skills, and procedures. Even the first full week of school, we go slow--introducing each text book one at a time. I don't even pass them out until we are ready to use them.

A Great Book to Start the Year ... Mary Ann Oczkowski, 2nd Grade

I usually begin the year by reading the chapter book "Walter the Lazy Mouse" by Marjorie Flack. This is an old book that none of the children have ever read, so the story is always a surprise to them. Walter is very lazy and never pays attention in school. He ends up getting lost, and meets three frogs. He tries to teach the frogs what he knows, but soon realizes that he only knows the wrong answers since he did not pay attention in class. He goes back home, returns to school, and becomes a good student himself, so he can come back and teach the frogs correctly. I think it's a great book to begin the school year. There are so many cute art projects using mice that it's easy to find a follow-up creative activity, too.

Introducing Science .. Karen Wilson, Grades 3-6

A great introduction to Science at the beginning of the year is to talk about scientist. Give your students a piece of white paper and tell them to draw what they think a scientist looks like. Let them have about 10 minutes or so to do this. Then instruct students to write on the paper what they think a scientist does. Encourage them to use a word or short phrase. Ex. read, study, mixes things, experiments, observes, etc. After a few minutes, have students put their pencils down and ask them to share different words that they wrote. Ask the students, Do you read? Have you ever experimented with things? What about things in the kitchen? Have you ever created something? Objective is for the students to realize that they are all scientist. A scientist does not have a particular look. They are all scientists

Busy Bee Activity Page:

Me Boxes

TEACHER'S NOTE: I have my children bring "Me Boxes" (shoeboxes) to school the second week of school. (They have the weekend to fill it with 6 or 7 things to tell about themselves.) 1) I introduce the homework project by sharing your own "Me Box". 2) Share the boxes with partners the first day and then with the whole class the rest of the week. 3) After everyone has shared their box (it takes a couple of days!) have students brainstorm all kinds of ideas to write about during Writing Workshop. TEACHER'S NOTE: The kids write their own list of things they can write about in their writing folders. They refer to these ideas throughout the year. It is a great way to get kids writing about what they know!

Time Capsule

Author: Dawn Schurman
Great idea for the first day of school:
1) Give each student an empty Pringles can to decorate as a "Time Capsule."
2) Each child will fill out a short interest inventory:
          a handwriting sample, a tracing of their hand,
          a self-portrait, and a few other things.
          (You can get creative here -- make the task fit your
          grade level)
3) They will place their sheets into their time capsule and have a little ceremony to put them away until the end of the year. (I'm planning to cheat and open the time capsules that night in order to learn a little more about each student's interests and abilities)
4) At the end of the year have the kids complete the same sheets and then open their time capsule to compare how they have changed during the school year.

TEACHER'S NOTE: Unfortunately (and amusingly), I came up with this idea after throwing away a bunch of empty Pringles cans that had been sitting around for a while. Now I have to eat 25 cans of Pringles by the beginning of the school year! Serves me right for throwing them out! I've got
everyone I know eating Pringles for me...You can use whatever is handy for storage capsules -- Be creative

Writing Ideas: Author: Diane Clark "All About Me" activity
1) Hand out an 8.5" X 14" piece of paper (let the kids choose a colour)
2) Ask them to write their name in large colourful letters(fancy, bubble, etc.) in the middle of the page.
TEACHER'S NOTE: I do a sample on the board while they are working on paper.
3) In the top left corner, have students finish the sentence "My family......".
4) In the top right corner, have students finish the sentence "My favourite thing to do is....".
5) In the bottom left corner, have students finish the sentence "I really don't like....".
6) In the bottom right corner, have students finish the sentence "Other people find me....".
7) In the top middle, have students finish the sentence "One day I'd love to.....".
8) In the bottom middle, have students finish the sentence and "I'd love to meet....".
TEACHER'S NOTE: We do these one by one, and it takes quite a while for everyone to finish.
When finished:
     a) explain that they are going to stand up, hold their paper in from of them facing out
     b) quietly walk around and read other people's papers.
TEACHER'S NOTE: No talking is involved. This takes about 5 minutes, then I have the kids sit down. One by one I go around the room and introduce each child to the class and ask, "Who can tell me something interesting about this person?".

Hands fly up as kids are eager to prove that they read what was on the student's paper. I collect these papers after the exercise and post them in the room - kids enjoy reading them in the weeks to come and parents enjoy them on the Meet the Teacher night.

GROUP PHOTOS:

1) Students are handed a piece of 8.5 X 14 paper * cardboard, folded in half longwise *
2) Students are asked to put their names in large colourful letters on both sides of the name card (easier to be seen from anywhere in the room).
3) For the FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL, ask the students to stand in groups of 3-4 somewhere in the room, holding their name cards in front of them.
4) Photograph each group.
5) Develop the film at a one-hour studio right after school and then start to memorize students names and faces at home that evening.
6) At school the next day, tack the photos on a ready-made bulletin board titled...

                  "Class XXX, starring.......". The kids will love it.

LADDERS: A Word Game for Language Arts

1) Select a word, such as "September" and write it vertically on the board.
2) Then write it backwards, vertically, beside it.

                  S...........................R
                  E...........................E
                  P...........................B
                  T...........................M
                  E...........................E
                  M...........................T
                  B...........................P
                  E...........................E
                  R...........................S

3) Students get into pairs, get a dictionary, and try to find the longest word possible that begins with an "S" and ends with "R".
4) If they don't know the meaning of this word they are to write it down after the word.
5) Continue with every letter of "September ". After 15 minutes (or any pre-arranged time) the students stop the activity and add up all of the letters in the words they found.
TEACHER'S NOTE: The pair with the top score wins a little prize (eraser, pencil, etc.) but I also give out prizes for the longest word, shortest word, word with most vowels, etc., so that all students have a chance to win a prize.

JOURNAL WRITING
TEACHER'S NOTE: The first day of school is an opportune time to get some true feelings down on paper.
     Topics can be
     1) "This morning, getting reading for school, I felt.........".
     2) "I hope this year will be better than last year because........".
     3) "I've been told by others that grade ___ will be......".

HELP FOR SEATING PLAN

1) I have the students fill out a confidential sheet "Getting to know you" with varied questions such as....
     a) I like/dislike reading because................
     b) My favourite subject in school is............
     c) My general feeling about school is...................
     d) My favourite genre of books is................
     2) In the last question students are asked to think seriously about who they would like to sit near in class
TEACHER'S NOTE: They must tell me why, with a good reason such as.... we work well together) and I ask them to name anyone in the class they don't particularly want to be near (again, they must give a
good reason, such as....I am easily distracted by ..... and want to do better academically this year)
     3) In the evening, using these sheets, create an effective SEATING PLAN by placing kids near those who will benefit them, and keeping them away from those who will hinder their progress as a student.
TEACHER'S NOTE: Works every time, and I rarely have had to change kids around. The sheets also help me to get to know the students a bit better before day two of school.

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL: A school tour Author: Unknown.

Level: K-6 (may be modified for higher grades) TEACHER'S NOTE: Every year on the first day of school, I take my class on a tour. Procedure: 1) After morning business, tell the class they will be taking a tour of their new school. 2) Invite the parents (If Kindergaten class) to join you, and off you go. 3) Start out by visiting the office to meet the secretary and the principal. 4) Take polaroid pictures of everyone you meet along the tour. TEACHER'S NOTE: We visit the library, the computer center, the cafeteria, the playground and even the bathrooms. 5) When you return to your classroom, make a book (in the shape of a schoolhouse if you like), with the pictures. 6) Heave the kids help to dictate the text about each person who works at your school. TEACHER'S NOTE: It is fun, easy and really helps the kids (and their parents) learn about the school. This idea would work great in a PowerPoint presentation that could be used for Open House!

FIRST DAY FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL Author: Janet

Procedure: I bring a sack with a running shoe, a bread pan, a piece of stained glass, something of my daughter's ect. I group students and dump a few things on each table, then give them a few minutes to decide what they think each item says about me. I invite them to bring their own sack on the following day and you may be surprised at how many actually bring one! I also give them a paper with questions on it about where they were born, where they've lived, who they live with, their previous schools, and their favorite/worst subject. I also throw in some "what is your favorite band, clothing, person, color, food, etc. You can either have them share their own paper with the class, or use it in groups of 2 as an interview and have the students introduce each other.

SPONGE ACTIVITIES

Lower Grades
Upper Grades

Class Photo Book

Author:LaDonna Portier (E-mail: twolsufans@aol.com)
Grade: Elementary (May be modified for older students)
Concepts:Book making / Reading
Materials:camera & film, tag board, 3 binder rings
Activity time:20-30 minutes

At a recent Wright group workshop, our leader recommended this as a first day activity. Make a name book for the class. Take a picture of each student holding a piece of tag board with their name on it. Develop the pictures that afternoon. Glue the picure of each child onto the tagboard with their name. Use a teacher made cover and bind with binder rings. You'll have a record of the kids in the class and the children will have a book they are able to read right away. You can let the kids bring the book home to show their parents who their friends are, etc. Make sure to include a picture of yourself! (Modify for older kids)

Toilet Paper Game Author: Kelly Evans E-mail: kevans@peoriaud.k12.az.us

Grade: all
Concepts: Getting to know your classmates
Materials: two rolls of toilet paper (perforated, so it's easy to tear)
Activity time: 30 - 45 minutes
Have all the students sit at their desk, without talking. Take out two rolls of TP and tell the students to "Take as much as you think you'll need." This provokes a lot of questions, but DO NOT say anything more. Send a roll around at both sides of the room (this helps the activity to move along more quickly). Once all students have taken "what they need," collect the unused TP. Now tell the students that for each square they ripped off, they have to give one fact about themselves.

Real Person

Modified from: Susan Kovalik's ITI (Integrated Thematic Instruction) ITI: The Model by Susan Kovalik with Karen Olsen.ISBN-1-878631-18-7.
The following is a list of ways that I feel you can help students feel comfortable on the first day and throughout the year.
1) Let students know that you are a "real" person. Tell them about yourself through pictures and stories.
2) If you want students to know that you care about them show them by greeting them at the door, use eye contact when speaking with them, show compassion and always be honest.
3) Establish procedures in the beginning. Let them know what is expected of them. Do not make a list of rules telling them what they can't do. Instead make a student created list of what is expected. For instance, do not say
"Don't run in the hall," say "Walk calmly and quietly in the hall."
Review the procedures often at the beginning of the year and as needed later.
Most of all be consistent.
4) Create an atmosphere in the classroom that makes the students feel comfortable. The colors blue, green and purple are most calming. Natural lighting and plants are also good ideas for a comfortable classroom.
TEACHER'S NOTE: This point hit home when the instructor at the seminar I attended asked us to think about the places we go to feel relaxed and what colors were there. Try it.
5) Be realistic in your expectations. Don't expect the students to do more than they are capable of, this causes anxiety. At the same time don't make things so easy that they become bored.
6) Make an effort to create a community in your classroom. Use activities that help the class get to know each other as well as developing a sense of trust.
Remember to continue doing these activities throughout the school year, not just the first few days.
TEACHER'S NOTE: The book Tribes by Jeanne Gibbs is loaded with activities that promote these things in the classroom.
7) Teach to all learning styles beginning on day one. Remember that all students do not learn the same way. Give choices whenever possible.
8) Learn the students names quickly and use their names when talking to them.

Remembering Faces AUTHOR: Diane Clark Simcoe, Ontario
NOTE: Please see Teacher Note by Donna K. Hill for a great update on this activity
On the first day of school I bring my camera to school (with a roll of 12 exposures). Some time during the day I give the students a piece of 8 X 11 cardboard, have them fold it horizontally, and ask them to write their name (and decorate it) on both sides. As they finish, I ask them to get into groups of 3-4 students, somewhere in the classroom (or outside so that I don't need to use a flash) and I photograph them holding their name cards out in front of their bodies.
After school, I develop the film at a one hour studio, and ask for double prints. That evening, I can start to match names with faces. I keep one set of pictures at home for about a week so that each night I can review their names. The other set of photos is put up, on the second day of school, as a bulletin board, with a title such as "Presenting Room 108, starring.....".
The kids love it! After I have learned all of their names I bring the 2nd set back to school and glue them onto an 8 X 11 sheet of paper and place it in the binder I have prepared for any supply teachers (SUBS) who come to my class during the year. They've told me that they appreciate being able to match faces with names instantly when they arrive in the classroom.
The cardboard name cards that were made and used on the first day are collected and stored on a shelf. Periodically, throughout the year, they are distributed again to the students and placed on each desk so that guests or supply teachers can identify whom they are speaking with. I've been doing this with my grade 7's for the last nine years and they love seeing their photos on the wall in the classroom. It's fun to bring the photos out again at the end of the school year to let them see how much they changed in the ten months.

The Teacher's Corner

Hollywood I used this idea when I used a Hollywood/movie theme in my classroom, but it is an entertaining icebreaker for any theme.

1. Before school starts, make each student an 8 1/2 by 11 poster with the name of a movie star, fictional character, or famous person (living or deceased).

2. Before beginning this icebreaker activity, explain to the students that each one of them will have one of these mini-posters stuck to his/her back. To reveal the name on their back, they may ask yes or no questions to members of the class. Encourage students to mention their name at the beginning of the exchange so students can start placing names and faces. One question per student. Encourage students to be honest and not give away fictional identities.

3. Let them loose. If a student thinks he/she knows his/her fictional identity, he/she may check with the teacher. If he/ she is correct, they may still help others in helping to solve the mystery. If he/she is incorrect, he/she needs to continue to find the correct identity.

4. Process the experience with the class. This experience is a springboard for open communication in the classroom as well as beginning to build a rapport between classmates and teacher.
Submitted by: Jackie Jaros - Deer Lakes Middle School, Grade 6 - Russellton, PA
Have a bingo type game where you have a grid and you write different things in each box like "has green eyes" or "likes too play basketball" then you go around and have to find the people who fits that box and have them sign it! when you are through with the boxes (usually like 15 boxes) you end up knowing a lot of weird facts about the other people and it is tons of fun scrambling to be the first one finished!
Silent Identification: Each participant is asked to wither write words or draw pictures that describe themselves. This is done silently. They pin he picture on their chests, walk around and have everyone look each other over. Pictures are then shuffled and participants are asked to identify the person to which the picture belongs.

Duck Duck Goose: all participants sit in a circle. The person "ducking" says a person characteristic about themselves as they go around the circle. The rest of activity works the same as Duck, Duck, Goose.

Pairs Game: Make up pairs or group of people that go together (Mickey Mouse/Minnie Mouse, Barbie/Ken) You give each person a card with one of the group or pairs on it. The pairs or groups must find their match.

Name Game: Sit in a circle. one person starts by using an adjective starting with the same letter as their first name, followed by their first name (i.e. Clever Claire, Kind Karen) The next person and following has to repeat the first person's adjective and name and then add their own. Students go around the circle and the last person has to repeat all other names in order and end with their own.

Human Knot: Have a group of 10-15 stand very close together. Tell them to reach out their arms so all hand are jumbled and intertwined. Tell them to grab one hand for each of their hands , but not the one of the person's next to them. Now they are a human knot and must use teamwork to untangle themselves into one circle without letting go of their hands.

Toilet Tissue: Tell participants to take a length of tissue. After all have taken some, tell them for each panel of tissue they have to say one positive thing about themselves. (You could vary what they have to do or say for each tissue square, tailored to your objective.) Variation: use M&M's-for each color they have to say one thing i.e. yellow - something sunny about themselves, red - an embarrassing moment, green...

Two True One False: Go around group and everyone has to say two true statements about themselves and one false. The rest of the group has to guess which one is false. You may be surprised. you can learn some crazy things about each other!

Web Game: Take a ball of yarn and have the person who starts hold one end and rap it around their wrist. They throw the yarn around the room and either say something positive about the person you throw to or something they did to inspire you. then when you are done, you have bracelets of yarn that you are supposed to wear until they fall off.

Balloon Game #1: Have everyone put one piece of information about themselves in a balloon, then blow up the balloon and throw the balloon in the middle of the circle of participants. One by one, pop the balloons and guess to whom that piece of information belongs.

Balloon Game #2: Pass one balloon around the circle and have each person write a question on that balloon. Then pass the balloon around the circle and each person has to answer three questions on the balloon.

Hug Tag: This is a cooperative version of "regular" tag. you should designate a few people to be "freezers". Then tell everyone else to scatter in all directions. The freezers count to ten, and then take off after the runners. Once they tag a runner that person becomes one of the freezers. a player is safe from being tagged only when he or she is hugging another player.

Non-Verbal Birthday Lineup: Ask everyone to line up according to the month and day of birth without any talking. This should inspire some interesting means of communication towards a common goal.

Fast Lemon: This game is for four players or more. First divide the group into two or more equal lines. Then give the leader of each line a full length pencil and a full-grown lemon. As the teams line up single file, mark a starting line and finish line on the floor (about 20 feet away at most). The object is to push the lemon with the pencil along the floor in a straight line. Each player must push it to the finish line and back to the next teammate in line. The team to finish first, wins.

Fruit Basket Turn Over: Seat players in a circle. One person stands in the center. Each player is given the name of a fruit. The person in the middle ("IT") calls out the name of two fruits. The two people whose names are those fruits must quickly change seats while the person in the middle tries to reach one of the seats also. The one left standing is "IT" and continues the game by calling the name of two other fruits. He or she may also call "fruit basket turnover" at which point everyone must change seats.

Lifesaver Relay: Divide group into two teams. Give everyone a toothpick to hold between their teeth. Place a lifesaver on the toothpick of the first person on each side. The game begins as the life saver is passed from person to person by lining up the toothpicks so that the life saver slides onto the next person's toothpick. No one can use their hands. Should a lifesaver be dropped, that team begins again with the first person. The first team to relay a lifesaver to the end of the line is the winner.

Banana Race: Give each player a banana with the instruction to peel and eat it while holding one hand behind their back (they only need to take one bite of the banana) on a given signal they begin. the first one who takes a bite and then whistles, wins.

Paper Bag Skits: First split your group into teams consisting of three to six members. Give each team a paper bag filled with assorted objects. (These can be almost anything, i.e. a wooden spoon, a screw, a bar of soap, a computer disk, etc.) The object of the game is to present a skit using all of the props provided. The props may be used as they would be in normal life, or they may be imaginatively employed. Give each group a topic to base their skit on. When all the skits have been planned and rehearsed they are performed for the amusement of all.

Human Machines: Each group acts out a machine with sound effects (i.e. telephone, fax, washing machine, dryer, blender, typewriter, stereo, airplane) while the remaining students try to guess the machine.

Black Magic: Tell two people the "trick" of the game. One person will be the magician and the other the leader. The magician leaves the room while the rest of the group decides what object that person needs to guess. Upon return the the leader asks, "is this it?, is that it?" about many objects. The person who is guessing continuously says no until the leader points to an object that is black. The NEXT object is the one that the person needs to identify (the "trick") and say, "yes that's the object the group picked" play the game till someone figures out how it is done.

Animal Match: Upon entering the room ,everyone is given a card with an animal on it (make sure there are two of every animal) one the count of three everyone makes their animal noise and tries to find their partner.

Backlash Relay: Players pair off and stand back to back with elbows hooked. One player holds a balloon. Pairs race to one end, transfer the balloon to the other person, without unhooking elkbows and then race back.

Caterpillar Race: Line up behind each other bent at the waist and holding the ankles of the person in front of you. try to move foward as a team. If someone looses the ankle grip, the caterpillar must stop until everyone is intact.

Icicle Hunt: Hide icicles (strings of different lengths) which have to be collected by the students. The winner is the one whose icicles from the longest line when laid out end to end, not the one with the most icicles.

Same Letter: Using each letter of the alphabet students try to come up with a sentence stating a male name, female name, food, and place. (ex. A my name is Alfred, my wife's name is Angela, we grow apples in Atlanta.)

If You Love Me Baby, Smile: Everyone sits in a circle, one person is "IT." "IT" goes up to somebody in the group and tries to make them smile by saying, "If you love me baby, smile" and they are not allowed touching the person at all. They may make funny faces or whatnot. The person cannot smile or laugh, but must reply to "IT", "I love you baby, but I just can't smile". If "IT" makes the person smile that person becomes the new "IT". If not "IT" moves to try another person.

Movie Ball Game: Everyone stands in a circle and bounces a ball to somebody else, and has a five second limit to do so. But before bouncing the ball they must say a name of a movie. When somebody repeats a movie name, they are out of the game. It eventually ends up being a competition between two people, and then there's a winner.

Digging Game: The members sit in a circle of chairs and there is one person standing and does not have a chair. The person in the middle asks a question, like "Who has brown hair?" and everyone who does has to get up and switch seats. The person in the middle tries to find a seat, which in turn will leave somebody else in the middle without a chair to ask a question. The catch is that the people changing seats (this applies to each individual round) cannot move to the seat on either side of them, or if they get up and can't find a seat, they cannot return to the seat where they just sat. This is a great way to "dig" up some information, on people you don't know.

ACTIVITIES FOR THE FIRST DAYS OF SCHOOL

Crossword Puzzle Create a crossword puzzle using classroom rules or policies as the clues. The Criss-Cross Puzzle at Discovery School's Puzzlemaker will make the puzzle for you; you just need to enter the information.

Hidden Message Puzzle Create a different word search puzzle with a hidden message for each student. The hidden messages can be rules or policies for your classroom or positive words of encouragement for the new year. The Hidden Message Word Search Puzzle at Discovery School's Puzzlemaker will make the puzzle for you. You tell it what the message is to be and what words you want the students to find.

Policy and Rule Question and Answer Match Write questions that students might have about your policies and rules on index cards. Write the answers on cards of a different color. Pass them out to the students and have them try to match questions to answers. You will accomplish three goals with this activity. First, your students will become familiar with your rules and policies. Second, your students will get to know each other. Third, you will be able to see which students are shy and which ones do not interact well with other students.