Ice Breakers and Bonding Activities
Recipe Card Mix-Up
Provide each student with a recipe or index card. Ahead of time choose about five questions that
you might ask of students. Be as creative as you want with the questions. Possible questions
might include the following:
 What is the title of a favorite book?
 What do you like doing in your free time when you're not at school?
 What is your favorite board game?
 What is your favorite candy bar?
 If you could request your favorite meal for your birthday, what would that meal be?
When students -- and the teacher -- have written their answers to the questions, collect the recipe
cards. Shuffle the cards. Then pass out a card to each student; be sure students do not receive
their own cards. When everyone has a card, then the job of each student is to find the student in
the room who belongs to the card the student holds. When everybody has found the person who
wrote the answers on the card they hold, they must make sure they know how to pronounce that
student's full name and that they understand everything that is written on the card. Then it is time
for introductions. The teacher can begin the activity by asking the student on the card s/he holds
to come to the front of the room. As that student stands by, the teacher introduces the student to
the rest of the class by saying, "Class, I'd like you to meet ___. Her favorite book is ___. Her
favorite board game is… Please welcome ___ to our fourth grade class!" (Classmates then give
the student 4 claps [for 4th grade]). The student that the teacher introduced continues the activity
by calling up the student whose card he or she holds. Continue until all students have introduced
someone to the class. When everyone has been introduced, take all the cards, shuffle them, and
call out responses on one card at a time to see if students can remember who belongs to each
card.
Arlene Stoebner, Yankton School District, Yankton South Dakota
 Getting-to-Know-You Venn Diagram
Gather groups of three students. Supply a prepared three-circle Venn diagram (see an editable
sample) for each group. Students talk in their groups about themselves and the things they like to
do. After a brief discussion, students must…
 decide on at least three ways in which they are all alike; they write those things in the area of
the diagram that intersects all three circles.
 find ways in which they are like one other student in the group and record those ways in the
appropriate areas of the diagram.
 determine a few facts that make each of them unique and write those facts in the appropriate
sections of the diagram.
This activity helps students recognize and appreciate likenesses and differences in people. It also
introduces them to Venn diagrams on the first day of school. This type of graphic organizer might
be used many times throughout the year.
Rene Masden, Sixth District Elementary School, Covington, Kentucky
 Dictionary
Write five questions on the board. Questions might include the following:
 What is your name?
 Where were you born?
 How many brothers or sisters do you have?
 What are their names?
 Do you have any pets?
Tell students to write those questions on a piece of paper and to add to that paper five more
questions they could ask someone they don't know. Pair students, and have each student
interview his or her partner and record the responses. Then have each student use the interview
responses to write a "dictionary definition" of his or her partner to include in a Student Dictionary.
You might model this activity by creating a sample dictionary definition about yourself. For
example:
Reynolds, Kim. proper noun. 1. Born in Riverside, California. 2. No brothers or sisters. 3.…
Have students bring in small pictures of themselves to paste next to their entries in the Student
Dictionary. Bind the definitions into a book, and display it at your back-to-school open house for
parents.
Kim Reynolds, Warwick Elementary School, Fremont, California
Getting-to-Know-You Chart
Create a large chart titled Getting to Know You. Include on the chart sections for
students' names and interesting facts, such as how many people are in their families, how
many pets they have, their favorite colors, favorite school subjects, favorite sports, and so
on… Laminate the chart and hang it on the wall. On the first day of school, have each
student "sign in." Leave the chart up for several weeks. The kids love to wander over to it
when they have free time. They keep learning new things about one another. The chart
can be a good source of "data" for a lesson in graph-making too.
Charilyn Damigo, Liberty Baptist School, San Jose, California
MANY GREAT ACTIVITIES START WITH A GOOD BOOK
Lots of great books offer fitting segues to getting-to-know-you activities. If you're a teacher who
likes to read aloud to students, why not start the year with a read aloud that leads to a fun activity
that will get students talking and interacting? Here are just a few possibilities…
Special Memories Book
If you write a letter of introduction to students before the school year starts, include a request that
students bring to school on the first day something that has a special memory attached to it. (If
you do not send a before-school letter, you can make this activity the homework assignment for
the first day.) Start the day by reading Mem Fox's popular book Wilfred Gordon McDonald
Partridge. The story is about a little boy who befriends an older woman and gives her back
memories that she has long forgotten. After reading the story, discuss what a memory is and list
students' ideas. Then give each child an opportunity to share his or her special item and tell about
the memories it carries. You might also use this as the first writing assignment of the year; have
students write about the memories their objects spark, take pictures of the objects, and create a
class book of memories.
Cindy Kramer, West Side Elementary School, Cold Spring Harbor, New York
The Giving Tree
Read aloud Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree and involve students in a discussion of the types
of gifts the tree gave the boy; none of those gifts cost a thing. Then talk about the types of costfree "gifts" the students can contribute to the class. Prepare a bulletin board that has the
silhouette of a tree trunk and branches. Give each student a cutout apple. Have students write on
their apples the things they can "give" to the class. Put the apples on the tree. This bulletin board
makes a nice display for open house.
Lori Napoli
Goal Setting With Booker T.
I like to share at least one read-aloud book on the opening day of school. Chrysanthemum by
Kevin Henkes and First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg are favorites. Most essential though, is
More Than Anything Else by Marie Bradby. The biographical story of Booker T. Washington's
youth uses beautiful language and illustrations to show how he learned to read as a young boy.
After reading the book, we talk about his goals and how his determination to achieve them made
them a reality. More Than Anything Else is an excellent tool for starting a discussion about
students' goals for the school year.
Heather Migdon, Dogwood Elementary School, Fairfax County, Virginia
 Following are a few more activities that can help you set a tone on the first day of school that
will carry over thoughout the year.
Chain Gang
Begin by asking students "Who can do something really well?" After a brief discussion about
some of the students' talents, pass out paper and ask students to write down five things they do
well. Then provide each student with five different-colored paper strips. Have each student write a
different talent on each paper strip. Then create a mini paper chain by linking the five talent strips
together. As students complete their mini chains, use extra strips of paper to link the mini chains
together to create one long class chain. Have students stand and hold the growing chain as you
link the pieces together. Once the entire chain is constructed and linked, lead a discussion about
what the chain demonstrates. For example, it might illustrate that…
 All students have talents.
 The students in this class have many talents.
 If the students in this class work together, they can accomplish anything.
 Our class is stronger when students work together than when individual students work on their
own.
Hang the chain in the room as a constant reminder to students of the talents they possess and
the benefits that can result from teamwork.
Kimberlee Woodward, substitute teacher, Waterford, Michigan
Puzzling It Out
This activity is especially valuable if you have in your class students who are new to your school.
Those students probably will be experiencing a range of emotions -- including fear, shyness, and
uncertainty. Before the activity, create a word processing document containing many different
messages -- preferably in different type sizes and fonts -- that convey such messages as
 Welcome!
 Don't be puzzled, you'll fit right in!
 We're here for you!
Depending on the age of student with whom you work, you might include a few messages or a
dozen. Print multiple copies of the document (one for each small group of students). Then cut
each copy into puzzle pieces, and place the pieces of each copy in a separate envelope. Post on
an overhead transparency instructions that direct students to work with others at their table to
assemble the puzzle pieces in their group's envelope. As students enter the classroom on the
first day of school, be sure they read the instructions and begin the activity. This activity
accomplishes several goals: It offers a quiet activity that you can observe; as you observe, you
will learn about your students and discern potential problems. It gives students something to do
when they first enter the classroom -- something they will be successful at. And it can be a great
discussion starter. Nita Dale, Tryon Middle School, Tryon, North Carolina
Ugly Words Are Out!
As you discuss classroom expectations, introduce the idea that "ugly words" have no place in
your classroom. Ask students what they think you mean by "ugly words." Then have the class
generate a list of words that might be found on an ugly-word list, and write the words on a piece
of chart paper. (Explain to students that any word that is considered a swear word would
definitely be on the ugly-word list, so there is no need to mention them. Point out that the same is
true for such words as dummy, jerk, dork, geek, hate, or ugly.) You might start the list with the
word "can't." What about the word quit? Go around the room and give each student an
opportunity to add an ugly word to the list. When you are satisfied that the students' supply of
ugly words has run dry, dramatically rip the chart paper off the pad, let it fall to the floor, and
stomp all over it. Next, rip it up and crush it into a ball. Finally, get a shovel, take students outside,
and ceremoniously bury the list of ugly words. This activity will have quite an impact: students will
always remember the "ugly words" that will not be accepted in class.
Becci Motes, Kelley-Smith Elementary School, Palatka, Florida
Two Truths and a Lie.
Give each student an index card. Have them write on the card three truths about themselves and
one lie. Model the activity for them based on your own life, so they can see how the lie must be
something that is believable in light of the truths they list. When they guess one of your truths as
the lie, tell the real story that goes along with the truth. Continue until they uncover the lie. Have
each student write his or her own truths and lie. Then do 3 to 5 of them each day during the first
week of school. When you have a lot of students who know one another, do not name the author
of the truths and lie. Have students guess who authored the card.
Mary Lou Bettez, Flat River Middle School, Coventry, Rhode Island
Alien Greeting
This is a fun and silly first-day activity. Arrange students into a circle. Have them pretend they are
from another planet. Have them think of a sound and motion that might be used as a greeting on
that planet. (A sound and motion that would replace a typical American greeting such as a quick
wave and a "Hi!") Once students have decided on their greeting, start the activity by using your
alien greeting to greet the person to your left. That person should respond by repeating your
greeting to you. Then, that person shares his or her alien greeting with the class and introduces
him/herself to the next person in the circle. Continue until you have made your way around the
circle. At the end of the activity, you might ask these questions: What did you learn from this
activity? Is it more fun to send out energy or hold back energy?
Brenda Aspelund, Aldrich Junior High School, Warwick, Rhode Island
Where-We-Come-From Map
If your school population is fairly transient, have each student write their name on a small sticky
note. Then display a United States map and a world map. Have children take turns coming to the
map and telling the class what their name is and where they were born. Then they put their sticky
note on the state where they were born. If they were born in another country, find that country's
location on the world map. Follow up this activity by creating a graph that shows from which
states students come; include an "other" bar on the graph for children who were born outside the
U.S.
Joan Kleindorfer, Timbercrest Elementary School, Deltona, Florida
Q&A Hands
Have students work in pairs to trace one of each other's hands. When the hands are traced, have
them write one of the questions below -- or any other question of your choosing -- on each finger
of the hand.



What is your favorite TV show?
If you could choose your future career today, what would you be?
What is your favorite school subject?


If you could travel to anyplace in the world, where would you go?
What is your favorite sport to watch or play?
You might provide students with as many as ten questions. That way, they can pick and choose
which ones they answer. Have students write the answers to their questions on the fingers. When
they have finished with their Q&A hands, give each student an opportunity to introduce
themselves to their classmates by sharing the information they have written on their hands. With
older students, encourage them to share more than the surface information; have them explain
the "why" behind their responses. Hang the hands up in the classroom to create a fun display.
Angela Bryant, Moore Intermediate School, Florence, South Carolina
Animal Quiz
This icebreaker works well in a middle or high school science classes. It presents a humorous
quiz that emphasizes that students often think too hard in science; sometimes the answers are
much more obvious or easy than students might initially think. Start the activity by providing
students with a sheet of scrap writing paper. Announce that you are going to present a little quiz
about material they should already know. Preface the questions by saying that the events in the
question are all happening concurrently (at the same time). Following are the quiz questions:
1. How do you get a giraffe into a refrigerator?
2. How do you get an elephant into a refrigerator?
3. The Lion King is having a meeting and has invited every animal on Earth to the meeting.
What animal does not show up?
4. There is a lake full of angry crocodiles and you need to get to the other side. How do you
do it?
Answers to the quiz:
1. You just push it in.
2. First you have to pull out the giraffe in order to push in the elephant.
3. The elephant doesn't show up, because it is in the refrigerator.
4. Just swim across, because all the animals are at the meeting.
Reiterate your earlier point that sometimes answers in science, as in life, are much easier than
we make them out to be!
James Hall, Teague Middle School, Altamonte Springs, Florida
Survey Says
This is an idea for a technology teacher or any other teacher! On the first day, have students
complete an online survey regarding your content area. This activity can be done in a variety of
ways: You can create the survey using text fields in MS Word or using an online course server
such as Blackboard. You can post the survey on your school's Web site or simply hand students
a hard copy. If you have the hardware, this is a wonderful way to integrate technology and to get
important information from students.
Michael Smith, Lombard Middle School, Baltimore, Maryland
Construction Zone
Arrange students into groups of three or four. Give each group a deck of cards. Explain that each
group will use the cards to build a house. They can decide to enter their house in any one of three
contests: the Biggest House Contest, the Strongest House Contest, or the Most Creative House
Contest. They can use whatever supplies they can find -- tape, glue, staples, and so on -- to help
them build their house or they can rip, fold, bend, or otherwise alter the cards. But here is the
catch! Students are not allowed to talk during this whole process! They need to find other ways by
which to communicate. Set a time limit for the activity, and set a timer to ensure that groups are
constantly aware of the time remaining. After the houses are built, each group gets to share their
house and how they learned to communicate. This is a great team-building activity.
Tracy Neibergall, Southwest Elementary School, Lawson, Missouri
Treasure Hunt
Plan a treasure hunt to familiarize students with your classroom. List 20 to 30 items found in the
classroom and have the students search the classroom for those items. This way they will know
where to find the dictionaries, glue sticks, spelling lists, graphic organizers, and so on. As they
find an item, have students check it off the list. Not only does this activity familiarize students with
the classroom, it has them asking questions about the materials!
Madeline McDougal, Pocantico Schools, Sleepy Hollow, New York
Discussion Cards
This activity is best when students are starting in a new school and will have many classmates
they have never met before. Provide each student with a 4- x 5-inch index card. Have students
write their first and last names in the middle of the card. In each corner of the card have students
write about themselves. The specific information to be written can be assigned by the teacher.
For example:




Top Left Corner: Number of brothers and sisters
Top Right Corner: Favorite style of music or favorite music group or musician
Bottom Left Corner: Favorite movie
Bottom Right Corner: Dream vacation (country or city)
When the cards are completed, have students partner with a classmate they do not know. The
students trade cards and read what their partner has written. For the next 2 minutes, one student
plays the role of questioner and asks the other student about the topics listed on the card and
about anything else they would like to know. When the teacher announces the end of the 2
minutes, the students trade roles; now the other partner asks the questions. You might repeat this
several times. Each time, the student will do the activity with a different partner they do not know.
You might collect the cards and repeat the activity on the second or third day of school. The kids
have fun with this activity. Having some information on the card is the key ice-breaking element,
especially for those students who might otherwise have difficulty starting a conversation with a
stranger.
Marian Larson, Ft. Vancouver High School, Vancouver, Washington
A Sticky Situation
A principal did this activity with this teacher, so she thought she would pass it along… Hand out
several sticky notes to each student. Let students mingle, placing each of their sticky notes on the
back of any individual in the classroom. After this is done, have students return to their seats.
Have them count the number of sticky notes on the back of the person who sits in front or next to
them. How many sticky notes did they count? Inform them that they are to tell that many things
about their summer break or about themselves. For example, if the person in front of student x
had five sticky notes on his back, then student x must tell five things about his/her summer or
about him/herself.
Jessica Thomas, St. John's School, Little Chute, Wisconsin
Welcome to Our Yard
Cut picket fence posts out of large art paper. Give each student a picket. Ask students to draw on
that picket things that he or she wants others to know about them -- for example, hobbies, likes
and dislikes, sports... When students have completed their pickets, hot glue them along the
bottom of a wall -- under the chalkboard, for example -- to create a picket fence.
Treasa Walker, Lewis and Clark Middle School, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Working Together for Best Results
Arrange students into small groups of 3 or four students. Give to half of the groups a large sheet
of drawing paper and this simple assignment: Draw a picture of a person. Give the other groups a
large sheet of drawing paper cut into three or four equal sections (depending on the number of
students in the group). Assign each person in each group of three to draw part of a person (for
example, the head, upper body, or lower body). The students will work independently to create
their drawings of part of a person. When the drawings are done, share the results with the class.
Ask students to tell about the differences between drawings created by groups that worked
together and groups that worked independently. The drawings produced by groups that worked
together appear more whole and true than those produced independently, which might appear
funny because the head and legs might be female while the upper body might be that of a football
player! Use the drawings to drive home the point that students usually produce a better result
when they work together than when they work solo. This is a lesson that can be referred to
throughout the year when students are expected to work in small, cooperative groups.
Mandi, Adult Education Service, Wolverhampton, England
My name is _____, and if I were an animal I'd be a _____ because....
I demonstrate for my students: "My name is Mr. H., and if I were an animal, I'd be a turtle," I say,
"because I'm always rushing around. Sometimes I wish I could slow down."
Then I give the students a little time to think about what animals they might like to be -- and why. I
encourage them to be creative, to be different and unique. The first student to one side of me in
the circle starts out. After the first student finishes, I say, paraphrasing, "My name is Mr. H., and if
I were an animal, I'd be a turtle because I'd like to be able to slow down. This is Emily, and if she
were an animal, she'd be a hyena because she likes to laugh a lot." Then it's on to the next child.
After each child speaks, I try to repeat all the other kids' name-and-animal combinations in order.
That's always good for a laugh or two -- shows the kids right from the start that the teacher isn't
perfect!
Next, I ask the kids to draw themselves as their animals, leaving space at the bottom of the
drawing for their first writing assignment. I ask them to write at the bottom of the page a complete
sentence following the form "If I were an animal, I would be a(n) ____ because..." When we're all
done with the activity, I know all the kids' names and a little something about them.
As I call on students during the day, I always repeat their names -- and their animals! But I learn a
lot more about my new students from this little activity. I find out who is able to follow simple
directions. I learn about their writing abilities and their creativity. And I have a hint about which
students might be independent workers.
We are all unique!
Each day throughout the school year, I introduce a Word of the Day. The first day's word is
unique. I write the word on the board and ask students to read the word. (I don't recall any of my
third graders ever identifying the word without a few clues. My last clue, using proper emphasis,
is usually "This word is a unique word!")
Then I use the word in several statements, the last of which is "Each of us is unique." We talk
about ways in which we're each unique. I'm the only one more than 6 feet tall. Mia is the only one
who's wearing a pink shirt. Sam is the only one of us who has a pet ferret. (I learned this from the
previous activity.) And so it goes.
Next step: Out comes the roll of white mural paper. I tear off a sheet about 10 feet long.
Sometime during the day, each child goes out into the hallway and uses markers to draw his or
her name on the mural paper. "Make it unique!" is my only direction.
I start out by writing "Mr. H" in big bubble letters inside an explosion design such as you see
declaring NEW! or IMPROVED on product packaging in the grocery store. I draw colorful polka
dots inside the bubble letters. When completed, this colorful mural makes a great hallway bulletin
board under the cutout-letter headline We Are All Unique! I can also see from this activity who
some of the truly unique characters will be in my new class!
Let's play detective.
I hand out a Clue Sheet to each student. We go over the statements on the sheet, and then I ask
the students to find a quiet spot where they can fill in the blanks in statements such as



"My favorite hobby is ________."
"When I grow up, I want to have a job as a _________."
"The most fun thing I did all summer was __________."
I preface this activity by telling the students that this will be one of the few times this year that I
don't want them to put their names on their papers. As the students finish filling out their Clue
Sheets, each picks up the sheet and a book and joins me on the rug for a class meeting. They
hand the sheets to me and read quietly while the rest of the class finishes the task. Then I
introduce the activity. I hand an anonymous Clue Sheet to each student. If a student ends up with
his or her own sheet, we make some switches.
"I want to see whether you're good detectives," I tell the students. Then I invite them to move
around, asking questions of their classmates, narrowing down the list of "suspects" until they find
the one person who matches all the clues they hold.
Note: If it's a nice day, you might move this activity outdoors. Set up boundaries -- the basketball
"court" -- if that isn't carrying the detective-suspect theme too far! -- for example, or the base
paths on the ball field. When all the students have located their "suspects," each student takes a
turn introducing the guilty party, telling others in the class a little about that boy or girl.
True or False?
This activity is always fun, and we all learn something interesting about one another! I start. I
write four facts about myself on an overhead transparency. Three of the facts are true, and one is
false. Students take my little true-false test. Then I survey students to learn the results. We go
back over each question to see what they thought about each statement. That gives me a chance
to tell a little about me. Then, on a sheet of paper, students write three interesting facts about
themselves that are true and one that is false. Throughout the day, I ask a few students to try to
stump the rest of us.
Tony Stuart, grades 4 and 5, Lanark, Ontario, Canada
John Reilley, Fillmore, California
Already a Test!
After the students sit and I take roll, I ask them to take out a sheet of paper and a pen or pencil
for their first test of the school year. I explain to them -- in complete seriousness, of course -- that
this will be the hardest test of the entire year because they have not prepared in class for the test.
I have them title the paper "Teacher." I ask them to answer all parts of each question. The
questions might include Where was I born?, What does my father do for a living?, How many
brothers and/or sisters do I have -- if any?, How many different states have I called home?,
Where did I go to high school and college?, How old am I?, What is my favorite color?, What kind
of car do I drive? The test can be as long or short as you wish; make the questions fit the things
you would want them to know. You can imagine the looks on their faces when asked these
questions. I tell them they received their very first 100 in my class if they answered all of the
questions correctly! At the end of the "test," I give the answers, and the kids marvel at the
discrepancy of their answers. One of my favorite things to see is a student who was in my class
the previous year. They always think they'll make a 100. They never do! With younger students,
when they're right they think they can predict the future!
Marty Faulkner, high school teacher; Grand Prairie, Texas
Tina Williams, Livingston Park Elementary School; North Brunswick, New Jersey
Peek Into Summer.
Divide a bulletin board into "window panes," using white strips of paper. Create one window pane
for each child in your class. Assign two children to bring in some object each day, such as a shell,
that represents what they had fun doing this past summer. Put the items in small zip-lock plastic
bags. After each presentation, mount the plastic bags on each child's "window pane." This makes
a great back-to-school bulletin board and provides children with opportunities to talk about their
summer.
Judy Isphording, Sope Creek Elementary School; Marietta, Georgia
The More Important Book
On the first day of school, read to students a popular favorite -- The Important Book, by Margaret
Wise Brown. It's a wonderful, repetitive book that tells the "important thing" about a variety of
things, such as a spoon, an apple, the wind, etc. After we read the book and discover its
repetitive form, we write our own More Important Book. Each child tells about himself or herself,
following the format of The Important Book." The children end, as the book does, by repeating the
first line, "But, the most important thing about (child's name) is that he or she _____." Each child
is responsible for a "most important thing" page, which becomes part of the class book. This is a
wonderful and fun way to get to know one another, and the book is read throughout the year.
Susan Wallace, St. Agatha Academy; Winchester, Kentucky
Let's Hear It!
I believe students are more interested in school when they have a hand in their own learning. I
ask my sophomores to write a few paragraphs explaining what they would like to get out of my
American government class. If they could teach the class themselves, how would they make it
more interesting and what would they avoid doing?
Patty McKenna, The Benjamin School; North Palm Beach, Florida
BINGO-Scavenger Hunt!
To get communication going between students who aren't necessarily friends, I start the year off
with a game of BINGO. I make up BINGO cards for the students. Each square on the card
includes a brief description. Examples: Visited Florida this summer, Is an avid waterskier, Has a
big brother and little sister, Was born in another country, Lives nearest the school, Learned how
to skateboard this summer, Didn't see the movie Titanic, Likes anchovies on pizza, Was born in
the same month as you, Has a brother or sister in the same school, Favorite subject is science,
Has an ear pierced more than once, Father's name is Jim, Read more than one book this
summer, Speaks two languages, Has two pets. Students walk around the room and get the
signature of someone who fits the specific description in each box. The goal is to be the first to
student to fill the BINGO card with signatures. To make it harder, have students fill every square
with a different student's signature and set a time limit. When a student has a BINGO (one name
signed per square) give the person a small prize, such as being first in line that day. This is a
great way to learn special things about your students and help get them to know one another. An
alternative: Set this up as a scavenger hunt with a series of questions, each question with a line
beside it. Students are given a time limit to circle the classroom and find someone who has "been
there, done that." That "someone" writes her or his name in the blank space.
Carolyn Ruppel, high school English teacher; Baltimore, Maryland
Kimberly Kean, Ochoa Middle School; Hayward, California
Jennifer Malone, Eaton Elementary School, Lenoir City, Tennessee
Rene Kehau Schofield. Westmont High School; Campbell, California
Linda Press, Carmel High School; Carmel, New York
Jan Johnson Wakefield Community Schools, Wakefield, Nebraska
BINGO Times 2
Pass out BINGO cards to students. Each square on this card contains a question. (Click here for
a sample card created by teacher Peg Teeter.) Have each student fill in the answers for ALL
questions beside number 1. Wait for all students to finish. Then students find classmates with the
same answers written in each box. The classmate with a matching answer prints his or her initials
on line 2. Give a prize to any or all who get a BINGO!
Peg Teeter, St. Stephen School; Oil City, Pennsylvania
Going in Circles
For the entire first day of school, I arrange all the desks in a large circle, with everyone facing the
center. This makes it easy for the children to talk and get to know one another. Then I ask each
child to introduce himself or herself. The children must also provide one fact about themselves.
As we go around the circle, students try to repeat the information (names and facts) about each
of the other students in the circle.
Judy Wilkerson, Glen Avenue Elementary School; Salisbury, Maryland
Jump Into Science
This activity is intended to get high school science students thinking about the scientific process -what is the issue or problem, what do we know, what do we need to know. etc. -- and to assess
what areas of the curriculum are familiar to them. Issue texts, group students, and provide the
following activity: Invite students to scan the first chapter of their text -- or the Table of Contents,
which introduces major areas typically covered in the course. As a group, select a topic or related
issue. Is this a controversial issue? That is, is there an ongoing debate related to it? Identify what
you as a group know about this topic or issue. Determine what facts or information you as a
group would like to know about this topic or issue. How would you go about answering the
questions that you have just raised? Discuss in what way(s) this issue is relevant to you? After
about 20 minutes, I stop the discussion and invite each group to share its responses.
Alan Sills, West Essex Regional High School; North Caldwell, New Jersey
Twenty Questions
One of my objectives is to get the kids used to "true participation" and to the idea that being
wrong can lead to being right! Playing Twenty Questions is a great tie-in to what I start class with
the following day -- how sometimes we learn as much or more from being wrong as from being
right. The game is easy and requires no set-up or materials. I choose an item in the room, and
students have to guess what it is. They can ask only questions that I can answer with either yes
or no. For example: "Is it blue?", "Is it in the front half of the room?" The person who finally gets it
gets to be the next yes-no person. I stress that that person would never have gotten it without
everybody else's help; the "no" answers helped as much as the "yes" answers did. I also get to
be a participant and to point out that sometimes I am wrong too! The tone of friendly cooperation
on the first day lasts into the school year, and the first day becomes part of a lesson, not just a
day of record keeping.
LeAnn Lyon, Highview Middle School; Mounds View School District, Minnesota
Who Am I? Riddle Book
Have children share facts about themselves by creating a Who Am I? riddle book. Students write
four or five statements about themselves. The last line is a question: "Who Am I?" I put this up as
a bulletin board and have students guess who each person is. The first person to guess correctly
gets to choose who guesses next.
Tina Williams, Livingston Park Elementary School; North Brunswick, New Jersey
Math About Me Students create Math About Me sheets. They share the sheets with the class
and each student's sheet becomes part of his or her portfolio. The Math About Me information
might include birthday, address numbers, phone number, sports number, favorite number,
number of pets, number of people in the family, etc. When the students gather together to share
their numbers, they see what numbers they have in common with their classmates, and everyone
learns a little bit about one another. The numbers are then used to make a Math About Me
poster. I take a snapshot of each child for the center of the poster. Then the kids design the math
facts in a colorful, interesting presentation. We use these as a hallway bulletin board.
Jennifer Malone, Eaton Elementary School, Lenoir City, Tennessee
Eileen Horn, Godwin School, Midland Park, New Jersey
Alphabetical Roll!
After introducing yourself, create some chaos. Tell students they have three minutes to complete
their first assignment: "Sort yourselves in alphabetical order by last name." After the initial shock
and after they succeed, remind them how capable they are to handle their first day, and every
day, by asking questions, getting help from others, working together, trying and evaluating
strategies to "just do it"! Whatever "it" might be, they can do it!
Rene Kehau Schofield. Westmont High School; Campbell, California
Puzzling Activity
Students use colorful markers to write their names in big letters on a sheet of drawing paper.
Under their names, they write several sentences describing themselves, for example, favorite
things, family info, hobbies, and pet info. Then hand out blank puzzles (which can be found in
craft stores -- cheap!). Privately -- perhaps behind a folder upright on their desks -- students
illustrate on the blank puzzles the interests and information on their name sheets. They break up
their puzzles and place the pieces in a brown paper bag with a question mark on the front. Post
the large papers with the descriptive sentences on a bulletin board and, beneath that display, line
up all the paper bags full of puzzle pieces. Throughout the week, during free time, students can
choose a bag, put the puzzle together, compare the puzzle with the posted sentences, and guess
which classmate it may be. At the end of the week look at guesses, and find out whose puzzle is
really whose.
Eileen Horn, Godwin School, Midland Park, New Jersey
Hello, Amigos!
For ESOL tutors or teachers in schools with a multicultural population: Create a poster with hands
of different colors and write on each hand the word hello in a different language. Greet the
children, saying "Hola, amigos" and introduce yourself, giving brief background. Then ask
students to introduce themselves and to say hello in their native languages if they can. This is a
nice icebreaker, and the children enjoy learning to say hello in different languages.
Cynthia de Leon, Yolanda Heredia, Manatee Elementary School, Naples, Florida
Chrysanthemum's Graph!
Read the book Chrysanthemum, by Kevin Henkes, to the class. Talk about the main character's
name and how her parents made the decision to name her. Discuss with the children, if they
know, how they received their names -- for example, it was a family name, their parents liked the
name, etc. Discuss the length of Chrysanthemum's name. How many letters are in each of your
students' names? Give children pieces of large-block graph paper or have them draw boxes to
show the number of letters in their names. Transfer the data to a class Number of Letters in Our
Names graph. Teachers should include their names too!
Eileen Hayes, Comprehensive Grammar School, Methuen, Massachuestts
We Are All Unique!
Invite students to list some traits that make them unique. From that list, I create a bingo-like card
with a square for each student; I write one fact from each student's list in one of the squares.
Then the fun begins! Students must ask one another if they "sleep with a stuffed lizard" or
another question that relates to the information in one of the squares. When students identify the
person who matches the information in a square, that person writes his or her initials in the box.
Set a time limit and see who collects the most initials before time runs out. We learn some very
interesting things about one another. This activity reveals commonalities and creates lively
conversation!
Brenda W., Silverwood School, Silverdale, Washington
Sticker Partners!
Each student is given a sticker to put on his or her hand upon entering the classroom, but
students aren't told what the sticker is for until the time is right! Be sure there is a partner
(matching sticker) for every student. Ask students to find their partners and interview them (name,
grade, hobbies, etc.). Each interviewer is responsible for introducing each interviewee to the rest
of the class. You might find that students find it less threatening when someone else shares
information about them than when they are asked to share about themselves.
Grade 4-6 team, Silverwood School, Silverdale, Washington
Me Bag
Place a white paper bag on each desk on the morning of the first day. The bags should contain
pencils, name tags, and other items students will need to help get the class organized. Also
include a letter introducing yourself, telling of hobbies, etc. The students then empty their bags
and decorate the Me Bags with pictures from magazines or drawings that represent themselves.
You shoulld already have completed a sample Me Bag with pictures and drawings representing
yourself. Students love to hear about their teacher! Then students share their Me Bags to help
class members get to know one another. That afternoon, the students take their decorated Me
Bags home and put inside any special or important objects. You might share a few items from
your bag as examples. The students keep their objects secret until the next morning when they
share with the class. They're very excited to tell about the special things they placed in their bags
and why they are special! From this bag can stem some neat writing assignments or coloring
activities, depending on kids' ages.
Billi Walton, Addeliar Guy Elementary School, Las Vegas, Nevada
Kelly Horn, Kentucky
Candy Gets Kids Talking!
Note: Before preparing or distributing any food in the classroom, make sure you are aware of
children's allergies or dietary restrictions and caution children about choking hazards.
Bring in Skittles, one of your students' favorite candies for sure! (Another favorite, M&Ms, are an
option.) Tell the kids to take as many as they want. Most are pretty apprehensive -- after all, it's
the first day of school! -- so they usually take about ten to 15 Skittles. You should take some too.
Next, pick out some fun music. For each Skittle they took the students must say one thing about
themselves while moving to the music. You demonstrate first, of course. An option: Each color of
candy represents a category students must speak about. Example: orange = scary memories, red
= great vacations, green = something about your family, blue = favorite hobbies, etc. The activity
is a real icebreaker, and the kids love it! After that, they feel comfortable, and the class is no
longer quiet.
Laura MacDonald, Big Creek Elementary School, Berea, Ohio
Brandy Woolbright, Education Student, Lake Land College; Mattoon Illinois
Take As Much As You Want!
During the first circle time activity, have a roll of toilet paper on hand! Explain to the children that
they will need this for the next activity. Tell students that you're going to pass around the roll.
Invite students to take as much as they want. One middle school-high school math teacher invites
students to "take as much as you need to complete the job." She doesn't tell them what the job is
though! After everyone has had a good laugh over the amount of paper they took, explain how
the game works. For every piece of toilet paper the students ripped off, they must tell the class
one thing about themselves. Some realize they took quite a bit of toilet paper, but with a little
prompting and probing from the teacher, they will find things to share. In the math teacher's class,
students have to say what their favorite thing about math is when they get to the last piece. This
activity provides a nice way to find out about students' personalities, families, likes, and dislikes -and the students really love it!
Jennifer Tonzi, Southern Cayuga Central School, Poplar Ridge, New York
Elizabeth Popkin, Meadowbrook Elementary School, East Meadow, New York
Brandy Woolbright, education student, Lake Land College, Mattoon Illinois
Paper Dolls!
Have students cut out paper dolls. Each doll is 2 feet tall, and all are alike in the beginning. Then
students "dress" their dolls by coloring or making clothes out of fabric, wallpaper, etc. Tell them to
leave the face portion blank. While students dress their dolls, I use the digital camera to take
pictures of all of them. We crop the pictures so that we see only faces, blow them up to fit the
paper dolls, and students glue their faces to the dolls. We laminate them and hang them in the
entrance to the classroom across from each child's coat cubby. It is a colorful display, helps kids
find thier cubbies, and appears to be a quiet class standing in line. Students and parents love
them! At the end of the year, students take their dolls home.
Phyllis Diggins, Rochester City School #12, Rochester, New York
Where Do I Sit?
Make cutouts of apples. Cut each apple in a zigzag, like a puzzle piece. Place one side of the
piece on each desk in the room. As the children line up to come into the classroom, give each of
them one half of an apple puzzle. The children find their desks by matching the piece they are
holding with the rest of the puzzle on a desk. (You might find it easier to write a number on the
back of each piece; the numbers will help you locate the correct matching apple if a child is
having difficulty finding his or her spot.) This activity has the children sitting in desks randomly
and not with friends.
Eileen Hayes, Comprehensive Grammar School Methuen, Massachusetts
The Me Shield
For this activity, we use a copy of a banner from a Red Cross education program, drawn like a
shield and divided into four sections. We pose seven questions students can answer about
themselves:
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What are three things you are good at?
What do you like most about your family?
What do your friends like about you?
What do you think you can do better than almost anyone else your age?
What do you dream about doing one day?
What is something you have already done that makes you feel really good?
What is one thing you are planning to change about yourself so you will be even better?
Each student writes his or her name at the top of the paper and answers four of the seven
questions, one answer per section, on the banner. Students can write their answers or use a
combination of art and writing to express themselves. The students volunteer to share their
banners, and the teacher can proudly display them after the students have had a chance to
decorate them.
Debra Israel, Garfield School, Oakland, California
The Kindergarten What Is Your Name Game?
Use the Hap Palmer song "What is Your Name?" for this activity. Point to each student as it is his
or her turn to respond. Then each student is given a name card to place on a What is Your
Name? chart. We read the chart together with their names -- a first reading experience in the
classroom for many kindergartners! Later in the day, we place all the name cards on the floor,
and with the children seated on the floor in a circle, we have a name search. One child at a time
comes to the floor to select his or her name. If the child have trouble identifying it, I have a
duplicate and will show it to to the child. Kids really enjoy all the activities using their names.
Gail Wells, East Laurens Elementary School, Dublin, Georgia
The Thinker!
Note: Before preparing or distributing any food in the classroom, make sure you are aware of
children's allergies or dietary restrictions and caution children about choking hazards.
On the first day of school, many teachers like to stress to students that not everyone thinks alike.
I say the word cornfield, and I ask the children to think of the first thing that comes to mind. Some
will say they think of a cornfield they've driven by. Some have never been near one and recall a
picture of one, etc. Place a special chair somewhere in the classroom. Organize students into
groups of about six. Tell them that the group that comes up with the highest number of unique
ways to sit in the chair will win candy. Each group sends a different representative to demonstrate
a unique way to sit in the chair. I keep score on the board. Inevitably, someone says, "This could
go on forever!" At that point, we discuss whether anyone's way was better or more correct than
another's way. We discuss that everyone can come to conclusions and solve problems in their
own way, and that no one's way is necessarily wrong or right. We think of examples in television
commercials: Pizza Hut's "eating your pizza crust first," "How do you eat a Reese's?," or "How do
you eat your Oreo?," etc. Of course, all students will get a piece of candy -- they're all winners!
Lauren Elizabeth Rocereta, Cheatham Hill Elementary School, Marietta, Georgia
Circle of Foods
This activity helps teachers get to know their students while providing insight into healthful eating
habits as a lead-in to health lessons! In a circle, the first child begins "My name is ____, and my
favorite food is ____." The next person in the circle then has to introduce herself or himself and
the previous person to see whether they have been listening. The activity builds as each child
takes a turn!
Ann Edgar, Thornlie Primary School, Western Australia
What Are Your Goals?
Teachers of older students might welcome students to class by having them write short essays
answering questions that might include the following:
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Who are you?
Why are you here?
What are your short-term goals?
What are your long-term goals?
What do you plan on accomplishing while you are here?
What obstacles do you have and how can you meet your goals?
This activity gives students -- and teachers -- a diagnostic tool, a self-motivating statement, and a
good feeling for being in school. A number of different activities can then be done, such as
sharing, presenting, reading to the class, hopes and dreams exposes, newspaper-vocational
interest articles…
Susan Oberkrom, Caroline Student Support Center, Berkeley, Missouri
Opening-Day Letter
Write a letter to your students. In that letter, introduce yourself to students. Tell them about your
hopes for the new school year and some of the fun things you'll be doing in class. In addition, tell
students a few personal things about yourself; for example, your likes and dislikes, what you did
over the summer, and your hobbies. Ask questions throughout the letter. You might ask what
students like most about school, what they did during the summer, what their goals for the new
school year are, or what they are really good at. In your letter, be sure to model the correct parts
of a friendly letter! On the first day of school, display your letter on an overhead projector. Then
pass each student a sheet of nice stationery. Have the students write return letters to you. In this
letter, they will need to answer some of your questions and tell you about themselves. This is a
great way to get to know each other in a personal way! Variation: Mail the letter to students
before school starts, and enclose a sheet of stationery for kids to write you back.
Meg Basker, Harrison Elementary School, South Bend, Indiana
Stringing Conversation Together
Cut string or yarn into pieces of different lengths. Each piece should have a matching piece of the
same length. There should be enough pieces so that each student will have one. Then give each
student one piece of string, and challenge each student to find the other student who has a string
of the same length. After students find their matches, they can take turns introducing themselves
to one another. You can provide a list of questions to help students "break the ice," or students
can come up with their own. You might extend the activity by having each student introduce his or
her partner to the class.
Stacy Moore, Garrison Mill Elementary School, Marietta, Georgia
Animal Groups
On the first day of school, gather all the students from a grade level in a large common area. Give
each student a slip of paper with the name of an animal on it. Then give students instructions for
the activity: They must locate the other members of their animal group by imitating that animal's
sound only. No talking is allowed. The students might hesitate initially, but that hesitation soon
gives way to a cacophony of sound as the kids moo, snort, and giggle their way into groups. The
end result is that students have found their way into their homerooms or advisory groups for the
school year, and the initial barriers to good teamwork have already been broken.
Donna Morgan, Avery Middle School, Newland, North Carolina
A Tangled Web
Gather students in a circle sitting around you on the floor. Hold a large ball of yarn. Start by telling
the students something about yourself. Then roll the ball of yarn to a student without letting go of
the end of the yarn. The student who gets the ball of yarn tells his or her name and something
good about himself or herself. Then the student rolls the yarn to somebody else, holding on to the
strand of yarn. Soon students have created a giant web. After everyone has spoken, you and all
the students stand up, continuing to hold the yarn. Start a discussion of how this activity relates to
the idea of teamwork -- for example, the students need to work together and not let others down.
To drive home your point about teamwork, have one student drop his or her strand of yarn; that
will demonstrate to students how the web weakens if the class isn't working together.
Amy Henning, W. C. Petty School, Antioch, Illinois
Student Dictionary
Write five questions on the board. Questions might include the following:
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What is your name?
Where were you born?
How many brothers or sisters do you have?
What are their names?
Do you have any pets?
Tell students to write those questions on a piece of paper and to add to that paper five more
questions they could ask someone they don't know. Pair students, and have each student
interview his or her partner and record the responses. Then have each student use the interview
responses to write a "dictionary definition" of his or her partner to include in a Student Dictionary.
You might model this activity by creating a sample dictionary definition about yourself. For
example:
Reynolds, Kim. proper noun. 1. Born in Riverside, California. 2. No brothers or sisters.
Have students bring in small pictures of themselves to paste next to their entries in the Student
Dictionary. Bind the definitions into a book, and display it at back-to-school night.
Kim Reynolds, Warwick Elementary School, Fremont, California
Classmate Scavenger Hunt
Provide each student with two index cards. Ask each student to write a brief description of his or
her physical characteristics on one index card and his or her name on the other. Physical
characteristics usually do not include clothing, but if you teach the primary grades, you might
allow students to include clothing in their descriptions. Put all the physical characteristic index
cards in a shoe box, mix them up, and distribute one card to each student, making sure that no
student gets his or her own card. Give students ten minutes to search for the person who fits the
description on the card they hold. There is no talking during this activity, but students can walk
around the room. At the end of the activity, tell students to write on the card the name of the
student who best matches the description. Then have students share their results. How many
students guessed correctly?
Patricia McHugh, John W. Raper Elementary School, Cleveland, Ohio
Cooperative Musical Chairs
This activity is a takeoff on the familiar musical chairs game. Set up a circle of chairs with one
less chair than the number of students in the class. Play music as the students circle around the
chairs. When the music stops, the students must sit in a seat. Unlike the traditional game, the
person without a seat is not out. Instead, someone must make room for that person. Then
remove another seat and start the music again. The kids end up on one another's laps and
sharing chairs! You can play this game outside, and you can end it whenever you wish.
Afterward, stress the teamwork and cooperation the game took, and how students needed to
accept one another to be successful. Reinforce that idea by repeating this game throughout the
year.
Danielle Weston, Willard School, Sanford, Maine
Hands-On Activity
Have students begin this activity by listing at least 25 words that describe them and the things
they like. No sentences allowed, just words! Then ask each student to use a dark pen to trace the
pattern of his or her hand with the fingers spread apart. Provide another sheet of paper that the
student can place on top of the tracing. Because the tracing was done with a dark pen, the outline
should be visible on the sheet below. Direct students to use the outlines as guides and to write
their words around it. Provide students a variety of different colored pencils or markers to use as
they write. Then invite students to share their work with the class. They might cut out the hand
outlines and mount them on construction paper so you can display the hands for open house.
Challenge each parent to identify his or her child's hand.
Veronica Coker, Lanesville Elementary School, Lanesville, Indiana
Chain Gang
Begin by asking students "Who can do something really well?" After a brief discussion about
some of the students' talents, pass out paper and ask students to write down five things they do
well. Then provide each student with five different-colored paper strips. Have each student write a
different talent on separate paper strips, then create a mini paper chain with the strips by linking
the five talents together. As students complete their mini chains, use extra strips of paper to link
the mini chains together to create one long class chain. Have students stand and hold the
growing chain as you link the pieces together. Once the entire chain is constructed and linked,
lead a discussion about what the chain demonstrates -- for example, all the students have talents;
all the students have things they do well; together, the students have many talents; if they work
together, classmates can accomplish anything; the class is stronger when students work together
than when individual students work on their own. Hang the chain in the room as a constant
reminder to students of the talents they possess and the benefits of teamwork.
Kimberlee Woodward, substitute teacher, Waterford, Michigan
Silhouette Collage
Stock up on old magazines. Your school librarian might have a discard pile you can draw from.
Invite students to search through the magazines for pictures, words, or anything else that might
be used to describe them. Then use an overhead projector or another source of bright light to
create a silhouette of each student's profile; have each student sit in front of the light source as
you or another student traces the outline of the silhouette on a sheet of 11- by 17-inch paper
taped to the wall. Have students cut out their silhouettes, then fill them with a collage of pictures
and words that express their identity. Then give each student an opportunity to share his or her
silhouette with the group and talk about why he or she chose some of the elements in the collage.
Post the silhouettes to create a sense of "our homeroom."
Kathy Juarez, Piner High School, Santa Rosa, California
Headlines
As part of the normal first-day routine, many teachers have each student fill out a card with such
information as name, address, phone number, parents' names and work numbers, and so on.
You can use such cards to gather other information too, such as school schedule, why the
student signed up for the class, whether the student has a part-time job, and whether he or she
has access to the Internet at home. As a final bit of information, ask the student to write a
headline that best describes him or her! This headline might be a quote, a familiar expression, or
anything else. When students finish filling out the cards, give a little quiz. Ask students to number
a sheet of paper from 1 to __, depending on how many students are in the class. Then read aloud
the headlines one at a time. Ask students to write the name of the person they think each
headline best describes. Who got the highest score?
Bonus! It seems as if parents are contacted only if there is a problem with students. At the end of
each grading period, use the home address information to send a postcard to a handful of
parents to inform them about how well their child is doing. This might take a little time, but it is
greatly appreciated!
Dawn Walters, White House High School, White House, Tennessee
MORE QUICK GETTING-TO-KNOW-YOU ACTIVITIES
Following are a few more activity ideas that were sent our way:
Pop Quiz
Ahead of time, write a series of getting-to-know-you questions on slips of paper -- one question to
a slip. You can repeat some of the questions. Then fold up the slips, and tuck each slip inside a
different balloon. Blow up the balloons. Give each student a balloon, and let students take turns
popping their balloons and answering the questions inside.
Contributor Unknown
Fact or Fib?
This is a good activity for determining your students' note-taking abilities. Tell students that you
are going to share some information about yourself. They'll learn about some of your background,
hobbies, and interests from the 60-second oral "biography" that you will present. Suggest that
students take notes; as you speak, they should record what they think are the most important
facts you share. When you finish your presentation, tell students that you are going to tell five
things about yourself. Four of your statements should tell things that are true and that were part of
your presentation; one of the five statements is a total fib. This activity is most fun if some of the
true facts are some of the most surprising things about you and if the "fib" sounds like something
that could very well be true. Tell students they may refer to their notes to tell which statement is
the fib. Next, invite each student to create a biography and a list of five statements -- four facts
and one fib -- about himself or herself. Then provide each student a chance to present the 60second oral biography and to test the others' note-taking abilities by presenting his or her own
"fact or fib quiz." You can have students do this part of the activity in small groups.
Mitzi Geffen
Circular Fact or Fib?
Here's a variation on the previous activity: Organize students into two groups of equal size. One
group forms a circle equally spaced around the perimeter of the classroom. There will be quite a
bit of space between students. The other group of students forms a circle inside the first circle;
each student faces one of the students in the first group. Give the facing pairs of students two
minutes to share their 60-second oral "biographies." While each student is talking, the partner
takes notes. After each pair completes the activity, the students on the inside circle move
clockwise to face the next student in the outer circle. Students in the outer circle remain stationary
throughout the activity. When all students have had an opportunity to share their biographies with
one another, ask students to take turns each sharing facts and fibs with the class. The other
students refer to their notes or try to recall which fact is really a fib.
Contributor Unknown
People Poems
Have each child use the letters in his or her name to create an acrostic poem. For example, Bill
could write
Big
Intelligent
Laughing
Loving.
Tell students they must include words that tell something about themselves -- for example,
something they like to do or a personality or physical trait. Invite students to share their poems
with the class. This activity is a fun one that enables you to learn how your students view
themselves. Allow older students to use a dictionary or thesaurus. You might also vary the
number of words for each letter, according to the students' grade levels.
Bill Laubenberg
Another Poetic Introduction.
Ask students to use the form below to create poems that describe them.
Name ______________________
Title (of poem)_______________
I will never _______________,
I will never ________________,
and I will never ______________.
I will always ______________.
This activity lends itself to being done at the beginning of the school year and again at the end of
the year. You and your students will have fun comparing their responses and seeing how the
students and the responses have changed.
Contributor Unknown
Food for Thought
To get to know students and to help them get to know one another, have each student state his
or her name and a favorite food that begins with the same first letter as the name. For example:
"Hi, my name is Latrece, and I like liver." As each student introduces himself or herself, he or she
must repeat the names and favorite foods of the students who came before. Watch out -- it gets
tricky for the last person who has to recite all the names and foods!
Latrece Hughes
I Am NOT!
Here's a challenging activity that might help high school teachers learn about students' abilities to
think critically. Send students into the school hallways or schoolyard, and ask each to find
something that "is completely the opposite of yourself." Option: To widen the area to be explored,
provide this activity as homework on the first night of school. When students bring their items
back to class, ask each to describe why the item is not like him or her. You'll get a lot of flowers,
of course, and students will describe how those flowers are fragrant or soft or otherwise unlike
themselves. But you might also get some clever responses, such as the one from a young man
who brought in the flip-top from a discarded can; he talked about its decaying outward
appearance and its inability to serve a purpose without being manipulated by some other force
(and how he was able to serve a purpose on his own).
Joy Ross
Personal Boxes
In this activity, each student selects a container of a reasonable size that represents some aspect
of his or her personality or personal interests, such as a football helmet or a saucepan. Ask
students to fill that object with other items that represent themselves -- for example, family
photos, CDs, dirty socks, a ballet shoe -- and bring their containers back to school. Students can
use the objects in the containers as props for three-minute presentations about themselves. The
teacher who provided this idea suggests that you model the activity and encourage creativity by
going first -- it's important for students to see you as human too! She included in her container a
wooden spoon because she loves to cook, a jar of dirt because she loves to garden, her son's
first cowboy boot, a poem she wrote, a rock from Italy because she loves to travel, and so on.
You'll learn much about each student with this activity, and it will create a bond among students.
As each student gives a presentation, you might write a brief thank-you note that mentions
something specific about the presentation so that each student can take home a special note to
share with parents. It might take a few days to give every student the opportunity to share.
Valerie Braun
Common Connections
You will need a camera for this activity. An instant camera will work best; a digital camera will
work well if you have a good printer. Take a picture of each student. Then provide each student
with a prepared questionnaire that includes questions about favorite foods, books, places, or
hobbies. When the questionnaires are completed, students share their responses with one
another. (This can be done one-on-one, in small groups, or as a class activity.) Students examine
their peers' questionnaires to find "connections" -- things they have in common with one another.
Post student pictures on a bulletin board titled "Common Connections." Then students can use
strips of construction paper to connect the pictures. On each strip that connects two pictures,
students must describe the connection in writing. (For example, a strip labeled "We have three
brothers" will connect the pictures of two students who each have three brothers. A strip labeled
"Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" will connect the pictures of two students who listed
that book as their favorite.)
Melissa Kowalski, Schaumburg School District #54, Schaumburg, Illinois
Time Capsule
Create and have students fill out a "time capsule" questionnaire with questions that ask about
students' interests, such as favorite bands, colors, or foods; best friends; and so on. Collect the
questionnaires. Keep them until the end of the school year. At that time, have the students fill out
another time capsule questionnaire with the same questions on it. Then hand back the originals.
Watch as the students react to their original answers. Sometimes they really surprise themselves!
Jennifer R. Cory, Keller Middle School, Las Vegas, Nevada
A Smile Goes a Long Way!
Create a giant happy face and staple it to a bulletin board with the headline "A Smile Goes a
Long Way!" Gather students on the carpet and talk about how this is a happy classroom and it's
going to be a happy year. Then prompt students by saying something such as, "As your teacher, I
want to know what makes you happy." Then pass out smaller happy faces with lines at the
bottom. Children write on the lines one or two things that make them happy. Post their work
around the giant happy face.
Shelly Nitkin, Radburn School, Fair Lawn, New Jersey
A Kiss for the Kids!
All students start this activity in a seated position. Then the teacher will give the following, or
similar, instructions for students to follow:
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If you traveled this summer, stand up.
If you have a brother, sit down.
If you are the youngest of all the children in your family, stand up.
If you own a pet, sit down.
If you have a sister, stand up.
If your family owns a computer, sit down.
If you live in an apartment, stand up.
If this is your first year in this school, sit down.
If you are in ____ grade, stand up. (Fill in the blank with your grade; all students will
stand.)
If you were kissed by someone this morning, sit down.
At this point in the activity give a (chocolate) kiss to all those who are standing and say, "We all
need a kiss a day!"
Marisa R. Dawkins, St. Bartholomew Catholic School, Miramar, Florida
The Name Continuum
Put a sign that has a large A on it on one wall of the classroom. Put a sign that has a large Z on it
on the opposite wall. Then have all participants arrange themselves in alphabetical order between
the letters. You might do first name order first, then repeat for family name order. Variations: See
whether students can do this without saying a word! You might have them organize themselves in
order by birth date, height, or another piece of orderable information.
Cliff Lightfoot, Nunthorpe Youth Centre, Middlesbrough, Yorkshire, England
Getting-to-Know-You Venn Diagram
Gather groups of three students. Supply a prepared three-circle Venn diagram for each group.
Students talk in their groups about themselves and the things they like to do. After a brief
discussion, the students must decide on three ways in which they are all alike; they write those
things in the intersecting areas of the diagram. Then each student must write in his or her circle
three facts that are unique to him or her. This activity helps students recognize and appreciate
likenesses and differences in people. It also introduces them to Venn diagrams on the first day of
school. This type of graphic organizer might be used many times throughout the year.
Rene Masden, Sixth District Elementary School, Covington, Kentucky
Thanks for the Memories Postcard
The teacher might begin this activity by drawing on one side of a 4- by 6-inch unlined white index
card an illustration of a fond memory of the summer vacation just completed. The teacher shows
the reverse side of the card, which has been set up to look like the back of a postcard. A vertical
line appears in the middle of the card; on the right side of that line the teacher has written her
mailing address and on the other side a short note telling about the memory. After the kids see
the teacher's model postcard, have each of them transform a blank card into a postcard that
includes a thank you to the parent(s) or other person(s) who provided the memory. Then mail the
postcards. This activity enables the teacher to see quickly which students know their home
addresses and are able to follow directions. The teacher can also assess students' writing
abilities, identify artists in the class, and learn about the people who make students feel
important. For older students, the teacher might draw a straight horizontal line about an inch in
length in the center of the front of the postcard. Students must transform that line into some part
of their drawing!
Donna Richardson, Silverhill Elementary School, Silverhill, Alabama
Have a Ball!
This activity is ideal for very young students who are not able to write about themselves on the
first day of school. Students sit in a circle on the floor. The teacher holds a large rubber ball and
tells his or her name and something else about him or herself. Then the teacher rolls the ball to
one of the students. That student tells his or her name and something about himself or herself.
The activity continues until everyone has taken a turn. Teachers might focus the activity by asking
students to share specific information, such as the names of pets, favorite books, or favorite
foods. This activity is an excellent tension reliever for young students, many of whom are
separated from their parents for the first time. Follow up the activity by singing a song that will
challenge students to observe things about their peers. For example:
"Angie's wearing a white shirt, white shirt, white shirt;
Angie's wearing a white shirt
All day long."
Instruct each child to stand as classmates sing about him or her. Even shy students will enjoy
participating.
Angie Stringer, Seminary Elementary School, Seminary, Mississippi
Teach Your Best Lesson!
While all the other middle school or high school subject teachers are going over class rules and
handing out books, make your class the one students remember at the end of the day! You can
do that by teaching your best lesson on the first day of school. Choose a lesson that requires
some previous knowledge but is something most students will be successful at. When they leave
class on the first day, the kids feel positive about the subject you teach and they are excited
about returning to class tomorrow. Add a homework assignment -- one that will excite and
motivate them that they'll be eager to complete. Save those class rules, expectations, and
syllabus for the second day of school.
Julie Deppner, Chelsea High School, Chelsea, Michigan
Meet Your Classmates BINGO
Prepare a BINGO sheet that contains the same number of squares as there are students in the
class. Have each child write her or his name on a small piece of paper and place it in a fishbowl
or another container. Then give each child a prepared BINGO sheet. Students walk around the
classroom and gather their classmates' signatures, one signature per square. When all sheets
are filled in, play BINGO. Reach into the bowl, and pull out a student's name. Call out the name.
Students mark off that name on their BINGO sheets. The first person to get a full row of names
calls out BINGO and wins the game. That person can be the one to call out names in a second
round of the game.
Virginia Collins, Orange River Elementary School, Fort Myers, Florida
Campfire (or Pool) Stories
Before students arrive, set up a small lamp with a red light bulb. Stack up wood, sticks, and
leaves (silk leaves, not real ones) until the lamp can't be seen. Close the blinds, turn off the lights,
and arrange blankets around the area on the floor. When students enter the room, they will be
very surprised to see a campfire in the middle of their classroom! Invite students to sit around the
campfire, close their eyes, and think back over the summer months. Ask each to choose a
memorable event from the summer to share with the group. Invite the other students to interact
and ask questions to gain more information. After everyone, including the teacher, has shared a
story, it's time to transform the stories told into published stories. Review the steps of the writing
process by providing a mnemonic device, such as
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P= prewriting (storytelling)
R= rough draft (jot it down on paper)
R = revise (self correction)
P= proofread (peer correction)
P= publish (make a book, draw, share with a group, etc.)
Students can let their creative juices flow during the publishing phase of the activity. They can
publish their stories as big books, pictures, comic strips, slide shows, plays, etc. At the end of the
process, students share their stories again but in a new way! If they make books, add those
books to the classroom library. (Students love to read the stories over and over again!) This
activity gives students the opportunity to catch up on summer news in a structured way. Variation:
Set up a kiddie pool outside and let students sit around the pool with their feet in the cool water
as they share their "poolside stories."
Michelle Butler, South Carolina School for the Deaf and Blind, Spartanburg, South Carolina
Friendstrips
Each student will need a partner to complete this activity. The students will interview one another.
At the lower grades, teachers can provide a list of possible questions; in the middle grades, the
class might brainstorm good interview questions; upper grade students might make up questions
as they go along. As the students conduct their interviews, the teacher uses a camera to take
pictures of each pair of students. Students write or type their interviews. Then they mount the two
interviews on a large strip of construction paper. The photo is mounted between the two
interviews. Laminate the interviews, and create a hallway display headlined Friendstrips. When
it's time to take down the display, the interviews and photos can be turned into a book for the
classroom library.
Jan Troy, Lincolnwood School, Evanston, Illinois
Two Truths and a Dream
The teacher models the activity by telling two things that are true about herself or himself and one
thing that is a dream -- one thing that she or he wishes was true but is not! Everyone will learn
interesting, surprising, even sad, things about students. Notes from the contributor: "One 13-yearold student told the group that she had moved 12 times. Most of the kids guessed that that was a
dream, but it was a true fact. It was obvious from further discussion of the topic that she found it
difficult to belong anywhere. I shared with her how I had moved three times during my high school
years and how difficult it was for me to always be making new friends and then leaving them. We
had an immediate bond on the first day."
Kathy Jones, West Cary Middle School, Cary, North Carolina
Bio Booklets
Students work in pairs to complete this activity. Ideally, they should work with a partner they don't
know well. Provide each student with three 5- by 8-inch index cards. Direct students to fold two of
the index cards in half (hamburger-style); the third card is left unfolded. Students write the
number 1 in the top, left-hand corner of the inside of one of the folded cards; they write a 2 in the
top right-hand corner of the same card. They do the same in the other folded card with the
numbers 3 and 4. The unfolded card is numbered 5. In section 1, students generate five
questions that will help them gather information they want to know about their partner. They
record answers to the questions in section 2. Then they circle the one answer in section 2 that is
most intriguing and generate five new questions about it; they write those five questions in section
3. The responses to those questions will be written in section 4. Card 5 is for the final report of the
interview. Challenge students to create a zippy opening to hook the reader and a strong closing
sentence. The author signs his or her name and creates a title for the piece. As a homework
assignment, ask students to bring from home one photo of themselves; the photo can be recent
or a childhood photo. Combine the brief bio and photo in a hallway display that parents will love to
see at and open house.
Jacqueline Petrosky, American School, Lima, Peru
Name Creatures
Each student folds a large piece of construction paper in half (the long way) and places it on the
desk. With the fold nearest them (the open part on top), students then write their names in very
large letters so that their names stretch across the entire paper. Children with short names should
leave larger spaces between the letters in their names. Then students outline the letters of their
name with a pencil, making sure not to bring the outlines all the way to the bottom (or fold) of the
paper. When they are done outlining, they cut along the outline and then unfold their name to
create a unique "name creature." Students can add designs to their name creatures that reflect
their own interests or personalities. They present their creatures to the class and explain what
their creatures represent.
Jean Carmody, P.S. 9, New York City, New York
Scavenger Hunt
Create a list of scavenger hunt questions that relate to the classroom environment. Those
questions might include
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How many garbage cans are in the room?
How many glue bottles are in the glue basket?
How do you spell my last name?
How many apple pictures are in the room?
The questions should challenge students to be good observers of the classroom environment.
This activity helps familiarize young students with the classroom while giving teachers the
opportunity to observe which students can read questions with no problem, who writes without
assistance, who takes charge and gets to work, who holds back and waits for help, and more.
Mary Robert, Radio Park Elementary School, State College, Pennsylvania
Cool Introductions
Have students write three things about themselves. They should not put their names on their
papers. Then have each student crush his or her paper into a ball. Now you're ready for a gettingto-know-you "snowball fight." Tell students they cannot begin until you say "go" and that they
must stop when you say "freeze." Remind students not to throw "snowballs" at anyone's face.
When you say "go," give students 30 seconds to a minute to toss their "snowballs." When you
say "freeze," every student should pick up one snowball. Each student should open up the
snowball and find the student it belongs to. Students should chat with their partners about the
information on the sheets. Then students will be responsible for introducing the students whose
snowballs they "caught" to the rest of the class.
Carly Sween, Randy Smith Middle School, Fairbanks, Alaska
Penelope Cook, Chrisman (Illinois) Grade School
Ticket to Kindergarten
Greet your students at the door. Hand each student a "ticket" that has her or his name and a
picture, a shape, a color, or some other symbol. Tell students to find their names and the pictures
or symbols on one of the desks in the classroom. This activity provides practice in recognizing
names and matching -- two important kindergarten skills.
Brenda J. Bustamantes, Fort Worth (Texas) Independent School District
Getting to Know Ms. P.
This activity helps students get to know you. In advance, create a ten-question, multiple-choice
quiz about yourself. For example:
What kind of car does Ms. P drive?
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Ford Escort
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Volkswagen Beetle
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Hummer
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Cadillac
Students circle their best guess for each question. Before you begin the quiz, ask students to
predict the number of questions they will correctly answer. You might follow up this activity by
having students create five- or ten-question quizzes about themselves; the questions should be
about things most of their peers would not know.
Kara Perry, Accawmacke Elementary School, Accomac, Virginia
The Giving Tree
Read aloud Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree and involve students in a discussion of the types
of gifts the tree gave the boy; none of those gifts cost a thing! Then talk about the types of costfree "gifts" the students can contribute to the class. Prepare a bulletin board that has the
silhouette of a tree trunk and branches. Give each student a cutout apple. Have students write on
their apples the things they can "give" to the class. Put the apples on the tree. This bulletin board
makes a nice display for open house.
Lori Napoli
Shoe Fun
This fun first-day activity teaches the importance of using vivid details, adjectives, and precise
language in writing. Have each student take off one shoe and put the shoe on his or her desk.
Then have the students write paragraphs in which they describe their shoes in detail. Collect the
students' descriptions. Later in the day, have students take off their shoes and deposit them in
the center of the room. Hand a description to each student. (Make sure students do not get their
own descriptions.) Students read the description and try to find the shoe that best matches each
description. Is the description well written? Does it help a classmate find the correct shoe, or does
it need to be revised?
Options:
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Students can create pictures to go with the paragraphs they wrote.
Students might use the descriptions to draw pictures of the shoes described in the
paragraph before they see the shoes. How closely do the pictures match the actual shoe?
Jude Connick, John F. Kennedy Middle School, Enfield, Connecticut
Opening Day Sing-Along
Are you familiar with the song Getting to Know You, from the Rogers and Hammerstein musical
The King and I? Write the lyrics to the song on chart paper and hang it on an easel. Talk about
the meaning of the lyrics and some of the vocabulary that might be unfamiliar. What does it mean
to get to know someone? to get acquainted? What does it take to get to know someone and let
that person get to know you? What does it mean to get someone to like you and how do you go
about that? Then introduce the tune, by playing it on a piano or sharing a recording. Finally, sing
the song together during the daily class meeting for the first week or so of school.
Joanne Jackson, East Hills Middle School, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Scissor Game
Organize yourself and the students on chairs in a large circle. You hold a pair of scissors. When
the activity is about to begin, stare at the scissors as if you are studying them hard, to distract and
confuse students. Then pass the scissors to the student seated in the next chair. As you pass the
scissors, simply say the word crossed or uncrossed. Because the students saw you intently
studying the scissors, they will probably assume that the words crossed and uncrossed have
something to do with the scissors. The word really refers to the position of your legs when you
passed the scissors. You said crossed if your legs were crossed or uncrossed if your legs were
uncrossed. After you pass the scissors, tell that student to study the scissors and say the correct
word while passing them safely to the student in the next chair. Give no other clues about the
activity; the students must work it out! As each student passes the scissors, tell the student
whether he or she got it right. See how many rounds it takes before each student has figured it
out. If most of the students have not figured out the game by the end of a few rounds, you can
start to make it more obvious by changing the position of your legs just before passing the
scissors. Instruct students not to say anything as they figure out what is going on. To keep
students from revealing the secret of the game, you might let them tell some of their peers
whether they are correct as the scissors are passed.
Lucy Phipps, Pinehurst College, Auckland, New Zealand
ME-WE Cutouts
Each student cuts the word ME from an 8 1/2- by 11-inch sheet of paper. The right leg (vertical
line) of the M and the vertical line of the E connect the two letters so the word ME is in one piece.
You might provide a tracing pattern for younger students. Have each student write on his or her
ME cutout ten things about himself or herself. Then organize students into pairs. Each person
uses the facts on the ME cutout to introduce himself or herself to the other person. When the two
introductions are complete, students talk about what they have in common. Then they flip the ME
cutouts up so they spell WE. The students write the things they have in common on the WE
cutout. Students might then transfer the information they learn to a simple Venn diagram.) Finally,
students use the ME cutouts to introduce themselves to the rest of the class. After each pair
finishes the introduction, the students share those things they found they have in common.
Deborah Hercsek, Lee Eaton School, Northfield, Ohio
Grouping for Introductions
Note: Before preparing or distributing any food in the classroom, make sure you are aware of
children's allergies or dietary restrictions, and caution children about choking hazards.
Hand out a gummy bear or lifesaver to each student, making sure nobody sees which color each
person gets. When each student has a candy, instruct the students to put their candies on their
tongues. Then the students must find others who have the same color candy. They cannot make
any noise -- no uh-uhs! -- as they organize themselves into groups. Once the students are
grouped, they can begin their introductions or whatever other group activity you have planned.
Jo Hendricks, Limestone Creek Elementary School, Jupiter, Florida
KWL the Teacher
This activity will help students get to know you. Students in small groups could use it to get to
know one another. Begin the activity by drawing a three-column (KWL) chart on the board.
Students help fill in the chart with information about you. They write things they Know about you
in the K column. Then, in the column labeled W (Want to Know), they list things they would like to
know about you. For now, leave the last column blank.
For the next step, you will need to prepare in advance a list of interesting facts about yourself.
Write ten of those facts on slips of paper; then fold each slip of paper and put it in a jar or another
container. Tape a large sheet of butcher paper to a board. Your name should appear in a circle in
the center of the paper. (This is an opportunity to introduce a concept mapping activity -- an
activity you may use frequently during the school year.)
Ask for a volunteer to come up, pull a fact from the container, read it to herself or himself, and
then illustrate that fact on the paper. Other students guess the fact that goes with the illustration.
The student who guesses the fact gets to select and illustrate the next fact. At the end of the
period, the class has produced a free-form map of you!
The next day, present students with a 20-question, multiple-choice quiz about you. Students will
use the free-form map to help them respond to questions. The students might groan at the idea of
taking a quiz on the second day, but they will be rewarded on the third day: that's when you
return their graded quizzes with a coupon attached! For every question they got right in excess of
teen, they earn a coupon worth that many extra-credit points on a real quiz!
Finally, on the third day, go back to the original KWL chart and have students complete the L
column with things they Learned about you. Now the mysterious teacher at the front of the class
seems to be more like a real person to them, and they are ready for the third night's homework
assignment. Students create free-form concept maps about themselves; the map should include
seven to ten illustrated facts. The students' concept maps would make a great bulletin board for
an open house!
Nicole Honour, Keystone Heights (Florida) Junior/Senior High School
Our Class Puzzle
Share Your
Favorite
Icebreakers
Have you a favorite
icebreaker activity that
works well with your
students? Why not share
that idea with others?
We've set up a special
Favorite Icebreaker
Ideas message board.
Log on and join in this
conversation!
Use tagboard to create a large jigsaw puzzle. Put each child's
name on a different puzzle piece. When kids arrive on the first day
Still looking for more
of school, instruct them to find the pieces of the puzzle with their
ideas? Don't forget our
names on them and to draw pictures on of their favorite things to
archive of more than 150
do. Later in the day, instruct students to find one classmate with
icebreaker activities.
whom their puzzle piece connects; kids should do this activity
without talking. When they "connect" with a classmate, they sit
down and talk quietly about themselves until everybody has
"connected." Kids can use the pictures they drew as prompts as they talk about themselves. If
there are an uneven number of students, one group might have three students in it. As students
introduce themselves to their partners, go around the room and tape the pairs of pieces together.
Next, instruct each pair of students to find another pair with whom their puzzle pieces connect.
Those groups of four students introduce themselves as you go around the room and tape
together the groups' puzzle pieces. Eventually, you will have one big puzzle with all of the
children's names on it. You might talk about how a puzzle is incomplete if one piece of the puzzle
is missing, how all the students fit together as a team like pieces of a puzzle, and how you will be
the tape that holds the pieces together all year long. Laminate the puzzle and display it all year.
Ellen Gleitman, Brooke Elementary School, Limerick, Pennsylvania
Working Together in Room 103
Hang a large sheet of butcher paper on a chalkboard or bulletin board. Write your name on the
paper in a fun way; for example, you might use bubble letters, write your name in a circle, or use
star shapes to form the letters. As students enter the classroom, have them select a marker and
sign their names on the paper "in a fun way." When everyone has signed the paper, remove it
from the wall and start ripping it into sections around each name. Toss the sections on the floor.
The number of sections should equal the number of students and teacher. Students will probably
look at you as if you are nuts! Then instruct students to choose one of the ripped sections. Gather
in an open area where you have arranged plenty of scotch tape dispensers. Tell students it is
their job to put the pieces back together. Hang the taped-together wall chart under the heading
Working Together in Room 103. Start a discussion about how each student is an important part of
the class and how the class is like a team that won't function if everybody does not do their part.
The wall hanging will serve as a year-long reminder of that lesson!
Lori Napoli
Puzzle-Piece Pairs
This is a simple activity for pairing kids for any activity on the first day of school. Give each
student a puzzle piece that matches the piece of one other student in the class. On your signal,
the students must find each other. You might use this activity to pair students to interview one
another. The class might brainstorm some interview questions to get kids started. Those
questions could be posted on an overhead transparency or a chart for all students to see.
Gianna Tringali, W. E. Cottle Elementary School, Tuckahoe, New York
TEN MORE GREAT ICEBREAKERS!
Birthday Timeline
Ask students to take out a sheet of paper and write down the month and day of their birth. After
they have done this, tell them to put away the paper and not let anyone see it. Then direct
students to line up themselves in perfect order of birth. However, they must follow two rules as
they do that: They cannot talk and they cannot show anyone what they wrote. After several quiet
minutes of scurrying around, they will be in order. Instruct students to check with the person on
their right and left to see whether they are in the correct place. Then it's time to check the human
birthday timeline. Start with the first person and have each student say his or her birthday and
display the paper with the month and date written on it. Did students do it correctly?
Michael M. Yell, Hudson (Wisconsin) Middle School
Special Memories Book
If you write a letter of introduction before the school year starts, include a request that students
bring to school on the first day something that has a special memory attached to it. If you do not
send a before-school letter, you can make this activity the homework assignment for the first day.
Start the day by reading Mem Fox's popular book Wilfred Gordon McDonald Partridge. The story
is about a little boy who befriends an older woman and gives her back memories that she has
forgotten. After reading the story, discuss what a memory is and list students' ideas. Then give
each child an opportunity to share his or her special item and tell about the memories it carries.
You might also use this as the first writing assignment of the year; have students write about the
memories their objects sparks take pictures of the objects, and create a class book of memories.
Cindy Kramer, West Side Elementary School, Cold Spring Harbor, New York
Apply for the Job
Your classroom is your students' home away from home, so have children generate a list of
classroom jobs that will be needed to keep the classroom running smoothly. Post the list and be
sure there are plenty of jobs, such as pencil sharpener; monitors for windows, closets, supplies,
plants, library, and chalkboard; messengers, etc. Have children fill out a job application. The
application might provide a space where students could check their job preferences; it might also
include a space where they can share their work experience (at home and other places).
Students might even create resumes that detail that work experience.
Lynda Commer, P.S. 21, Staten Island, New York
Color-Coded M&Ms
Note: Before preparing or distributing any food in the classroom, make sure you are aware of
children's allergies or dietary restrictions, and caution children about choking hazards.
You have probably heard of the activity in which students grab a handful of M&Ms; during
introduction time, they must share a fact about themselves for each M&M they took. This activity
offers a slight twist on that one. In this case, the students might take the M&Ms, or the teacher
might hand them out. But the M&Ms are color coded! Each M&M refers to a special topic that the
students will need to talk about as they introduce themselves to their classmates. For example,
for each M&M that is red students might have to share a hobby they enjoy; for each brown M&M,
students might tell about a favorite book; for each green M&M students might tell about a quality
they would like in a friend. Other possible topics might include favorite places students have
visited or would love to visit, foods they like, favorite school subjects, goals in life, etc. You might
even involve students in creating the list of topics. You might be the first to model the introduction
process so students know what is expected of them. After the introductions, students might write
a brief introduction to themselves that could be included in a book about the students in the class.
Of course, you can end the activity by eating the M&Ms!
Gary Dorobiala, Maryvale Intermediate School, Cheektowaga, New York
Four Corners of Me
Provide an adhesive-backed label for each student. Ask students to write their names in the
middle of the labels. Then ask them to write the following information on their labels:




In the top left corner, one word that describes something positive about the student's
personality.
In the top right corner, one word that tells about a memorable moment.
In the bottom left corner, the name of a favorite place. This could be a geographical
location, a room, a place the student has been, or a place the student knows about and would
like to visit.
In the bottom right corner, a favorite food.
Note: If you are working with students who know one another, you might use some different
questions. One good one is to have them complete the statement "Right now I'd rather be. ..."
When students have written the information on their labels, have them peel off the backing and
stick the labels to their shirts. You might model the rest of the activity by using the information in
the four corners of your label to introduce yourself to students. Then arrange students into pairs
and have them introduce themselves to each other. When the introductions are complete, have
each pair of students label themselves A or B. Ask A's to form a circle facing out. Their partners,
the B's, should stand in a circle facing in toward their partners. Have the A's rotate three people to
their right. Then the A's introduce themselves to the new B's that stand opposite them; when the
A's finish their introductions, the B's do the same. Rotate the groups about four times.
Susan Hallworth, Newmarket High School, Newmarket, Ontario, Canada
Helping Hands
This activity helps students get to know one another while they review parts of speech and
symbolism. Organize students into pairs, and have each student trace both of his or her partner's
hands onto a sheet of construction paper. Then the students cut out the outlines of their hands.
Instruct students to write on each finger of the right hand a different noun that tells something
about them. They might write the name of someone special to them, a favorite sport or TV
program, a favorite place or book, etc. Then each student should write on the left-hand cutout a
different adjective to describe himself or herself. Finally, the students might connect the two
hands with a paper-chain bracelet of five links; the students should draw on each link a symbol
that represent something about themselves.
Katherine Butcher, Berkeley High School, Moncks Corner, South Carolina
Catching Up on Summer
In this activity, students share the most interesting thing about their summer vacations. To start,
you hold onto a tennis ball. Younger students might use a larger ball. Share your name and the
most interesting thing about your summer. When you finish, throw the ball to a student in the
class. That student will share his or her name and most interesting or fondest summer memory,
then pass the ball to somebody else. Continue the activity until all students have shared. Then
challenge students to throw the ball back around the group in the opposite direction. (Students
will have to remember who threw the ball to them.) Finally, you might challenge students to toss
the ball in alphabetical order; if they make an error, the ball goes back to the starting point! Adapt
the activity: Instead of sharing the most interesting summer memory, students might share a
favorite sports star, food, book, etc.
Lucy Phipps, Pinehurst College, Auckland, New Zealand
Drawing on Experience
Organize students in pairs. (The ideal pair consists of two students who do not know each other.
Provide each student with a blank sheet of paper and a colored marker. Instruct the students to
interview each other. Each student must come up with five facts to share with his or her partner -but the "trick" to the activity is that the students can't record those facts in words; they can use
only pictures! The students will have a good laugh at some of the caricatures they draw; they
might even help each other figure out how to draw certain things. When the pairs have finished
interviewing, students share their pictures as they introduce their partners.
Teri Hofferd, St. Joseph's Collegiate School, Brooks, Alberta, Canada
10-9-8-7…
Have students number two sheets of paper from 1 to 10. On the first sheet, students must write
ten unique things about themselves. When that is completed, have each student pair up with
another student in the class. On the other sheet of paper, each student must write his or her
partner's name next to the number 1. Then students share one of the ten unique things on their
lists as their partners record the unique fact next to the student's name. As students share a fact
about themselves, they cross off that fact on their lists. Then the students pair up with somebody
new. They repeat the activity by sharing one of the remaining nine facts. After they have paired
with ten of their classmates, they should have crossed off all ten of the unique things on their
personal lists and have another sheet with the names of ten of their classmates and a fact about
each of them. Then give each student an opportunity to sit in a large chair at the head of the class
as ten of their classmates share a different unique fact about the student.
Deborah Hercsek, Lee Eaton School, Northfield, Ohio
My Year in ___th Grade
You will need to collect a variety of activity materials to help students get to know one another.
The activities might include an All About Me questionnaire or collage, writing activities, pre-tests
in different subject areas, and so on. At the start of the activity, provide each student with a large
yellow envelope with a clasp on it. Hand out the envelopes to students, and instruct them to label
the envelope flaps with their names and the date. On the front of the envelopes, students should
write My ___th Grade Year and then decorate the envelopes with pictures of themselves doing
something they love to do. As the first day goes on, introduce one at a time the activities you
have gathered. As each activity is completed, students stuff them into their envelopes. A digital
photo might be taken and included in the envelope too. When students complete all activities,
have them clasp the envelopes shut. Then collect them, and put them in a safe place. During the
school year, you might gather selected writings, art activities, photos, post-tests, and so on and
add them to the envelopes without students' knowledge. On the very last day of school, return all
envelopes to students. They will be delighted to open and review the envelope's contents. Talk
about how the students have grown physically and academically. Now they have a keepsake of
their ___th grade year to share with families and revisit from time to time! Note: Keep a few extra
envelopes stuffed with activity materials in case new students join the class during the year.
Lisa Links, Bayou L'Ourse Primary School, Morgan City, Louisiana
We Fit Together Perfectly. Use your class list to create a crossword puzzle filled in with all your
students' names. (Note: Save yourself some time by using the free online Puzzlemaker tool to
create the puzzle.) You can use first and last names, or shorten the puzzle by using only first
names (and last initials, where necessary). Display the huge crossword puzzle in the hallway
under the headline 'We Fit Together Perfectly.' You might also extend the activity by having kids
fill out a survey on the first day of school. Use the information obtained from that survey to create
a clue for each student. Then have students talk with one another to learn which student matches
each clue -- and how to spell each student's name.
Anna Standridge, Madison (Alabama) Academy
Apple Activity. The goals of this primary-level activity, which involves coloring, cutting, and
following directions, are to calm nervous kids (They all enjoy coloring.) and to provide teachers
with basic information about their young students' fine motor and reading skills and ability to
follow directions. Begin by providing each student with an illustration of a large apple shape; the
apple has on it a small oval with an X inside. The sheet also has on it a separately drawn stem,
two leaves, and a worm wearing a shirt and eyeglasses. The directions say:
1. Color the apple red. Do not color the oval with the X in it.
2. Color the leaves green.
3. Color the stem brown.
4. Color Willie the Worm green.
5. Color Willie's shirt blue.
6. Cut out each piece. Cut on the heavy, black lines.
7. Glue the leaves to the top of the apple, near the stem.
8. Glue Willie to the X inside the oval.
9. Write your name on the back of the apple.
10. Bring your completed apple to the teacher.
Michele McCoy, Orange City (Florida) Elementary School
Slice the Survey Pie. This activity helps students get to know their classmates' interests, while
assessing their understanding of charts, graphs, and tables, and providing practice in using
statistics. First, create a "tell me about you" survey sheet of about 20 questions (such as, What
was the last movie you saw?; How many pets do you have and what kind are they?; and What is
your favorite soft drink?). After students have completed the survey, collect the sheets and read
them over. The next day, arrange students into small groups and assign to each group two of the
questions on the survey. Explain to students that for each question, they must use the data from
the survey sheets to create a mathematically correct chart or graph with a key. As students tackle
the task, wander around the room prompting group discussions about whether the data would be
represented best as a pie chart, bar graph, line graph, or table, and challenging students to use
their creativity to create their chart, graph, or table. (For example, the group that creates a chart
showing the type of movie students most enjoy watching, might place the title of their graph in a
movie theater marquee, and create miniature movie posters to represent each of the categories.)
Nicole Honour, Keystone Heights (Florida) Junior/Senior High School
Construction Crew. On the first day of school, meet your students wearing a hard hat that says,
"Room __ Construction Crew." Explain to students that starting a new school year is like building
a house: the foundation is the students' relationships with other people in the school (other
students, teachers, the office staff, and so on); the frame is their relationships with their own
classmates; and the interior is the spirit and attitude they bring to the classroom. Discuss the
importance of each element to a successful school, and point out that if one part of the building
falls down, the school can't continue to stand. Next, talk about the codes that regulate building
construction. Challenge students to come up with their own "building code" (rules!) for their
classroom. Throughout the year, whenever a problem arises, remind students that if any part of
their house is weak, it could collapse; and then review the building code to see what changes
should be made.
Dana Labarry, Adcock Elementary School, Las Vegas, Nevada
Puzzling It Out. This activity is especially valuable if you have in your class students who are
new to your school. Those students probably will be experiencing a range of emotions -- including
fear, shyness, and uncertainty. Before the activity, create a word processing document containing
many different messages -- preferably in different type sizes and fonts -- that convey such
sentiments as Welcome!; Don't be puzzled, you'll fit right in!; We're here for you!; and so on. Print
multiple copies of the document (one for each small group of students), cut each copy into puzzle
pieces, and place the pieces of each copy in a separate envelope. Post on an overhead
transparency instructions that direct students to work with others at their table to assemble the
puzzle pieces in their group's envelope. As students enter the classroom on the first day of
school, be sure they read the instructions and begin the activity. This activity accomplishes
several goals: It offers a quiet activity that you can observe to learn more about your students and
to discern potential problems. It gives students something to do when they first enter the
classroom -- something they will be successful at. It can be a great discussion starter.
Nita Dale, Tryon (North Carolina) Middle School
Getting to Know You in Math. Create a BINGO card for each student in the class. In each
square on the card, write a piece of personal information that has an element of math in it. For
example, squares might say, the number of kids in the family is a multiple of two; was born in an
odd-numbered month; the last four numbers of his/her home phone number add up to more than
15; and so on. Distribute the cards and explain that each student must find classmates who fit the
descriptions in each of the squares. Each time a student finds someone who matches one of the
descriptions, he or he has that person initial the matching square. (No one can initial anyone
else's card more than once.) The game ends when a student has a different set of initials in every
square on his or her card. Then ask each student to read aloud the descriptions and initials on his
or her card. Ask students to stand up as their descriptions and initials are called, so students can
see what they might have in common with their classmates. This activity also provides a fun way
to assess students' math skills.
Stella Foster, Northeast Middle School, Greensboro, North Carolina
Happy Birthday Graph. On a large piece of paper or posterboard, draw a graph with the months
of the year printed along the side or bottom. Make a simple cupcake pattern (with a birthday
candle sticking out of the cupcake, if you like) and cut out a cupcake for each student. On the first
day of school, give each child a cupcake as he or she enters the room. At some time during the
day, have each child put the cupcake on the graph beside or above the month in which his or her
birthday falls. When the graph is complete, discuss how many birthdays are in each month and in
each season. You might also ask students to create additional questions about the graph.
Janice Massey, Turner County Elementary School, Ashburn, Georgia
Mystery Friend. On the first day of school, assign each student a "mystery friend." (Only you
know that the students are actually paired; each student's mystery friend has them for a mystery
friend!) Tell students that they may not reveal their mystery friends to anyone -- including the
mystery friend. Explain to students that for the first week of school they are to study and observe
their mystery friends -- and think of questions they might ask the person when they finally get to
"meet." (Little do they know -- they are being observed by their mystery friends too!) At the end of
the week, invite students to "introduce" themselves to their mystery friend. The two friends then
interview each other, asking questions related to the things they wondered about during the
observation period. After the interview, students use notes taken during the interview to write brief
biographies about each other. It's fascinating to see the friendships that blossom from this
activity.
Claudia Caudill, Tierra Vista Elementary School, Oxnard California
Classroom Rights. Most teachers post their classroom rules, announce them to their students,
and that's the end of it. An alternative approach is to ask students to brainstorm some "rights"
they would like to have in their classroom. First, you might give some examples, such as the right
to a quiet work environment or the right to be treated well. Have each student write down a right
he or she would like to have in the classroom. If they have time, students might illustrate their
rights. Then ask each student to share his or her idea. Provide time for students to talk over the
ideas and brainstorm negative and/or positive consequences of each. Then print on butcher
paper the rights students agree should be among their permanent classroom rights. Have
students press his or her thumb on an inkpad and place a thumbprint next to the right they most
strongly agree with. Then have each student sign his or her name to the document to make it
"official." Leave the Classroom Rights document on display all year long to remind students of
their rights. This also is a great activity for transitioning into a study of U.S. History and the
Constitution. Students can explore which of the rights in the U.S. Constituion are represented
among the rights on their Classroom Rights poster.
Kristy Davis, Challenge Charter School, Glendale, Arizona (from an idea observed in the
classroom of Tricia Shaughnessy, Hawthorne Elementary School, San Antonio, Texas)
Fish Go to School Too. Construct a simple treasure chest by painting a cardboard box with gold
paint and hot-gluing rhinestones and other gems onto it. (Inexpensive "gems" can be found at
most craft stores.) Fill the treasure chest with items that represent the things you most enjoy. On
the first day of school, introduce the treasure chest and pull out the items one at a time. For
example, you might take a sneaker from the treasure chest. Ask students to infer from the
sneaker what you like to do. After rumaging through your treasure chest, give each student a
paper fish. Have students decorate the fish with pictures that represent themselves, the things
they like, and the things they like to do. When the fish are completed, give each student an
opportunity to share his or her fish. String the fish together and hang them above the treasure
chest as a fun getting-to-know-you display.
Elie Nicewonger, Weeksville Elementary School, Elizabeth City, North Carolina
Group Juggling. Before this activity, collect about five tennis balls and put them in your pocket.
Start with one tennis ball. Introduce yourself, then call a students's name and pass the ball to that
student. Continue the activity, having each student call another student's name and then toss the
ball to that student. (Students who do not know the name of the student they are tossing the ball
to must find out the name before throwing the ball.) The ball cannot be thrown twice to any
student, so when everyone has had a chance to catch the ball, the last student tosses it back to
you. Repeat the activity, telling students that this time they must throw the ball to a different
person, and that they must remember the names of the person who threw the ball to them and
the person they threw the ball to. As before, students must say the name of the person they are
throwing the ball to. (If you teach young students, at the end of the round you might have them
review who threw the ball to them and who they threw it to.) Then have students repeat the
activity, this time throwing the ball in the exact same sequence as the previous round. After the
first five people have called a name and thrown the ball, introduce the second ball and throw it to
the same person you threw it to in the previous round. (So the ball is following the first ball around
the circle.) If students are able to keep up, introduce additional balls. See how long they can keep
the balls going. Can you get all five balls going around the circle? To add difficulty to the activity,
reverse the order; instead of throwing the ball to the person they have been throwing it to,
students must throw the ball to the person who threw it to them. Want to make things even more
difficult? Try to get a ball going in each direction! (The first time you try that, you might keep the
number of balls to 2.) This is a fun way for students to learn one another's names.
Teresa Gibson, Village Union Public School, Oshawa, Ontario (Canada)
Getting-to-Know-You Stretch Break. Give each student a large index card. Ask students to
write their names at the top of the card and divide the card into four boxes. Have students answer
each of the following questions, writing each answer in a different box:
1. How many people are in your family? (Count parents and siblings, but no pets.)
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What is your favorite color?
4. What is your favorite animal?
Then have students turn over their cards and write on the back one thing special they did during
the summer. When students have finished, collect the cards. During the first days of school, bring
out the cards when it's time to stretch or take a break. Turn the "down time" into a get-to-knowyour-classmates time. First, have everybody stand and stretch. Take the card from the pile and
ask, "Who has four (or another number) people in their family?" Every student who has four
family members remains standing; all the others sit down. Proceed through the remaining three
questions in the same way. By the time you ask the fourth question, it is likely that only one
student will remain standing. If not, call out the what-I-did-this-summer statement on the back of
one of the cards. Ask a few questions about the summer statement of the one child who remains
to give that student a special time in the spotlight.
Carolyn Oyan, Lincoln Elementary School, Watertown, South Dakota
Something's Not Right. On the first day of school, before students arrive, arrange five things in
the room in an unusual way. The unusual arrangements can range from the very obvious to the
very discrete. For example, you might put one desk upside down, put one of the alphabet cards
above the blackboard in the wrong place, misspell a word on the bulletin board, and so on.
Arrange students into pairs and challenge them to find the five things in the classroom that aren't
right. This icebreaker is a good activity for teaching observation skills any day of the year.
Cynthia Rivera, Adams Hill Elementary School, San Antonio, Texas
Adjective Activity. You might use this getting-to-know-you activity
in language arts classes. Each student must think of an adjective
that begins with the same letter as his or her name (first or last)
and that also describes a positive quality he or she has; for
example, musical Maddox. If a student is stumped, other students
can offer suggestions. (It's amazing to see how well they know one
another.) The activity reinforces -- in a way students remember -that adjectives are words that describe.
Vicki Maddox, Desoto Central Middle School, Southaven,
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Ugly Words Are Out! As you discuss classroom expectations,
introduce the idea that "ugly words" have no place in your
classroom. Ask students what they think you mean by "ugly words."
Then have the class generate a list of words that might be found on
an ugly-word list, and write the words on a piece of chart paper.
(Explain to students that any word that is considered a swear word
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would definitely be on the ugly-word list, so there is no need to
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mention them. Point out that the same is true for such words as
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dummy, jerk, dork, geek, hate, or ugly.) You might start the list with
icebreaker activities.
the word "can't." What about the word quit? Go around the room
and give each student an opportunity to add an ugly word to the
list. When you are satisfied that the students' supply of ugly words
has run dry, dramatically rip the chart paper off the pad, let it fall to
the floor, and stomp all over it. Next, rip it up and crush it into a ball. Finally, get a shovel, take
students outside, and ceremoniously bury the list of ugly words! This activity actually works! It has
an impact; students remember the ugly words that will not be accepted in class.
Becci Motes, Kelley-Smith Elementary School, Palatka, Florida
Mrs. Pizza. Arrange students into a circle. Ask Who did not eat breakfast this morning? Usually at
least one student has not eaten. Then ask, Who wishes they hadn't eaten breakfast? That
question usually encourages at least one student to begin the fun. Have that student say his or
her name and tell the craziest thing s/he ever ate for breakfast. Continue around the circle; have
each successive student tell what his or her craziest breakfast consisted of. In addition, each
student must say the name of each previous student and tell what that person's craziest breakfast
was. You go last; list every student by name and describe their most unusual breakfast. After
that, for at least the first week of school, use students' "crazy breakfast" item to help their
classmates remember their names. For example, Jenny ate cold salmon so you might refer to her
as "Miss Jennifer Salmon." The kids love it, but beware -- they might call you Mrs. Pizza all year
long!
Gail Nagy, East Hills Middle School, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
T-shirt Day. This idea is a good one to introduce on the first day of class: Ask students to bring
their favorite T-shirt to school on a particular day. On that day, hold a t-shirt parade, complete
with marching music. When the parade is over, lead the way by explaining why your t-shirt is
special to you. Then, have students tell about their shirt: where they got it, how long they've had
it, and why it's their favorite. Students might bring in a t-shirts they wore as a baby, a t-shirt from a
very special vacation, a t-shirts that was given as a gift, a t-shirt that was worn in a competition,
and so on. The activity is a lot of fun and a quick and easy way to learn something about each
student. You might extend the activity by having each student write an account of the occasion or
event from the t-shirt's perspective. At open house, string several clotheslines across the room
and hang the shirts and the students' stories on them. The display makes a quick and colorful
room decoration, and introduces parents to their child's writing portfolio, which includes the t-shirt
story as the first entry.
Gail Nagy, East Hills Middle School, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and Judith McMasters, Bishop
Kelley High School, Tulsa, Oklahoma
Questionnaire Quilt. Provide each student with a questionnaire on which the questions elicit
information about the students as individuals. Then have students use the information on the
questionnaires to write a brief biographical paragraph about themselves. When the paragraphs
are completed, provide each student with a different lightly- or brightly-colored square of
construction paper or card stock, and ask them to decorate the square with symbols representing
themselves. (Tell them to leave empty a 2-inch square space in the center of the square; they will
mount their photo in that small square.) As students decorate their squares, wander around the
room taking each student's picture. Glue the picture in the center of the student's square. Then
glue all the squares together to create a "quilt." Add small black strips to make a border between
the squares and a frame around the quilt. Type students' paragraphs and glue them around the
frame. Display the quilt in the hallway. Or you might type students' paragraphs on white squares
and make the quilt using alternate colored and white squares. In that case, be sure each
student's quilt square is adjacent to his or her paragraph.
Bonnie M. Ragas, Riverside Elementary School, Pearl River, Louisiana
A Year-long Quilt. Start this project on the first day of school and extend it throughout the school
year. Begin by having students brainstorm their interests and hobbies and write them on a piece
of paper. Then give each student a piece of white construction paper (For younger students, you
might write their names in the middle of the sheet.) and have them make a quilt panel that
displays memories of the summer, symbols of their favorite hobbies and interests, drawings of
family members, and so on. Mount the student pages on colored construction paper and put them
together to form a "quilt." Encourage students to add to their quilt panel as the year goes on.
Making a yearlong class quilt is a great way to learn about your students' interests and it provides
them with an opportunity to show off all year long.
Rebeccah Hughes, Chapel District Elementary School, Cordova, Maryland
Passing Notes in Class. Arrange students into pairs. If a student doesn't have a partner, that
student can partner with you. Explain to students that they are going to write notes to their
partners. (Students love this idea; it is something they are seldom encouraged to do!) Inform
them that this note-writing activity has a couple of rules. First, they are not allowed to ask any
questions in their notes; the purpose of the activity is to learn as much as possible about the other
student without asking questions. The other rule is that they cannot talk. That makes the activity
harder, and students enjoy the challenge. Remind students that the best way to learn about
someone else is to tell them things about yourself. Emphasize that it is easy to learn about others
if you listen to what they say; in this case, students must "listen" to their partner's written words.
Continue the activity for 15 to 30 minutes, depending on students' interest level and attention
span. When the activity has run its course, stop the note writing and have each student introduce
his or her partner to the class based on information learned from the note-writing. This activity
usually results in lots of giggles; it's a great way to break the ice.
Jennifer Muscillo, Roosevelt Elementary School, Eastpointe, Michigan
What's in a Name? This activity requires little preparation, but students really enjoy it! Write each
student's name and the meaning of his or her name on a piece of paper, one piece per student.
(You will need access to a Web site and/or a book that provides the meanings of people's names.
Baby name books are great! Web sites such as Baby Names and Origins or Parenthood.com
Baby Name Search also will be helpful.) When students arrive, pass out the prepared papers,
and have each student write a page or so about whether or not the meaning of the name reflects
his or her personality. For example, the name Megan means strong, able. If Megan is one of your
students, she would write a brief essay explaining whether or not the definition of her name
accurately describes her. Be sure to stress that students should give examples to support their
positions. When students complete their essays, have them draw pictures to illustrate them.
Students also might present their work to the class.
Julie Kalil, Lifelong Learning Centre (High School), Cornwall, Ontario (Canada)
First "Homework Assignment." Giving students a writing assignment on the first day of school
is a great way to quickly learn about your students' writing ability. To set up the activity, talk about
homework and the important role it will play during the school year. Ask students to write a
persuasive essay in which they tell you how much homework they think you should give them.
Before they begin, provide some hints about ways to convince someone of something. (If you are
looking for some ideas, you can find them on the Web page Writing Persuasive/Argumentative
Essays.) Encourage students to be creative and persuasive in their arguments!
Christine Warnick, St. Elizabeth Seton School, Rochester, New Hampshire
Instant Survey. This activity utilizes technology that most teachers might not have access to, but
it can be adapted for use without technology. If you have the Classroom Performance System
(available from eInstruction), you can set up a survey that can be tabulated immediately. (The
system works similar to the Ask the Audience questions on the TV game show Who Wants to be
a Millionaire? Each student has a remote control. The teacher uses a computer screen projector,
the software, and the Classroom Performance System.) Ask questions such as What kind of
writer you think you are? Provide response choices -- for example, a very creative writer, a better
than average writer, an average writer…. Each student punches in his or her response and the
system reveals the results. Teachers have immediate feedback about students' personal lives,
their skills, or any other topic they might query. Of course this activity could be done without the
technology, but the tool is an engaging one that can be used in class in many ways.
Amy Heinsma, Windsor Middle School, Windsor, Colorado
Summer Memories. Instead of having students write about what they did during summer
vacation, you might have them write a thank you letter to the person who was responsible for
caring for them during the summer. That person might be a parent, a neighbor, a camp
counselor…
Annamarie Doherty, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire (England)
Puzzling Welcome. Prior to the first day of school, lay out as many pieces of white construction
paper as you have students. Place them side-by-side on the floor in a large rectangle (25
students = a 5 by 5-sheet layout). Use a large black permanent marker to write "Success begins
here!" and other encouraging quotes across the grid. (If you have a class motto, this might be a
fun way to introduce it to students.) Write in large, bold outline or bubble letters. Make sure letters
cross over onto adjacent squares so no child gets a complete letter. Shuffle the papers and hand
each student one sheet of the grid. At this point, the students might not even know that the
strange designs they see are parts of letters! Instruct students to completely fill in all areas of their
paper with marker. Each space must be filled in in a different way; no space can be left white.
When students are done, collect the sheets. You might laminate them overnight. The next day,
challenge students to figure out how the sheets fit together to make a message. You might lay
them all out in the hall and let students gather around them to find how patterns fit together.
Eventually, they see that one sheet connects at some point with another, and sooner or later they
get the paper puzzle assembled. Number the back of each sheet and re-assemble the message
on the hallway wall as a bright and colorful message to the rest of the school.
Suzi Furtwangler, St. Thomas the Apostle School, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Smell Me. To prepare for this activity, collect enough empty film canisters so you have one for
every two students in the class and one for yourself. Gather a variety of liquid with identifiable
scents -- lemon juice, vanilla extract, vinegar, lavender, rubbing alcohol, and so on. The day
before the activity, place two cotton balls in each canister and add a few drops of scent -- a
different scent in each canister. Put the lids on the canisters, stick a small piece of masking tape
on the tops and bottoms, and mark each piece of tape with a letter on the top and a number on
the bottom. Make a key showing the number/letter code and corresponding scent. The next day,
arrange students into two groups. Give one group the canister lids and the other the canisters.
Students must walk -- or sniff -- their way around the class room to find the odor that matches
their own. When students think they have found a match, verify that they are correct. Can they
correctly identify the scent? (Do not tell them yet whether they are right or wrong.) Then students
sit down with their partners and ask questions to learn about one another. After students have
had time to talk, each introduces his or her partner to the class. Finally, they reveal to the rest of
the students the scent that brought them together; you reveal whether they are correct.
Elie Nicewonger, Weeksville Elementary School, Elizabeth City, North
"Me to a T" T-Shirts
Cut out a cardboard a template in the shape of a T-shirt. Have students trace the template onto a
sheet of white drawing paper and cut it out. Provide the following instructions (verbally, or
displayed on a transparency).
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Write your name at the top of the T-shirt.
In the middle of the shirt, write one word that describes you.
All over the shirt, write words that describe some of your characteristics and special
interests.
At the bottom of the shirt, write one fact about yourself that most people don't know.
The teacher might model the activity for students. For example, teacher Brenda Aspelund writes
on her own T-shirt
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Name: Mrs. Aspelund
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One word: hard-working
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Additional characteristics, interests: I like horses, love to walk, have 2 kittens and a
dog, have been teaching for 3 years, used to be an actress, used to be a disc jockey, used to
be a lifeguard, want to write a book of poems, love to read, love to sleep, love to dance, like to
analyze dreams
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Fact: a mother of 5 -- ages 1, 8 (twins), 13, and 18
When students have finished creating their shirts, have them use masking tape to tape their
paper T-shirts to their actual shirts. Arrange students in small groups and have them share their
shirts with group members. Then give them time to walk around the room searching for people
with similar characteristics or interests. Students should ask each other questions about the
information they read on their classmates' shirts. (Every student should ask at least one question
of each of the other students in the class.) You might even ask them to find one person with
whom they don't share a single characteristic or interest. Following the activity you might ask
questions such as these: What did you learn from doing this activity? How many of you found
someone with an interest you would like to know more about? How many of you found people
with similar interests? How many of you realize that you have a talent that could be used to help
others? How many of you found others who have strengths that could be helpful to you? Create a
fun display by hanging kids' T-shirts from a clothesline!
Brenda Aspelund, Aldrich Junior High School, Warwick, Rhode Island
Drawing Straws
Buy a package of brightly colored straws. Instruct students to pick two or three straws of different
colors. When each student has straws, introduce a sheet of questions that has a specific question
associated with each straw color. For example, the question that goes with the red straw might be
What is your favorite movie, and why? The question that goes with the green straw might be Who
are the members of your family? The blue-straw question might be What are your hobbies? Each
student answers two or three questions based on the colors of their straws.
Chantel Sloan, Evergreen Elementary School, Casa Grande, Arizona
In the Spotlight Chair
Place your chair or a special chair at the front of the room. Give each student a chance to spend
time in the "spotlight chair." While students are seated, their classmates get to ask them
questions. You might limit the number of questions to five before it's the next person's turn to sit
in the spotlight chair. You might draw this activity out throughout the day; do a few students at a
time instead of all of them at one time.
M. Smith, Mad River Schools, Dayton Ohio
What's in the Sack?
To help children get to know you, take a king size pillowcase and decorate it. Put things of
importance to you in the pillowcase or bag. For example, teacher Joan Kleindorfer put in her
pillowcase
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a bicycle helmet because she does a lot of bike riding;
some books because she loves to read;
measuring cups because she likes to cook; and
a picture of her family.
Store your pillowcase in a closet until it is time to do the activity. Then throw the pillowcase over
your back and proceed to read the poem, "What's in the Sack?" by Shel Silverstein. The poem
begins...
What's in the sack? What's in the sack? Is it some mushrooms, or is it the moon? Is it love letters,
or downy goose feathers? Or maybe the world's most enormous balloon?
After reading the poem, have students guess what they think is in your pillowcase. (You could
even graph responses, if desired.) Then share the contents of the bag with the class. Finally, give
each student a non-transparent bag. Ask them to draw pictures of the things they would put in
their "pillowcases" -- things that will help you learn about their lives and interests.
Joan Kleindorfer, Timbercrest Elementary School, Deltona, Florida
Recipe Card Mix-Up
Provide a recipe/index card to each student. Ahead of time choose about five questions that you
might ask of students. Be as creative as you want with the questions. Possible questions might
include the following:
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What is the title of a favorite book?
What do you like doing in your free time when you're not at school?
What is your favorite board game?
What is your favorite candy bar?
If you could request your favorite meal for your birthday, what would that meal be?
When students -- and the teacher! -- have written their answers to the questions, collect the
recipe cards. Shuffle the cards. Then pass out a card to each students; be sure students do not
receive their own cards. When everyone has a card, then the job of each student is to find the
student in the room who belongs to the card the student holds. When everybody has found the
person who wrote the answers on the card they hold, they must make sure they know how to
pronounce that student's full name and that they understand everything that is written on the
card. Then it is time for introductions! The teacher can begin the activity by asking the student on
the card s/he holds to come to the front of the room. As that student stands by, the teacher
introduces the student to the rest of the class by saying, "Class, I'd like you to meet ___. Her
favorite book is ___. Her favorite board game is… Please welcome ___ to our fourth grade
class!" (Classmates then give the student 4 claps [for 4th grade]). The student that the teacher
introduced continues the activity by calling up the student whose card he or she holds. Continue
until all students have introduced someone to the class. When everyone has been introduced,
take all the cards, shuffle them, and call out responses on one card at a time to see if students
can remember who belongs to each card!
Arlene Stoebner, Yankton School District, Yankton South Dakota
Getting-to-Know-You BINGO
Take digital photos of your new students on the first day of school. Display the photos one at a
time. As you display a student's image, that student will stand and say his or her name.
Overnight, use a photo-shop program to create a sheet with all students' pictures on it. (A good
size for these images is approximately 2 inches square.) Also provide a BINGO card grid with 2inch-square squares. Have students cut pictures and place one picture on each BINGO grid
square. To play the game, show a student's picture to the entire class. As a test of name
recognition, on your signal students will call out the name of the pictured student. Students look at
their BINGO cards to see if they have included that student's picture on it. If it is there, they place
a marker on the square. Additional ideas: You can take this activity a step farther by playing a
guess-who game. Who will be the first student to mark five squares in a row? Or, instead of
showing pictures, give clues such as Whose name starts with the letter A?, Which girl is wearing
red today?, or Whose name starts with the sound you hear at the start of the word boy?
Sharon Tatsch, Citrus Glen Elementary School, Ventura, California
Locker Math
Do your students have assigned lockers with numbers on them? Karen Lyle has her fourth
graders create a math problem that, when solved, yields their locker number. The problems
should help students remember their locker numbers and they should be simple and easy enough
to solve in a hurry!
Karen Lyle, Davenport Elementary School, Davenport, Washington
Summer Theme Song
Tired of the traditional "What I Did on My Summer Vacation" writing assignment? There is an Ally
McBeal episode in which Ally's psychiatrist tells her to find a "theme song" that will help her
identify herself and her feelings. That episode (a clip of which might be shown to students)
inspired this idea: Challenge students to choose one song that reflects their summer experience.
The song must represent several thoughts or feelings they had over the entire summer. It should
not simply be a reflection of yesterday or of last week. Students should choose a song that fits
their personality; for example, the song might be an upbeat one or one that is more reflective or
soothing. The only stipulation is that the song must not have any "explicit lyrics" -- lyrics that
might be offensive to the teacher or a classmate. Students should submit a copy of the lyrics of
the song typed on one side of a sheet of paper, including the name of the song (in quotes) and
the artist. On a second sheet of paper, students will type a draft of their written explanations of
why the song fits their summer experiences. Students will probably want to highlight a particular
song line(s) or passage(s) with which they empathize. Their explanations should help others
understand clearly why they chose the song.
Bob Zogby, Pittsford Middle School, Pittsford, New York
Rumba Song
This lyrics of this "First Grade Rumba" can be changed to match the primary grade you teach.
The song is a combination of claps and a repeated tune. With each new verse change the names
of students you call out and change the movement you ask those students to do.
Let's do the First Grade Rumba!
[Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap.]
Let's do the First Grade Rumba.
[Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap.]
[Child's name], stand up! [Child's name], stand up!
[Child's name] and [Child's name], will you stand up?
Touch your head,
Put your finger on your nose.
Now you may all sit down.
Let's do the First Grade Rumba! [Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap.]
Let's do the First Grade Rumba! [Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap.]
[Child's name], stand up! [Child's name], stand up!
[Child's name] and [Child's name], will you stand up?
Touch your hips
and smack your lips.
Now you may all sit down!
Continue with the song. Be sure to include all students' names in it.
Kim Cooper, Putnam County Elementary School, Eatonton, Georgia
Time Capsule
On the first day of school, create a time capsule that will be opened on the last day of school.
Provide each student with a toilet paper tube. Give students time to decorate their tubes with their
names and drawings. Then provide to students a question sheet that includes questions such as
What is your favorite television program? and What is your favorite sport? In addition, take a
photo of each child, record their height, and have students trace one of their hands. Put all of
those things inside the tube and put the students' tubes inside a time capsule. At the end of the
year, provide a question sheet identical to the one you provided on the first day of school. Have
students complete the sheet before opening the time capsules they created on the first day of
school. Once they've opened their capsules, they can compare their answers and do the math to
figure out how much growth has occurred. If the students are young, the teacher will do the
measuring; that provides an opportunity for the teacher to have some one-on-one time with each
child.
Mary Orwin, Warrendale Academy, Detroit, Michigan