First-Day Ideas
Posted by Debra Liverman on 13 Aug 2008 | Posted in: Teachers and Teaching, The Mailbox
By now you’ve probably heard that we updated The MAILBOX Intermediate starting with the August/September issue. (Take a peek here if you haven’t seen it.) We are all very excited about it! One of the newest departments that we added to that magazine is called “What Works for You?” The featured topic in the Aug/Sep issue was first-day ideas. Here is a look at the four ideas that Peggy (Managing Editor) selected for the magazine.
In just a few weeks (or days!), school bells will be ringing around the country. In order to get everyone ready, I’d love for you to share with other readers “What first-day activities work for YOU?”
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Thanks for the dough recipe. I can’t wait to use it
Here’s the magic playdough activity. I handed this to a few k-1-2 teachers at my school and they were thrilled with the idea.
I haven’t personally tried it, but I will as soon as I have a k-1-2 classroom!
Playdough Recipe
You will need:
1 cup salt
2 cups flour
2 tablespoons cream of tartar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cups water
food coloring
What to do:
Whisk together the dry ingredients in a saucepan. Add the “wet” ingredients. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture forms into a ball (about 3-5 minutes). Remove from pan on to floured surface. Cool slightly. Then knead it until smooth. Store in ziplock bag or airtight container in the fridge.
How to add the “magic”:
Form the playdough into ball shapes. Poke a hole in the ball and put 2 or 3 drops of food coloring in the hole. Form the playdough back into a ball again, covering the drops of food coloring.
This ball of playdoh is fun
But it’s magical as well.
With a few squeezes,
The future it will tell.
If it changes color,
A great year is ahead for you and me.
Squeeze it now!
What do you see?
Enjoy!
I am looking for the story/recipe of the friendship fruit salad with the rotten banana. I’ve heard of it but would love to see the directions so I can do it correctly with my Pre K students, and we can talk about how to be a good friend.
I would really love to get a copy of the magic dough recipe. I think that’s a wonderful addition to go along with the Kissing Hand story and the others that were mentioned.
Did anyone get the magic playdough recipe??? I would like it as well thanks
I read about the magic play dough but I don’t see a recipe for it. I would like to do it in my classroom.
I got a great idea from a teacher friend. The students write a story about a single incident that happened over the summer. I stress that it doesn’t have to be something monumental. A trip to the park or a bike ride is great. The catch is that they write from the point of view of one of their shoes. This is a tough skill for some. You can make it easier by first writing the incident from first person, then switching it to the shoe’s perspective. The kids enjoy it and they can be quite clever.
I would like to know the magic play dough recipe. I don’t remember ever reading about it and if I did I should have tried it. It sounds like a great way to ease nerves on the first day of preschool. Can anyone help.
Thanks
I read the book “Miss Nelson is Missing” to my 3rd graders on the first day. After reading the book we list all the bad things that Miss Nelson’s class does in the beginning of the story. Then next to each behavior we list how our class can behave in the correct way. This list then becomes our class rules for the year.
I used the ‘magic playdough good year predicter’ on our first day of school. It was a huge hit. We began with a reading of “The Kissing Hand” then found a Note ‘from Chester’ at the end of the book. The note sent us on a tour of the school with a promise of a prize at the end. We went to important places in the building and found paw prints with a heart stamped in the center and a direction to our next place. At the end, we were directed to the Principal’s office and were given the last paw print directing us to our room and the basket of playdough balls in individual baggies. In the basket was a note about the playdough saying that if it changed color while they were kneading then they would have a wonderful year. The looks on their faces and excitement in their voices was priceless as they experienced the color changes!
Over the summer I send a letter to our parents and incoming preschoolers. I also send something for each child to complete and bring for our bulletin board on the first day. This year I sent home a jewel with each child’s name, and asked them to color it their favorite color and cut it out. The bulletin board has a treasure chest and is entitled “YOU ARE A TREASURE”. I read Suzanne Bloom’s book TREASURE to the class and parents. The children dig in our rice table for jewels and do a scavenger hunt with their parents!
My prek teacher will use the gingergread man cookie idea for her class this year. It will teach math and thinking skills along with having fun. Great idea
Since my school is near the beach, I have a bulletin board with dolphins, fish, sharks, etc. and the caption says “Swimming into New Learning Activities”. The students are reminded of the ocean and are ready to start learning new and innovative subjects and activities. Fun way to get back into the swing of school yet have the seashore feeling in the class.
I have also used “The Kissing Hand” as an introduction to preschool. During Open House after I read the story I have the parents trace their child’s hand and the child traces (with help) their parents hand. The hands are cut out and then decorated using a variety of media. Each parent and child has a “kissing hand” to help them through those first few days of Preschool.
I also suggest a photo key chain with pictures of parents or sibs or pets, that may help new preschoolers adjust.
I love the idea of the magic playdough, I think I will use that on the first day. Thanks.
Tish
On the first day of preschool each child is asked to bring an empty shoebox. I have the children decorate their boxes according to their imaginations.
They take their boxes home and fill them with personal items to share with the class the next day.
I always have my own “All about me” box to share on the first day to show the class my favorite items.
For my September them I am going to use The Crayon Box that Talked.I feel that this is a great way to start out the year. I will have the children decorate crayon people and we will hang these on a poster board to represent a box of crayons. I will place the poem in the center. I am also taking their picture the first day of school and making a frame using foam and crayons.
I am doing a balloon theme for my 4 year old class this year. My bulletin board says “Let’s Celebrate a New Year” with a big bouquet of balloons and the child’s name on the balloons. Everything I am doing is balloon related. It has turned out absolutely precious.
I use the book “The Kissing Hand” for my first day of school activity. I always have so many come in that don’t want to leave their parents. This book helps cheer them up tremendously. After the story, we trace and cut out our own hand. I give them a heart with a saying in the middle of it. They then get to take it home to give to their mom or dad. In the past I’ve had moms that in turn do one for their childs folder. Some even kept it there for the whole year!
This year in class I’m putting up a big basketball goal saying you’re on the winning team, each child will have their own ball with their name on it. I’ve put ball name tags on their tables, cubbies, all
over the class.
The first day we went out and I let my little 4 yr. olds try and make baskets..some were to little but they had alot of fun trying. We also have different balls all over the class..so they choose what kind of ball they want to play during free play.
Now not only do their big brothers have a ball team but they do to. We are learning about different shapes, colors, textures playing with the balls.
I teach second grade and this year I am reading The Little Engine That Could By Watty Piper. I have some posters about the book and a poem to read and learn about staying on track to complete work. Later we watch a video of The Little Engine That Could. When assignments and lessons get tough I can remind them of the story. I refer to it all year long.
I also read “First Day Jitters,” and I also read “Thank You Mr.Faulker,” by Patricia Polacco.
Enjoy your first day - get to know the students…and let them get to know you.
Have Fun.
Our school has Meet the Teacher night before students arrive in place of Open House. I mail a letter to my students and the first assignment…for their parents! I have the parents do a Biography Report on their child. Instuctions are given in the letter (You can purchase Biography Poster Reports at most teaching supply stores or have them do this on a poster board.) These are the things I request:
Who the biography is written by, the name of the child, What this person is famous for, a portrait (yes mom or dad have to draw a pic of their child), Quotable Quotes, Life Lessons (something they learned from their child), In Five Words (describing child), Etc. On the first day of school the student get to read and display the biography written. It is so uplifting to the students, they love to see what their parents write about them and they LOVE that their parents had an assignment!
Lots of preschool ideas…upper level…have students create a line (of people) in chronological birth month and day…no talking or mouthing…only hand signals. Kids loved it today!
My back to school bulletin board, I have a crayon cut out of various colors of construction paper and in the middle I put the caption, What a Colorful Bunch.
I also read If You Take a Mouse to School on the first day, one of my personal favorites. Then I asked the children what would happen if they brought a mouse to school. You get all kinds of silly answers.
I like the idea of using The Crayon Box That Talked. I think I’ll use that for my opening activity. I’d like to ask Michele to tell more about her Friendship Fruit salad. Sounds interesting.
Lawanna,
I also use the book titled, “The Crayon Box That Talked” and use it as a homework assignment. I have the kids think about “What Can I Learn From a Box of Crayons?” I have a pre-made poster that I bought from a teacher’s supply store and have that question written on the top. The students come to school the next day with all kinds of info such as: the name of the company that makes them, names of colors, etc. I then read the book and we talk about how our classroom is like a box of crayons, all different colors, shapes and sizes and the fact that we have a tight space to live together in peacefully. It really makes the kids think.
For a Back to school bulletin board, I cut out different colored fall leaves using an Ellison machine. I put the students’ names on a leaf and use the caption ” _____ grade or graders are unbe”leaf”able. We do this as a grade level and the students enjoy finding their names on the bulletin board.
I teach Early Childhood. Before school begins, I send each child a postcard describing the fun things we do at school: sing, dance, read stories, play,go to gym, meet new friends, etc. The children bring their supplies a day before school begins, so in the postcard I ask parents to take pictures of their child, their family, pets, favorite food, something they like to do and I send the parents home with a book to glue the pictures in called, “All About Me”. The children take turns sitting in front of the group on the first day of school and “read” the book with me to the class. This has been a great way to ease their anxiety and share with new friends.
On the first day of school I read a story called First Day Jitters about a girl who is nervous about attending her new school. We later find out that it was a teacher who is new to the school. We then talk about how we felt coming to school. The students are always surprised to find out that it is teacher that is nervous.
Another book that i read is I Like Me by Nancy Carlson. I then have the students write a response to I like me because . . .
In our preschool, each teacher visits her children in their home wearing the same outfit. The visit lasts about 20-30 minutes. We give them a book which we read to them. The day before school starts the parents, siblings and students come to open house - again we are wearing the same outfit. It’s a lot of work, but the children seem more comfortable on their first day.
For my bulletin board, I used the Mailbox train (I used the one from 1992, but I’m sure there are updated trains.) I took pictures on my visits and the children are looking out the train windows with their names under the picture. This also helps me in case I have forgotten a child’s name. All aboard for a fun year at preschool. On the first day of school, the children cut out train tracks. It’s crooked but cute.
Although The Mailbox ideas are not specifically targeted above Grade 6, many can be modified to work with students at those grade levels.
Hi these are great ideas but is there any upper grades 6th 7th or 8th grade activities for the first day of school?
Thank you Sylvia
In answer to Tasha’s question about the first day of school bulletin board, I put up a big rainbow and the words, “A Rainbow of Friends”. We read a story by the same title,discussing individual strengths and abilities, then they each draw and color a picture of themselves doing something fun with a friend. They are encouraged to add a sentence and a rainbow to their pictures. I hang the finished pictures on the rainbow bulletin board. The next day we read “The Rainbow Fish” to continue the theme.
Can anyone help me I need to plan a back to school bulletin board and can’t think or find anything cute to do? can anyone please give me an Idea?
Thank you
Before the first day of school our class meets for a short one hour “getting to know you” session. During this session I set out several magnifying glasses and a list of things to search for around the classroom. I title the list “Kindergarten Prep Detectives”. The list includes things like- “find a place where you can wash your hands before snack time”, “Find a soft place to sit and read stories”, “Find the place where you can build a race track and race hot wheels”, etc. This activity gets the children and the parents familiar with the room and gets them moving right away- no wall flowers!! The last thing on the list is to find the teacher and introduce yourself to her. I get to meet everyone this way!
I do a support activity for the story “The Kissing Hand” on the first day of class for my Head Start children. Each parent Mom or Dad is asked to trace their childs hand on a piece of cardstock then take the small amount of lipstick supplied off a piece of foil and place a kiss on the traced hand.
It is so fun to do this with the dads. I let them off the hook after a brief moment of panic and have them use a q-tip and draw a set of lips. We then cut out each hand and make a necklace for the children to wear all day. Have fun and I hope this is helpful for all of you.
On the first day of school, we sit in a circle and play a game called: Name Ball. I roll the ball to each child and they have to say their name, roll it to another child and he says his name, etc. until all have had several turns. We also read the story Mouse’s First Day of School by Lauren Thompson, and talk about the similarities of Mouse’s experiences and theirs.
I was interested in ideas and activities about THE CRAYON BOX THAT TALKED that Lawanna wrote in about on Aug 13. This is the first time that I have sent anything to this comment site, so don’t know how retrieving such info is done.
Thanks so much!
Betsy
My 3’s Preschool Class will meet on the first day for an hour with one parent. I love it because it is a nice way for the children to get aquainted with the class with the security of Mom or Dad with them. We follow an abbreviated schedule that gives them a taste of what our days will be like in Preschool. We have a Preschool scavenger hunt to locate all of the important places in our classroom..cubbies, circle time carpet, our teachers and, of course, the Bathroom! We read the story, Fox Makes Friends by Adam Relf. I then ask both parent and child to decorate a page which has been preprogrammed with all of the names of our new Preschol friends. This is a nice page to bring home to help them remember the names of their new friends! It is a real nice activity- not too overwhelming for the first day of school for my little learners!
The August/September issue of The Mailbox Preschool has a great animal-themed unit for welcoming preschoolers called “Wild About Preschool” (p. 4). There are also numerous other back-to-school ideas sprinkled throughout that issue. Mailbox Companion members, simply type “back to school” in the new search feature on the homepage and you’ll get dozens of additional ideas!
Are there First-Day ideas for pre-school?
During the first week, I read How to Lose All Your Friends. Then each student gets a large piece of paper to make their page for our big book titled How to Keep All Your Friends. Students can come up with ideas on what makes a good friendship, write it, then illustrate it.
Before the first day, I make red, blue and yellow ice cubes. I pack them by color in freezer bags. As a first day activity, each kindergartener chooses two different colors that get placed into their own quart sized freezer bag. (Make sure to use freezer bags-they are more sturdy.) We make predictions about what will happen to our ice cubes. This is a fun activity that genereates lots of smiles!
I am using the Crayon that Talked, as well, but I will be making a friendship fruit salad, and leaving out the rotten banana.
For the first day of school, I like to play the “get to know your neighbor” game. I hand out a paper that has several questions on it for them to ask the people around them such as “do you have a dog?” or “where were you born?” They start off in groups of four and then every couple of minutes they have to switch groups. We’ll play this for about 15 minutes-20 minutes. It’s a great way for them to get to know each other, especially those who are new to the school.
Last year for Kindergarten I made magic playdough and told the kids that this was special playdough that told the future (It is white playdough with food coloring in the center). If it changes colors then we are going to have an amazing year together we make predictions and discuss with our neighbors what we think is going to happen. Of course it changes colors and all the kids are amazed how it changes colors. Plus they have something they can take home with them to help with their small muscle coordination. I also read the gingerbread man and while I was reading a clue fell out and it sent us on a gingerbread man hunt around the school to every place and every person they need to know. Each person/place has a clue that sends us to the next place. This is great for teaching how to walk in a hallway and in a line because we have to be quiet if we want to sneak up on the gingerbread man and catch him. Then the last clue leads us to the room where there is a gingerbread man cookie waiting for them. After they take their first bite we graph which part of the body was eaten. After they enjoy the rest of the cookie while I finish the story. This was a huge hit. I am moving to first grade and am going to do something similar but with brown bear brown bear and going on a bear hunt.
I am trying a new back to school theme this year. I will be using the story “The Crayon Box That Talked” as my focus story. I have found many activities and ideas using crayons and I think that this story will help to reinforce the theme of community. I have also used the story Kissing Hand as a first week theme.
I play what seems like a game to the students from the minute I open the door to let them in. This is my way of insuring that the morning procedures are learned. It goes like this: After greeting the students outside my door I invite them in to hang up their backpacks and sit on the carpet facing our calendar. Next I add more morning procedures like: after you hang up your backpack, go to the lunch count board and make your choice. Then grab your math notebook and pencil and have a seat on the carpet for calendar. Then we all go back outside, line up again and try it. You need to make a big deal when you open the door like it’s the first time you’ve seen them. The kids come in, follow the new procedures and sit on the carpet. Then I add another procedure or two like where to turn in lunch money, homework and notes to me. Then the go back outside, line up and try it again. It’s fun and they remember.