Use Back to School Activities That Help Teach Character Traits

It's time for back to school and that means planning fun back to school get to know you activities that students haven't done before.  Plus, the first week activities you plan set the tone for your year.  I want students to know that they will be working together, doing projects and activities with other students and collaborating.  It's important to establish rapport and teach students how they are expected to treat each other, with dignity and respect.  We also value and teach character traits.

On day one I want students to be see what their year will be like.  I want them working together, talking, and getting to know each other.  Yes, I teach routines and rules, too, but I want students interacting. I want to hear laughter. I want to see smiles on faces.  I want new friendships to blossom.  I want students to accept each other.  Through play, this process begins.

I recently designed a great set of activities that can be used for the first four days of school.  They best part is they are Cootie Catchers.  Who doesn't love making and playing with the?  Best of all, they let the teacher talk about four character traits each day so by the end of the fourth day, 16 traits have been discussed as a class.  Teachers can reinforce why the traits are important to creating a positive class culture.  The first Cootie Catcher gets students paired up and allows for the game playing to be non-threatening because the questions students ask each other are non-personal.  Each of the next Cootie Catchers gradually ask more questions that are more and more designed for students to share more about themselves.  Hopefully by the end of the week students will have new friends with things in common.

Here's some examples of the questions designed to gradually allow students to become comfortable sharing.

Cootie Catcher #1 - These are a few of my favorite things : 

• What is your favorite food? 

Cootie Catcher #2 - Get to Know Me! 

• Do you celebrate holidays? If so, what’s your favorite?

Cootie Catcher #3 - More About Me! 

• What do you like to do for fun on weekends?

Cootie Catcher #4 - Wishes, Hopes and Dream

• What is one thing you wish people knew about you?

This activity is designed so students can play the game with one to four partners so that over the course of the first week, students know at least four students really well.

What are your favorite back to school ice breakers and get to know you activities?  Have a great school year!

Back to School One Day Savings

Teachers, save 28% today only on all of my teaching materials in my TpT store!  

Use the code: oneday at checkout!

Have an amazing school year!

Back 2 School Already? Yes, But a SALE Helps!

Hey teacher friends.  Can you believe the back to school sales are in full swing in the stores?  That means it's time to start getting ready so you can hit the ground running.  BUT, enjoy the last days of summer and take time or YOU and your family!

Teachers Pay Teachers is sponsoring their BIG Back to School SALE August 1-2 by adding 8% onto everything in my store that's marked 20% off so that means huge 28% off savings for you!  Just use the promo code: BESTYEAR at checkout.

I like to give lots of value in my products because I know how much you spend during the year.  It's scary to add it up at tax time!  I've joked about changing the pricing structure to lattes.  Many of the projects and products are 2-3 latte priced.

Stock up on some great teaching items (mostly grades 3-6) that your students will love and save yourself precious planning and family time.  Whether it be poetry, poetry analysis, math word wall posters, biography project, state project, Oregon Trail simulation and other materials, science fair, word stems and roots year long program, math data and vocabulary sets, the Iditarod or desk name tags, teacher binder sets, memory books, or more, I've done the hard work for you.  With over 30+ years in the classroom, I hope you can use my work to make your teaching life easier.

Check out the graphics created by Caboose Designs!  Her work is adorable and ridiculously inexpensive for the quality you get!  She is soooo talented!  She drew my avatar.  :)

Teach the Math Operation Key Words

When students know what the words mean, they can easier solve math word problems.

This set is designed with choice of colors in mind so you can color coordinate with your decor.

Click Here to See it on TpT

Here's some examples:

Enjoy all things math!