One suggestion I have to help first year teachers who are feeling a bit overwhelmed about planning for the first day is to keep with your normal time schedule. What I mean by this is if you have scheduled an hour for your math block, do some sort of other activity (get to know you, supplies, organization, etc). for that hour. This will get you set into the timing of your day when you get normal subject areas in the mix. It will also train students with the natural transitions subconsciously. Now, I'm not crazy, I know things will come up unexpectedly during the first day...but sticking to this the best you can will help all. I had to break a few of my blocks down because of School-wide or grade level procedure times. Check out my "normal" schedule compared to my first day of school schedule.
Daily Schedule:
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First Day Schedule: 
Introduction Activity
While students are coming in from their morning transportation, having instructions on the board (depending on the age, obviously) that they can follow, as well as a "Get to Know You" activity. I just have a general questionnaire about their likes/dislikes/goals, etc. This will keep them focused and something that is not too challenging, as you don't know the level many of these students are coming in with. I already have this form on their desk with a sharpened pencil, so there is no confusion on the task.
String Activity
I have students move the desks back, so we can form one large circle as a class. I then explain that they will be throwing a ball of string around. I show a few times the right and wrong ways to throw the ball of string. I normally get a few giggles on the bad way to throw, which proves my point on not throwing it hard or crazy. Students behave (first day jitters, perhaps?) and throw the ball of string like I ask them to.
After modeling the throw, I start all over and tell them when they catch the ball they will tell the class: 1 thing about themselves, 1 thing they did over the summer, & 1 thing they are looking forward to this school year. You don't have to do these exactly, but I felt I got a brief overview of the class with their likes and goals for the school year. After the student shares they have to say a person's name across the circle (just not next to them), and then they throw the ball of yarn. They must say the name, so they can get to know one another and so no one gets hit in the face. hehe The next students shares his/her 3 answers, and by the end we have this giant web all connecting the entire class. At this point, I show what happens if I let go. I get a lot of little 8-year old gasps at this point, and we talk about if one person drops the string we aren't working as a team to make this beautiful design. We discuss teamwork and what it will look like in the classroom this year. Students begin sharing stories, which is great!
It will take a decent amount of time. The first year I did it, it took over an hour. Yikes! I didn't plan for that, but I allowed students to share too much. The following year I did it, and it took about 45 minutes with 25 students.
Character Traits
Depending on the level of students, you may or may not be able to do this activity on the first day of school, but you could at least do part of it. I did this activity within the first week because one of our first topics was character traits. I found these little people cutouts with a variety of skin colors which I loved. I allow students to pick their own person from the variety of colors. After selecting their person, I got out scrap paper, markers, crayons, etc. and they created their own little person. Each one was so creative and started to show their personality just based on what they put on their clothes and in their hair. I created my own person, and began modeling character traits and continuing my lesson using a variety of texts and media. We even made a giant list of adjectives that describe our traits and I gave them their own list to put in their writing binder for a resource later.
They each came up with 10 character traits on a piece of paper, showed them to me, and then I okay'd them to put them on their poster. Students loved having these up during Back-to-School Night where they could show their parents what they created.
Read Aloud Options
- A House is a House for Me (Teaching everything has a home---scissors, pencils, book bags, etc)
- Chysanthemum (Friendship & being nice)
- The Crayon Box that Talked (Teamwork)
- David Goes to School (Fun & lighthearted about following the rules)
- Don't Eat the Teacher (Fun & lighthearted)
- It's Time for School Stinky Face (Teach to not be worried/scared about the first day)
Following the Rules/Procedures
I put a variety of poster board sized paper is up around the room (No more than 6 or it gets chaotic). Each poster will say a procedure either around the classroom, school, or you could make it about goals. Students are to write the requirements of those activities at each poster. You will need to model and show students how to walk around the classroom to complete all of these or it will be a madhouse. Students everywhere! I start by placing a group of students at each poster with a marker. If you want a highly structured activity you could give them 30 seconds to a minute to write something down, then yell "switch" and they move to the next poster. If you don't mind a little chaos, you can start them somewhere and as they finish move from poster to poster. That part is up to you, but I prefer the more structured one for a first day of school activity! Some questions you could ask:
- What are things you need to remember when walking down the hall?
- What are things that you need to do when in the cafeteria?
- What should you remember about lining up to leave the classroom?
- What are things you should do when you're working in a group setting?
Or you could make it more about goals for your own classroom:
- What are things you need to be successful in 3rd grade?
- What do you expect to learn in 3rd grade?
- What are things I (teacher) can do to help you be successful this year?
This activity can be done as an anticipatory set or as a follow-up to your lesson. I personally use it as an anticipatory set to get students minds' thinking rather than "quiz" them on the first day of school about what they learned. I mean, we all need some time to warm back up after summer break! Then you can use your answers to discuss what you're expectations are by making an anchor chart of procedures, rules, or even goals. The opportunities are endless!
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