The first week of school can be both exhilarating and exhausting. You as the teacher have the responsibility to help your students feel welcome and safe, and inspire confidence in their abilities to excel in the upcoming school year. Taking the first week(s) of school to create a positive classroom culture where all kids want to come back day after day takes time and effort. Here are nine titles and lesson ideas to help build a positive classroom community from the start.
Note: This post may contain Amazon affiliate links which help support and maintain this website at no cost to you.
Chocolate Milk, Por Favor by Maria Dismondy is a tale of Gabe the new kid who doesn't speak English as his first language, and Johnny the boy who teases Gabe for being a crybaby. Not until Gabe helps Johnny with a tricky soccer move, does Johnny realize what it must feel like to overcome challenges at school.
Lesson Idea: Talk about the famous idiom, "Don't judge someone until you have walked a mile in his/her shoes". It wasn't until Johnny struggled with a soccer move did he realize the struggles Gabe must have been facing. Discuss why it's important to welcome others and possibly give second chances after a first impression because often times one's peers can be facing unseen obstacles. Find the printable "In His Shoes" to go along with this discussion below.
Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson is a sad, but all too real story about the new girl Maya who is not easily accepted by the others because of her appearance and socio-economic background. Chloe (a classmate) finally realizes her words and actions were hurtful when Maya does not show up to school. The teacher helps the students learn being kind and inviting, rather than judgemental will make the school year more welcoming.
Lesson Idea: Gather stones, pebbles, and a shatter proof bowl of water. Demonstrate how the water creates ripples as a rock is tossed in. Reinforce the idea that each little thing we do goes out like a ripple into the world. The bigger the (rock) kindness, the greater the effect. Adversely, you can point out how damaging words/actions also create a ripple effect. Have students take turns dropping stones into the water and help them focus on creating positive ripples rather than harmful ones. Find the printable "What Kind of Ripple Effect" to go along with this discussion below.
Mr. Peabody's Apples by Madonna showcases how rumors and gossip can spread very quickly. After Mr. Peabody is mistakenly caught stealing an apple, he teaches the boys on his Little League team a valuable lesson about getting the facts straight before accusing someone of wrongdoing.
Lesson Idea: Hand out a different colored piece of paper or Post It Note to each student. Have the students tear/cut the paper into smaller pieces. Have the students exchange their papers with others, giving and receiving the small pieces. Once complete, tell them that each piece of paper was his/her 'secret', and reiterate how far and fast it just travelled. Find the printable "Say Something" to go along with this discussion below.
The Important Book by Margaret Brown uses simple poems to convey the special attributes of everyday objects like flowers, silverware, and the weather. Although simplistic in design, the book sends a powerful message: that everyone in your class is important and can contribute in meaningful ways.
Lesson Idea: Have students write about what makes him/her important. Have them brainstorm about their talents, uniquenesses, and what they can contribute to the class this year. Assemble the pages and make into a book for the classroom library, "We Are All Important". Find the printable "I Am Important" to go along with this discussion below.
The Junkyard Wonders by Patricia Polacco is a tug-at-your-heartstrings story of a talented group of students whom the rest of the school wants to write off. With important messages about bullying, friendship, self-esteem, and perseverance, this book follows a young girl named Trisha who moves from California to Michigan and is placed in a class of 'outcasts'. However, by the end of the story, this group of geniuses create a solution to their bullying problem after taking a field trip to the neighborhood junkyard.
Lesson Ideas: 1) Gather small everyday items such as erasers, paper clips, plastic cups, etc. and place them in a bag. Before retrieving the items from the bag, tell your students they will need to 'think outside the box' in order to create something meaningful and useful with the provided materials. Connect the idea of how thinking about solutions that may not be mainstream can show one's inner genius.
2) The characters in the story persevered through all of the teasing, name-calling, and bullying. Talk about the word perseverance and how it can apply to one's attitude towards academics, sports, etc. Then complete the printable "Never Give Up" found below.
My Name Is Sangoel by Karen Williams is an endearing story of a Sudanese refugee boy named Sangoel that is overwhelmed in his new country. None of his classmates can pronounce his name which makes him feel even more left out; until one day when he finds a way to teach his peers how to call him by his name.
Lesson Idea: Have your students think of a time they were in a place where they knew no one. How did it feel? Scary? Worrisome? Introduce the term refugee, and explain the many different reasons one might need to flee one's country (in kid language). Talk about how refugees really need understanding classmates as the newcomers try to get accustomed to new languages, customs, traditions, etc. Then discuss how someone's name can help them connect and identify with what they are familiar with and might make them feel safe. Find the printable "Name Game" below.
Be Where Your Feet Are! by Julia Cook takes a look at the importance of focusing on one task at a time. When a school-aged boy finds his thoughts getting crowded and isn't getting anything accomplished on time, consequences follow. His mom finally devises a plan to help him be more mindful so that he stays in the present and gets things done one step at a time.
Lesson Idea: Go outside. Label pieces of paper (or use Post It notes) with several activities that your students may be involved with (soccer, band, swim, video games, homework, friendships, arguments, social media, etc.) Post them around the space and either have your students jump from place to place, or run around and pass by each station trying to remember what was written at each location. After finishing the race have students reflect on how tired they are from having to hop from place to place and carry all of that 'stuff' with them. Discuss how one's brain can get tired and unfocused when trying to bounce around all of the tasks kids can be involved in. Next, have them walk calmly to one paper they enjoy most and ask them how they feel when they are able to focus on just one activity. See the printable "Look Around" below.
The Kid From Diamond Street by Audrey Vernick is based on the true story of Edith Houghton who tried out for a professional women's baseball team when she was just ten years old back in the 1920s. Through hard work, determination, and perseverance, she made her dreams come true even though she was young and small.
Lesson Idea: Wrap a small box with several layers of wrapping paper. You can place a surprise for each student inside such as an eraser, pencil, etc. Decide if you wish to unwrap the box all at once, or throughout the day. Let them know there is something waiting for them inside. As they discover there is more than one layer and there is not instant gratification, talk about how one must keep striving, working hard, persevering, when tasks are not easy or quick. When your students encourage each other to keep trying and persevere with school tasks; when they know it's okay to mistakes and keep trying, your classroom community will be stronger for it. Find the printable "Ready, Set, Go" below.
Salt In His Shoes by Deloris Jordan is a biography of a young Michael Jordan (the famous basketball player). His road to stardom almost wasn't because of his lack of faith in his abilities. He was too short, too this, too that. One day his mom suggests to put salt in his shoes and to say a little prayer. From that day forward he was determined to keep practicing and give it his best shot.
Lesson Idea: Discuss how making excuses can hold one back from achieving his/her goals. If Michael Jordan had stuck with the excuse that he was too short to be a basketball player, the world would have missed out on his extraordinary career. Talk about how having a positive growth mindset can turn those excuses around into affirmations. For example: "I can't ride a bike...yet. I will practice 10 minutes every night until I learn to balance and ride without help." Find the printable "Be Smart" below.
Click the picture below to grab your printables!
I hope your new school year is full of wonder and awe as you create a welcoming and exciting classroom environment. Happy teaching!Lesson Idea: Wrap a small box with several layers of wrapping paper. You can place a surprise for each student inside such as an eraser, pencil, etc. Decide if you wish to unwrap the box all at once, or throughout the day. Let them know there is something waiting for them inside. As they discover there is more than one layer and there is not instant gratification, talk about how one must keep striving, working hard, persevering, when tasks are not easy or quick. When your students encourage each other to keep trying and persevere with school tasks; when they know it's okay to mistakes and keep trying, your classroom community will be stronger for it. Find the printable "Ready, Set, Go" below.
Salt In His Shoes by Deloris Jordan is a biography of a young Michael Jordan (the famous basketball player). His road to stardom almost wasn't because of his lack of faith in his abilities. He was too short, too this, too that. One day his mom suggests to put salt in his shoes and to say a little prayer. From that day forward he was determined to keep practicing and give it his best shot.
Lesson Idea: Discuss how making excuses can hold one back from achieving his/her goals. If Michael Jordan had stuck with the excuse that he was too short to be a basketball player, the world would have missed out on his extraordinary career. Talk about how having a positive growth mindset can turn those excuses around into affirmations. For example: "I can't ride a bike...yet. I will practice 10 minutes every night until I learn to balance and ride without help." Find the printable "Be Smart" below.
Click the picture below to grab your printables!
