Second Day of School!
Updated: Nov 20, 2022
Congratulations, you made it through your first day of school. You told students about ALL those routines, got comfortable getting to know them, but now what? Where should you go from here? Do you jump right in? Take it easy? Here is what my second day looks like!
8:45-9:15 Homework/Silent Reading/Question of the Day Objective: Now it's really time to start testing those routines. Make sure to remind students to do the following three things as they enter: Homework, Question of the Day & Silent Reading.
Question (on white board) : Would you rather be able to speak to animals or be able to play every single music instrument?
I like to observe, do they remember the rules from yesterday? How many students are going to the reading corner (max 4), etc.
Once everyone has arrived and completed their morning tasks, I get them to come to the carpet. We do our morning announcements and then review the question of the day. Usually my focus is on writing complete sentences with punctuation & capital letters. They need these reminders. I read their answers, allowing them to share if they wrote it (of course if they want to share) and we have a fun discussion about their answers, all while reviewing their sentences.
9:15-9:45 Classroom Rules
Objective: After our discussion yesterday, I give students a sheet of paper and ask them to once again, think of the 3 most important rules that we should have for our class. This task is done individually and I pick them up. I like to see my students values and this helps me see where their thinking is.
9:45-10:45 Visual Arts
Objective: Students will write and then draw things that they can't imagine their life without. This makes up my display for the beginning of the year. Again, a good diagnostic assessment on what's important to students.
10:45-11:25 Nutrition Break & Recess
Before break, review rules with your class
During lunch expectations are: no throwing food, wrappers in the garbage, keep the classroom clean, you can chat quietly
Indoor Recess rules: what can they use and not use?
11:25-11:55 Drama/Writing
Objective: This is a great way to get students up and moving. Give each student a lined page. They will write 3 interview questions on their page. Then, they will crumple up their page (like a snow ball). I place half my class on one wall and the other half on the other wall. I count to three and they throw their crumpled paper. Students will then go get a random paper, find the students who wrote it, and ask them 1 question. You can repeat this activity as many times as you’d like!
11:55 Start over with your new group
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