My Go-To First Week of School Activities

I’m now in my second full week of the school year. Whew! Even after more than twenty years of teaching, that “teacher tired” feeling hits hard these first few weeks. My feet ache, my voice is tired, and my coffee consumption is… let’s just say robust.

As much as I want to dive straight into content right away, I know that the year won’t run smoothly without first laying some groundwork in those first days/first week of school.  And like it or not, reviewing rules and procedures is a must.  Students need to know what’s expected of them.  While schoolwide policies provide a foundation, each teacher must still establish the routines and expectations that make their own classroom run effectively.

For years, I used my Back to School Classroom Rules and Procedures Meme PowerPoint to relay my expectations and procedures.  I first created this back when I was teaching 6th grade YEARS ago. It covers all of the important details.  While I wouldn’t exactly say that students “enjoyed” the lesson (it is about rules and procedures after all), it is an effective way to cover this content, and the funny images help keep students engaged. The addition of the task cards makes the lesson more interactive and gives students a chance to talk with their friends.  This helps to weave discussion naturally into classroom norms, which is a win! 

These days, I’ve switched to a website syllabus with a reflection and response sheet to cover rules, expectations, and course requirements.  Putting everything in one place makes it easy for students and parents to access anytime, and letting students explore the site themselves creates a more student-driven start to the year.

This works well for more mature students, and the shift frees me up to start connecting with my students right away. While they explore the site, I can walk around, answer questions, and begin building those early relationships. I’ve found that the stronger the relationships we build at the beginning of the year, the more trust and engagement I’ll see all year long. 

Once those classroom expectations are out of the way, we finally get to the really important stuff: building relationships and setting the tone for the year. Over the years, I’ve tried many different activities, but three have truly stood the test of time. They’re classroom-tested favorites that build community, give me the chance to really get to know my students, and lay the foundation for why English class matters.

About Me & Goal-Setting Letter to Future Self – This is really a 3-for-1 activity. Students fill out an All About Me page, set goals for the year, and reflect on what they hope their year will be like. The goal sheet and about-me page double as instant classroom décor.  Displaying these is a great way to brighten your walls while showcasing students’ personalities. On the very last class we have together, I return the students' letters to their future selves, and it’s always a hit! The best thing is that most students have completely forgotten about writing them, so it feels like a surprise gift.  Students love reflecting on how much they’ve grown and everything they’ve accomplished over the year.”

Hexagonal Thinking Back-to-School Activity – I first created this activity when I was looping

with a group of students, and it quickly became one of my favorite ways to start the year. Unlike traditional hexagon activities with tiny sides, this version uses four large quadrants. Students complete creative tasks and give deeper, more thoughtful responses, which makes the connections they build even richer. It’s hands-on, collaborative, and editable for any subject, plus it doubles as a display-worthy piece of student work, which is always a bonus.

English Class: Why It Matters – This resource is the result of the constant “Why do we have to learn this/do this?” in ELA class. Instead of dodging the question or giving a blanket answer, I decided to attack this question head-on and created this resource. It gives students a chance to reflect, discuss, and see for themselves why reading, writing, and communication matter beyond the classroom. It’s all about building buy-in from day one and showing them that ELA actually connects to their real lives.

I hope these back-to-school activities help you start the year with confidence, build community from the start, and ease some of the stress that comes with this busy but exciting season. All of the activities (and more) mentioned in this blog post are available in my TpT store.

Here’s to a strong start to the year, fewer “Why do we have to do this?” questions, and more moments that remind us why we love teaching in the first place.

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