I do the All About me poster like the one in the link below. I'm also going to do a scrapbook page that they will write their reflections concerning their expectations for the upcoming year. I will give them cards where they will write a goal they have for the school year. I will try to have them measure themselves ie arms, leg, height for a student time capsule activity.
I will read "First Day Jitters" & have a discussion about it. I may have them do a writing activity about. I will take their pictures. Have them set up their cubbies & supplies. And I need to think of what else (time permitting)
We make time capsules. They write a letter to themselves about what they think 4th grade will be like, what they hope to do/learn, what they're nervous about, what they want to accomplish, etc. They also measure each other and cut yarn for their height. I take a picture of them. They do a hand tracing. The last thing that goes in the time capsule is a page they fill out about their favorite things. I keep these until the end of the year and they open them the last week of school. They love it!
We also come up with classroom expectations, set up cubbies and supplies, read letters from last year's fourth graders (they wrote letters with advice), play get to know you games, and read aloud.
My kids brainstorm a list of ways to display our hopes and goals for the year and we vote for one. Then I give them a math problem to figure out how big each "shape" needs to be so everyone's goal can fit on the bulletin board (minus room for the title). Last year the kids voted on peace signs and each one had to be about 7 inches in diameter. =)
My kids brainstorm a list of ways to display our hopes and goals for the year and we vote for one. Then I give them a math problem to figure out how big each "shape" needs to be so everyone's goal can fit on the bulletin board (minus room for the title). Last year the kids voted on peace signs and each one had to be about 7 inches in diameter. =)
Love the Time Capsule idea, MsG! What do you do with students who enroll later in the year? Also, do they put their piece of yarn itself into the capsule (I'm assuming so... or do they just use it to measure and then write down the measurement?)? What about taking a digital photo on the first day, too?
Love the Time Capsule idea, MsG! What do you do with students who enroll later in the year? Also, do they put their piece of yarn itself into the capsule (I'm assuming so... or do they just use it to measure and then write down the measurement?)? What about taking a digital photo on the first day, too?
For kids who come in late, I have them fill out their favorites page, but they usually don't do the rest of it. They do cut the yarn based on their height and put it in the capsule. One year I did Pringles cans and they decorated them...last year I got tired of eating Pringles, so we just made envelopes with construction paper. We do a picture also! I take a picture the last week, too, so they can compare and see how they've changed.
We do lots of the things listed above, too. We also do a big postersize class puzzle. I pre-cut "20" big puzzle pieces out ahead of time and they decorate them with their name, hobbies, family, talents, etc...Then, as a cooperative activity, they have to put the puzzle together to figure out what it is. It's usually a heart. Then I put it up in the room with a sign that says, "The HEART of fourth grade!" (I've also done the shape of our mascot before)
I do a "Get to Know Your Teacher" Power Point game where the students have to figure out whether statements about me are true or false. They work together in teams to see who can get the most items correct. Then the students play a similar version of the game by thinking of two facts about themselves that are true, and one that is false. They write each fact on a different note card, and the class tries to figure out which one is false.
I also put a goodie bag on each desk when they arrive with some fun little gifts inside like pencils, sharpeners, erasers, a snack for the first day, etc.
We do a picture also! I take a picture the last week, too, so they can compare and see how they've changed.
