Fun and Easy Icebreakers for the First Day of School

Here are some fun ideas for getting your students acquainted and putting them at ease as you begin your new school year adventure.

1.  Cut pieces of string or yarn in different lengths.  Make two pieces of each length, and just enough, in total, for each student to get a piece of string.  Have students walk around the classroom looking for the person whose piece of string matches their own.  When they find their partner, students will visit and learn a bit about each other.  Then, call on students in pairs, to come to the front of the room and introduce their partners.  Each students need to tell the name of his or her partner, and one or two facts about them.

2.  Get your students up and moving by having them find those with whom they have something in common.  For example, tell students to find a partner who has the same color eyes that they have.  Students will move around the room until they pair up with someone, then they need to learn that person’s name and one thing about him or her.  Then, give another direction, such as finding a partner who gets to school the same way you do (bus, walk, car, bike, etc.).  Do several of these so students become familiar with classmates, and lose their nervousness.  You may want to tell students that they have to find a new partner each time.

3.  You’ll need a good-sized space for this activity.  If you don’t have space in your classroom, you could go out to the playground.  Divide the space into two parts by putting a strip of tape down the middle.  Tell students to stand on whichever side they would like.  Then ask everyone to “switch sides if” the following statement applies to them.  Here are some examples:

          Switch sides if you rode the bus to school today.

          Switch sides if you love math.

          Switch sides if you have two or more brothers

          Switch sides if you were in Mr. _______’s class last year.

          Switch sides if you were excited for school to start.

Each time there is a switch made, students need to share a detail with someone on the same side of the tape.  For instance, if the switch came because of the number of brothers, student would tell someone near them, “I have three brothers.” etc.

4. I love to start the school year with the book Chrysanthemum by Keven Henkes, and this is a great icebreaker to go with that story.  Have each student count the number of letters in his or her first name.  Then have them find a classmate who has the same number of letters. If they can’t find a partner, pair them up with someone else who has no one with the same number of letters.  Students can then ask their partner questions about their name. such as:

         Do you like your name?  Do you have a nickname?  Do you know anyone else who has the same name you have?   If you could change your name, what would it be?

You could have partners introduce each other to the class by sharing what they learned about the partner’s name.  You could also have a graph prepared, and students could work with their partners to graph the number of letters in their names.  

Nine Ideas for Making the Most of Instructional Time

So much for students to learn and so little time!  We all feel the time crunch, each and every day. There isn't anything we can about the number of minutes in the school day, but we can do a few things to make the most of those minutes.  Here are nine suggestions for stretching instructional time:
1.  Teach routines and procedures for handing in papers, lining up, transition times, etc.  Students should know exactly what is expected so time is not wasted and you don't find yourself answering questions about how, when, and where.  A bunch of time can be saved in the little details. Start teaching routines on the first day of school and reinforce them as needed.
2.  Have your students start the school day when they walk into the classroom, not when the bell rings.  Teach the beginning of day procedures, such as: put your backpack away, hand in your homework, make your lunch choice, and sharpen your pencils.  These things should become an automatic part of arriving in the classroom.  Hold students accountable for doing these things without a reminder.  Post a reminder list in the classroom or put it on student desktops.
3.  As soon as the beginning of day procedures are finished, students should be responsible for starting on the first assignment of the day.  This should be review or practice with something they have already learned, so they can be 100% independent.  I give my students until first recess to get this finished.  If they don't finish the daily "Warm-up" by the time the bell rings to officially start the school day, they slip it into their folders and finish it up when they have a few minutes.
4.  Schedule core academics early in the day when students' energy levels--and your own--are highest.  You'll accomplish a lot more.
5.  Integrate lessons and instruction whenever possible.  For example, use a science concept as the topic for a writing assignment.
6.  Be clear, in your own mind, as to the objective of each lesson and choose the most effective and efficient way of using the lesson time.  For example, I could give students a chunk of Play Dough and have them form little balls to create an array for a multiplication lesson.   However, since my objective doesn't really involve creativity and tactile stimulation, giving each student some counters or colored plastic disks to make arrays, or having them draw an array on their individual white boards will cut the time involved in this lesson.
7.  Organize your classroom so that supplies and materials are readily available to teacher and students.  Also, plan student seating so their attention is focused on the front of the classroom, or where lessons will be presented.
8.  Engage all students.  Rather than having them respond one at a time, use group responses, or have students ask and answer questions with a partner.   Everyone does everything.  Students are not allowed to disengage and fly under the radar.
9.  Use homework assignments as extended practice for concepts and skills presented in class.  Don't send home meaningless assignments.
Each of these suggestions can save minutes, and minutes certainly add up, especially over the course of the school year.