Collection of SEVERAL back to school idea posts

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Collection of SEVERAL back to school idea posts
By message board addict

This is a collection of several posts that I have compiled into a word file on my computer. I thought it might help someone. These are not my wonderful ideas and I do not take credit for them. I have however made a "Lollipop
Buddies" sheet and a "MATHO" gameboard if anyone is interested, I'd be happy to share. E-mail for those!
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THE SACK
Before school started I sent a postcard to each child welcoming them and asking them to bring a bag to school with 5 items that would describe themselves. I also had a bag with 5 items about myself. This was very

successful and the kids loved it. I used the Shel Silverstein poem "The Sack" to go along with this activity. I spread the sharing out over a couple of days.

The Sack
What's in the sack? What's in the sack?
Is it some mushrooms or is it the moon?
Is it love letters or downy goosefeathers?
Or maybe the world's most enormous balloon?
What's in the sack? That's all they ask me.
Could it be popcorn or marbles or books?
Is it two years' worth of your dirty laundry?
Or the biggest ol' meatball ever cooked?
Does anybody ask me, "Hey when is your birthday"?
"Can you play monopoly?" "Do you like beans"?
What is the capital of Yougoslavia"?
Or "Who embroidered that rose on your jeans"?
No, what's in the sack? That's all they care about.
Is it a rock or rolled up giraffe?
Is it pickles or nickels or busted bicycles?
And if we guess it will you give us half
Do they ask where I've been, or how long I'll be stayin',
Where I'll be goin', or when I'll be back,
Or "How do?" or "What's new?" or Hey why are you blue?"
No, all they keep asking is, "What's in the sack?"
"What's in the sack?" I'm blowing my stack
At the next one who asks me, "What's in the sack?"
What?
Oh no. Not you too!
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BIO-POEMS
Write a sentence for each letter in their name. Decorate and hang in hall.
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START MARBLE JAR
A marble jar (or a paper chain) also works well. If all students are on green at the end of day they get a marble in jar. So many marbles gives a class treat..
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ME BOXES: Your assignment is to create a cereal box all about you. Your box will be decorated with words, pictures, and objects that tell all about you. You should first decorate your cereal box with paper (such as construction paper, newspaper, wrapping paper, or copy paper). Your box must include all of the following:
1. Personal Information
Ų Your first and last name in big letters
Ų Your birthday
Ų A picture of yourself (drawn or real)
2. Personal Favorites
Include words, drawings, or pictures neatly cut from a magazine that shows at least four of your personal favorites. Some examples of personal favorites are:
Food Ice cream
Animal Color
Sport Activity
Achievement School subject
3. Important People
Who are the people that are most important to you? Draw the people that are most important to you (or use a real photo), and write why they are important to you on an index card.
Example: ____________ is/are important to me because __________________.
4. Personal Grab Bag
Inside the box, place three items that are special to you (real objects, drawn, or cut from a magazine). On each index card (provided for you), name the object and explain why this object is special to you.

You will be presenting your “ME BOX” during sharing time. Be sure to proofread your work for correct spelling, punctuation, and capital letters. HAVE FUN with this assignment and remember to be CREATIVE and COLORFUL!!
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M&M’s activity
One neat game is to sit everyone in a circle and pass around a cup of M&Ms and tell everyone to take some. Then tell them that for every M&M they took, they have to tell the class something about themselves.
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PUZZLEMAKER.COM
You could make a crossword puzzle on puzzlemaker.com to help them learn each other's names.
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GAME
Make a "Classroom Confusion" game worksheet with questions such as, "What is the name of our science textbook?" "What color is the picture frame on the teacher's desk?" "What color is the country of Ireland on our class map?" "What is one thing you could do if you finish work early according to the poster?" Then as you go over the answers, use this time to acquaint them with the classroom.
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CLASSROOM PUZZLE
I also did a cooperative game on the first day called "We All Fit In". This is one of my favorite first day activities ...making a class puzzle. Prior to the first day, I take a large sheet of white drawing paper and cut it into puzzle pieces so that each child will have their own. During the first day, I distribute a piece to each student and have them decorate it with their name and designs/decorations of their choice. When several of the students have completed theirs I have them begin to reconstruct the puzzle on the carpet. The students, some of who may not know each other, begin to work together, discussing where the various pieces go. As other students finish their piece, they are welcomed to the group because other hole can be filled in. The students are working together cooperatively the entire time. I can begin to see who tends to take charge, hang back, etc. When the puzzle has been completed, I include a heading which says, "We all fit in!" I staple the puzzle together when I have a chance and make a bulletin board out of it. The puzzle stays up for the entire year, and we take it apart on the last day of school. If a student moves away, we take their piece out, leaving a hole. If a new student moves in, the hole can be filled with a new piece they design. I have also sometimes purposely left a blank piece or two the first day of school, just to let the students know we will always have room in our class for others. This has always been a great group building activity . . . ONE TIP...Make sure that you draw an arrow in pencil to indicate on each puzzle piece which way is up. THis way, the students will not draw on an upside down puzzle piece!!
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LOLLIPOP BUDDIES: This was a very successful activity that I used with my fourth graders in the beginning of the year! Before you do this activity, I purchase lollipops and put one one each student's desk (I make sure no more than two students have the same flavor). When the students come in, they find the person who has the same lollipop as them. I pass out an interview sheet that "lollipop buddies" must complete (see below). After the sheet has been completed by both buddies, they introduce each other to the claSs, and I take pictures. Later, we post these on a bulletin board "Lollipop Buddies". Here's the interview sheet (it looks cuter with lollipop clipart):
1. Name: ______________________________________
2. Favorite Hobby: ____________________________
3. Number of brothers and/or sisters: _______
4. Pets? _______________________
5. Most treasured possession: ____________________________________
6. Third grade teacher: _____________________
7. Favorite book: __________________________
8. Favorite T.V. show: __________________________________________
9. Favorite color: _____________________________
10. Favorite sport: _________________________
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TOOTHPASTE: Squeeze a small amount onto a paper plate for each student. Then tell students that they must put it all back in the tube when you pass it around. You have to be totally serious when you say this, make them think they really have to do it. When they start complaining that it is impossible to do, start to explain that when you say hurtful things they can never be put back, just like the toothpaste can never be put back into the tube. Once your words are out, they're out and can never be taken back.
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"brag about your knowledge" type activities. For example, have the students (without talking) line themselves up in chronological order of their birthdays. Yes, it can be done! If the no-talking is too tough, let them talk. It reminds them of what they know about each other, but also allows you to see what leadership emerges. Then I'd do a
graph of all the birthdays so they're REALLY learning a new skill!
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BACK TO SCHOOL BINGO
I've also given sheets with "Find someone who...." (went out
of the country this summer, for example) and then allowed
them to share their answers. I time them and they move
around the room, filling out their sheet as they go along.
**can also be adapted to a math version MATHO
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PRETEND FACT GAME
You can also have each student fill out 1 fact that NO ONE would know about them and 2 pretend facts. Then read out the sheets, and have the students guess who wrote it. We've done that with our staff who've been together many years and
surprisingly, we all found out things about each other that we didn't know. Plus the pretend facts can be really fun.
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