As students return to your classrooms and libraries, enjoy these quick ideas for icebreakers, back-to-school nights, and getting-to-know-you activities!
Getting-to-Know-You Activities:
- Play the Name Game and then have students create and record their own name pronunciations. Collect the recordings to use as a digital seating chart!
- Print out these What’s in a Name? activities and share throughout your classroom or library space. Have students complete them, then describe their own name to a partner. What did they learn?
- Use a Story Map template to have students write the story of an event that happened over the summer.
Icebreaker Ideas:
- Have students perform selections from Reader’s Theater scripts in small groups as an icebreaker exercise.
- Build a gallery walk with QR Codes of Complete Book Readings to springboard ideas about characters, setting, or conflict.
- Practice working with a partner by completing this TeachingBooks Scavenger Hunt.
Parent Welcome Nights:
- Teachers, what’s your favorite book? Make a QR Code bookmark or flyer of the book page or a featured resource to post outside your classroom!
- Coming Attractions: Create a custom list of your upcoming Read Alouds and share the list with parents, or create a QR Code display with Shelf Talkers.
- Build a custom list of your students’ favorite books, use the red share arrow to create a flyer, then post in the hallway for parents to browse!
More Ideas:
Be sure to check out the “Ready, Set, Go!” Teaching Ideas on our website for a variety of community building ideas that connect you, your students, and their families with this year’s curriculum.
What’s working for you?
We’d love to hear how you’re using TeachingBooks resources in your classrooms and libraries! Leave your ideas in a comment below.
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