Twenty Great Back to School Activities and Games for the First Day of Class

A Back to School Guide for Teachers

Kristin Ketteringham,Yahoo Contributor NetworkAug 20, 2008 "Share your voice on Yahoo websites.Start Here."

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HYPERLINK "http://voices.yahoo.com/twenty-great-back-school-activities-games-for-1792685.html" \l "new_comment_area" \o "Post a comment" Post a commentThe first day of school is an important one for both teachers and students. That first day can also be a little nerve-wracking. When children come to school on the first day, they tend to be a little anxious for a number of reasons. They're meeting new teachers, in new classrooms, reuniting with old friends from last year, and feeling the pressure of making new friends this school year. As a teacher you need to be understanding about these first-day jitters and help students get to know one another. There are so many "ice-breaker" games and first-day activities out there to use at the start of a school year. Here are a few lesson ideas you might want to use in your classroom for the first day back to school.

The Human Scavenger Hunt:To play this game you'll need a set of index cards, one for each student in the classroom. Have the students write down some interesting little factoid about themselves on an index card. Then mix them up and have the students search for the person that matches the index card they receive. You could also write generic facts onto the index cards yourself. The cards could say "has been in a stadium" or "is wearing something pink" or "has a baby brother."

True or False:This is a great way to learn something interesting about one another. Begin the activity by writing three facts about yourself on the board or on an overhead transparency. Make two of the facts true and one fact false. Survey the students to see which fact they believe is the false statement. Go over all of the statements, adding information to the true statements and identifying the false one. Then, students get to write three statements about themselves on a sheet of paper, two that are true and one that is false. Go around the class and go through the same guessing process for each student.

The Teacher Test:Have the students take "the hardest test of the year" as soon as they get settled into class. Orally ask questions about yourself for this test. Some of the questions might be, "Where was I born? How many sisters/brothers do I have? How old am I? What's my favorite color? What's my favorite food? or What kind of car do I drive?" Make the test as long or as short as you want. This is a great activity for introducing yourself to the class. It also makes you appear more human to your class instead being seen as only an authority figure or subject expert.

The Classroom Book:ReadThe Important Bookby Margaret Wise Brown. This is a great book that tells the important things about different objects (a spoon, the wind, an apple, etc.). It has a repetitive form and your students should use that rhythm to create their own "Important Book." Each student should tell a little about themselves followingThe Important Book's format. Then you create a class "Important Book" by meshing together every child's final book page which reads "The most important thing about ____ is that he/she ____." Each child should have their own books to take home at the end of the day and you'll also have a classroom book that can be read throughout the year.

BINGO Scavenger Hunt:Make up BINGO cards for all of your students. Each square on the card has a description (similar to the index cards mentioned in theHuman Scavenger Huntactivity). Students walk around the room and get the name of a classmate that fits the different descriptions on the BINGO card. The goal is to fill the entire BINGO card with classmates' names. You can set a time limit for the activity if it seems like it's taking too much time. Or you could shorten the activity's length by seeing who can make an "x" first or some other variation (up and down, four corners, etc.).

The Riddle Book:Students will create their own riddle books. They should write four or five statements about themselves, and the last line should read "Who am I?" Once all of the students have their statements down, read everyone's papers and have the class guess which student those statements describe. Let the student say whether the class is right or wrong.

Alphabetical Order:Give students their first assignment. They need to sort themselves in alphabetical order by last name within three minutes. This will get students talking and help them to recognize other classmates' names. For lower grades, have each student wear a name tag to make the activity less complicated.

Class Animals:This is a simple activity that puts a fun spin on dull introductions. Begin by giving the class your name and telling them that if you were an animal you be ____ and give the reason why. For example, you could say "Hi, my name is Ms. Jones, and if I were an animal I'd be a hyena, because I love to laugh." Give the students some time to think about what animal they want to be and why. Let the students give their animal introductions and try to repeat all of the children's names and animals in the order you hear them. This activity can help you to remember student names quickly while showing the class that their teacher isn't perfect (you will inevitably make a mistake).

Paper Bag Show-and-Tell:You should send a letter home to students, introducing yourself and telling them about the new school year before the first day of class. Send all of your students a paper bag along with this letter. Tell the students to fill the bag with four of five items that mean something to them or that describe them in some way. On that first day of school you can all sit around and have show-and-tell time. Each student will open up their bag and show the rest of the class their items, explaining why it is important or how it represents them as a person. Don't forget to bring your own goodie bag so that you can join in on the fun and let your students know a little bit about you.

Class Detectives:Give each student at "clue sheet" and go over all of the incomplete statements with the class. Have everyone find a quiet spot where they can fill in the blanks. Statements like, "My favorite hobby is ___," and "The most fun thing I did this summer was ____," could be used on the clue sheet. Once everyone completes their clue sheet, mix them up and distribute an anonymous paper to each student. It's time for the students to play detective. Have students move around and ask some questions to figure out whose clue sheet they have.

All About Me Posters:Students are to draw and color their name on a large sheet of paper or on a piece of poster board. They should add things about themselves, like birthdays, favorite colors, and any hobbies or interests they have. Display these "All About Me" posters around the classroom. For a different take on this idea, have the students draw self portraits instead of their names. Or instead of making posters, have the students create "All About Me" desk plates.

Dear Me Letters:Have students write a letter to themselves on the first day of school. In this letter, the students should discuss their feelings about starting a new school year, what they liked or disliked about last year, and what they expect out of this school year. Come up with your own requirements for the letter. Collect the letters and put them in labeled envelopes on the first day of school. At the end of the year you can pass these letters back out and let the students read what they wrote at the beginning of the year. This is a great way for you to get to know your students a little better. You'll also get an idea of what they expect from the new school year from day one.

First Day Advice: This may not be something for this school year because it requires some early planning, but you can think ahead for next year if you like this idea. At the end of the school year, have your class write letters to next year's students. In the letters the student's should offer advice on how to be successful and what to expect in your classroom. Read all of the letters to your new class on the very first day of school and let them know that they will one day get to write their own letters for your future students.

Picturing Rules:You should always introduce the rules and classroom expectations on the first day of school. Make the rules fun by getting students to model appropriate behavior instead of simply reading the rules from a pre-made list. You could take a picture of your students acting out your rules and post them on the wall to reinforce their meaning. If you can't take pictures, have your students create drawings to represent the classroom rules. They could use them as their own self-made student handbooks to look back to when they need reminding.

The Circle:Get the students to sit in a circle with everyone facing one another. Introduce yourself and tell the class one fact about yourself. Go around the circle and have the students in the class do the same. Once all of the students are finished with their introductions, go back around the circle and have students try to repeat the information (names and facts) about other students. Those students can say whether the information is right or wrong.

Time Capsules:On the first day of school, have students make their own time capsules. You can use shoeboxes or small cardboard boxes, with students' names decorated with glitter, markers and paint. The students can put pictures of who they want to be, a list of their friends, a copy of their handprints, a story they wrote, and a sample of handwriting in these time capsules. Let the students come up with ideas for what they want to store in their time capsules. Store them in a safe place or hang them from the classroom ceiling. At the end of the year you can bring these capsules back out and let the students see how they've grown over the past school year.

Animal Scramble:Write the name of an animal that makes a familiar noise on a slip of paper. Create five to 10 slips for each animal you decide to use. Good animal choices include a cow, duck, chicken, dog, cat, goat, or snake. Give your students a slip of paper and tell them that they have to keep their animal a secret. After everyone has their animal paper, the students must make the noise of the animal and try to find the other students that are making the same animal noise. Continue with the game until all of the student animals find "their kind" and get into animal groups.

Data Processors:This is a good activity for older students but can be adapted for younger classes as well. Divide the students into groups. Use your own judgment when determining group size. The larger the group, the more difficult and time consuming the activity will be. The idea here is that the students will process data about themselves. You could give prizes to the first group that correctly processes their data. Examples to use for this data processing game include arranging group members by first name (alphabetize), height (get some measuring skills in there), birthdays, shoe size, length of hair, or number of letters in last names. Get creative with the data you choose to use for this activity, and adjust for the different grade levels.

IcebreakerBeachBall:Why not throw a ball around in class? This can be a lot of fun for students going back to school. Get a large beach ball and use a permanent marker (fine or medium point) to write down a whole bunch of "get to know you" questions. Once you create this icebreaker ball you'll be able to reuse it every year, so the time put out making it will be worthwhile. Have the students stand in a circle and throw the ball around to different students. The person who catches the ball has to answer the question touching his or her right thumb.

Catch Me if You Can:This is a really fun game that gets students to interact with one another on the very first day of class. Pair up two of your students. Make two lines, with partners directly across from one another. Students should take about 30 seconds to look very closely at their partner, taking in as many details as possible. Tell the two lines to face away from one another once the 30 seconds ends, and give one or both lines time to change something about their appearance. The change should be something very subtle. The student might take off a ring or belt, switch a watch to the other wrist, or part their hair on the other side. The goal here is to try and stump your partner on what's different about your appearance. The change made has to be visible but discrete. Give the students 20 to 30 seconds to alter their appearance. Have the students turn back around and give them another 30 seconds to figure out what is different about their partner now.

Icebreakers Volume 11: More Fresh Ideas for Opening Day

Most teachers have a favorite icebreaker activity they repeat year after year.After year!Is that the case with you? Or are you looking for a new,funactivity that will help you and your students get to know one another?Included: More than a dozen new icebreakerspluslinks to 150 more!For teacher Pamela Woods, her favorite icebreaker activity helps set a tone for the school year. Communication will be important all year long because Woods, a teacher at J. A. Rogers Academy in Kansas City, Missouri, uses a lot of cooperative group activities in her classroom. That's why, on the first day of class, she introduces a cooperative activity that requires the ultimate in communication skills.

Still looking for more ideas? Don't forget our archive ofmore than 150 icebreaker activities.

"I challenge students to line themselves up in order by birthday," Woods told Education World. But then she adds a twist! They must do thatwithoutspeaking or writing. "I ask students if they think they will be able to do it in 3 minutes," she said. "They always say they can, but I have never had a class that could do it."

That activity gives Woods an early opportunity to see how her students will work together, who can follow directions, and who is going to "take charge" in a group activity. "We discuss how people communicate with one another," she said, "and I share with them how important it is that they communicate with me when they don't understand or are when they are having problems."

Woods likes to repeat her favorite activity around semester break. "We do it again," she said. "This time, everybody is really working together to complete the task. They are always amazed at how they accomplished something they couldn't do earlier in the year."

TEN MORE NEW ICEBREAKERS!The birthday-lineup activity is a great icebreaker -- one worth trying if you have never done it before. So, this year, inadditionto the tried-and-true icebreakers you repeat every year, why don't you try that one too? That one, or one of the ten more icebreaker activities that follow...

"Me to a T" T-ShirtsCut out a cardboard a template in the shape of a T-shirt. Have students trace the template onto a sheet of white drawing paper and cut it out. Provide the following instructions (verbally, or displayed on a transparency).

Write your name at the top of the T-shirt.

In the middle of the shirt, writeone wordthat describes you.

All over the shirt, write words that describe some of your characteristics and special interests.

At the bottom of the shirt, write one fact about yourself that most people don't know.

The teacher might model the activity for students. For example, teacher Brenda Aspelund writes on her own T-shirt

Name:Mrs. Aspelund

One word:hard-working

Additional characteristics, interests:I like horses, love to walk, have 2 kittens and a dog, have been teaching for 3 years, used to be an actress, used to be a disc jockey, used to be a lifeguard, want to write a book of poems, love to read, love to sleep, love to dance, like to analyze dreams

Fact:a mother of 5 -- ages 1, 8 (twins), 13, and 18

When students have finished creating their shirts, have them use masking tape to tape their paper T-shirts to their actual shirts. Arrange students in small groups and have them share their shirts with group members. Then give them time to walk around the room searching for people with similar characteristics or interests. Students should ask each other questions about the information they read on their classmates' shirts. (Every student should ask at least one question of each of the other students in the class.) You might even ask them to findoneperson with whom they don't share a single characteristic or interest. Following the activity you might ask questions such as these:What did you learn from doing this activity? How many of you found someone with an interest you would like to know more about? How many of you found people with similar interests? How many of you realize that you have a talent that could be used to help others? How many of you found others who have strengths that could be helpful to you?Create a fun display by hanging kids' T-shirts from a clothesline!Brenda Aspelund, Aldrich Junior High School, Warwick, Rhode IslandDrawing StrawsBuy a package of brightly colored straws. Instruct students to pick two or three straws of different colors. When each student has straws, introduce a sheet of questions that has a specific question associated with each straw color. For example, the question that goes with the red straw might beWhat is your favorite movie, and why?The question that goes with the green straw might beWho are the members of your family?The blue-straw question might beWhat are your hobbies?Each student answers two or three questions based on the colors of their straws.Chantel Sloan, Evergreen Elementary School, Casa Grande, ArizonaIn the Spotlight ChairPlace your chair or a special chair at the front of the room. Give each student a chance to spend time in the "spotlight chair." While students are seated, their classmates get to ask them questions. You might limit the number of questions to five before it's the next person's turn to sit in the spotlight chair. You might draw this activity out throughout the day; do a few students at a time instead of all of them at one time.M. Smith, Mad River Schools, Dayton OhioWhat's in the Sack?To help children get to knowyou,take a king size pillowcase and decorate it. Put things of importance to you in the pillowcase or bag. For example, teacher Joan Kleindorfer put in her pillowcase

a bicycle helmet because she does a lot of bike riding;

some books because she loves to read;

measuring cups because she likes to cook; and

a picture of her family.

Store your pillowcase in a closet until it is time to do the activity. Then throw the pillowcase over your back and proceed to read the poem, "What's in the Sack?" by Shel Silverstein. The poem begins...

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 goose feathers? Or maybe the world's most enormous balloon?

After reading the poem, have students guess what they think is in your pillowcase. (You could even graph responses, if desired.) Then share the contents of the bag with the class. Finally, give each student a non-transparent bag. Ask them to draw pictures of the things they would put in their "pillowcases" -- things that will help you learn about their lives and interests.Joan Kleindorfer, Timbercrest Elementary School, Deltona, FloridaRecipe Card Mix-UpProvide a recipe/index card to each student. Ahead of time choose about five questions that you might ask of students. Be as creative as you want with the questions. Possible questions might include the following:

What is the title of a favorite book?

What do you like doing in your free time when you're not at school?

What is your favorite board game?

What is your favorite candy bar?

If you could request your favorite meal for your birthday, what would that meal be?

When students -- and the teacher! -- have written their answers to the questions, collect the recipe cards. Shuffle the cards. Then pass out a card to each students; be sure students do not receive their own cards. When everyone has a card, then the job of each student is to find the student in the room who belongs to the card the student holds. When everybody has found the person who wrote the answers on the card they hold, they must make sure they know how to pronounce that student's full name and that they understand everything that is written on the card. Then it is time for introductions! The teacher can begin the activity by asking the student on the card s/he holds to come to the front of the room. As that student stands by, the teacher introduces the student to the rest of the class by saying, "Class, I'd like you to meet ___. Her favorite book is ___. Her favorite board game is Please welcome ___ to our fourth grade class!" (Classmates then give the student 4 claps [for 4th grade]). The student that the teacher introduced continues the activity by calling up the student whose card he or she holds. Continue until all students have introduced someone to the class. When everyone has been introduced, take all the cards, shuffle them, and call out responses on one card at a time to see if students can remember who belongs to each card!Arlene Stoebner, Yankton School District, Yankton South DakotaGetting-to-Know-You BINGOTake digital photos of your new students on the first day of school. Display the photos one at a time. As you display a student's image, that student will stand and say his or her name. Overnight, use a photo-shop program to create a sheet with all students' pictures on it. (A good size for these images is approximately 2 inches square.) Also provide a BINGO card grid with 2-inch-square squares. Have students cut pictures and place one picture on each BINGO grid square. To play the game, show a student's picture to the entire class. As a test of name recognition, on your signal students will call out the name of the pictured student. Students look at their BINGO cards to see if they have included that student's picture on it. If it is there, they place a marker on the square. Additional ideas: You can take this activity a step farther by playing a guess-who game. Who will be the first student to mark five squares in a row? Or, instead of showing pictures, give clues such asWhose name starts with the letter A?, Which girl is wearing red today?,orWhose name starts with the sound you hear at the start of the wordboy?Sharon Tatsch, Citrus Glen Elementary School, Ventura, CaliforniaLocker MathDo your students have assigned lockers with numbers on them? Karen Lyle has her fourth graders create a math problem that, when solved, yields their locker number. The problems should help students remember their locker numbers and they should be simple and easy enough to solve in a hurry!Karen Lyle, Davenport Elementary School, Davenport, WashingtonSummer Theme SongTired of the traditional "What I Did on My Summer Vacation" writing assignment? There is anAlly McBealepisode in which Ally's psychiatrist tells her to find a "theme song" that will help her identify herself and her feelings. That episode (a clip of which might be shown to students) inspired this idea: Challenge students to choose one song that reflects their summer experience. The song must represent several thoughts or feelings they had over the entire summer. It shouldnotsimply be a reflection of yesterday or of last week. Students should choose a song that fits their personality; for example, the song might be an upbeat one or one that is more reflective or soothing. The only stipulation is that the songmust nothave any "explicit lyrics" -- lyrics that might be offensive to the teacher or a classmate. Students should submit a copy of the lyrics of the song typed on one side of a sheet of paper, including the name of the song (in quotes) and the artist. On a second sheet of paper, students will type a draft of their written explanations of why the song fits their summer experiences. Students will probably want to highlight a particular song line(s) or passage(s) with which they empathize. Their explanations should help others understand clearly why they chose the song.Bob Zogby, Pittsford Middle School, Pittsford, New YorkRumba SongThis lyrics of this "First Grade Rumba" can be changed to match the primary grade you teach. The song is a combination of claps and a repeated tune. With each new verse change the names of students you call out and change the movement you ask those students to do.

Let's do the First Grade Rumba![Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap.]Let's do the First Grade Rumba.[Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap.][Child's name], stand up! [Child's name], stand up![Child's name] and [Child's name], will you stand up?Touch your head,Put your finger on your nose.Now you may all sit down.

Let's do the First Grade Rumba! [Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap.]Let's do the First Grade Rumba! [Clap, clap, clap, clap, clap.][Child's name], stand up! [Child's name], stand up![Child's name] and [Child's name], will you stand up?Touch your hipsand smack your lips.Now you may all sit down!

Continue with the song. Be sure to include all students' names in it.Kim Cooper, Putnam County Elementary School, Eatonton, GeorgiaTime CapsuleOn the first day of school, create a time capsule that will be opened on the last day of school. Provide each student with a toilet paper tube. Give students time to decorate their tubes with their names and drawings. Then provide to students a question sheet that includes questions such asWhat is your favorite television program?andWhat is your favorite sport?In addition, take a photo of each child, record their height, and have students trace one of their hands. Put all of those things inside the tube and put the students' tubes inside a time capsule. At the end of the year, provide a question sheet identical to the one you provided on the first day of school. Have students complete the sheet before opening the time capsules they created on the first day of school. Once they've opened their capsules, they can compare their answers and do the math to figure out how much growth has occurred. If the students are young, the teacher will do the measuring; that provides an opportunity for the teacher to have some one-on-one time with each child.Mary Orwin, Warrendale Academy, Detroit, Michigan

22

Icebreakers Volume 10: Back-to-School Activities

Most teachers use an icebreaker activity or two to get to know their students at the start of the school year. That's why, each year, Education World provides a forum for teachers to share their favorite ideas. Following are more than a dozen new teacher-tested icebreaker activities.Included: Links to more than 100 additional icebreakers!So what are you doing to break the ice this year?

Will you take a close-up digital photo of each student, enlarge the images, and create a "classmate collage?"

Maybe you'll have students trace their (right!) shoe, cut out the shoe shape, and write a personal goal for the year on it. Students then can decorate their shoes in unique ways, and you can display them on the bulletin board under the headlineStarting the Year on the Right Foot! How about creating strips of paper with cliches or common expressions written on them? For example, one strip might sayThat's the way the -- cookie crumbles.Another might sayChew the -- fat.Cut each strip in an appropriate place (indicated by the --) and give each student half a strip. Students must find the classmate with the matching strip. They will havefunas they try to piece together the expressions. Some expressions that don't quite work -- such asChew the cookie crumbles-- might bring a smile. When students find their partners, have them interview each other.

How about afunsentence-writing activity? Arrange students in groups of five, and provide each group with a piece of paper and a pencil. (Only one pencil per group!) One student in the group starts a sentence by writing a word. The next student adds a word. The third student adds another word. Oh, there is one rule:Absolutely no talking is allowed during this activity!Which group writes the best sentence? Repeat the activity several times. Do sentences get better with each attempt?

MORE TEACHER-TESTED ICEBREAKERS!Something's Not Right.On the first day of school, before students arrive, arrange five things in the room in an unusual way. The unusual arrangements can range from the very obvious to the very discrete. For example, you might put one desk upside down, put one of the alphabet cards above the blackboard in the wrong place, misspell a word on the bulletin board, and so on. Arrange students into pairs and challenge them to find the five things in the classroom that aren't right. This icebreaker is a good activity for teaching observation skills any day of the year.Cynthia Rivera, Adams Hill Elementary School, San Antonio, TexasStill looking for more ideas? Don't forget our archive ofmore than 150 icebreaker activities.

Adjective Activity.You might use this getting-to-know-you activity in language arts classes. Each student must think of an adjective that begins with the same letter as his or her name (first or last) and that also describes apositivequality he or she has; for example, musical Maddox. If a student is stumped, other students can offer suggestions. (It's amazing to see how well they know one another.) The activity reinforces -- in a way students remember -- that adjectives are words that describe.Vicki Maddox, Desoto Central Middle School, Southaven, MississippiUgly Words Are Out!As you discuss classroom expectations, introduce the idea that "ugly words" have no place in your classroom. Ask students what they think you mean by "ugly words." Then have the class generate a list of words that might be found on an ugly-word list, and write the words on a piece of chart paper. (Explain to students that any word that is considered a swear word would definitely be on the ugly-word list, so there is no need to mention them. Point out that the same is true for such words asdummy, jerk, dork, geek, hate,orugly.) You might start the list with the word "can't." What about the wordquit?Go around the room and give each student an opportunity to add an ugly word to the list. When you are satisfied that the students' supply of ugly words has run dry, dramatically rip the chart paper off the pad, let it fall to the floor, and stomp all over it. Next, rip it up and crush it into a ball. Finally, get a shovel, take students outside, and ceremoniouslyburythe list of ugly words! This activity actually works! It has an impact; students remember the ugly words that will not be accepted in class.Becci Motes, Kelley-Smith Elementary School, Palatka, FloridaMrs. Pizza.Arrange students into a circle. AskWho did not eat breakfast this morning?Usually at least one student has not eaten. Then ask,Who wishes they hadn't eaten breakfast?That question usually encourages at least one student to begin the fun. Have that student say his or her name and tell the craziest thing s/he ever ate for breakfast. Continue around the circle; have each successive student tell what his or her craziest breakfast consisted of. In addition, each student must say the name of each previous student and tell what that person's craziest breakfast was. You go last; list every student by name and describe their most unusual breakfast. After that, for at least the first week of school, use students' "crazy breakfast" item to help their classmates remember their names. For example, Jenny ate cold salmon so you might refer to her as "Miss Jennifer Salmon." The kids love it, but beware -- they might call you Mrs. Pizza all year long!Gail Nagy, East Hills Middle School, Bethlehem, PennsylvaniaT-shirt Day.This idea is a good one to introduce on the first day of class: Ask students to bring their favorite T-shirt to school on a particular day. On that day, hold a t-shirt parade, complete with marching music. When the parade is over, lead the way by explaining why your t-shirt is special to you. Then, have students tell about their shirt: where they got it, how long they've had it, and why it's their favorite. Students might bring in a t-shirts they wore as a baby, a t-shirt from a very special vacation, a t-shirts that was given as a gift, a t-shirt that was worn in a competition, and so on. The activity is a lot of fun and a quick and easy way to learn something about each student. You might extend the activity by having each student write an account of the occasion or event from the t-shirt's perspective. At open house, string several clotheslines across the room and hang the shirts and the students' stories on them. The display makes a quick and colorful room decoration, and introduces parents to their child's writing portfolio, which includes the t-shirt story as the first entry.Gail Nagy, East Hills Middle School, Bethlehem, PennsylvaniaandJudith McMasters, Bishop Kelley High School, Tulsa, OklahomaQuestionnaire Quilt.Provide each student with a questionnaire on which the questions elicit information about the students as individuals. Then have students use the information on the questionnaires to write a brief biographical paragraph about themselves. When the paragraphs are completed, provide each student with a different lightly- or brightly-colored square of construction paper or card stock, and ask them to decorate the square with symbols representing themselves. (Tell them to leave empty a 2-inch square space in the center of the square; they will mount their photo in that small square.) As students decorate their squares, wander around the room taking each student's picture. Glue the picture in the center of the student's square. Then glue all the squares together to create a "quilt." Add small black strips to make a border between the squares and a frame around the quilt. Type students' paragraphs and glue them around the frame. Display the quilt in the hallway. Or you might type students' paragraphs on white squares and make the quilt using alternate colored and white squares. In that case, be sure each student's quilt square is adjacent to his or her paragraph.Bonnie M. Ragas, Riverside Elementary School, Pearl River, LouisianaA Year-long Quilt.Start this project on the first day of school and extend it throughout the school year. Begin by having students brainstorm their interests and hobbies and write them on a piece of paper. Then give each student a piece of white construction paper (For younger students, you might write their names in the middle of the sheet.) and have them make a quilt panel that displays memories of the summer, symbols of their favorite hobbies and interests, drawings of family members, and so on. Mount the student pages on colored construction paper and put them together to form a "quilt." Encourage students to add to their quilt panel as the year goes on. Making a yearlong class quilt is a great way to learn about your students' interests and it provides them with an opportunity to show off all year long.Rebeccah Hughes, Chapel District Elementary School, Cordova, MarylandPassing Notes in Class.Arrange students into pairs. If a student doesn't have a partner, that student can partner with you. Explain to students that they are going to write notes to their partners. (Students love this idea; it is something they are seldom encouraged to do!) Inform them that this note-writing activity has a couple of rules. First, they are not allowed to ask any questions in their notes; the purpose of the activity is to learn as much as possible about the other student without asking questions. The other rule is that they cannot talk. That makes the activity harder, and students enjoy the challenge. Remind students that the best way to learn about someone else is to tell them things about yourself. Emphasize that it is easy to learn about others if you listen to what they say; in this case, students must "listen" to their partner'swrittenwords. Continue the activity for 15 to 30 minutes, depending on students' interest level and attention span. When the activity has run its course, stop the note writing and have each student introduce his or her partner to the class based on information learned from the note-writing. This activity usually results in lots of giggles; it's a great way to break the ice.Jennifer Muscillo, Roosevelt Elementary School, Eastpointe, MichiganWhat's in a Name?This activity requires little preparation, but students really enjoy it! Write each student's name and the meaning of his or her name on a piece of paper, one piece per student. (You will need access to a Web site and/or a book that provides the meanings of people's names. Baby name books are great! Web sites such asBaby Names and OriginsorParenthood.com Baby Name Searchalso will be helpful.) When students arrive, pass out the prepared papers, and have each student write a page or so about whether or not the meaning of the name reflects his or her personality. For example, the name Megan meansstrong, able.If Megan is one of your students, she would write a brief essay explaining whether or not the definition of her name accurately describes her. Be sure to stress that students should give examples to support their positions. When students complete their essays, have them draw pictures to illustrate them. Students also might present their work to the class.Julie Kalil, Lifelong Learning Centre (High School), Cornwall, Ontario (Canada)First "Homework Assignment."Giving students a writing assignment on the first day of school is a great way to quickly learn about your students' writing ability. To set up the activity, talk about homework and the important role it will play during the school year. Ask students to write a persuasive essay in which they tell you how much homework they think you should give them. Before they begin, provide some hints about ways to convince someone of something. (If you are looking for some ideas, you can find them on the Web pageWriting Persuasive/Argumentative Essays.) Encourage students to be creative and persuasive in their arguments!Christine Warnick, St. Elizabeth Seton School, Rochester, New HampshireInstant Survey.This activity utilizes technology that most teachers might not have access to, but it can be adapted for use without technology. If you have the Classroom Performance System (available fromeInstruction), you can set up a survey that can be tabulated immediately. (The system works similar to the Ask the Audience questions on the TV game show Who Wants to be a Millionaire? Each student has a remote control. The teacher uses a computer screen projector, the software, and the Classroom Performance System.) Ask questions such asWhat kind of writer you think you are?Provide response choices -- for example, a very creative writer, a better than average writer, an average writer. Each student punches in his or her response and the system reveals the results. Teachers have immediate feedback about students' personal lives, their skills, or any other topic they might query. Of course this activity could be done without the technology, but the tool is an engaging one that can be used in class in many ways.Amy Heinsma, Windsor Middle School, Windsor, ColoradoSummer Memories.Instead of having students write about what they did during summer vacation, you might have them write a thank you letter to the person who was responsible for caring for them during the summer. That person might be a parent, a neighbor, a camp counselorAnnamarie Doherty, Rickmansworth, Hertfordshire (England)Puzzling Welcome.Prior to the first day of school, lay out as many pieces of white construction paper as you have students. Place them side-by-side on the floor in a large rectangle (25 students = a 5 by 5-sheet layout). Use a large black permanent marker to write "Success begins here!" and other encouraging quotes across the grid. (If you have a class motto, this might be a fun way to introduce it to students.) Write in large, bold outline or bubble letters. Make sure letters cross over onto adjacent squares so no child gets a complete letter. Shuffle the papers and hand each student one sheet of the grid. At this point, the students might not even know that the strange designs they see are parts of letters! Instruct students to completely fill in all areas of their paper with marker. Each space must be filled in in a different way; no space can be left white. When students are done, collect the sheets. You might laminate them overnight. The next day, challenge students to figure out how the sheets fit together to make a message. You might lay them all out in the hall and let students gather around them to find how patterns fit together. Eventually, they see that one sheet connects at some point with another, and sooner or later they get the paper puzzle assembled. Number the back of each sheet and re-assemble the message on the hallway wall as a bright and colorful message to the rest of the school.Suzi Furtwangler, St. Thomas the Apostle School, Grand Rapids, MichiganSmell Me.To prepare for this activity, collect enough empty film canisters so you have one for every two students in the class and one for yourself. Gather a variety of liquid with identifiable scents -- lemon juice, vanilla extract, vinegar, lavender, rubbing alcohol, and so on. The day before the activity, place two cotton balls in each canister and add a few drops of scent -- a different scent in each canister. Put the lids on the canisters, stick a small piece of masking tape on the tops and bottoms, and mark each piece of tape with a letter on the top and a number on the bottom. Make a key showing the number/letter code and corresponding scent. The next day, arrange students into two groups. Give one group the canister lids and the other the canisters. Students must walk -- or sniff -- their way around the class room to find the odor that matches their own. When students think they have found a match, verify that they are correct. Can they correctly identify the scent? (Do not tell them yet whether they are right or wrong.) Then students sit down with their partners and ask questions to learn about one another. After students have had time to talk, each introduces his or her partner to the class. Finally, they reveal to the rest of the students the scent that brought them together; you reveal whether they are correct.Elie Nicewonger, Weeksville Elementary School, Elizabeth City, North Carolina

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