Back to School!

It is that time of year again! We are all getting back into the swing of a schedule (which means lots of coffee for me)!

From my experience, those first few days of middle school can be tough for some students. I have tried many things for those first days. I always give a quick overview of my Rules and Procedures just so they know "how I roll" in my classroom. I use my First Day PowerPoint (which is editable!) to quickly explain. The students will learn about these more in depth as the days come.

I really like getting to know my students and I think that building relationships is one of the most important things for teachers to remember! From my experience, my students do not want to be called out to “tell me something about yourself”. You are definitely going to get a look from your students. (Think a Deer in Headlights!) My students want to catch up with friends they may not have seen or talked to over the summer.

I use interactive notebooks in my classroom so I give my students a Math All About Me organizer! I print these 2 to a page so they can easily be cut in half and glued as their first page in their notebooks. If you use a 3-ring binder, you could also print these and they can be hole-punched and placed as the first page. You could also have student slide them into the protective sleeve. Students will basically come up with math facts about themselves. Some examples are: I have 3 dogs, My favorite number is 11, I am 12 years old, My football number is 8, I have visited 10 states, I’ve killed 4 deer, etc. You’d be surprised what students will come up with! 
If you feel your students may struggle coming up with what to write, I have included a version with prompts! There is a black and white version as well as in color. 
I love having students complete this on day 1 while giving them the opportunity to talk quietly with their peers. I always do one with my students as well. It’s fun to see what changes you have in your own life! Stay tuned for a post about how I use my Back to School Task Cards to get to know my students better. 

Click here to get this activity for your classroom! Happy First Day of School!