- A traditional activity for the first week of school is to have children recount how they spent their summer vacation. This idea works for all elementary age groups and can be modified based on the ability of the students. For the youngest children, have them draw and color pictures on plain white paper to illustrate what they enjoyed about the summer. Older students can write an essay during the first week that explains what summer meant to them. To enhance the project, you can have students write a summary in addition to the longer assignment and present it in front of the class at the end of the first week.
- To get students learning about one another, and helping new students get accustomed to those who may have been friends for many years, you can have a question and answer session moderated by the teacher. Put all students' names in a hat and draw names one at a time. The chosen student walks to the front of the classroom and you allow seated students to draw prewritten questions from a different hat. Make sure to ask questions that generate conversation such as "Do you have any pets?," "Did you go anywhere special during summer break?" and "Do you have any brothers or sisters?" Make sure all students get a chance to ask and be asked questions. Target questions to suit the interests of middle school children and incorporate some topics covering current events and popular culture. Additional ideas for questions include, "Did you attend a concert this summer?," "Did you babysit or have some other summer job?"
- Keeping a journal is a way in which students can keep a running log of what they think, feel and believe. Though parameters need to be set, especially for older students, you can use the task of journal writing starting from day one. Introduce the journal idea on the first day of school and have students start writing immediately. Give prompts for what to write about such as "Write in your journal the first thoughts you had when you entered this classroom for the first time." You should gather journals at the end of every class session or school day and hand them back out during the assigned journal-writing period for each day. Make sure to review journal entries for appropriate content and consult with school counselors if need be as high school is yet another transitional time for kids.
- A new school year means a new group of students will be working and learning together. To get relationships off to a good start, use teamwork and team-building activities during the first week to assess which students pair well with one another. Start by having the entire class write down the top three things they want to learn in your class during the upcoming year. Compare all answers and match up students based upon their wishes. You can then have each smaller group work on a picture board or essay listing what they already know about the chosen topic and what things they want to learn more about. This lesson will have students talking and interacting with one another, helping to break down barriers associated with meeting new people. This activity can be modified to suit all ages, from elementary school right on through to high school.