Thursday, July 17, 2014

First Day Planning

Yesterday, a teacher friend texted me something important:



Yikes!

Also, yesterday, my 2nd grade team got together. These three people are going to help this be a Great Year! I just know it! 

Somehow, I've become the teacher who's been around the longest - wow, how'd that happen? And my male co-teacher, who's been here two or three years. And a sweet gal who's moving up from 1st. And a newbie gal, who seems to be on top of things. 

So we met and got acquainted a bit and shared some ideas - and suddenly two hours had passed. How does that happen! 

But this all adds up to - - - I need to start doing some serious thinking about the first of the year. 

So yesterday afternoon, I got out some of my PD books I meant to read - - - and decided to watch Netflix with my daughter.

So this morning, I decided I'm super serious. And that's when the panic set in. 

Let me tell you that my whole goal in life for the first day of school is to have 1 - that's all, just one - activity that lets my kids go home and tell the grown up at their house this is going to be a great year. Or this was so much fun. Or I'm going to like 2nd grade. Or some variation on those. 

I have struggled mightily with this.

And as I was looking at Pinterest, and TpT, and just flat out googling - ack! Heart Palpitations. 

Why is this so hard? 

I tell myself - I'm smart. I'm creative. I can do this! {But still....}

I've done Sunny Days' necklace idea - with various tweaks and wasn't sure I wanted to do that again. {But after looking at it again, maybe I do.}

My co-teacher had an idea to read "Where the Wild Things Are" and have groups cooperatively make monsters. But I have to say, I LOVE "Where the Wild Things Are" but I'm not sure it's the tone I want to set on the first day of school. 

So, just brainstorming here with you all - I have "There's a Monster at the End of the Book" with Grover from Sesame Street on my iPad. I thought I could do that {it's narrated and animated} and maybe let them make monsters. And then a little brainstorm came to me, I could get my scrap box out, because it really seems like kids love using scraps from my scrap box. 

OK, so I'm seriously asking for help.

Please don't let me be like Calvin! What great activity do you do on the first day of school?



12 comments:

  1. If my head were in school right now, I'd share but I honestly can't even envision the first day of school at this point. You'll come up with something memorable!

    ❀ Tammy
    Forever in First

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    1. Thanks, thanks for the help - lol. However I was snooping around on your blog and saw your David picture that might go along with Kelly's idea that she put in the comments. Hmmm, maybe??
      Sara

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  2. Ha! You made me laugh! I'm so bad at 'fun' that first day. I like how you are just shooting for one, maybe I can do that. I'm thinking of a classroom scavenger hunt so they have to get figure out where things are and come up with questions???

    Crystal

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    1. My sights are pretty low - lol. I like the classroom scavenger hunt - I've done something similar on Open House night. But yeah, if I can just get past the first day, I'm off and running!
      Sara

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  3. When I taught 1st, I loved doing the David goes to school activity. the kids make a David and write down a classroom rule. It was a freebie I found somewhere, if your interested I'll look for it. I also like reading Chrysanthemum. DeAnne @ First Grade and Fabulous had a cute flower glyph that was about age, number of letters in their name. It would be easy to amp it up a bit for 2nd grade, maybe include a writing. I feel your pain, I don't know what to expect the first day of school. I am guessing that I will have my own kids all day, but I'm not really sure so it is hard to know how long to plan for. I feel like Calvin too. :p
    Kelly
    I'm Not Your Grandpa, I'm Your Teacher

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    1. Tammy form Forever in 1st had a how to draw David on her blog - I could do that! I do like chrysanthemum too - I usually read that at the beginning of the year, too. Thanks for the ideas!
      Sara

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  4. There's a great book called "Wow! School" that I used when I taught 1st... it's more of a tour of the school. We read it, took a tour, and then came back to write and draw about our own school- I have a freebie for it somewhere on my blog! :)

    Christina
    *Bunting, Books, and Bright Ideas*

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    1. Oh, I like - a mapping activity combined with a tour! That would definitely work. And I'm snoopy enough to find it on your blog - lol! Thanks for the idea!
      Sara

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  5. I am FAR from a great idea, but I just wanted to say I love this post. My "Back to School" dreams have started up again. I mean, nightmares. Good luck!

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    1. Oh, I spent another day not doing school stuff. Well, I did head to Target and bought some school stuff - does that count??
      I do think my friend have given me some help - feel free to borrow! Sara

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  6. I love that I can read this and get some ideas. :) Never once did I think about having something go home that first day--Now I want to make it a good day for sure!
    Alyce

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    1. If you come up with something cool, be sure to share!
      Sara

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