Wake Up to the First Day of School!

Did you get a good night's sleep? Did you have a healthy breakfast? Are you ready for your FIRST DAY? Here's how we begin our fabulous first grade year!

It's 8:40...the children will begin coming down to the classroom in five minutes. I know how they're feeling...I'm feeling it too! I stand at my door, class list in hand, enjoying the last moments of QUIET!

At 8:45, that quiet ENDS! The hallway is filled with pounding feet, excited voices and a few sobs as well. In our district, the buses begin dropping students off at 8:45 and continue to do so until 9:00, so the children come in a few at a time, which gives me a chance to say hello, check them off on my list, make sure the bus info on their nametag matches my bus info and direct them to put their backpacks on their desks (no unpacking yet) and then to go to the carpet, where I've set out some manipulatives to use while we wait for everyone to arrive. Usually on the first few days, I don't have all my students until approximately 9:15, so they play and talk with one another on the carpet, as I greet the children at the doorway.

Once everyone has arrived, I ring my bell and ask them what they think it means...most guess cleanup time, and they are right! I show them where to put the manipulatives baskets and then we gather on the carpet. I give my first speech of the school year, welcoming them to the classroom and listening to those who wish to share something with us. I usually take that time to teach them our first song (of many!) which is "Hello Everybody." I have the song written on a large chart...I know that most of them will not be able to read it, but I will be able to see who can follow the print. I also have the title of the song written on an index card, and I place it in a basket. This basket will soon fill with song cards...each day, after I ring the bell to clean up, the first thing we do is have the song chooser choose a song card from this basket...it's a nice and happy way to start each day!

After our song, the students go back to their desks, where their backpacks have been waiting. This next part of the morning is difficult but VERY essential to me in terms of establishing my procedures and routines. I direct everyone to empty their backpacks and leave all on top of their desks until they are called. Then I show them our "name sticks." I have each child's name written on a colored craft stick and we use these to take attendance and lunch count. I remove ONE child's stick and show him/her how to put the stick in a coffee can if he/she is bringing lunch. If he/she is buying, I demonstrate how to place the stick in one of the colored baskets that indicate their lunch choice. Then that child is directed to put his/her lunchbox away, or his/her lunch money in the colored basket. Then that ONE child returns to the desk, gives all papers in his/her folder to me, and puts the folder in the desk. Then he/she puts the snack in the snack basket, then finally, goes to the closet to hang up the backpack and a jacket. WHEW!

While this child is doing all of the jobs, everyone else is encouraged to watch...it's slow-going, but I found having everyone unpack and put things away at once was just too overwhelming for most, and I was innundated with "What do I do with this?" and other questions! After the first child is finished, I call another, and we all watch him/her complete the jobs. Then I may call two students to do it simulanteously, and depending on the class, maybe even three.

This takes quite a bit of time but I do feel that it is worth it. The children can talk at their desks quietly, but I am giving a running commentary during the procedures that they usually find quite funny so they often stay tuned in!

Once that arduous but important task is finished, the rest of the day may take any shape or form, depending on the children. I usually at this point read a first day of school story, such as "Timothy Goes to School" by Wells or "Amanda's First Day of School," a cute old Golden book. Then I introduce another song which involves movement. We call it the "First Grade March" and it can be found on the back-to-school section of Victoria Smith's www.kinderkorner.com site. After I introduce it to them, of course we sing it a few more times marching and chanting around the room!

The first "work" of the day is always what I call their "first FIRST grade work." I simply give them a sheet of lined paper and direct them to write their names and the alphabet on one side and their numbers through 20 (if they can) on the other side. I tell them that I will save these ALL YEAR and we'll do it again on the last day of school and compare (great activity!) This gives me a chance to see their work habits, approach to writing, knowledge of the alphabet and so much more. They can use the alphabet on their desk tag as a model or one of the many alphabet friezes and charts in the room.

Believe it or not, this fills up most of our morning! We eat lunch at 11:00, so if there is any time left at all, they may have a little bit of time with the manipulatives again, or I may allow them to use the Play-doh, pattern blocks or building fish at their desk. Of course, I may gather them on the carpet for another story, such as "First Day Jitters" or "Who Took the Cookies from The Cookie Jar?" This is a good game to play after reading the story, as we use it for learning one another's names.

After lunch and recess, which end at 12:00, I read "Mary Wore a Red Dress" and we do two Math Journal questions, which read something like "Ben wore blue jeans. He had two pockets. In one pocket he had one piece of bubblegum and in the other he had 2 pieces. How many pieces of gum did he have altogether? We draw the picture and I see if anyone can come up with number sentence to illustrate that story (usually someone can.) If not, I write 1+2=3 on the board. We do TONS of these journal questions throughout the year, and they are kept in a folder in their desks.

After reading the story again, the children complete a page for our first class book. I write down clothing words on the board with a simple picture (I'm no artist!) next to it. Then they fill out a page that says "_______(their name) wore a _____ (color word) _______ (clothes word) on the first day of school. I draw a little circle next to the line where they'll write their name, a little heart next to the color word line and a triangle next to the clothes word line. We do this page TOGETHER and I take them through it step-by-step. It really shows me who can follow directions, follow the printed word, copy desired words in the correct place, and more. Of course, if someone wants to write a word not on the color word list or clothes word list, they are encouraged to use temporary spelling. Afterwards, they illustrate, and I staple the pages together with a premade cover and VOILA! our first class book of first grade!

After all of that hard work, the children have a little free time. I introduce certain areas of the classroom that are relatively self-explanatory, such as the wooden blocks, sand box, writing table and manipulative shelf.

At 1:20 the children go to their related arts class and return at 2:10, when they have snack at their desks.

At about 2:30, I gather them again on the carpet for another first day story and we complete a very short booklet called "My First Day of First Grade." Essentially it is a read-together booklet that they illustrate, with sentences such as "This is my bus" and "This is my teacher" and "This is my friend." I read it to them, then they read aloud, and I can scan the room to see who is following the print, who is on the correct page, and maybe who can read it on his/her own (there are always a few!).

After they've illustrated each page, I show them how to put it in their Take Home Folder (one they've brought from home and placed in their desk in the morning) and I instruct them on our packing up procedures. Of course, on the first day, this takes some time as well, so I be sure to leave plenty of time to do this before the bell rings. If we finish early, we can always read another story, learn another song or play another round of "Who Took the Cookies?"

Dismissal is at 3:15, and it goes very slowly during the first days of school, since every child is escorted to his/her bus. But they all get home safely, and I'm sure have lots to share with their families. As for me, I'm BEAT and usually pretty hoarse, too! But we'll all be back the next day...and the next and the next!

I hope this gave you some insight on just one way to begin the first grade year. As you can see, I do NO theme work during the first day (or the next several). I take time to concentrate on procedures and routines. On the second day of school we read "Monster Makes a Rule" and we generate our own list of rules and I introduce my Turn A Card behavior chart described elsewhere on this site.

I take it very slowly during the first few days but by the fourth day they are ready to soar...I just hope I can keep up with them!

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