First Day Plans

So the first day of school is right around the corner, huh? Ah! The excitement....the anticipation.....the fear is setting in, isn't it?! Hahaha!!! It's really ok! We've all been there. The first day of school produces a myriad of emotions. Many times we are bummed about summer being over. But we are all excited for the new beginnings that a new school year brings! So - what are you going to do on the first day of school? Here is the plan that I have used for years (yes I've made tweaks). It seems to work for me. I love getting to sneak a peek at others' plans because, even if I don't follow them, they help me think about what it is that I will actually do in my own classroom. So, I thought I'd let you see my FIRST DAY PLANS! duh da duh!!!! And I will tell you that I literally use these plans word for word (although like any teacher there are times when I have to make adjustments). Each year brings a new crop of critters and sometimes their attention spans are longer or shorter...But regardless, I use very specific, detailed plans for the first couple weeks of school until I get back in my "groove"! :) Do what feels right for you! Of and be very leary of teachers that tell you they just "fly by the seat of their pants". Obviously good execution takes good planning. :)  

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First Day Schedule Layout:

Playing Dora music as kids start coming in....(it helps make those new kinders feel a little more at ease :).

7:40-8:20ish - Kids and parents come in and find backpack hook, go to their table spot, and play with play dough. Parents are good at helping them get stuff put away and getting the play dough out. Sometimes, I leave coloring pages and crayons at the tables instead.

Ask parents:

*How they go home - I have parents actually put the tags on their backpacks (one less thing for me to do and less chance of me messing up)

*Lunch - I need their lunch money or place their lunchbox on the lunchbox table.

8:30ish - Teach the students how to come to the carpet. Then, have them come to carpet (some kids may be slow to clean - play powervideo video - Franklin Goes to School - first day fears for ones at carpet until we all get there). Introduce yourself and tell them you will learn lots of new things today in kinder.

Practice a few times how to go from table spot to carpet spot. Praise a good job and raise clips. (I am simply letting them see me move clips up - I haven't explain why yet).

8:45ish - send kids back to tables ......teach children bathroom procedures (in small groups) while others at their table coloring (use community tubs).

9:00-9:30 - Boys and Girls, we are going to learn something new called Marshamallow Mouth and Toes. Do you know what a marshmallow mouth is or what marshmallow toes are? (Of course they think that's hilarious - laugh with them). Show kids a bag of chips. Who likes chips? Give them a chip or 2 to eat....Listen. Does it make a lot of noise when you eat chips? Crunch Crunch (emphasize the noise). Show marshmallows. Who likes marshmallows? Do you think they will make a lot of noise or not a lot of noise? Give them each a big marshmallow. Listen. Discuss the difference.

When we leave our classroom to go somewhere like the lunchroom we will use marshmallow mouths and toes. I’m going to pretend to put a big marshmallow in my mouth. Do you think I will be making lots of noise or not? What if I put marshmallows on my toes? Would my feet make lots of noise or not?

Use marshmallow toes poem. Teach kids how to line up at the door. Remind them to put a marshmallow in their mouth and on their toes. Practice a few times. Teach marshmallow mouth and toes (do actions). Walk to cafe and teach how to get tray.

9:45 -10:15- Return to class (at seats, arms folded and heads down). Call kids to carpet by table - teach calendar procedure. use counting HeidiDVD (#1 and #2 songs and counting to 100 song)

10:15-10:30 - Read Pete’ Rocking in His School Shoes. Read and let kids show off their new shoes. Later on play video.

LUNCH/RECESS - Before you leave room check to make sure you aren’t leaving any lunch boxes. Make sure to have kids wear orange bracelets or name tags on way to lunch...easy to identify on playground. Make sure to teach kids signal to line up.

P.E. - have kids wear badges so they are easily identified (for you and P.E. teacher).

12:15 Return to room (arms folded, head down) Practice coming to carpet. *Read No David - but just enjoy, no talk of rules yet. Be sure to use clip chart alot for positive reinforcement.....you want them to like the clip chart. No one clips down the first day. They all go home with a certificate celebrating their first great day even if it wasn't really so great. :)

12:30- 1:00 - Table Centers. Boys and Girls we are going to learn something new now. We are going to learn how to do table centers. On carpet show kids the 4 or 5 table centers we will do (legos, playdo, lacing letters, or inside recess items). Demo what we can/cannot do with them. We can do this......We cannot eat them or throw them. We must share and keep them on the table. Return to tables (arms folded, head down)..... Begin centers. If a child throws or refuses to share - they automatically go to carpet spot and put head down - NO WARNINGS. When you rotate the tubs after about 15 minutes - you rotate tubs, not kids....kids stay at their tables and get new table center. If a child had to sit out - they may go back to table and try again.

During centers, I will call kids in hallways to take 1st day photo( I’ll use for center cards).

1:00-1:20 Word Wall - Sing regular ABC song and then teach the Alphabet chant. You will be doing this by yourself as they stare at you. Introduce the www “I”.

Phonics - Queen of the Day (me) - introduce my name on the name board (make my name)

  1. write name on sentence strip

  2. read and spell name

  3. cut apart and fix - use the name that’s not cut to match and check the one you are putting together

  4. kids do

  5. Rainbow write first letter

1:20-2:00 Writer’s Workshop - Model me drawing a picture and writing my name. --no writing, picture only. Kids will do this. If I can, I will begin testing kids’ letter id. If they can write their name have them do that... Don’t worry if kids fall asleep. :)

2:00 - Begin End of Day Procedure. Teach how to use behavior chart -  send all back to seat and color with green. Teach how to slide in folder. Get Backpacks and double check how we go home chart.

If I run out of something to do:

*read a book

*teach a song (pinterest - first week of school)

*do math tubs

*color bubble names

*inside recess games

*handprint puzzles

*Show alphatub toys under Elmo - we name the object

Math Tubs - Teach about unifix cubes. What they are called? (getting that vocabulary for the manipulatives - they need to know their names). What we can do with them/cannot do with them? Kids spend time exploring unifix cubes. Come back to carpet and discuss what you built or did with the unifix cubes.

In the end -- if all student get fed and sent home the correct way - it will be a SPECTACULAR SUCCESS! Breathe deep, stop by your favorite fast food place, go home and sit in the quiet and eat! Everything else can wait!! :)