Inspired by Jodie Deinhammer's first day stations, I knew I wanted to provide my students the opportunity to share about themselves, contribute to our classroom environment, and ease into the first day of school. After answering the most pressing questions on the minds of my 5th graders (How old are you? Have you seen The Minecraft Movie? Are you a Swiftie?) and sharing a brief introduction about myself on day one, I moved on to the stations.
Station 1: Class Playlist
My students were very excited to contribute to our class playlist! They wrote the names of songs and the artist if they were able to remember. My plan is to use this during brain breaks and transition times.
Station 2: Emoji Making
Thanks to the die cut machine in the teacher's workroom at my school, I was able to quickly create plenty of bright yellow paper circles to be used to create emojis. These are a few of the emojis to represent how my students feel about my class so far:
Station 3: Hopes & Dreams
Little did I know, the Hopes & Dreams station would produce a very clear message from the hearts and minds of quite a few of my students. They hope they get to pick their own seats!
Station 4: I'm So Glad!
It was very clear to read: being nice matters to my students.
Station 5: Connections
This station sparked conversation amongst my students when they found out so much about each other!
Station 6: You're an Amazing Person!
My students shared about their skills and hobbies, like playing basketball, fishing, and volunteering. I'm so glad I asked them what they are really good at!
Station 7: What do you want to learn about?
My students struggled to name something they wanted to learn more about, beyond the scope of my class. I hope I can keep this hope alive!
What do you do with your students on the first day? I am so thankful Jodie shared this idea with me!
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