The first days of school can cause a "brain drain" for students and teachers. Once the rules and regulations have been covered, it might be time for some fun and games.
The first days of middle school can be overwhelming, whether one teaches sixth, seventh, or eighth grade. Locker combinations, class rules, supply lists, seating charts, new faces, different schedules. Those are just a few of the things encountered in the first few class periods together. Policies, procedures, expectations, and issues all need to be addressed early and often in the first few days of school so that classroom management is established right off the bat and classes can run as effectively and efficiently as possible. However, both students and teachers may find that they need a break from the lists of do's and don'ts. They may need to actually have some fun the first few days [don't tell Harry Wong].
Below is a list of 15 different websites that provide various activities for the beginning of the school year. Some sites have a few; several sites have lots and lots. Many of the activities can be applied to different age groups, subject matters, and class sizes. From getting to know you games to ice breakers to standards-based lessons-they can be found here. Teachers will need to tweak as they see fit. Plenty of the lessons can even be applied at later times in the school year and incorporated into units and activities already established. Every middle school teacher should be able to find an idea or two that will help them breathe a bit easier before the first bell rings this year.
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