Introduction:
The first week of school can be an exciting and daunting experience for middle school students. To help ease the transition and foster a welcoming environment, here are 24 engaging and educational activities to kick off the school year.
1.Classroom Scavenger Hunt – Have students explore the classroom to learn where important items and resources are located.
2.Time Capsule – Students create a time capsule with personal items or letters that will be opened at the end of the year.
3.Personal Goal Setting – Encourage students to set goals for themselves in their academics, extracurricular activities, and personal growth.
4.Class Contract – Collaboratively develop a list of classroom expectations that everyone will follow throughout the year.
5.Icebreaker Bingo – Create bingo cards with different descriptions, such as “has a pet” or “plays an instrument.” Students mingle and find classmates who match these descriptions to fill their cards.
6.Two Truths and a Lie – Have each student share two true statements and one false statement about themselves while classmates guess which one is the lie.
7.Get-To-Know-You Interviews – Pair students up to interview each other about their interests, summer highlights, and goals for the school year.
8.Growth Mindset Lesson – Teach students about the importance of developing a growth mindset in order to succeed academically and in life.
9.Team Building Games – Play games like “Human Knot” or “Balloon Tower” to foster teamwork and collaboration skills among classmates.
10.Book Tasting Activity – Introduce students to new books by setting up a “book tasting” where they can sample different genres and titles.
11.Memory Wall – Have students post memorable moments from their summer vacations on a class bulletin board.
12.Student Surveys – Conduct surveys to learn about your students’ learning styles, strengths, and areas for improvement.
13.Create Class Mascot – Have the class collaborate on designing and naming a class mascot to represent them throughout the year.
14.Class Art Project – Work together on an art project that symbolizes unity and cooperation, such as a mural or quilt.
15.Math About Me – Students create a personal “Math About Me” poster that incorporates numerical facts about their lives.
16.Reading Recommendations – Encourage students to share book recommendations with their peers by creating a classroom library display.
17.Collaboration Stations – Set up stations where students can work together on problem-solving tasks or creative challenges.
18.Science Experiments – Conduct engaging science experiments demonstrating scientific concepts that will be explored throughout the year.
19.All About Me Bag – Students decorate paper bags and fill them with items that represent their interests and personalities to share with the class.
20.Classroom Escape Room – Design a problem-solving escape room experience that requires teamwork and critical thinking skills for students to “escape.”
21.Gratitude Exercise – Teach the importance of gratitude by having students list three things they are grateful for each day during the first week.
22.Guess The Baby Picture – Have students bring in pictures of themselves as babies and see if classmates can identify who’s who based on their current appearance.
23.Mini Talent Show – Allow students to showcase their talents, such as singing, dancing, or playing an instrument in a casual mini talent show.
24.Create a Class Playlist – Collect song suggestions from students and create a class playlist they can listen to during breaks or free time at school.
Conclusion:
These 24 first-week-of-school activities aim to create a positive learning environment, help middle school students get to know each other, and encourage collaboration among peers.
