Students build a friendly environment for future students by creating a PowerPoint presentation.  In this middle school introduction activity, students utilize a camera to record important moments throughout the school year....

Youngsters analyze a book discussing a child's fear on the first day of school. They discuss the characters in the book, The Teacher from the Black Lagoon. Then they discuss their own fears and uncertainties about starting a class with...

Three lesson plans are shown on this site, two of which pertain to Read 180. Start the year with the first instructional activity by having your learners create a brochure about themselves. In the computer lab, they find clip art and...

Help your class participate in hands-on activities to get them back into the swing of going to school everyday. This list is designed for all grade levels with unique ideas for each (note that many ideas are geared for elementary, but...

This is a nice idea for high school students to organize and present a Health and Wellness Fair at a local elementary school. It looks like it would take a lot of organization, but would certainly build community relationships. There are...

Middle schoolers engage in a school project help unite the feelings and make each student feel a very special part of their school. This project would be a great beginning of the school "opener" for students and their teachers.

Students study the customs and beliefs of the Chinese people as they experience Chinese New Year; students become aware that they live on one planet but their festivals and holidays vary.

Need some extra resources to get your class computer savvy? How about several years' worth? Show pupils in K-8 a progression of proficiency in a series of computer lessons. Learners master the basics, then work with the Microsoft Office...

A natural disaster could strike at any time: do your learners know the school and community emergency plans? Start the school year by honing research and speaking skills in a practical way with this preparedness lesson. Youngsters...

There is nothing more exciting than allowing learners to express themselves through a creative medium. In groups, they write narrative stories, focusing on building a strong storyline and dialogue. Next, they transform their stories into...

What a fun way to familiarize your young learners with friendly faces on campus! Scholars read "The Gingerbread Man," discussing the characters he meets. Then, they examine a map of the campus, placing photos of employees (such as the...

Guide your learners step by step through the process of designing an original, independent student project. This resource includes a wealth of worksheets and materials, including student project checklists, timelines, primary and...

Here’s a fresh approach to establishing classroom rules at the beginning of the school year. Class groups brainstorm what they know about rules for baseball, basketball, and football. They then consider how the games would differ without...

By engaging in an arts-based activity, 2nd graders explore peace in the classroom. They listen to the story The Rainbow Fish, then create their own fish to hang in the classroom. They write three things that make them happy on...

An extensive portfolio project encourages your kids to reflect on their personalities with multiple writing assignments. From activities on extended metaphors to writing about an important day in their lives, kids explore the way they...

Students research a variety of events that occurred during the year they were born. They conduct Internet research, conduct interviews, and organize their research information into a report using HyperStudio.

Youngsters visit the classroom library to complete various reading activities, pushing their motivation to read! They will discuss different library books and read two specific books that use "Building Block" reading skills. They also...

Pupils design career portfolios, which will demonstrate the skills and knowledge they have acquired during their schooling and personal endeavors, using the wide variety of worksheets and activities provided in this resource.

A great year-round activity that shows young mathematicians how the math skills they are learning are actually used in the real world. This exercise also helps learners begin to distinguish the difference between weather and climate. As...

Students evaluate reasons why someone would attend their school and create a marketing campaign to attract students. In this school welcome instructional activity, students analyze the marketing process and survey public sectors about...

Students explore community diversity. In this character education lesson, students read the book Is There Really a Human Race? discussing it with their classmates and teachers. Students design paper dolls to represent themselves and...

Students gather images that are part of portfolio to be shared throughout the course of one school year. They complete written reflections based upon the images that are attained. The primary sources for the images is using a digital...

Students listen to the book "I like me" by Nancy Carison, or a similar self-esteem book, and then create self-portraitswhile the song "Getting to Know You" is being played. This is an excellent ice-breaker for the beginning of the...

Students explore a portion of the Chinese Zodiac with projects centered around the year of the rabbit. Students research types of rabbits, actual and fictional. Working in groups, they create a written or multimedia presentation.