Setting up the School Year and FREEBIE Class Contract Sign

FREEBIE– Class Contract Banner

My favorite book to use when we write our class contract together is “What if Everyone Did That.”  We talk about school scenarios with the book and write our class contract together, based on what the kids decide would be important in the classroom and in school. 

One of the other lessons that I do early in the year is the crumpled heart activity with the book “Chrysanthumum”(we put the crumpled tissue paper heart on the class contract to help us remember). We read the books and crumple the heart a little more each time something hearts her heart in the story.  At the end it shows that words hurt and the heart cannot be smoothed out completely.  We do a very similar activity with mini toothpaste tubes while kids use team work to get all the toothpaste out, but cannot get the toothpaste back in the tube at the end (representing words)

FREEBIE! Memory Box Printable

*FREEBIE– Memory Box Sign

Early on in the year, I put out a Memory Box so that kids can write about their favorite things as the year goes on.  At the end of the year it is fun to remember times throughout the year (and it is interesting for me to see what they really enjoyed doing throughout the year).

FREEBIE! Cover for "Letters From Last Year's Class" - Class Book

*FREEBIE– COVER for “letters for next year’s class” to make into a class book

Another way that I have kids get to know their new classroom is by reading LETTERS that I have my last years class write to them at the end of the year.  I have a couple baskets dedicated to all of our class books and this is the class book that is displayed to start the year.  They love reading the letters, and the class from the year before loves writing them at the end of the year!

Classroom Community Builder and CUTE FREEBIE

FREEBIE - Cover for a class scrapbook (made options for Kindergarten-4th Grade)

I have all my kids make a scrapbook page about themselves when we start the year to build our community and learn all about each other.  The activity directions can be found in this packet.