Back to school season is my favorite!! I like to kick off the new school year with a bang! Middle school can be an exciting but also a challenging time for students, so I like to make the first week fun but also take advantage of the opportunity to get to know students and help them get to know me. In this blog post, I am sharing 10 of my favorite first week activities and templates that I use during the first week of middle school!
Get to know your students better with this survey which can be completed digitally or printed. Customize the survey to gather essential information about your students’ interests, learning styles, and goals for the year. Bonus tip: pick out something from each student’s survey and include it on your roster. That way, you can easily strike up a conversation with them based on a topic of their interest.
My students are always amazed when they see their names on our class word search. I once read that our name is the sweetest sound we hear! Use your class roster to create a word search that features the names of all your students. It’s a fun way to help everyone get to know each other! It is also a great time-filler for those moments when you need to do paperwork during the first week!
Encourage students to mingle and connect with their classmates through this interactive activity.
Students will move around the room, interacting with their peers to discover who has done various activities over the summer. It’s a great icebreaker to not only spark conversations and build relationships, but it’s a great time to encourage movement!
Kick off the year with some brain-teasing fun! Students will enjoy this classic word search with a back-to-school and summer theme. It’s a delightful way to engage their minds and again, take a break!
Instead of being a talking head when reviewing your syllabus, try this activity. Students work in pairs to put the syllabus together and then they complete a syllabus scavenger hunt quiz! This is an interactive way to make something that’s boring, not so boring!
One of my favorite ways to familiarize students with the classroom is with a classroom scavenger hunt! Students will explore the primary areas of the classroom, like where to turn in assignments, where to sign out, absent center, etc. Each location is labeled with a letter. When they are done, they will check their answers by unscrambling the letters to create a phrase.
My middle schoolers LOVE Youtube, so I figured I would have them create a Youtube channel based on their interests! This activity encourages self-reflection and allows students to showcase their unique personalities and hobbies in a fun and modern way. These would also make a fantastic bulletin board!
Encourage students to reflect on their personal growth throughout the year with this meaningful activity. By creating a time capsule at the beginning and end of the year, students can witness their own development and celebrate how much they’ve changed over the year!
This activity was originally created during virtual learning when my students couldn’t actually have lockers. But, my students enjoy it so much that I’ve continued doing it!
I share my Meet the Teacher template on our class Canvas page and I present the Meet the Teacher slides at Back to School night! But you could also print and pass it out to parents at your Open House or Back to School night. The “favorites section” is also a great way to let parents know what gifts you may like, *wink*.
This was a great beginning of the year activity bundle! I was able to get to know my students and they were able to show their creative side!
— Sandy A.
5 out of 5
The first week of school is a golden opportunity to set the stage for a successful and enjoyable year. By incorporating fun and engaging activities into the first week, you can create a positive classroom environment where students feel excited, motivated, and connected.
So, go ahead and try out these 10 first week activities for middle school!
Here’s to an unforgettable first week and a fantastic school year ahead!
Welcome to my Blog!
I started The Sassy Math Teacher in 2020 to help teachers like you increase classroom engagement and teach with confidence!
I also love to share about my life as a teacher including my favorite outfits, home items, gadgets and trips!
