For many of us, the start of school is just days away. The room is (almost) ready and the excitement is building, but what are you actually going to teach on the first day? Do you dive right in, or do you spend time reviewing and warming up your students’ brains? I’m always torn on how much time I should spend reviewing. While it seems to help ease the students back in, I’m not sure that it actually elevates their learning in any way. Every year, I feel like I go back and forth on how and what to review and how much time to spend.
In years past, I feel like I’ve tried everything. Some years, students create Facebook pages or write short books all about themselves. These activities pull in vocabulary, such as colors and activities, which we’ve learned the previous year. (See some samples below.) Other years, I skip the projects and do more interactive getting-to-know-you activities like human bingo. There is NOTHING wrong with these activities! It eases students back into school while allowing them to share about themselves and learn from others. (Truthfully, I think it also eases me back into the school year.)
In years past, I feel like I’ve tried everything. Some years, students create Facebook pages or write short books all about themselves. These activities pull in vocabulary, such as colors and activities, which we’ve learned the previous year. (See some samples below.) Other years, I skip the projects and do more interactive getting-to-know-you activities like human bingo. There is NOTHING wrong with these activities! It eases students back into school while allowing them to share about themselves and learn from others. (Truthfully, I think it also eases me back into the school year.)
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