Backtoschoolsuperstartpack PDF

Back to School
Super Start Pack

Strategies, Activities, and Printables for
a Super Start to the New School Year!
Laura Candler
©2012 Teaching Resources
www.lauracandler.com
Back to School
Super Start Pack
By Laura Candler
Teaching Resources
The first week of school should be an exciting time, not one that’s filled with the drudgery of
explaining class rules and administering assessments. Forget the old saying that teachers shouldn’t smile
until Christmas; using fear and intimidation will not create the warm, caring environment children
need to thrive. Yes, rules and procedures are important, although it’s equally important to let your
new students know that your classroom is not only safe, yet is lots of fun, too! The activities in this
packet provide many opportunities to share your rules and procedures as you actively engage students
in getting to know each other and your classroom expectations. Academic activities, such as introductory
science lessons or math pretests, are not included because they vary widely according to level. Just sprinkle
these activities in between your academic lessons to ensure a super start to the year!
I created these materials for my own classroom, so you’ll find them best suited for grades 4 and 5.
However, most of the activities can easily be adapted for grades 2 through 6 by modifying the
directions or the printables. I’ve organized these strategies into three parts:
Part 1 - Reaching Out to Parents ................................................. Page 3

Part 2 - Creating a Caring Classroom ............................................ Page 17
Part 3 - Establishing Rules and Procedures ................................... Page 44
Each part includes helpful information, directions, and printables. You’ll find a thumbnail for each
printable next to the directions for using it and the corresponding printable will be at the end of the
direction pages for that section. You’ll have to develop your own timeline for using these activities;
incorporate them with other essential elements of your own back to school routines. If you have
some flexibility in your schedule, I highly recommend that you first focus on creating a caring
classroom and establishing procedures before you dig too deeply into academic content. The time
that you invest in these activities during the first week will reap rewards throughout the year!
If you enjoy the Back to School Super Start Pack, be sure to check out my
virtual file cabinet at www.lauracandler.com for more teaching strategies
and lessons. You’ll also find them in my TeachersPayTeachers.com store
where over half the items are free!
~ Laura Candler, NBCT
©2012 ~ Created by Laura Candler ~ Teaching Resources ~ www.lauracandler.com 2

Part 1
Reaching Out to Parents
One of your most important tasks at the beginning of school is to reach out to your students’ parents
and let them know that you value their involvement. Don’t wait until students are misbehaving to
make contact with parents. Open the lines of communication right away and set a positive tone for
future interactions. Some of these forms and tools will help you get started with that task.
Open House Scavenger Hunt

Many school systems now offer an Open House prior to the first day of school.
Students frequently attend these events so that they can meet their new teacher
and find out what supplies they need for the first day of school. The problem is
that all of your new students and their parents seem to show up at the same
time, full of questions for you! I find that a Scavenger Hunt can provide a great
way for students to get comfortable in their new classroom, and it gives them
something to do when several families are in the room at once. I’ve included a
sample one on page 5 similar to the one I’ve used with my students, and there’s
a blank one for you to customize with your own details on page 6. If you
don’t have an open house before school, you can still use this form later in the
year to let your students show their parents around the classroom.
Email Request Form

During Open House or the first time you meet parents, it’s important to collect
contact information from them. Most schools have a form for parents to
complete with basic information, but what is most important to me right away
is to get an email address. So I ask the parents to fill out my Email Address
Request (page 7) on the spot. I immediately take that information home and set
up a special email list for sending out reminders to parents. It has proven to be
an effective way to interact with parents, although I do have to establish some
boundaries on email communication. My students are expected to write down
their homework assignments in their planners, which ideally should eliminate
email requests about what their homework assignment is each day!
Parent Volunteer Sign Up

Another effective strategy during that first Open House is to ask parents to sign
up if they are interested in volunteering in your classroom. Parents often
volunteer in primary classrooms, but they sometimes feel they aren’t needed in
upper elementary classrooms. I place a Class Volunteer Sign-up Form (page 8)
on a table in the classroom, and I invite parents to sign up if they are interested
in helping out. I prefer to find people who are willing to come in for a few
hours a week on a regular basis, so that I know I can contact them for specific
tasks. Then I make sure to have work for them to do when they arrive in order
to show respect for their time. I also created the Volunteer Request form (page
9) that I could send home to parents asking for specific information about how they felt comfortable
helping out in the classroom. It provides insightful information, such as which parents were not
comfortable helping 5th graders with math assignments, yet would enjoy reading with students,
cutting out materials that had been laminated, filing papers, and other clerical tasks.

1. Reaching Out to Parents - Continued
Class Supply List
Most teachers have a classroom supply list, and I find it to be helpful to have
that list duplicated and ready to hand out to parents during Open House or on
the first day of school. You can see my classroom supply list (page 10) for an
example, and I’ve included a blank copy on page 11 with fill-in-the-blank lines
for your own use. I like to divide my list into required items and requested
items. Most kids bring the requested items as well, although dividing the list
this way does help those families who have a number of kids in school and
really can’t afford to buy all the extras.
Wish Upon a Star

In addition to the items on my supply list, there are always things that I would
love to have for my classroom. Many parents are willing to donate those items
at the beginning of the year if they know what you need. You can use the
Wish Upon a Star system to request those items during Open House. Post one
of the two Wish Upon a Star signs on a bulletin board or empty wall. Write
the items you would like to request on individual stars using the pattern on
page 14. Cut out the stars and arrange them around the title poster. Invite
parents to take one of the stars home with them and return it attached to the
item. If you can find star-shaped sticky notes, use them instead of the star
patterns. What types of things can you request? Try these:
 Folding chairs for reading time
 Beanbags for reading
 Clean pillows and pillow cases
 Craft supplies for projects
 Gift card to a bookstore or craft store
 Tennis balls for chair “socks”
 Extra supplies like tissues, wet wipes, and plastic baggies
 Science supplies
 Goodies for your treat jar
 Small toys to use as rewards
Student Information Survey

Another way I like to reach out to parents is to send home the Student
Information Survey on pages 15 and 16. I duplicate the two pages front to back
and send the paper home in an unsealed envelope. The front of the survey
asks for useful information like who lives at home with the child, any special
requests regarding holiday celebrations, whether or not the child is supposed
to be wearing glasses, etc. Then I ask parents to write a letter to me on the
back of the form to tell me anything they feel I should know about their child.
I give parents a week or so to complete this paperwork because I realize that
it’s not an easy form to fill out due to the required letter on the back.
However, I have learned so much about many of my students from this one
form that I would highly recommend you add it to your back to school repertoire. The
reason I send it in an unsealed envelope is that I recommend that they put it back in the
envelope and seal it before returning it to school. That way they feel more comfortable
sharing personal information with me. I punch holes in these surveys and keep them in a
special notebook to refer to throughout the year.

Classroom Scavenger Hunt
Your Name ___________________________________
Take your parents around the room and see if they can help you
find each item. When you find it, check it off on the list below.
Turn in your completed form and receive a homework pass
when finished!
 Your desk and homework folder

 Small group instruction table
 Listening center materials
 Weekly homework charts
 Our class web page (Visit the class computer)
 Book racks with classroom books
 Math and science materials
 Student coat closets
 Stoplight Bulletin Board (Behavior Management)
 Daily Class Schedule (on board)
 Reading Chairs
 Pillows and carpet squares
 Class pet (Name ________________)
 Lunch box storage area
 Wish Upon a Star display

Classroom Scavenger Hunt
Your Name ___________________________________
Take your parents around the room and see if they can help
you find each item. When you find it, check it off on the list
below. Turn in your completed form and receive a homework
pass when finished!
 ________________________________________
 ________________________________________
 ________________________________________
 ________________________________________
 ________________________________________
 ________________________________________
 ________________________________________
 ________________________________________
 _______________________________
 _______________________________
 _______________________________
 _______________________________
 _______________________________
 _______________________________

Email Address Request
Student Name _________________________________________________
1. Do you have an email address that I may use to contact you about your
child’s progress? I may also use it to send informational emails. If so, please
print it below. Write “none” if you don’t want me to contact you by email.
Parent/Guardian Email______________________________________________________________
2. How often do you generally check email?
 Daily  Every few days  Weekly on _____________________  Seldom
3. Does your child have an email address that I may use to contact him or her directly?
 Yes (print on the line below)  No (write “none” on the line below)
Student Email ______________________________________________________________________
Parent Signature_______________________________________ Date ________________________
Email Address Request

Student Name _________________________________________________
1. Do you have an email address that I may use to contact you about your
child’s progress? I may also use it to send informational emails. If so, please
print it below. Write “none” if you don’t want me to contact you by email.
Parent/Guardian Email______________________________________________________________
2. How often do you generally check email?
 Daily  Every few days  Weekly on _____________________  Seldom
3. Does your child have an email address that I may use to contact him or her directly?
 Yes (print on the line below)  No (write “none” on the line below)
Student Email ______________________________________________________________________
Parent Signature_______________________________________ Date ________________________

Please sign up below if you would be willing to volunteer in our classroom. You can help with clerical tasks,
assist students with their work, read with students, supervise small groups in centers, etc. I especially need volunteers who
can come in on a regular basis such as one morning or afternoon a week. I’ll contact you to arrange a schedule.
Name Email Address or Phone Number Best Times and Days
©2012 ~ Created by Laura Candler ~ Teaching Resources ~ www.lauracandler.com

8
Volunteer Request
Dear Parents,
Would you be interested in volunteering in our classroom? If so, please let me know which
days and times you are available. If possible, I prefer to have people come in on a regular
basis because my students and I will get into a routine and will begin to rely on your help.
Unless you tell me otherwise, I will schedule you for a few hours (or the whole morning if
you want) one day a week. I will contact you before adding you to the schedule. After it’s
created, I will send it out to everyone and update it each month.
If you plan to volunteer, would you complete the survey below? I have listed a number of
tasks that volunteers often perform. I would like you to rate your comfort level with each
task. Circle a number from 1 to 5 to show me how you feel. Circle 1 if you prefer not to
perform that task, and circle 5 if you feel completely comfortable with it. Thank you!
Name ___________________________________ Phone Number ___________________
Preferred Days and Time: ___________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________
Task Low Preference High Preference

Operating the copy machine 1 2 3 4 5
Helping students with basic math skills 1 2 3 4 5
Helping students with more advanced math 1 2 3 4 5
Helping students with writing assignments 1 2 3 4 5
Playing a learning game with a student 1 2 3 4 5
Helping students research in the media center 1 2 3 4 5
Helping students use the Internet 1 2 3 4 5
Filing papers and stapling progress reports 1 2 3 4 5
Leading a small group lesson 1 2 3 4 5
Cutting out materials 1 2 3 4 5
Reading with a student or a small group 1 2 3 4 5
Sharing a skill (explain below) 1 2 3 4 5

Our Class Supply List
Required Items:
 3 packs of college-ruled loose-leaf paper
 1-inch view binder
 2 dozen pencils (no mechanical pencils)
 1 box of crayons
 box of colored pencils
 3 plastic pocket folders with prongs
 zippered pencil pouch (heavy-duty canvas)
 low-odor dry erase markers (at least 4)
 3 glue sticks
Requested Items:
 1 pair student scissors
 2 boxes tissues
 1 tub baby wipes
 4 tennis balls for chair
 1 clipboard

Our Class Supply List
Required Items:
 ______________________________________
 ______________________________________
 ______________________________________
 ______________________________________
 ______________________________________
 ______________________________________
 ______________________________________
 ______________________________________
Requested Items:
 ______________________________________
 ______________________________________
 ______________________________________
 ______________________________________

We wish for these
additional materials.
Would you donate
one or more items
to our classroom? Please take a star
and return it with
the requested
item. Thanks!

We wish for these additional
materials. Would you donate one
or more items to our classroom?
Please take a star and return it with the

requested item. Thanks!
13
Wish Upon a Star
Patterns

Student Information Survey
Student’s Name ________________________________ Nickname (if any) _________________
Name/Relationship of Person Completing Survey ____________________/_________________
Family Information
Please list siblings and ages: ____________________________________
Who does the student live with? (Circle all that apply)
Mother Father Stepmother Stepfather Grandmother Grandfather Aunt Uncle
Other Household Members: ________________________________________________________
Do you have any pets at home? Explain: _____________________________________________
Would you like to share any information regarding religious background and/or holidays
celebrated (or not celebrated)?
_________________________________________________________________________________
Medical Information
Is your child supposed to be wearing glasses? ______ For reading or board work? (circle)
If your child IS supposed to be wearing glasses, will he or she have them at school? ________
If not, please explain: ______________________________________________________________
Describe any medical/physical conditions and food restrictions or allergies your child has:
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
Additional Information
Does your child have access to a computer or the internet at home? Explain: ______________
_________________________________________________________________________________
What do you consider to be your child's strengths and areas tor improvement?
_________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________
On the back of this paper, please write me a letter to tell me more about your child. To keep
the information confidential, you may return this form in a sealed envelope or email the
letter portion to me at _______________________________. Please include any of the
following, or anything else you feel would help me get to know your child better:
 Study habits and/or feelings about reading, math, or other subjects
 Your child’s social skills and how your child relates to other children or family members
 Situations at home that may influence learning (recent move, loss of pet, divorce, death
of a family member or friend, new baby in the family, etc.)
 Concerns or worries that you may have concerning your child’s education

Parent/Guardian Letter to the Teacher
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Part 2
Creating a Caring Classroom
On the first day of school, you have two equally important tasks. Most people know the importance
of establishing procedures and introducing your class rules, but some may not be aware that it’s just as
important to create a caring classroom environment. These two tasks are intertwined because part of
creating a caring classroom is letting kids know that everyone’s rights will be respected in the
classroom and that it’s a safe place to be. However, for the purposes of this ebook, I’m dividing these
activities into separate sections. On the first day of school, we spend part of the day learning the rules
and part of the day having fun getting to know each other. I alternate these types of lessons, and I
also use some of the icebreaker activities in this section as a way of teaching students the appropriate
way to interact with each other in cooperative learning teams. Please refer to the information in
section three, “Establishing Rules and Procedures,” and begin to introduce your procedures
throughout the first day, a little bit at a time. If students have trouble
managing an ice-breaker, use that as an opportunity to introduce
additional procedures.
All About You Letters

How you start your morning on the first day of school is extremely
important, but getting off to a great start can be a challenge. The
problem is that there’s almost always some amount of disorganization
and disruption as new students arrive and children try to find their
classrooms. You’ll wish you could clone yourself, because you’ll need
one of you to greet new students and their parents, and the other
clone needs to be in the room with those who’ve already arrived! To
solve this problem, I started having my new students write me letters
about themselves as they settle in to their new classroom. The “All
About Me” letter-writing activity works perfectly to keep students
engaged while I greet others, and it also helps me get to know my
students better. As students enter the room, I direct their attention to
the assignment displayed on the Smartboard. It’s a set of directions
asking them to write letters telling me all about themselves. You’ll find
two versions of this assignment on pages 25 and 27; the first one is
more suitable for younger students and the other one works well with
upper elementary and middle school students. You’ll find a page of
lined paper for the younger ones to use on page 26; you can expect
older students to be able to write a letter on loose-leaf paper. This
assignment usually keeps my students busy until I’m ready to do my
official welcome in front of the whole class. During this time, I quietly
have them sharpen pencils, unpack book bags, put away lunch boxes,
and so on. As they finish and turn in their letters to me, I allow them
to choose a book from our book rack and read quietly. I always take
the letters home that evening, read them, and write personal
comments back to each student before I return them the next day. It’s
a perfect way to learn about my students and to let them know that I
care enough to respond personally to what they’ve written.

2. Creating a Caring Classroom - Continued
Introducing Cooperative Learning: We Instead of Me
One of the very first things I do after welcoming students on the first day of
school is let them know that in our classroom we will be working within
teams every single day. While teamwork is usually fun, sometimes it can be
difficult to work with other people because you won’t always agree on
everything. It takes effort to speak to others in a polite way, even when you
are feeling grumpy and don’t want to be sociable. I explain the rationale for
working together by saying that in most jobs and careers, people are expected
to work with others. We discuss examples of jobs from their own experience.
Also, educational research has demonstrated the importance of working with
others and being able to talk over ideas when learning something new. Of
course they would have opportunities to work alone in the classroom, and
almost all graded work would be done alone, but they would be doing most
of their practice work with someone else. I display a large sign in my
classroom that said “We Instead of Me.” We discuss the importance of
considering others when making a decision rather than just thinking about
what they personally wanted to do. You can find two different variations of
this poster on pages 28 and 29.
Getting Started with Team Seating

One of the most frequent questions I hear when it comes to cooperative
learning room arrangement is whether it’s best to start your class off in rows
or in teams. Some teachers have told me that they don’t feel comfortable
starting off in teams until they get to know their students. However, while I
respect that view, I personally feel that starting off in teams from the first day
sends the message that teamwork is an integral part of your classroom. You
can begin to establish your rules and procedures right away, and asking
students to work in teams will become a natural part of your daily instruction.
Mixed-ability teams of four seem to be the most effective because they can
easily be divided into two sets of pairs. There are many ways to arrange your
students’ seats depending on whether you have rectangular desks, L-shaped desks or tables. Take a
look at page 30 to view some of your options. I prefer to use the “T-table” arrangement because with
this set-up no one has his or her back to the front of the room. Even if you have your students seated
in forward-facing rows as shown in the bottom right illustration, you can designate teams of four
where the two in front turn around and become a team with the ones behind them when it’s time to
do an activity. That way everyone is facing forward unless you specifically ask them to turn around.
Some teachers feel this is a nice compromise.
First Day Seating Assignments

I always assign students to teams myself rather than letting students
choose their seating. I aim for mixed-ability groups that include
students of different genders and races. On the first day of school I
place name cards on each desk so the students know where to sit. You
can use the name plate patterns on page 31 or just use large index
cards or a half-sheet of card stock for each student. If you use these
name plates, duplicate them on white card stock. Fold them on the
dotted lines to form small name “tents.” Print each student’s name on

the front of the name plate, and give students time to decorate the back with pictures or words
describing themselves. Be sure to allow time for your students to introduce themselves to their
teammates and to share about their special interests and hobbies. During the day, engage them in
other activities to get to know each other, too. You’ll find several such activities in this section of the
Super Start Pack, and the Buddy Venn diagram on the next page is a perfect place to start.
Forming New Teams - Tips and Strategies

Generally my students stay together in teams for about 6 weeks. However, during the first week of
school, I change their teams each day, and at the end of the week I assign them more permanent
teams. I actually don’t even assign textbooks until after they are in permanent teams, and we leave
the textbooks inside the desks each day when they switch seats. The reason for reseating them each
day during the first week is to help them get to know each other better. Also,
it gives me the benefit of being able to see who works well together and who
should not be seated together for any reason!
Each day when they move to a new team, I immediately engage them in a
“team building” activity. We do lots of activities for them to get to know each
other, and then on the next day I move them to a different team. I switch the
teams every day for at least three days so I can observe how the students
interact with each other. Then on the fourth day, I assign more permanent
teams based on my informal assessments and observations. These teams
generally last 4 to 6 weeks in a self-contained classroom where the students
are together all day long. If they change classes during the day, the teams are
able to stay together for 9 weeks without a problem.
Forming Random Teams - Because teams on the first few days of

school are fairly random anyway, I sometimes use a totally random
method to create teams. One method that works well involves
dealing out playing cards. If I have 24 students, I’ll remove
everything from the deck other than the four Aces through the
Sixes. I shuffle the 24 cards and give one card to each student.
Then I ask all the Aces to move to Table 1, the Twos to move to
Table 2 and so on. I would never use this method if the students More About Using
were going to stay together more than a day, but since they are Team Formation Cards
only going to be together that one day, it’s a fun method to use.
Duplicate the cards for girls on
Using Team Formation Cards -To help me keep track of what one color of card stock and the
I’m observing, I duplicate the Team Formation Cards on page 32 boys’ cards on a different color.
and write one student’s name on each card. I jot down notes Doing this will be a huge help
about what I’m observing, as well as information about their when it comes to creating
academic ability and ethnic backgrounds. I use these cards later permanent teams. I am not
to form their permanent teams, and this information helps me going to go into detail here
create teams of students who come from different backgrounds about how to use these cards
because I’ve thoroughly
and differ in their ability levels. The blocks at the bottom of the
explained the procedure on my
card are used to record which teams my students are on Team Formation page (/
throughout the year. That way I don’t keep putting them back www.lauracandler.com/
on the same teams together with students they’ve been with strategies/teamform.php).
before By the way, these cards are for my eyes only and are
never shown to students or parents!

Class Discussion: The Bottom Line - Believe in Yourself
One of the most important ways you can create a caring classroom is to let
your students know that you believe in them and have high expectations for
them all. From the very first day of school, I let my students know that not
only do I believe in them, I expect them to believe in themselves. I also let
them know that believing in yourself requires you to stop making excuses for
your lack of success so that you can take charge of your life. I love the poem
on page 33 titled, “The Bottom Line,” although I have no idea who wrote it. I
duplicate this and include it in our Class Handbook which I’ll describe later. I
read it to them, one stanza at a time, and we discuss what it means. One part I emphasize is the
stanza that says, “Nothing is carved in stone. You can change anything in your life if you want to
badly enough.” I tell them to keep an open mind when working with others and not judge them
based on their experiences in a previous school year. Someone who used to be a bully might realize
that being a bully is not a good way to make friends and may want to change. But if no one gives
them a chance to change, it’s going to be difficult to do so. I can tell that this statement makes a big
impact on everyone and it opens the door for kids to drop those negative or defiant behaviors that
weren’t working anyway. We finish our discussion by talking about the term, “The Bottom Line,” and
pointing out that the title has a double meaning. “The Bottom Line” often refers to what’s essential or
important, and the bottom line of this poem is “Believe in Yourself.”
Buddy Venn Diagram Icebreaker

One of the easiest icebreakers to use is a partner activity I call the
Buddy Venn diagram. Even though it’s easy, you’ll still want to
model this activity with a student volunteer before asking
students to complete it on their own. You can model the activity
on a white board or using a document camera. If several kids
volunteer to help, choose the one who’s mostly likely to need
lots of positive attention during the year. I’m sure you’ll already
know who that student is!
Write your name at the top of one circle and ask your volunteer
to write his or her name at the top of the other circle as shown in
the example on the right. Then take turns telling each other
about yourselves and comparing your interests. You can begin by
saying, “I love to eat Chinese food.” If your partner likes it, too, you
write “love Chinese food” in the middle area. If your partner says, “No, I’m not a fan of Chinese
food,” you write it on your side of the Venn diagram. By the way, I share ways to say that you don’t
like something to instead of rudely saying, “Ewww! I hate that!” which is only going to make your
partner feel bad. Some ways include saying, “That’s not my favorite,” “I don’t really prefer that,” or
“I haven’t liked it in the past.” Then your partner names something about himself or herself such as, “I
have two brothers.” You discuss it and your partner writes the information in the correct section.
Model this until everyone seems to understand what to do.
When it’s time to have your students complete the activity, pair them with someone on their
team, preferably the person next to them. If it’s clear that two students are already good
friends, pair them with someone else on the team. Don’t let them choose partners or some
kids will immediately feel left out when no one wants to be their partner. Give each pair a
blank copy of the Buddy Venn diagram on page 34. Ask them to write their first names at
the top of the circle that’s closest to them. If possible, have them complete the Venn
diagram using two different colored pencils. After they write their names at the top,

they take turns sharing information about themselves and adding it to the graphic organizer. After
about five to ten minutes, ask them to stop and compare their Venn diagrams with the other two
members of the team to see what they all have in common. Finally, collect the Venn diagrams and
read them to learn more about your students.
Me Bags Icebreaker
Another one of my favorite icebreakers is the Me Bag activity. I fill a small
paper lunch bag with 5 to 10 items that represent my family, my hobbies, and
my interests. These items might include a pencil to show that I am a writer, a
Me Bag
family photo, a ticket stub from one of my favorite movies, a bookmark to
Mrs.
show my love of reading, etc. Near the end of the day on the first day, I bring
Candler
out my “Me Bag” and tell my students that the bag is filled with items that I can
use to tell them all about myself. I pull out one item at a time and share a little
about myself and why I included it. Then I give each one of them a small paper
lunch bag and tell them that their first night’s homework is to collect 5 to 10
small items to represent themselves and their interests. You can give them the
half-page letter on page 35 so students will have clear directions about what to
do when they get home. Have your students immediately label their bags with
their names and then store the bags in their backpacks to bring home. Remind
them NOT to bring expensive toys or devices that might be broken or stolen.
Also, the items must fit into the bag. They should not bring in a 2-foot tall
trophy from last year’s spelling bee; if they want to share about the spelling
bee, they might bring in a photocopy of their award certificate or a photo of
the award. When students arrive at school the next day, have them bring their
bags directly to you without opening them or revealing the contents to others.
Since I have students switch teams each day for the first three days, I find Me Bags to be a great
icebreaker when they move to their new teams on the second day. After they have settled in and
unpacked their books and materials, I distribute the bags to the students and tell them that the bags
must stay closed until it’s their turn to share. I have the students number off from 1 to 4 in each team,
and then I say, “Student #1, you may reveal your Me Bag items.” I give them about 3 minutes to pull
out their items, one at a time, to show their team. This is a great opportunity to walk
around and observe social skills. Are teammates attentive during this time and appreciative
of each other’s treasures? If not, I sometimes stop and model the appropriate behaviors.
After the 3 minutes are up, I announce that it’s time for Student #2 to share. At that point,
Student #1 must return ALL items to his or her bag. If you don’t have them do this, the
other team members will still want to play with Student #1’s items and may not pay
attention to the next team member.
After everyone has had their 3 minutes in the spotlight, I let them pull out all their treasures and talk
about them or play with them for a few minutes in a less structured way. But at the end of the
activity, everything goes into the bags and I collect them until the end of the day. I actually put those
bags under lock and key because they usually include something valuable or breakable, despite my
repeated warnings about this!
Names to Know: Spelling List of Classmates’ Names

Have you ever thought of having your students learn how to spell each others’ names? I always use
classmate names as the first spelling list of the year. They are only required to learn to spell each
other’s first names, but they can get extra credit for learning last names, too. If you have a large class,

you will probably want to split the list into two parts and test each half
on a different day. One reason for this is that names are hard to spell!
Many of them do not follow any phonetic rules so learning them is an
exercise in memorization. I could have typed up a list of names to give
my students, but I found that having them take time to carefully write
each classmate’s name made them more aware of how to spell that
name. I display a copy of the Names to Know form on page 36 and call
on one student at a time in alphabetical order. As each student stands, I
write his or her name on the list and carefully pronounce it, checking
with the student to make sure I’m spelling it and pronouncing it
correctly. We usually break this activity into two parts because it is rather
tedious for them to copy down the names onto their own lists.
Back to School Bingo

Not only do students have to learn how to spell each other’s names, I
expect them to be able to identify each other and speak to each other by
name. One of my favorite games to help them match names and faces is
Back to School Bingo. In this game, students create calling cards with facts
about themselves, and they write their classmates’ names on blank Bingo
boards in random order. You’ll collect their calling cards from them and
mix them up. As you call out the facts about each student, the others try
to guess who it is. When the “mystery” student is revealed, everyone
may cover up his or her name on the board. This game is a “class
builder” rather than a “team builder” because it’s played with the entire
class. Because the directions are a bit lengthy, I’ve included them on a
separate page (page 37) with the Bingo board and Bingo calling card
patterns immediately following the directions. This game works well in
conjunction with the Names to Know spelling list activity described
above. I usually wait to introduce this game until the students have
recorded everyone’s name on their Names to Know spelling list so they
can refer to this list when completing their Bingo boards.
Name Toss Game

A more active name game is Name Toss. All you need is a light-weight ball, bean
bag, or even a stuffed animal. Have students stand in a circle around the edges of
the classroom or outside on the playground. Start the game by calling out a
student’s name and toss him or her the ball. They try to catch it, but there’s no
penalty for missing it; they simply walk over and pick it up. Right after you toss it
to the person, you sit, squat or kneel down to show that you are out of that
round of the game. The student who caught the ball announces someone else’s name and tosses him
or her the ball. As soon as it’s tossed, the one who tossed it squats down. Play continues with students
only tossing the ball to those who are standing. Finally only one person is left standing, and that
person tosses the ball back to you. After we play the game one time, I announce that we are going to
time the next round to see how quickly we can play the game. I remind them to toss the ball gently
to someone who is still standing and not to blast it at each other because the whole point is to learn
each other’s names. After that round is over, I announce the time. We play several more rounds, each
time trying to beat the previous time.

Back-to-School Discussion Spinner
What is it about spinners that make just about any activity seem like a
game? A few years ago I discovered that you can make a spinner with a
paper clip and a pencil, and I began creating “discussion spinner”
activities. This activity makes an excellent icebreaker when students have
been placed into new teams. Give each team one Back-to-School
Discussion Spinner (page 40) and a paper clip. Demonstrate how to use
the paper clip and the pencil to create a homemade spinner. Directions
can be found at the bottom of the board. Designate one person on each
team to be the first Leader, but let your students know that they will be
rotating Leaders for each question. The first leader spins the spinner and
announces the question. Everyone on the team will respond to the
question, starting with the Leader. I ask the Leaders to give everyone a
few seconds of think time to consider their answers before responding.
Then each person on the team responds in turn. After they have finished
discussing that question, the role of Leader rotates to the left or in a
counterclockwise direction. The next Leader spins and reads the question aloud, and all team
members respond in turn. When you introduce the game, tell your students that if they land on the
same question as one that has been discussed, they may choose any question on the board. In
addition, you may want to explain that it’s okay for them not to discuss all the questions. It’s an
icebreaker activity and the point is to get to know each other and not to answer all the questions.
Teaching Social Skills

After you have conducted several activities, you’ll have a better idea of
your students’ social skills. Sometimes your new students will already
know how to speak to each other in a polite way, listen attentively,
and express their own opinions with respect. However, you’ll also
have years in which your students seem to have very few social skills
and may appear disrespectful and argumentative, or appear to be
unwilling to listen to others and share materials. Don’t give up on
them! Just as students need instruction in math and reading, many kids
need explicit social skill instruction. You can use the Working Together
Skills chart on page 41 to teach the skills needed to be successful in
cooperative learning groups. Write in a social skill that your students
need to work on, such as encouraging others, active listening, sharing,
or helping others with their work. Then ask them to brainstorm what it
would look like and sound like when students are using that social skill.
On page 42, you can see how a completed chart might look after
students brainstorm what it looks like and sounds like to encourage
others. After you complete the social skills chart, immediately engage
the students in an activity where they have to use that skill.
For example, if you are practicing the skill of encouraging
others, you might have them do a partner activity in which More About Social Skills
You can find more information about how
they take turns solving math problems. You can find an
to teach social skills on Teaching Resources
entire list of social skills and more detailed directions for at http://www.lauracandler.com/
teaching social skills lessons on my Teaching Resources strategies/socialskills.php
website. (See in link sidebar.)

Reading Aloud to Students
Reading aloud to students is one of the easiest ways to create a caring
classroom, especially if you begin by reading aloud books that introduce
important themes such as bullying, friendship, and behaving with integrity.
These types of books provide rich opportunities for class discussion and
reflection. One of my favorites is the picture book, Thank You, Mr. Falker,
by Patricia Polacco. Many teachers are not aware of this, but Ms. Polacco is
dyslexic and couldn’t read until 5th grade. Until that time she struggled with
reading and was ruthlessly bullied by other students. Then in 5th grade, a
special teacher believed in her and helped her overcome her problems with
reading and writing. After I read the book to my class, I show them a
selection of Ms. Polacco’s books, and remind them that just because someone
can’t read, it doesn’t mean they aren’t smart or talented. Ms. Polacco is an
accomplished and well-respected author.
Another favorite of mine, and one that also deals with bullying, is Andrew
Clements’ short chapter book, Jake Drake, Bully Buster. This story is about a boy named Jake who
considers himself to be a “bully magnet.” In this story, Jake ends up being partnered with Luke, a
“super bully,” and has to work on a project with him. Along the way, he learns some important
lessons about why bullies act the way they do and how to stop being a bully magnet.
First Day Class Meeting Wrap Up

The activities in Part 2, “Creating a Caring Classroom,” can be spread out
over a period of several days to a week and can be used in almost any
order. However, the First Day Class Meeting Wrap Up needs to be done
at the end of the first day of school. Holding a class meeting is a really
special way to end the first day and send your students home excited to
be in your class.
If possible, move your class to a carpeted area of the room where they
can circle up, face to face. Even upper elementary students enjoy this! I
had 5th graders so the space is a little cramped, but we always manage to
squeeze in together. I ask each student to take a turn saying something
that they enjoyed about the first day of school. It’s hard for them to
think of something on the spot, so I have them jot down their ideas on a
slip of paper before they come to the meeting area. You can have your
students complete the First Day Reflections form (page 43) before the
meeting to be sure they are ready to participate. On this form, they’ll write something they enjoyed
about the day and a question they have about the school year. You don’t have to answer the
questions during the meeting, but hearing their questions might help you plan how to answer those
questions the next day. After everyone has had a chance to share what they wrote, I end the day by
telling them how much I am looking forward to the coming school year. I always tell them that my
classes just seems to get better and better each year, and it’s always the truth! I don't know whether
the kids are getting better or I’m getting better at creating a caring classroom, but each year seems
more rewarding than the last!

All About
YOU!
I want to know all about you! Please write me a
letter to tell me all about yourself. Write at least
one paragraph and include any of these topics:
 your favorite foods, hobbies, books, games,

TV shows, or anything else you like
 your favorite subjects to study in school and
why you like them
 what job you would like to have in the future
 who your best friends are and why you like
spending time with them
 what you did this summer
 how you feel about coming back to school
 what you would like to learn this year
 anything else you want me to know!

Name _____________________________________
All About You
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

All About You
I want to know all about you! Please write me a letter
to tell me about yourself. Take out a clean sheet of lined
paper, and write at least one full paragraph. You can
include any of the following topics:
* your favorite foods, hobbies, books, TV shows, etc.

* your favorite subjects in school and why you like them
* what job or career you hope to have in the future
* who your best friends are and why
* what you did this summer
* how you feel about coming back to school
* what you would like to learn this year
* anything else you would like to share with me
Put today's date in the upper right hand corner of your

paper. Then start your letter with a greeting. Write at
least one full paragraph in the body. Be sure to sign
your letter at the end!

instead of
instead of

Team Seating
Options
T-Table Arrangement Face to Face Desks
Face to Face L-Desks

Lab Table Teams
L-Desk Star Arrangement Traditional Rows

Draw or write about yourself and your interests here.
Draw or write about yourself and your interests here.

Name ___________________________________ Name ___________________________________
Boy Girl Ethnicity ______ Ability ______ Boy Girl Ethnicity ______ Ability ______
Notes: __________________________________ Notes: __________________________________

________________________________________ ________________________________________
Record Team Numbers Below: Record Team Numbers Below:
Name ___________________________________ Name ___________________________________
Notes: __________________________________ Notes: __________________________________

________________________________________ ________________________________________
Name ___________________________________ Name ___________________________________
Notes: __________________________________ Notes: __________________________________

________________________________________ ________________________________________
Name ___________________________________ Name ___________________________________
Notes: __________________________________ Notes: __________________________________

________________________________________ ________________________________________
32
The Bottom Line
Face it.
Nobody owes you a living.
What you achieve or fail to achieve in your lifetime
is directly related to what you do or fail to do.
No one chooses his parents or childhood,

but you can choose your own direction.
Everyone has problems and obstacles to overcome,
but you can’t let those challenges keep you from greatness.
Nothing is carved in stone.

You can change anything in your life
if you want to badly enough.
Excuses are for losers.

Those who take responsibility for their actions
are the real winners in life.
Winners meet life's challenges head on
knowing there are no guarantees
and give it all they've got.
It's never too late or too early to begin.

Time plays no favorites and will pass
whether you act or not.
Take control of your life.

Dare to dream and take risks.
If you aren't willing to work for your goals,
don't expect others to.
Believe in Yourself!

Buddy Venn Diagram

Me Bag Homework
Dear Parents,
Me Bag
My students have a unique and very important homework
assignment this evening! I’m sending home a paper lunch bag with Sally
each of them that I would like them to fill with 5 to 10 items that Beal
will tell us about themselves. These items should represent the
student’s hobbies, interests, family background, etc. These items
should not be costly or valuable and must fit inside the bag. For
example, your child might include a movie ticket stub from a favorite movie, a photo of
family members or pets, a small stuffed animal he or she loved as a child, and so on.
Please make sure your child labels the bag with his or her name. As students arrive at
school tomorrow, they should bring their bags to me for safekeeping and should not
reveal anything inside the bag to other students. Later in the day, I will return the bags
to them for an activity in which they will reveal their treasures to their team and share
information about themselves. I will send all bags home tomorrow afternoon. Please do
not allow your child to bring items that might be easily broken or that others might be
tempted to “borrow.” Thanks for your support with this activity!
Me Bag Homework
Dear Parents,
Me Bag
My students have a unique and very important homework
assignment this evening! I’m sending home a paper lunch bag with Sally
each of them that I would like them to fill with 5 to 10 items that Beal
will tell us about themselves. These items should represent the
student’s hobbies, interests, family background, etc. These items
should not be costly or valuable and must fit inside the bag. For
example, your child might include a movie ticket stub from a favorite movie, a photo of
family members or pets, a small stuffed animal he or she loved as a child, and so on.
Please make sure your child labels the bag with his or her name. As students arrive at
school tomorrow, they should bring their bags to me for safekeeping and should not
reveal anything inside the bag to other students. Later in the day, I will return the bags
to them for an activity in which they will reveal their treasures to their team and share
information about themselves. I will send all bags home tomorrow afternoon. Please do
not allow your child to bring items that might be easily broken or that others might be
tempted to “borrow.” Thanks for your support with this activity!

Spelling List of Classmates’ Names
1. ______________________________ 16.______________________________
2.______________________________ 17.______________________________
3.______________________________ 18.______________________________
4.______________________________ 19.______________________________
5.______________________________ 20.______________________________
6.______________________________ 21.______________________________
7.______________________________ 22.______________________________
8.______________________________ 23.______________________________
9.______________________________ 24.______________________________
10.______________________________ 25.______________________________
11.______________________________ 26.______________________________
12.______________________________ 27.______________________________
13.______________________________ 28.______________________________
14.______________________________ 29.______________________________
15.______________________________ 30.______________________________

Teacher Directions
Materials for Each Student

 1 blank Bingo Board (page 38)
 1 index card or blank Bingo Calling Card (page 39)
 At least 20 Bingo chips or markers
Back to School Bingo Directions:

1. Give each student a blank Back to School Bingo
Calling Card or a 4 x 5 index card. Ask everyone
to write his or her name at the top and add three
facts about themselves, such as favorite hobbies,
where they were born, what they love to read,
favorite songs, etc. Tell them not to show their
cards to anyone because the Bingo game will
involve guessing who the facts describe. Collect
the cards and shuffle them.
2. Give each student a blank Bingo board. Post all
the student names on a whiteboard or
chalkboard in front of the class or distribute pre-
printed class lists that have student names on them. Ask students to write one
student’s first name in each block on their Bingo boards in random order as
shown here. If there are more than 25 names, they should leave out their own
name and a few others as needed. If there are fewer than 25 students, they may
add your name, a free spot, and the names of other adults in the school. Be sure
to prepare a calling card for each name on the board.
3. To play the game, give each person a handful of Bingo chips. Draw out one
calling card and don't reveal whose name you've drawn. Begin to read the facts
aloud, one at a time, and call on students to guess who the facts describe. When
someone guesses correctly, have the person whose card you drew stand up and
take a bow. Everyone in the class may cover the person's name on the card.
4. Continue playing until someone has 5 chips in a row (vertically, horizontally, or
diagonally) and calls out, "Bingo!" Have everyone clear their boards and continue
playing additional games until you’ve used all student names.
Variation: After you play through the deck of calling cards, you can change the game
to eliminate the step of reading out the facts. Simply draw a card, walk over to the
student, and tap him or her on the shoulder. The student stands, everyone tries to
remember the person’s name, and they cover that spot on their board. At that point,
announce the student’s name aloud so his or her classmates will know if they covered
the correct spot. They should remove the Bingo chip if it was not placed correctly.


Back to School Bingo Calling Card Back to School Bingo Calling Card
Name _________________________________________________ Name _________________________________________________
1. _____________________________________________________ 1. _____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________ 2. _____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________ 3. _____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________
www.lauracandler.com www.lauracandler.com
Back to School Bingo Calling Card Back to School Bingo Calling Card
Name _________________________________________________ Name _________________________________________________
1. _____________________________________________________ 1. _____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________________ 2. _____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________________ 3. _____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________
www.lauracandler.com www.lauracandler.com
Back-to-School
Discussion Spinner
What kind of
What’s one books do you
question you like to read?
have about What’s one of
this school your favorite
year? books?
What is
What did you something you
like best about your hope to learn in
summer vacation? the coming year?
Who was your teacher What do you like best

last year? What did about this school
you like best about year so far?
last year?
What is What are
one goal you your favorite
have set for the sports or
school year? hobbies?
Explain.
Directions: To use the spinner, you’ll need a paper clip and a pencil. Put the
paper clip down with one end over the center dot. Put the pencil point down
inside the paper clip and hold the pencil in place. Thump the paper clip. It will
spin around the pencil point and point to one section on the Discussion
Spinner. The Leader reads the question aloud and team members take turns
answering it. Switch Leaders for each round and continue as time allows.

Working Together Skills
Looks Like Sounds Like

Working Together Skills
Encouraging Others
Looks Like Sounds Like
 Thumbs up  You can do it!

 Smiling  Don’t give up!
 Nodding  I like the way you...
 Eyes on speaker  You are so good at …
 Way to go!
 Don’t worry about
missing that one -
you’ll get it next time!
 Think it over carefully
and I know you can
figure out the answer.

Name ____________________________ Name ____________________________
First Day Reflections First Day Reflections
What did you enjoy most What did you enjoy most
about the first day of school? about the first day of school?
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
What question do you still have about What question do you still have about
the coming school year? the coming school year?
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
Name ____________________________ Name ____________________________
First Day Reflections First Day Reflections
What did you enjoy most What did you enjoy most
about the first day of school? about the first day of school?
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
What question do you still have about What question do you still have about
the coming school year? the coming school year?
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
___________________________________ ___________________________________
Part 3
Establishing Rules and Procedures
One part of creating a caring classroom is establishing rules and procedures. Even though these
strategies go hand in hand with the activities in Part 2, I decided to separate them from the fun
activities in the previous section because they serve a different purpose. These strategies ensure that
your classroom is a safe place to be, a place where students are not physically threatened and where
they feel safe to express themselves. These procedures need to be started from the first day of school,
but I’m sure you realize that you don’t want to start the day off with two hours of discussion on rules
and procedures! What I found to be most effective is to alternate a fun “class builder” with a short
lesson on rules and procedures. I use the fun activities as a way to introduce students to my classroom
management procedures; involving my students in these activities gives me the opportunity to teach
them the appropriate ways to talk with each other and work together.
Choose an Effective Quiet Signal

One of the most important procedures in your classroom is establishing an
effective quiet signal. This quiet signal is not for disciplinary purposes;
instead, this quiet signal will be used all day long as you engage your
students in discussion and teamwork. When kids are working together in
teams, they are going to talk and become engrossed in what they are doing.
You need an effective quiet signal to get their attention when it’s time to
give them the next set of directions. My very favorite quiet signal is the set
of chimes shown on the right. The sound is very pleasant, but your students
can easily hear it from anywhere in the room.
You can also use a clapping signal or pattern. You clap a certain number of times and your students
clap the pattern back to you. I’ve also seen the following quiet system used effectively. It’s a clapping
pattern combined with words in the following sequence:
 “If you hear me now, clap once.” (Clap once in unison with the students who heard you.)
 “If you hear me now, clap twice.” (Clap twice in unison with the students who heard you.)
 “If you hear me now, clap three times.” (By this point, the whole class should clap three times.)
Teach the Quiet Signal

After you settle on a quiet signal, it will be necessary to teach it to your
students. But remember that telling isn’t teaching! To teach the procedure to
them, you first explain it and then provide time to practice it. Tell them
exactly what you expect them to do when they hear that signal. For example,
“When you hear the chimes, I want you to stop talking, signal your partner
with a finger to your lips, turn to face me, and be ready to listen. We need
the room quiet within 5 seconds.” Then you have them practice your quiet
signal procedure. Give them a discussion topic to talk over with a partner such
as what they did during the summer vacation. Then use your quiet signal to get
their attention and time them to see how long it takes. It usually takes 10 or 20 seconds to get the
room totally quiet the first time, so announce the time and let them know that you’re going to try it
again. Repeat this practice until they are able to be quiet and ready for the next set of instructions
within 5 seconds.

3. Establishing Rules and Procedures - Continued
Classroom Handbook
Each year I create a new class handbook for my students and parents. My
handbook is not the same as the school handbook because that one
mostly shares school and district policies, lunch prices, bus information,
and so on. My class handbook is about the policies and procedures in my
own classroom, from my homework guidelines to our schedule for
resource classes like art, music, and physical education. You can download
the Class Handbook shown here absolutely free from the Seasonal page
on Teaching Resources, and you can customize it with your own policies
and procedures. I show it to parents during the Back to School open
house, but I don’t give it to them at that time. I want to be able to go
over it with my students on the first day of school. I punch three holes
along the left side so that the handbook fits in a regular binder, On the
first day of school, we try to cover as much of it as possible, in short
lessons throughout the day. At the end of the day, I send it home and ask
them to get it signed by a parent. I allow one week for this signature
because it takes time for the parents to read it carefully. After I check the
signature, I ask students to place it in the back of their binders to use as a
reference throughout the year. It is very helpful to be able to refer to this
document during parent conferences if parents attempt to tell me they
were not made aware of certain policies in procedures, especially
regarding homework. I just pull out the signed copy of the handbook to
show them where it was written. Enough said!
Stoplight Behavior Management System

After you establish your quiet signal, the next most important step is
establishing your whole class management system. Lecturing students for
misbehavior is ineffective and wastes class time. It is advantageous to have a
management system with clearly defined levels and established consequences
at each level. If you don’t already have a system that you’ve found to be
effective, I highly recommend the Stoplight Behavior Management System
described on page 49. It consists of a bulletin board with a modified stoplight
having four colors and numbered library card pockets with slips of paper.
Each numbered pocket represents a student in the class. A green slip of paper
represents “go” and indicates that the student is behaving in an acceptable
manner. If students are off-task, up and wandering the room, talking out of
turn or too loudly, and so on, you simply pull a yellow slip of paper and
place it in the pocket as a warning. Each color on the stoplight represents an additional consequence.
The entire system is described on page 49, and you can purchase the stoplight pattern and other
printables needed for the system from my website. It really doesn’t matter what system you use, as
long as it has clearly defined consequences tied to different levels in your system. Assign student
numbers on the first day of school, introduce the system, and begin using it right away. Only use the
system for individual behaviors; never change everyone to yellow because students will perceive that
as very unfair. Also, NEVER let students talk you into turning their cards back to green. Do not
bargain with them by saying, “If you behave, I’ll turn your cards back to green at the end of the day.”
They should know that when you change their color on the stoplight, it stays that way and is
recorded at the end of the day. If you use the system consistently, it will help promote a positive
classroom atmosphere because you will not feel the need to raise your voice or lecture the class.

Warm Fuzzy Jar - Class Reward System
The Stoplight Management System is very effective, but for the most part
its main focus is to warn students about behaviors that are not
appropriate rather than rewarding them for appropriate behavior. You
can implement an individual reward system by giving out stickers or
other positive consequences for staying on green all day, but sometimes
those systems can be overwhelming to manage. I’ve found that a class
reward system, such as a Warm Fuzzy Jar, is a much easier way of letting
kids know that you appreciate it when they engage in appropriate, on-
task behavior. A Warm Fuzzy Jar is nothing more than a clear or translucent
jar in which you place cotton balls to reward the class for positive behaviors.
To introduce the Warm Fuzzy Reward System, explain to your students how much you appreciate it
when the class stays on task and works well together because you can get so much more
accomplished and it makes the classroom a fun and safe place to be. Tell them that when you notice
them following the rules, being respectful, or working well together, you will put a “warm fuzzy” in
the jar. Place a cotton ball in the jar to demonstrate. When the jar is full, the class will receive a
reward, such as extra recess, 15 minutes of free time at the end of the day to talk to friends, extra
computer time, a class kickball game, or any other reward of your choosing. I suggest staying away
from food rewards or rewards that cost you money. Let your students help you brainstorm a list of
rewards and choose one for them to work towards. Students earn warm fuzzies for their behavior
when they go to art, for their lunchroom behavior, for lining up quietly to go outside, and so on. I
always announce why they are earning the warm fuzzy. For example, “Class, I really appreciate how
quickly and quietly you lined up for lunch today. You definitely deserve a warm fuzzy!” I seldom take
warm fuzzies out of the jar because it’s really discouraging to lose a warm fuzzy that had been earned
previously. Remember that the Warm Fuzzy Jar is designed to reward positive behaviors and should
not be used to reprimand students for inappropriate behavior. The Stoplight Management System is a
much better method for letting individuals know when their behavior is not acceptable.
Creating Classroom Rules

Some teachers like to establish their own classroom rules and simply
share them with their students on the first day of school. However, I find
that a long list of rules is a huge turn-off to students and can set a
negative tone in the classroom. With upper elementary and middle
school students, you can often involve them in creating their own
classroom rules. If you follow the cooperative learning teacher directions
for this activity outlined on pages 50 and 51, your students will probably
end up with the same rules you would have given them anyway! The
difference is that they created those rules on their own and understand
why we need rules in the classroom. After your class selects a set of five
or six important rules, you can ask them to copy the class rules onto a
piece of paper or the printable on page 52. Have them sign the rules and
return those pages to you or place them at the backs of their handbooks.
You may even want to send a signed copy of those class rules home to
parents. Finally, you can create a poster of the rules for your classroom
by enlarging the pattern on page 53 or writing them on poster board.
Refer to the class rules when they are not being followed, and remind
students that they developed these rules themselves.

Daily Homework Assignment Charts
As a 5th grade teacher, I expect students to write down their
homework every day. At some schools, each student is given a
“planner” which was essentially a large spiral-bound calendar for
writing down homework. However, I’ve worked at some schools
where the school was not able to provide a planner for each
student. At those times, I found the Daily Homework Assignment
chart on page 54 to be really helpful. I keep stacks of them on
hand, and each week I distribute another chart to each student. At
the end of each day, we record homework that’s due the next
day or later in the week.
Daily Homework Assignment Posters

Since students are expected to write down their homework each day, I need a place to record the
assignments, something that can stay up all week long. The system I like best is a set of five small
posters created by gluing daily homework pages (pages 56 - 60) on brightly colored backgrounds.
I laminate each poster and display them across one wall in the room. Each time I make an assignment
for later in the week, I add it to the chart on the day it is due, not the day I assigned it. At the end of
the day, we make time for everyone to get out their planners and record their homework. My
homework assignment wall looks similar to the arrangement below.
Welcome to School Homework Passes

Giving each student a homework pass (page 61) on the first day of
school is a nice way to welcome them and put them at ease. When I
give out the homework passes, I explain that students need to keep
their homework passes in a safe place to use in an emergency if they
aren’t able to turn in an assignment on time. I understand that
everyone has a family emergency from time to time or some other
reason why they can’t do their homework, and turning in a homework
pass will keep them from having points deducted for lateness.
According to my classroom policy, a homework pass can buy a student
an extra day, but the assignment still needs to be completed and turned
in the next day. From time to time, I will excuse a student from a non-
graded assignment, but generally a homework pass simply buys the
student one extra day. Because these passes are non-transferable, I
write my students’ names on them myself before giving them out.

Bus Safety Discussion Mix Up
If your school offers bus transportation for students, you’re probably
required to teach a bus safety lesson within the first few days of
school. After you review the guidelines with your students, engage
them in a few rounds of Bus Safety Discussion Mix Up. In this
activity, students will mix and mingle quietly around the room and
then stop to discuss a question with a partner. You’ll need one set of
the Bus Safety Discussion cards on page 62 for yourself to use as
discussion prompts throughout the activity. Cut the cards apart and
shuffle them.
To lead students through Bus Safety Mix Up, follow these directions:
1. Ask students to stand and push in their chairs.
2. Announce “Mix!” and have them move quietly throughout
the classroom for about 30 seconds, speaking in whisper voices.
3. Say, “Freeze!” and ask everyone to stop.
4. Say, “Pair” and ask students to find a partner who is close by.
5. Call out the question on the first card and ask students to discuss it with their partners.
6. After about a minute of discussion, call on a few students to share their ideas, and clarify any
misunderstandings.
7. Announce, “Mix!” and repeat steps 2 through 6 until all of the cards have been discussed.
Tip: Tell students that each time they pair up, they have to find a new partner. This will keep
them from pairing up with the same person over and over.
Bus Safety Writing Assignment: What Would You Do?

No matter how much we discuss bus safety rules with our students, just
talking about what to do is not enough to prepare them in the event of a
bus accident. However, asking them to imagine and write about a scenario
in which the bus is involved in a small accident can help them visualize
how they would respond. Thinking about this possibility while in the safe
confines of the classroom gives them time to evaluate their options and
apply what you’ve discussed. I recommend displaying the writing prompt
on page 63 and discussing it with the class before having your students
write about it independently. Or you can assign the prompt without
discussing it in advance, and have them respond on their own. Then read
what they write and use that as the basis for further discussion. Who knows,
this writing activity may help to keep them safe one day in the future!
Back to School Super Start Wrap Up

You might not be able to include all of the activities in this packet during your first week back to
school, but even including a few of them will promote a caring classroom environment. Sometimes
teachers feel pressured to hit the academic content right away, and this pressure can discourage them
from providing ample time to involve students in community-building activities. However, I find that
spending time establishing procedures and getting to know each other pays off in the end. After we
establish the ground rules and students know how to work effectively in teams, we can turn our
attention to the academic curriculum. I hope you’ll find that these activities really do provide a super
start to the school year!

Stoplight Management Bulletin Board
1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12
13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24
How It Works ~ Post a stoplight pattern like the one shown above on the
board and staple enough library card pockets next to it so that each student will
have one. Number the pockets and assign each student a number. Place one
green stoplight tag in each pocket. Cut out a dozen tags in yellow, orange, and
red, and place them in pockets near the base of the stoplight. Students start each
day with a green tag. When a student engages in an off-task behavior, place a
yellow tag in his or her pocket as a caution. If another incident occurs that day,
place an orange tag in the pocket and follow up with a previously determined
consequence. For serious infractions, place the red tag in the pocket. At the end
of the day, record the colors shown in each pocket on a class chart. Remove the yellow, orange,
and red tags so that everyone will have a fresh start the following day. You can find the
complete directions and the patterns to create this board in Laura Candler’s Go for Green
Stoplight Management Mini Pack. Download it now from her TeachersPayTeachers store or from
the Teaching Resources here: www.lauracandler.com/books/minipacks.php.

Creating Classroom Rules
A Cooperative Learning Lesson
1. Discuss the Need for Rules

Have students pair with a partner to discuss this
Our
question: “Why do we need rules in the classroom?”
Rules
Then call on volunteers to share their ideas with the
class and discuss until your students seem to
understand why we need rules in the classroom.
2. Brainstorm Rules
Give your students individual dry erase boards
and markers or ask them to get out scrap paper.
Ask everyone to write down one classroom rule
that they think is important. (Encourage them to
keep the rules stated in a positive manner instead
of starting with the word “don’t.“) Explain that as a class, you are
going to settle on no more than five or six class rules, and you need
their help to develop those rules. If something like not chewing gum is
on a school policy, you don’t need to include it on your classroom list.
Because you are only choosing five, they should focus on general rules
like “Pay attention others are talking,” instead of “Don’t tap your
pencil on your desk when others are talking.”
3. Team Members Revise Rules

Number your students off from 1 to 4 in each team. Starting with
Student #1, ask your students to take turns reading their rules to their
team and working to revise them. The team should discuss each rule
and try to clarify the wording of those rules. If students wrote very
similar rules, one of them may want to change to something different.
If no one wants to change, that’s fine, too.

4. Share and Discuss Rules
Before you ask students to share their rules with the class, remind
them that they that are going to end up with a list of no more than
five or six rules. Ask everyone to hold up their dry erase boards for
you to review. Choose about 8 to 10 rules that you feel are most
important and ask those students to bring their boards to the front of
the room. If possible, place their boards along the top of your
chalkboard or somewhere that everyone can see them. Number the
boards in order and ask the students who contributed them to have
a seat. From now on, refer to each rule by number rather than by
the person’s name who wrote it. Saying, “We don’t need Mary’s
rule,” may inadvertently hurt Mary’s feelings, but saying, “We don’t
need #6 because it’s almost the same as #4,” is much less personal.
You’ll notice that many of the rules will sound similar, so at this
point you can combine some of them together, recording the new
variation on a chart, chalkboard, or interactive whiteboard.
5. Select Top Five or Six Class Rules

Eventually through discussion and possibly voting, your class will be
able to reduce the list to the most important five or six.
6. Record and Post Rules

Ask students to record the list of class rules
on a sheet of lined paper or on the Class
Rules printable shown on the right. Create
a class wall display or bulletin board of the
rules. You can write them out yourself on
poster paper or allow each team to make
a small poster (12” x 18”) of one of the
rules. If you have more than six teams, let
one make a title card for the display.

Our Class Rules
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Our class created these rules to make sure that everyone in our classroom feels safe
and valued. I understand the importance of these rules and agree to follow them.
Signature _____________________________ Date _____________________________

Our Class Rules

Homework Assignments for the Week of ___________________
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Reading
Language
Arts
Spelling
Math
Social
Studies
Science/

Health
Other
54
Homework Assignments for the Week of ___________________
Subject Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

55
Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Welcome Welcome
to School! to School!
Homework Pass Homework Pass
Welcome Welcome
Welcome Welcome
Welcome Welcome
Welcome Welcome
School Bus Safety
Discussion Cards
1. 2.
What are 3 safety What are 3 safety
rules for walking to rules to remember
the bus stop and when riding a bus?
getting on the bus?
3. 4.
What are 3 safety rules How should you cross
to remember when the street after getting
getting off the bus? off the bus?
5. 6.
Why shouldn’t students Why shouldn’t students talk
eat on the bus? to the bus driver while the
bus is in operation?

Name _____________________________________
What Would You Do?
Imagine you’re riding the school bus home one day when all of a sudden
a car pulls out in front of the bus. The bus driver slams on his brakes and
swerves to avoid the car. He jerks the steering wheel to the side, runs off
the edge of the road, and stops the bus in the ditch. How can you use
what you’ve learned about bus safety to deal with this situation?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________

Copyright and Permission Info
The Back to School Super Start Pack is copyrighted material. Unless your
school has purchased a site license for this item, your single user purchase
entitles you to make copies for your classroom only. You may not
distribute this ebook in print or digital form without express permission
from Laura Candler. Email help@lauracandler.com with copyright and
permission inquiries. To find out about affordable school site licenses, visit
http://www.lauracandler.com/sitelicense.php. Thanks for respecting my
intellectual property rights! ~ Laura Candler
Artwork Credits
The clipart, borders, and frames in this ebook came from a
variety of sources. If you like the artwork and design elements
you see here, visit the stores of these clipart sellers.
Digital Classroom Clipart

www.digitalclassroomclipart.com
Digital Swirls Creations

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Digital-Swirls-Creations
Lita Lita
http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Lita-Lita
Fancy Dog Studio

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Fancy-Dog-Studio
Teaching Resources Website
Ready-to-Use Resources for Teachers!
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Back to School

Super Start Pack

Part 1 - Reaching Out to Parents ................................................. Page 3

©2012 ~ Created by Laura Candler ~ Teaching Resources ~ www.lauracandler.com 2

Open House Scavenger Hunt

Email Request Form

Parent Volunteer Sign Up

©2012 ~ Created by Laura Candler ~ Teaching Resources ~ www.lauracandler.com 3

Wish Upon a Star

Student Information Survey

©2012 ~ Created by Laura Candler ~ Teaching Resources ~ www.lauracandler.com 4

 Your desk and homework folder

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©2012 ~ Created by Laura Candler ~ Teaching Resources ~ www.lauracandler.com 6

2. How often do you generally check email?

 Daily  Every few days  Weekly on _____________________  Seldom

Student Email ______________________________________________________________________

Parent Signature_______________________________________ Date ________________________

Email Address Request

2. How often do you generally check email?

 Daily  Every few days  Weekly on _____________________  Seldom

Student Email ______________________________________________________________________

Parent Signature_______________________________________ Date ________________________

©2012 ~ Created by Laura Candler ~ Teaching Resources ~ www.lauracandler.com 7

Name Email Address or Phone Number Best Times and Days

©2012 ~ Created by Laura Candler ~ Teaching Resources ~ www.lauracandler.com

Name ___________________________________ Phone Number ___________________

Preferred Days and Time: ___________________________________________________________

Task Low Preference High Preference

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©2012 ~ Created by Laura Candler ~ Teaching Resources ~ www.lauracandler.com 11

©2012 ~ Created by Laura Candler ~ Teaching Resources ~ www.lauracandler.com 12

Please take a star and return it with the

©2012 ~ Created by Laura Candler ~ Teaching Resources ~ www.lauracandler.com

©2012 ~ Created by Laura Candler ~ Teaching Resources ~ www.lauracandler.com 14

Student’s Name ________________________________ Nickname (if any) _________________

Name/Relationship of Person Completing Survey ____________________/_________________

©2012 ~ Created by Laura Candler ~ Teaching Resources ~ www.lauracandler.com 15

©2012 ~ Created by Laura Candler ~ Teaching Resources ~ www.lauracandler.com 16

All About You Letters

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Getting Started with Team Seating

First Day Seating Assignments

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Forming New Teams - Tips and Strategies

Forming Random Teams - Because teams on the first few days of

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Buddy Venn Diagram Icebreaker

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Names to Know: Spelling List of Classmates’ Names

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Back to School Bingo

Name Toss Game

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Teaching Social Skills

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First Day Class Meeting Wrap Up

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 your favorite foods, hobbies, books, games,

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All About You

©2012 ~ Created by Laura Candler ~ Teaching Resources ~ www.lauracandler.com 26

Parent Signature_______________ Date

Parent Signature_______________ Date

Name _________________ Phone Number _

Student’s Name ________________ Nickname (if any) _

Name/Relationship of Person Completing Survey ____/_

Notes: Notes:

Name _ Name _

Notes: Notes:

Name _ Name _

Notes: Notes:

Name _ Name _

Notes: Notes:

Name _ Name _

Name _ Name _

Name Name

Signature _ Date _