The first few weeks back to school can be a LOT for both teachers and students. Helping everyone get to know each other during this time can help ensure that you are ready for a year filled with valuable connections and proactive teaching and learning.
Our amazing education team has created many ready-made lessons to help you with your first few weeks back to school. Are here 5 activities You can do in class to help get to know your students and allow them to get to know each other:
1. Stand up if…
This activity is great if you have shyer students who may not be ready to share their voices yet. Students are invited to stand if the message (safe, inclusive) applies to them. Classmates can scan the classroom and learn more about their classmates. This Lumio lesson is ready to use OR can be customized with some of your favorite prompts.
2. Make friends
What better way to foster student friendships than with a fun and engaging lesson in Lumio? Students can open this activity on their personal devices and jot down some of their favorite things. Students can then travel around the classroom, connect with their classmates, and ask each other questions. Students build their confidence and communication skills by asking and answering questions, plus students build friendships at the same time!
3. Would you rather
This activity, what would you prefer? encourages students to exercise their voice and choice. Students are given two prompts and can drag an object on top of their choice. Students not only develop their digital literacy but also their decision-making skills.
Customize this activity to tie the content to a topic your class is covering this year to get students excited about learning.
4. Kindness Bingo
We can all use reminders about the importance of kindness at times. This activity encourages students to perform acts of kindness for their classmates. Assignments can be completed individually, in pairs, or as a classroom challenge. Adding a layer of gamification increases student engagement by encouraging them to complete tasks efficiently and tactfully. Use this ready-made lesson right out of the box or customize this lesson to meet the unique needs of your classroom.
5. Interviews
If your students are ready to deepen their classroom connections, try the Back-to-School Interview activity. Students can practice asking others questions, answering questions, and documenting answers digitally with these interview prompts. End this community building activity with a 3-2-1 exercise to connect your learning with understanding.
One of the best ways to engage your students is by fostering a welcoming environment throughout the year. Students are more likely to exercise their voice and open up to learning when they feel safe, comfortable, and respected in class. These activities are fun and engaging for the first few weeks back to school, but they can set the stage for deeper learning and connections throughout the year.
Haven’t tried Lumio yet? Back to school is the perfect opportunity to try it for FREE! Browse hundreds of lessons ready for your classroom and create your own lessons to engage your students in their learning on their own devices.
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