1st Day of Kindergarten

First Day of Kindergarten

Let me set the tone for you first - I always host a "Kindergarten Connection" a few days before school.  This involves an opportunity for students to meet me, see the classroom, drop off school supplies, play on the playground, meet the PTA and meet friends in their classroom.  This gives me an opportunity to have many of my supplies on the 1st day of school.  Yes, it's true - I've never had 100% attendance, but I still love the fact that MOST of my supplies are already put away before the 1st day of school.  Because, let's face it, supplies are one of the most frustrating things about the 1st day of school.

Dismissal is the most stressful thing about the first day of school.  At Kindergarten Connection, I have parents varify how students will get home for the year, and to mark if it will be different on the 1st day of school.  If the parents aren't at Kindergarten Connection, I do email or make phone calls on the first day.

One more thing about our school, we have an AM dismissal at 11:05, and then an additional "OKEEP" program in the afternoon.  This is an Optional Kindergarten Enrichment and Enhancement Program.  In order for students to stay for the full day of Kindergarten (8:20-2:55), they must pay to stay.

Ok - now, back to the 1st day of school.

8:20 - 8:30 Welcome to Kindergarten

• Greeting, Name Tags/Attendance and a "Welcome to Kindergarten" coloring worksheet.
• Since most supplies are put away, I put some crayons and pencils on tables if students weren't able to make it to the Kindergarten Connection.

8:30 - 9:00 Ice Breaks and Introductions

• Discussion: “Say your name. Then answer this: 'if I could be an animal, what would I be?”
• Animal scramble.  Give students a picture of an animal.  Let them look at it and think of the noise the animal makes. Find a spot around the room.  Then have them close their eyes, get on all fours and find a match.
• Once they find their match, work on introductions and give your partner a high-five. Find another partner after you've already introduced yourself to one matching animal. Find as many matching animal sounds before time is called.

9:00 - 9:45 School Tour 

• Read Aloud: Pete the Cat Rocking in my School Shoes. 
  • At the end of the story, I always have a "note" fall out at the end of the book that says that Pete was around the school.

• Introduce mystery walker.

• Practice walking in a line in the classroom before you go out in the hall. Search for Pete the Cat school tour cards around the building. Try to find Pete as he was strolling through your school. Each one says, "Goodness no," to us worrying about missing him.

• When you get back from the tour, Pete leaves an "It's all good" worksheet for the students. Allow them to color for a few minutes.

9:45 - 10:20 Restroom Break and Recess 

• Rules/routines about restroom - unless it comes up sooner

10:20 - 10:35 - Snack and Read Aloud

10:35 - 10:50 - “A Year of Writing in Kindergarten” Journal

• Decorate journal cover and 1st day of school picture. 
  • If possible, take pictures of students on the first day (so you can put it in the journal too).

10:55 - 11:05 Read Aloud Scrapbook 

• Personal Scrapbook about myself called "The Adventures of Mrs. Brouwer"

11:05 - 11:15 GoNoodle Activity

• Dismiss those that aren't staying.

11:15-11:40 Lunch Prep

• Read Lunch Bunnies by Kathryn Lasky

• Establish rules and procedures - cafeteria. Take a tour of what table they will sit at, where the milk is and where to throw the trash away (we do not have hot lunch available).

• Practice lining up (introduce the hallway chant and line transitions).  
  
  

11:40 - 12:20 Lunch/Recess

12:20 - 12:45 PM Pow Wow

• Establish reentering classroom rules and PM Pow Wow

• Review Rules and Procedures

• Allow for bathroom/drink break

• Calming music and relaxation time

12:45 - 1:00 Getting to Know You Activity

1:00 - 1:40 Shared Reading/Writing

• Read Aloud:  The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn
• Discuss the Kissing Hand (quick text/story review).
• First Day Feelings Anchor Chart (text to self connections) and predictable sentences.
  • Graph what the students are feeling today. Discuss most/least.
• Chester writing craft: "On the first day of school, I am feeling ____."
  • Stamp a hand print in the middle. Put a heart sticker in the middle.
  
  

1:40 - 1:55  Getting to Know You Game/Activity or Recess

• Recess or brain break at this time too!

1:55 - 2:25 Read Aloud David Goes to School

• Invite students to carpet. 
• Praise those who came to carpet following the rules and review carpet rules. 

•  Come up with rules for the classroom together.  Make a chart to review this week.

2:25 - 2:40 Getting to Know you Activity

2:40-2:55 Dismissal Stack and Pack

• Folders and explanation of each side of the folder.

• Show where each student will go for dismissals.

• Monitor.
  
  
  It was a very busy day. I got in 9000 steps today in my tiny room. Who would have thought it was so many.
  
  
  The biggest goal of my day - get to know my students, make them comfortable and have a little bit of fun here and then. I hope your first day of school was as successful as mine! It's a new year! Enjoy every moment of it.