Icebreakers can be fun, but are often not super helpful. Going over your expectations and rules is important...but you don't want to bore your kids to tears. You want to show that your classroom will be rigorous...but you don't want to open with something scary...like standardized test prep (shiver!). Oh...and you want to show your kids you care...and that everything is going to be ok...and they can come to you with questions...and that they can be comfortable and safe in your room....or in your remote room...where are we on that again????

Ok...let's face it...it is all a bit overwhelming! But here is a Back to School Bundle and New Year Bundle I really hope helps! I try to combine positive expectations, problem solving, personal responsibility...and even a bit of test prep - all while really trying to communicate to kids that I care about them and am here for them!

This bundle is great for establishing rapport and routines at the start of the school year and even revisiting or revising rapport and routines around the new year (or whenever you need!)

For more details on how I use these as a back to school resources and for other information and suggestions, please check out my blog: Savage Classroom

Here is what the bundle includes:

Back to School: 12 Introduction Questions to Start the Year Right!

A short survey that asks some nice superficial ice breaker sorts of questions (what super power would you have and why?) while also getting some more substantial information about students that will help me set up my classroom to fit the needs of the students I have (what are your commitments outside of school? what makes a good teacher? what makes a good student? etc.). Use to build a positive classroom climate face-to-face or in your remote classroom. Use it as is or adapt for your kiddos!

What If? Encouraging Problem Solving from Day One!

Original "What If" Document: This document outlines 11 common scenarios that have come up in my class (and surely many others) that can lead to problems (both for students and for classroom climate).

"What If" Remote Edition!: Teaching fully or partially online? I came up with some more common situations unique to the remote classroom to discuss with my kiddos, including thinking about how to get support for both academic (and non-academic) issues that may arise!

We work as a class to brainstorm and discuss why these situations are problematic, what potential consequences are given these scenarios, and propose alternative behaviors and/or ways to address the issue. The situations described match up with my classroom expectations, so it's a nice way to run through the expectations that actually engages the students. You can consider doing this as a whole class, with partners, or any other way you see fit.

Postive Expectations for Positive Classroom Climate

Classroom Expectations Document: Five positive classroom expectations that encourage students to understand boundaries and take ownership of behavior. Feeel free to adapt this basic list of expectations to fit your needs! For example, I also include a breakdown of the novels we cover during the year and my grading policy. You can also easily adapt this for a remote classroom!

Talking Habits with TED: Inside The Mind of a Master Proacrastinator

In this super entertaining and relatable TED talk he walks us through his own life as a procrastinator and calls us to act on those things we put off that have no deadlines.

I often use this guide at back to school time, finals, or even the start of the new year. It's a great way to get students to think about setting (and hopefully accomplishing their own goals). Plus, you know I'm mixing in some standards practice as well! Here, I have my students work on citing evidence to support conclusions.

I break up this Talk into a before, during, and after activity. I also break up the talk itself into three chunks and pause and discuss at the end of each chunk.

Definitely one of those activities that you could use over the course of a whole day. However, I could also see it working well as a bell ringer or homework activity depending on how you want to approach it!

This pack includes a one page short response handout in both a Word and PDF format. It would be easy to adapt from remote learning on Microsoft Forms or through Google!

Meaningful Test Prep: Setting Positive Habits with...Paper Clips

Standardized test prep does not need to be miserable and irrelevant for your students (and you). The purpose of my nonfiction Friday series is to get students talking about engaging, important, and/or personal issues of the day, while mixing in a little Common Core Reading for Information and standardized test prep in the process.

This particular passage would be great for back to school, before finals, or around a new semester as the focus is on setting positive habits!

As this is passage is a highly engaging and accessible read about the psychology of setting positive habits effectively, it could be a great way to introduce the science writing genre in your classroom. It could also go well with a literature unit that discusses personal responsibility or as a way to integrate some Social Emotional Learning.

What is included:

7 multiple-choice questions and key based on CCSS and ACT/SAT question stems

Key

Please note: the 7 multiple-choice questions are based on James Clear's article "How to Stick With Good Habits Every Day by Using the 'Paper Clip Strategy'". It is an excerpt from his book Atomic Habits and is currently free to view on his blog!

Positive Expectations Mini Posters (Freebie from my shop)

I created these after taking some coursework about setting positive classroom expectations. They match the clear, positive classroom expectations I establish in my class at the start of the year; I like the way they look, too! I teach freshmen and sophomores, but I think these rules can be pretty universally applied across most age groups.

5 Mini Posters Total:

Come Prepared to do Your Best Every Day.

Participate to the Best of Your Ability.

Respect Yourself, Others, and Classroom Materials.

Take Ownership of Work and Behavior.

Follow School Rules.

To a Mouse by Robert Burns: A New Year's Active Reading and SEL Activity (Freebie from my shop)

To a Mouse is one of my favorite poems, and it is something I have found myself gravitating toward this year. I made a little active reading guide and mixed in some Social Emotional Learning. Hopefully, this helps you dig into some rad poetry and facilitate a helpful and important discussion about how we can cope when plans don't work out the way we expect (because of circumstances beyond our control).

Heads up! This poem is AWESOME! However, it also may be a challenge at first for students to understand. There are some great ways to scaffold this activity: translations of the poem, videos of people reading the poem, reading and working as a class or in small groups, etc.

I love using the new year as a way to set goals for myself and my students, but I am also seeing this year as a way to address what happens when our goals and plans simply don't work out the way we expect.

Word Document - feel free to edit to best fit your learners!

If you enjoy this resource, please feel free to give it some love! Feel free to leave a review. Thanks!