When we return to school, it is easy for us to want to immediately jump into standards and important concepts we know that our students need to master before the end of the school year. However, our new kindergarteners often have other plans. Cue expectations for tears (and not just yours–ha), potty accidents, unplanned naps (again, not you…you wish), and sweet littles who just can’t understand why they have to come back EVERY DAY. Yes, this is the transition of a lifetime my friends. With all of these other things going on, it can be hard to know what to realistically plan for the first month of Kindergarten.
Many parts of kindergarten can wait until after the first month, when students begin to get the hang of things. So, when planning for the first month, these are the simple activities I plan to help set up routines, expectations, and a love of school that will last through the school year. Building community and fostering a safe environment takes priority over everything else.
Planning for The First Day
On the first day of school and for several days after it, I begin the day with a coloring sheet. This gives me enough time to comfort the criers. Then, we have our very first morning meeting. I introduce and tell a little bit about myself, and then let my students do the same. We read The Kissing Hand (the next day we will make our First Day Feelings chart). We also make sure to do plenty of GoNoodle breaks and go to the playground for two recesses. We continue the two recess routine for the first two weeks of school to help break up the day and help them unwind.
In the afternoon, we typically read the book No, David! and discuss what we want our class rules to be. We also do “centers.” At first, they are play-based to give students an opportunity to practice the center procedures. Then after about two weeks, they change to fine motor centers. We wrap up the day by reading Pete the Cat: Rocking in My School Shoes. I know it doesn’t seem like much, but a large part of the day is also spent covering rules and procedures, so we sometimes don’t even finish everything I have planned!
Plan for Setting Expectations and Procedures
In between the books and activities planned for the first day of kindergarten, I plan plenty of time to practice how to follow procedures. For example, we go to the cafeteria and practice getting a tray and going to our table. Of course we are also talking about how we stand in the hall and walk quietly (and we will do this for the next 180 days–ha). Next, we learn how to use the restroom in our classroom. When it is time for us to have our first recess, we have to talk about the playground rules first and sometimes learn a little song to help us remember.
If there is time, I will also teach them how to correctly play with playdough. Each student will have a mini tub (you can get a 15-pack in the party section). My kids always have playdough in their supply boxes. It’s a great buffer if I need a minute. It doesn’t have to always be free play, either. You can have them make their name or a certain letter or number. They love that!
Plan for Teaching About Parts of the Classroom
During the first day, and for many days to follow, we also talk about different places in our school and classroom. I will introduce the class to different areas in the classroom (home living, library, blocks, legos, etc.), tell them the expectation and then show them what that looks like. Never assume they understand what you are saying. Always show them what carrying a tub with two hands looks like. Then, allow a little bit of free time for them to practice in one of these areas. This is a great way for them to learn how to share, get along in a small group, and allows me to walk around and give extra instructions for those who need “personalized instructions.”
Most kinders can’t wait to come to school to “play” with everything in the classroom. Often we as teachers spend so much time with them going over rules and procedures (which are clearly necessary) but never let them play. I try to squeeze in free play time every day the first week of school. This also helps them to build relationships with their classmates and gives me an opportunity to observe students and their personalities before I place them in academic groups for centers.
Plan for Building Relationships
As you can see, I always use pretty simple ideas when planning the first month of kindergarten. It’s really like herding cats, people. You know, mixing with a blender with no lid. It’s no joke. Be realistic when planning. Remember that they are four or five years old. You are their new everything. They will spend more waking hours with you than anyone else. Earn their trust, and you will have their dedication to making good choices. Remember to laugh, play, sing, dance, and have FUN. You may be the first person in their educational career and are setting the tone for their love of learning.
Here is what my day one lesson plans looked like:
7:35 – Pick up class from cafeteria. If any have supplies, have them unload them and keep at table. Tell class about standing and putting right hand on heart. Pin on name tags.
7:45 – Announcements.
7:50 – Greet class (introduce self) and tell them about lunchboxes and tray lunch. Then tell them about morning routine (unpack, stay put, pledge, call tables to unload folders and bookbags, show two backpacks to a hook, etc).
Call one table at a time to unload and put away backpack.
Tell each table about supplies at their table.
Hand out stars and have them color the star and cut it out (talk about safety with scissors and to put scissors down before they get up to throw away trash). Then they stay at their table. As they finish, have them put their name on the star with a marker. (take pictures by Chicka tree) If they finish they can read book on carpet.
8:15 – (carpet) Let students pick spots. Have them bring star to carpet. Tell carpet expectations. Talk about the need for rules. Do you jump on the bed at home?
Expectations:
- Sit “criss-cross applesauce”.
- Be attentive
- Raise hand to ask question.
- Go down aisles to go to front.
Talk about K-P and how we are proud of our school and we want to keep it clean and we all work together in our class and we share and we are nice to our new friends. Call up one at time to glue on star. With class’s help make up title.
(Kennedy-Powell Stars, Friends, etc.)
Read Aloud: Tiptoe into Kindergarten and The Kissing Hand.
Talk about feelings and going to school (were you sad, happy, excited, a little scared)and missing Mom and Dad. Talk about Chester and how he got over being sad.
Talk about RR rules. Tell how Carpet time is a NO RR time, but when we go to our tables they can go to RR and get a drink without asking permission. Talk about RR and how one person can wait by door, check the stop sign, how we knock and don’t play in there, flush and wash hands….No Playing. Show them the “Goody Jar” and tell them about the “Caught you Being Good” list. This week, use notepad and stickers. When they get 10 stickers they can get something from the “goody jar”.
8:45 – Mr. Clem in cafeteria
9:00 – Go outside and sit on sidewalk. Tell about buckets and chalk.
Give playground expectations.
Expectations:
- Rocks stay on ground.
- Play where teacher can see you (show).
- Go down slides, don’t walk up them EXCEPT the one. Tell about big slide (show)
- Don’t hang on picnic cover.
9:20 – Come in and sit at tables. Call one table at a time to get a drink. They can use RR as needed. SNACK
9:30 – (Carpet) SW make a list of what different students liked on playground.
_______________ likes the ________________.
Read BB Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.
COP – Cover
Title
Where do I begin to read? During this time assess ability to cross the midline. SF alphabet tape.
9:45 – Talk about work jobs and how we will do them next week. Tell about playdough rules.
Expectations:
- Just play with your ball of dough.
- Don’t eat it.
- Make things or letters.
- Show vacuum technique to clean up.
- Show mats used at center.
Hand out playdough balls and wax paper. While playing with playdough walk around and ask students the cup their hands look for the pocket in their palm (fine motor assessment)
10:05 – Word Study – writing their name, show name on table, we put our names on all our papers, one capital letter and the rest are lowercase. Sing alphabet song and point to letters.
10:15 – Sing Name Songs read and alphabet book.
10: 30 – School Calendar and math jobs. Model jobs, review carpet expectations
10:50 – Talk about walking in line in hall rules.
Expectations:
- No talking
- No touching another
- Walk, but don’t get too far behind
Put in ABC order
10:58 – Go to RR by office.
11:05 – Take in cafeteria and remind of rules.
Expectations:
- No talking 1st 10 minutes, EAT, then whisper.
- Lunchboxes go to tables Girls on one side Boys on other.
- Raise hand to get all help at once.
- Feet down.
- Stay seated, raise hand for help.
LUNCH
11:30 – Pick them up go to classroom.
Have lunchboxes put in cubbies and sit on carpet.
Go over rules again for playground
12:00 – Come in and sit at tables, put heads down, rest and call for drinks, turn off lights, RR if needed.
12:15 – Math lesson 1-1 & 1-2 Attendance routine
Review “big” and “little”. Show bean circles (and beans) and how to do it. Tell rules for glue use (Chester tears or bug tears show amount, show opening and closing, show where it goes).Send to tables put beans in middle, remind them to put names on papers. Put in hall to dry. Read on carpet when finished
12:50 – CARPET – show how to make pictures with pattern blocks. Show unifix cubes and pattern cards.
TABLES – Play with pattern blocks and unifix cubes then switch tables.
1:00 – Show Kinder magnet, send to tables to work – tell them to go to RR if needed.
1:20 – Sit on carpet and talk about activities and rules/pack up
Walking in hall rules too.
No talking.
No touching one another.
Walk, but don’t get too far behind.
Library & Science Lab
If you are still feeling a bit stressed about what to realistically plan for the first month of kindergarten, check out The Ultimate Back to School Resource for Kindergarten in my Teachers Pay Teachers store. It includes lessons and activities to help you survive the first month of school and activities for the books I mentioned above. It’s a simple, straightforward packet. It really can be a life-saver!
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