Building community in your classroom is such an important part of coming together as a class. Whether you are teaching fifth graders or first graders, as teachers, we are mothers and fathers to our students. Teaching our children about respect is a life lesson they will hopefully take with them for the rest of their lives. Click HERE or the picture below to grab this freebie and see how we spent our day building community, coming together as a family, and learning about respect.
Explore these fun and informative ideas to build a strong classroom community in primary grades! From student jobs to team building activities, foster a sense of belonging in kindergarten, 1st grade, and 2nd grade. These classroom community lessons to build friendship, respect, and kindness will help you create a learning environment where students thrive. Grab the FREE classroom community activities and respect scenario role play task cards to get you started!
Want to build community within your classroom? Community Respect is the perfect circle for your classroom, small group or SEL lesson that helps students understand what what respect is and means to them as they seek to create a culture of respect in their classroom. This circle follows a traditional community or classroom circle format--check in, discussion rounds and check out. The goals of the lesson include: Students will begin to create positive relationships with students who are similar and different from them. Students will define respect. Students will explain what respect means to them and ways to create a culture of respect in the classroom. Why Use This Lesson? Aligns with SEL standards and promotes emotional intelligence. Develops critical social-emotional skills in upper elementary and middle school students. Encourages empathy and community building within the school community. Provides istudent voice to all students in the classroom. How To Use This Lesson: As a morning meeting As part of your SEL curriculum May also be used as a classroom lesson Contains: ✔ Aligned to ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors and CASEL Core Compentencies ✔ Detailed lesson plan with step-by-step instructions ✔ Values Activity Worksheet ✔ PowerPoint with complete circle prompts More Social Skills Lessons: ❤️ Apologizing Social Skills Lesson ❤️ Conversations Social Skills Lesson ❤️ Expressing Empathy Social Skills Lesson ▶ Don't forget to follow along! My TpT Store Facebook Instagram Counselor Chat Podcast © Carol Miller - Counseling Essentials
Learn how to guide students through peaceful conflict resolution with simple, easy-to-follow steps. Foster a harmonious and respectful classroom environment.
Chivalry may be considered a thing of the past, but in reality, there are still many examples of chivalrous behavior in today’s world. While the traditional acts of chivalry may have evolved, there are still ways for men to demonstrate chivalrous behavior towards women and show respect in modern times. The following examples are based...
I was so eager to get back to my kids this week. Eager to hug them and talk to them and let them know I loved them. Coincidence or not, on Friday I pulled my kids together to talk community building and all things family. I have always been so big on building community in...
Hey everyone! It's Anna from Hanging with Mrs. Hulsey! The school year is officially in full swing-- and my students are definitely feeling more comfortable with me and each other! One thing I've decided we need to focus on more is our classroom community! Here are some quick ideas to help you promote a positive climate in your classroom! Use Team Builders Team building activities are easy to implement! They don't take a lot of time, students find them to be engaging, and they are often FREE! Here is a quick list of some of my favorite student team building activities: Human Knot (Students stand in circle, reach for hands of people across the way, and then they must untangle themselves without letting go. This can also be done as a spiderweb using a ball of yarn) Tallest Tower (Divide students into groups and give them supplies like straws, tape, blocks, etc. The team that can make the tallest tower wins!) Minefield (Set up a "minefield" that students must navigate a blindfolded partner through) Hula Hoop Pass (Can be played whole class or in teams. Students hold hands and must pass through a hula hoop as quickly as possible) Switch Sides If... (Use a chalk line, rope, or tape line. Have students stand on one side of the line. Read off items like "switch sides if you like to bake", etc.) The internet provides an infinite source of team building activities! I've included a few links below: http://www.ventureteambuilding.co.uk/team-building-activities/ http://www.momjunction.com/articles/team-building-activities-will-keep-kids-busy-summer_0074763/#gref http://mommieshobbies.blogspot.com/2014/01/switch-sides-if.html?m=1 Hold Morning Meetings Time is precious in my classroom because we departmentalize. It feels like we are always on the go. However, I feel that even something as small as a weekly morning meeting would help my students develop a more positive feeling toward one another. You can read more about morning meetings for older elementary students here! I also love this product from TPT! Write Daily White Board Messages I think this is a such a simple way to start the day off with a positive vibe! The night before (or morning of) write a simple prompt on the white board/chalkboard and have students respond on the board. This will foster another sense of ownership and community. You can find white board messages by searching google or Pinterest! Here are some quick ideas to get you started: 1 Thing Wednesday-- name one thing we've done this year that you'd like to do again! I Think I Can Thursday-- what is one goal you want to achieve this year? Flashback Friday-- what is one new thing you have learned this week? Write a compliment for a classmate by their name (no repeats!) Name 3 traits of a great friend What is your favorite book you've read this year? Thankful Thursday-- what is 1 thing you are thankful for? Make it Monday-- what is 1 thing you've always wanted to create?' Top 2 Tuesday-- write your top 2 favorite things about the school year so far Compliment Circles This activity would pair well with morning meetings! You and the students sit in a circle with everyone's legs out straight. Begin the compliment circle by giving a compliment to someone. Once someone has been complimented they cross their legs. Compliments continue until everyone has received 1. I think this is a great way to encourage students to see each other in different ways! Create a Kindness Board I created this one for the visual it would provide to my students. Plus, I wanted them to point out kindness when they see it in others! This one is easy to implement: 1. Print out the letters and hang on a wall or bulletin board. 2. Print the "caught being kind" strips on various colors of paper (I used Astrobright paper). 3. Cut the strips apart and keep on hand for when students catch others being kind. 4. When students experience a kindness or act of friendship, they come and ask you for a "caught being kind" strip. They write down their experience. 5. Start a paper chain and add a new link every time someone catches others being kind! You can find this HERE in my TPT store! Here is another type of board with a similar theme (kindness): You can find these fall themed board HERE in my store! I hope you found these ideas to be useful to implement in your classroom! If you have any questions-- feel free to leave them in the comment section!
I was so eager to get back to my kids this week. Eager to hug them and talk to them and let them know I loved them. Coincidence or not, on Friday I pulled my kids together to talk community building and all things family. I have always been so big on building community in...
I was so eager to get back to my kids this week. Eager to hug them and talk to them and let them know I loved them. Coincidence or not, on Friday I pulled my kids together to talk community building and all things family. I have always been so big on building community in...
During the first few days of school, building classroom community is crucial. Here are some anchor charts that we create during the first week.
Are you looking for ways to build relationships with students? This list of actionable steps you can be used any time of year.
This book contributes to the ever-under-construction edifice by presenting a scaffolding of the scholarship that has been part of the building process, documenting and analyzing the past, speculating about the future, and framing a continuing conversation about and for the field.
Check out these top techniques for employing character building activities for students of all school ages!
It’s my first day of school! I love this time of year, all fresh starts and possiblities! Team builder games are one of my favorite things to do in the classroom during the first few weeks …
Teaching Character Education in the classroom is just as important as phonics and adding and subtracting.
Start the school year with these 11 fun classroom community activities to help build social-emotional skills and positive relationships!
Build character in your classroom with these activities you can do throughout the year.
I was so eager to get back to my kids this week. Eager to hug them and talk to them and let them know I loved them. Coincidence or not, on Friday I pulled my kids together to talk community building and all things family. I have always been so big on building community in...
This must have list of children's books about community and building community includes a printable list of books to take to the library.
Want to build community within your classroom? This Beginning Bundle will help you get your community circles off the ground. It contains your first 5 circles and will help your students get to know one another, build trust, respect, and your circle values that will carry over as you do more circles over your school year. Circle 1 Community Building Circle | Getting To Know You Circle 2 Community Building Circle | Fitting Into Our Community Circle 3 Community Building Circle | Establishing Our Core Values | Empathy Circle 4 Community Building Circle | Community Respect | Empathy Circle 5 Community Building Circle | Circle of Support | Empathy The goals of Community Building Circles: Students will begin to create positive relationships with students who are similar and different from them. Students will identify ways to support each other in the classroom community. Why Use These Lessons? Aligns with SEL standards and promotes emotional intelligence. Develops critical social-emotional skills in upper elementary and middle school students. Encourages empathy and community building within the school community. Provides student voice to all students in the classroom. How To Use These Lessons: As a morning meeting As part of your SEL curriculum May also be used in a non-circle format as a classroom lesson Contains: ✔ Aligned to ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors and CASEL Core Compentencies ✔ Detailed lesson plans with step-by-step instructions ✔ Check In Posters and Worksheets ✔ PowerPoints with complete circle prompts More Social Skills Lessons: ❤️ Apologizing Social Skills Lesson ❤️ Conversations Social Skills Lesson ❤️ Expressing Empathy Social Skills Lesson ▶ Don't forget to follow along! My TpT Store Facebook Instagram Counselor Chat Podcast © Carol Miller - Counseling Essentials
Building a positive classroom culture can be a tricky endeavor, but with these six ideas and two freebies, you can get a great start.
I was so eager to get back to my kids this week. Eager to hug them and talk to them and let them know I loved them. Coincidence or not, on Friday I pulled my kids together to talk community building and all things family. I have always been so big on building community in...
Want to build community within your classroom? Community Respect is the perfect circle for your classroom, small group or SEL lesson that helps students understand who are the people they can count on and who is in their circle of support. This circle follows a traditional community or classroom circle format--check in, discussion rounds and check out. The goals of the lesson include: Students will begin to create positive relationships with students who are similar and different from them. Students will identify people in their circle of support. Students will identify ways to support each other in the classroom community. Why Use This Lesson? Aligns with SEL standards and promotes emotional intelligence. Develops critical social-emotional skills in upper elementary and middle school students. Encourages empathy and community building within the school community. Provides student voice to all students in the classroom. How To Use This Lesson: As a morning meeting As part of your SEL curriculum May also be used as a classroom lesson Contains: ✔ Aligned to ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors and CASEL Core Compentencies ✔ Detailed lesson plan with step-by-step instructions ✔ Check In Poster ✔ PowerPoint with complete circle prompts More Social Skills Lessons: ❤️ Apologizing Social Skills Lesson ❤️ Conversations Social Skills Lesson ❤️ Expressing Empathy Social Skills Lesson ▶ Don't forget to follow along! My TpT Store Facebook Instagram Counselor Chat Podcast © Carol Miller - Counseling Essentials
Welcome back to school! Build classroom community through conversation with this quick and easy getting to know you resource called All About You! The best back to school resource you can invest in is one that helps you build rapport with students. Rapport building helps you build community and manage unwanted behaviors by creating mutual respect and a genuine fondness for each other. Included you will find: a 2 page Google Doc with 17 getting to know you questions for your students to fill out in the first weeks of school How to use: Collect the questionnaires to privately learn a little more about each of your students Have students keep them in their binders, then bust them out anytime you want to build community Edit your Google Doc to add, eliminate or customize any questions. These questions are geared toward middle and high school students but can easily be tailored to lower grades as well! Share in groups, share your own answers and/or share out for whole class discussion My favorite method? Pick a number and have everyone share just that answer that day! We use this resource in my classroom all year!
Ready to go for the first day of school! Middle school ELA. Designed to build community and respect on the first day of school, this lesson equips teachers with engaging resources to delve into Sandra Cisneros' "My Name" vignette, fostering meaningful discussions on cultural identity and name pronunciation. Included in this download: A lesson plan guiding students through the analysis of "My Name" and promoting community-building discussions. A student-friendly note catcher designed to help students actively engage with the text, fostering critical thinking. A homework handout encouraging students to explore the cultural significance of their names, connecting personal identity with shared diversity. Templates for customizable name tents, promoting an inclusive environment and helping both teachers and students remember names throughout the first week and beyond. Equip your classroom with these resources to create an atmosphere of respect, cultural understanding, and community right from the start. Empower your students to embrace their identities, while educators enjoy a smooth introduction to the school year.
Any day you happen into a classroom at my school, you will find a Morning-Meeting message board to greet eager learners. Morning messages anchor and prepare students for the direction of the day's learning. Morning Meetings also include a greeting to acknowledge fellow peers with respect, a sharing period to build community, and an activity period to stimulate thinking and movement. Curious what this looks like in practice? Here's a recent day in the life of a fourth-grade class.
Are you frustrated by constant interruptions to your small groups? These six classroom management procedures were designed to eliminate this frustration and provide systems that work.
Classroom community building activities and free ideas and lesson plans to kick off the school year or implement at any time.
Want to know how to teach your kids respect? From effective parenting tips to fun activities, we’re sharing our best strategies to raise respectful kids!
The worksheet presented is a practical tool aimed at developing conflict resolution skills by exploring various strategies. Under the title “Conflict Resolution Strategies,” the directions at the top instruct users to contemplate a personal conflict and determine the most applicable strategy for resolution, also questioning why a particular approach is favored. This reflective process is...
Try This Powerful Social Emotional Activity: The Love Light
Are you looking for some new greetings to spice up your daily class meetings? Here are some awesome examples of Class or Morning Meeting Greetings in action! 1. My name is ___ and I can do this! Love this greeting! Students individually introduce themselves and perform a unique action. The rest of the class repeats and mirrors the action. 2. Dice Greeting. Instead of greeting their direct neighbor, have students roll a die then greet the student sitting that number of spaces away from them. Knock, Knock. Great call and response greeting for practicing individual speaking skills in front of a group! One-Minute Greeting. Quick, simple, and to the point. Find a partner, look them in the eye, greet them by name, and shake their hand. Pass It Around. Students sit in a circle and pass a special item while greeting their neighbors. Would be fun to use themed items throughout the year! Partner Skills Match. Students are randomly given sets of matching partner cards, such as fractions and pictorial representations. Students find and greet their match before returning to the circle. Love how this could incorporate so many different learning skills! Hope these have inspired you to shake things up with your Class or Morning Meetings! If you have any favorite greetings that you use with your class, please share them! My students and I always love to try new ones! If you liked reading this post and want to learn more about Classroom Meetings or Morning Meetings, take a look at the following blog posts. Thanks so much, and happy teaching!
Teaching Character Education in the classroom is just as important as phonics and adding and subtracting.
Begin the year with oral traditions that honor childhood, teach names, and build community. Though songs, musical dramas and stories. See nellieedge.com.
Classroom circles nurture an inclusive and supportive school community!The power of classroom circles or morning meetings to foster emotional intelligence, improve wellbeing and create a culture of
You can improve behavior in your classroom with social emotional learning. Read these 5 easy ways to incorporate SEL as soon as tomorrow!
