WHat to do on the first day back from break!

​With winter break approaching its end, we have to start thinking about returning to school for the new semester. The question is what do we do on the first day back?

For some of us especially in the high school world, it could mean an entirely new bunch of students and it is the first day of school all over again. For others it is a continuation of the previous semester with a 2 week break in the middle.

I hope what we can all agree on is that jumping right into content would not be the best way to start a new semester. Even if we have the same students all year, the students are coming off of two weeks of no school. The students are going to need something to get them back into the swing of school. Here are some activities and ideas that we have found that could work for the first day/week back from winter break.

TEAM BUILDING ACTIVITIESWhether you are starting over this semester or bringing students back together, team building would be valuable at this time. For the classes starting over, it is a good way to get to know your classes and have the students get to know each other. For the classes coming back together after break, it is a good way to reconnect and get students back to thinking about other people and catch up.  

Here are some suggestions for activities:

• Personality Bingo - This one is pretty simple, but take a blank bingo card and fill it with different questions that students answer. Then have them try to find other people in the class that have the same answers as them and attempt to achieve a bingo!
• Amazing Race/Minute to Win it Games - These games could really serve as review games or just team building activities to get students working together and communicating. 
• Two Truths and a Lie - A classic game that can be played with a focus on winter break.
• Couch Game - This is a great game to get your students thinking and interacting on the first day back. Basically students have to work in teams to fill the couch with their team members.  

CONTENT REVIEW ACTIVITIES/GAMESThis is mainly for the classes that are staying together all year. Reviewing the content from last semester is a great way to get students thinking about the content again and getting back in the school mindset. Depending on what type of activity you do for this, it could also double as a team building activity.

Here are some suggestions for activities:

• Review Game Stations - If you have some small review games already made from use last semester, turn each game into a station with a specific set of vocabulary from last semester. Then students have the change to play a few different games with all of your important vocabulary.
  • Stations could include - Jenga, Connect 4, Kaboom, Matching, etc
• Jeopardy - A classic game. This could be an easy way to build a game and review into the first day back.
• Vocabulary Stickies - This is a review game we came across and it is super easy to play. Basically you put your students into groups, write vocabulary words on sticky notes and then students ask yes or no questions to try and figure out what vocabulary word is on their back. Check the link for more specifics on how to play.
• Classic Games (Around the World or White Board Review) - For the low prep teachers, you can always do the easy prep games/review like Around the World or do simple individual or group review on the big white board or personal white boards.
• Mini Review Booklets - One teacher had a great idea to have students create review booklets for the material from last semester. This teacher from Teaching to Inspire has a bunch of great review games and activities. The link above is to her review game page.
• Escape Room - These are super popular right now and could be tailored to review your content. This could also double as a team building exercise.

CLASSROOM PROCEDURES REVIEWThis is something that we think is essential whether you are starting over or picking up where you left off. The start of the new semester is the perfect time to review the classroom procedures and remind students of how they need to operate in the classroom.

Some of the potential activities we suggest above could be changed to review classroom procedures.