• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Stay Connected

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Having Fun First

Helping you to creatively reach all your unique learners

Subscribe

  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Shop
    • Shop Website
    • Teachers Pay Teachers
    • Amazon Storefront
  • FREEBIE
  • Curriculum
  • Contact

on August 1, 2018 · Leave a Comment

Back to School Rules

Hey there,

As we get ready to head back to school I of course start thinking about that first week. What can I do differently, what worked last year, how can I spice it up, etc. One activity that always makes the schedule of course is to create our classroom rules or expectations. I typically read aloud a story all about rules like “No David” or “Officer Buckle and Gloria” they all focus on the no.  So our great list making conversations always end up with a lot of “Don’ts.” 

Over the years I have not only shortened up our list, but tried to make a point of positivity in our rules. I just got tired of listing all the things that they couldn’t do, I am so tired of “no” ha.. maybe I say it too much at home I guess. LOL

So. this year I decided to give my kiddos some more in-depth work on rephrasing our statements from negative to positive. We will be focusing on what we can do while implying the can’t do.

I discovered a fun book at my last library visit with the boys. It was called “Back-to School Rules” by Laurie Friedman. If you have read it you are probably thinking, well it is FULL of don’ts. Well you are right it is… the perfect book to practice on. I also LOVE that is it full of silly don’ts, for example, “don’t slither on the floor” or “don’t whistle, burp or bite.” You and I both know those do come up at the carpet and we have to pause and “mini lesson it up” on what common sense means. This books helps to get some of those silly, crazy rules out of their system at the appropriate time and helps to not detour the good conversation following the story.

I chose a handful of negatively toned rules from the story and made “I can” rules that featured the same outcome, but in a more positive light. I then created  mini posters for sorting whole group or in small group. I also created a few activities that allows them to practice rephrasing, making up their own “I cans” and then a fun craft to present them. I also made a few comprehension activities to introduce author’s purpose and review main idea, setting and supporting details.

Click here to check it out in my store!

I really love creating my classroom expectations with my students. If you haven’t already started doing that, I would definitely recommend trying. There is so much more buy in and they truly do have great ideas, even if the occasional “don’t cut your hair” or “swing from the lights” does come up as suggestions. Ha! 
Typically my list ends up something like this: 
We can try our best and work hard. 
We can be kind to others. 
We can be good listeners to others. 
We can make safe choices.
We can have fun. 
Of course each year has variations, but usually very similar. If my kids keep coming up with lists like this it feels like a win to me. Cheers to another great upcoming year!

 

Filed Under: back to school, book companions, classroom rules, Uncategorized

Previous Post: « Teaching Compassion in Action
Next Post: Welcome Winter Newsletter »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Stay Connected

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Shop the Site

Visit the Shop


Shop Featured Materials + Resources

Shop Amazon

Subscribe

Sign up to gain access to valuable free resources, encouraging tips and sale alerts.

Find it Fast

Read by Category

Popular Posts

Meaningful End of the Year Gifts for Students
6 Activities for STEM and Reading Comprehension
Simple Steps on How to Implement STEM in Your Classroom
Resources for Planning a Beach Field Trip
Dinosaur Reading Comprehension
Space Reading Comprehension Activities
5 Reading Comprehension Activities for Context Clues
Back to School Activities for 2nd Grade {with FREEBIES}
Travel Vacation Journal for Students
Guided Reading Program: Guided Reading With A Purpose!

Grab My Button

Grab My Button

Subscribe

Sign up to gain access to valuable free resources, encouraging tips and sale alerts.

Footer

Latest on Facebook

Latest on Instagram

⚡⚡Comprehension materials for learning about e ⚡⚡Comprehension materials for learning about extreme weather!⚡⚡⁣
⁣
These wild weather Guided Reading with a Purpose units are designed to help students learn about storms while also helping them understand cause and effect.⁣
⁣
Click the link in my bio to see more from this Wild Weather Bundle including droughts, hurricanes, tornadoes, & floods! ⛈⁣
⁣
Individual units are also available for purchase on my website.
✈💼What do you send along with your students w ✈💼What do you send along with your students when they miss school for a trip?💼✈⁣
⁣
I created this Student Travel Journal that is easy for students to complete when they are missing class but also fun for them to document their trip.  It's great to have them share it with the class once they return! ⁣
⁣
I've also printed this and used it with my own nuggets on trips.  We usually journal at the end of the day before bed. We also love getting to look through the fun postcards, tickets, or stickers from different activities to include in the artifact section. 📸⁣
⁣
I wrote a blog post about this Travel Journal - click the link in my bio to read more!
2nd Grade daily math practice without the prep wor 2nd Grade daily math practice without the prep work! 🙌⁣
⁣
Simply download the Google Slides and do the math together as a class or send it to students digitally.  You can also print the slides as daily math practice sheets! 😍⁣
⁣
This June Daily Math Practice set includes 22 colorful Google Slides plus printable black & white PDF files that are all aligned to 2nd Grade Math Standards.⁣
⁣
This resource is linked in my bio and available on TpT!⁣
⁣
#2ndgrade #secondgrade #secondgradeteacher #iteachsecondgrade #2ndgradeteacher #2ndgrademath #secondgrademath #iteachsecond #iteach2nd #homeschoolsecondgrade #googleclassroom
Brown over here just living his best life. We boug Brown over here just living his best life. We bought a 1987 VW Vanagon last week for more crazy adventures. He might not ever stop smiling. 😆 

#vwvanagon
It's never too early to start building lifelong he It's never too early to start building lifelong healthy habits! 🌱⁣
⁣
Use this daily Health & Wellness Challenge Journal to inspire kindness, healthy habits, and reflection with daily journal prompts that can be printed or shared digitally. ⁣
⁣
Get your June Health & Wellness Challenge Journal today.  Link in bio!
Check out these digital dinosaur reading and resea Check out these digital dinosaur reading and research materials!⁣
⁣
This Digital Dino Bundle includes 8 nonfiction reading passages and informative report writing materials plus...⁣
🦖label me diagrams⁣
🦖comprehension activities⁣
🦖links to additional online research & enrichment⁣
🦖fun BONUS materials⁣
⁣
This resource is linked in my bio and available on TpT!

Stay Connected

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest

Latest on Pinterest

Copyright © 2023 · BRANDING + WEBSITE DESIGN BY LAUGH EAT LEARN