Sunday, August 16, 2015

Another school year will be starting for me in a few days!  As with any new year, I am always looking for new ideas to start off the school year and get the students excited about science.

One of my favorite activities from last year was the First Day Survey (using Google Forms with our new 1:1 laptop program).  I used the student responses on the second day and went over my responses to the questions.  It was a great way to get to know the students plus they learned a bit about me and the things we have in common.  I also found ways to refer back to their responses during lessons and activities throughout the year. 

Here are some other ideas to try ...

The Nature of Science - I plan to try this one with my kids during the first week.  I love any activity that challenges students to think and work together to solve a problem - something I want them to do all year!  This activity also reinforces the notion that science is not always one answer and we discover new things every day!  

Biology Corner - Saving Sam - A great team-building activity that will challenge your students to think on the first day.  (Be sure to explore the rest of the website for tons of fabulous ideas!)

First Day Mystery - I love this idea and have a feeling the students will enjoy it as well.  They love solving mysteries during my CSI unit and I can start off the year with a few of my favorite ones in this format.

First Day of School Activities - There are several great ideas here that you can use throughout the first week. 

Please share your favorite first day activities by posting a comment!