Best Books for the First Week of School

1. Miss Kindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten is a standard.  I love ending the year with Miss Kindergarten and the Last day of Kindergarten.  This books helps students see how your both had to get ready for school.

2. Chicka Chicka Boom Boom is a fun way to get students excited about learning their ABCs.  There are tons of fun activities and I have some great SONGS that go with the book.

3. Chrysanthemum lets you explore student's names and know that we all are special and unique.

4. We do a whole unit on friendship and citizenship.  We use David Goes to School to make examples of what not to do.

5.  First Day Jitters is another book that lets the students know you are having the same feelings they are.  I always make some Jitter Juice (Sprite and sprinkles) to chase those Jitters away.

6. We read different Froggy books all year so I like to read this one to introduce this fun character.

7. We always make a chart of how students will get home and this one talks about how they will get to school.  A great reference when you start to discuss fiction and non fiction.

8. Another great character we like to study.  Wonderful way to talk about cause and effect. 

9. This book helps students who may be having a hard time with the transition of Kindergarten.  

10. Absolutely love Pete the Cat.  We are rocking in our school shoes all week long!

11. Kissing Hand has some great activities and is just so stinking sweet.

12. A great way to have an overview of the whole year.  A wonderful way to discuss their hopes and dreams for the year.

13. Llama llama misses mama reminds students they can love their mama and school too!

14. Our mascot is a shark, so we love seeing all the things Clark has to learn to be a good citizen at school.

15. Manners at School teaches students about rules and expectations.  The whole series is fantastic!

16. Waiting is Not Easy is a wonderful way to teach students they have to wait their turn.  Love this book!

17. Another book to help students learn to wait their turn to talk and not interrupt.

Whole Body Listening with Mr. Potato Head

I use Mr. Potato Head to teach Whole Body Listening. 

What is Whole Body Listening?

It is simply listening with your whole body!

If you have a Mr. Potato Head then you can use this fun toy.

If you don’t have one on hand, download my 

Mr. Potato Head Whole Body Listening Product 
to get pieces to cut and make your very own.

 

I use this great visual throughout my first weeks of teaching.

How can we listen with our hands?

Use this song to teach the concept

Whole Body Listening Song

Sing it to the tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb

Listen with your whole body

Whole body, whole body

Listen with your whole body

So you can learn in school.

  

I have several fun activities like Mystery Bag or Fix it

to help review this concept for several weeks.

 

I have also included some independent work

to help students remember these concepts.

There is a Write the Room activity 

and a Roll and Build game.

 

Find my full lessons and activities here:

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