Open House A to Z themes for Back to School Tips, lesson plans and units, activities, worksheets, songs and poems, and other resources for the first days and weeks of school. Back to School Clip Art   Back to School Art Combine an All About Me back to school lesson with an art project. Trace students, decorate the drawings, and use them to write the students' favorite things. This project would make a great display for parents' night.   Back to School Across the Curriculum If you're looking for some special activities for that first week back, this site offers some fresh ideas. From creating a classroom portrait quilt, to a template for a game of "Mingo" where everyone gets to know each other, to reading suggestions, pop-up name tags, and more art designs, find plenty of great activities.   Back to School Bulletin Boards Here's a wonderful collection of teacher ideas for bulletin boards with a back to school theme. Try "Now Playing", or "Who's the Teacher?" for a welcome introduction to the students' new teacher.   Beginning of School Art Projects A collection of back-to-school art projects which cover all ages and all ability levels, including a  beginning of school silhouette, modern art "about me" pictures, a student gallery, and personal histories.   Beginning of Year Assessments for Kindergarten and First Grade For kindergarten and first grade, learn what stages your students are at in their ability to count, to identify letters, sounds, numbers, shapes, personal data, and more. Find several ideas here for assessment to help you know your starting point for the year.   First Day of School Activities Activities listed here engage students in discussion, in learning about their classmates, in journal writing, or in vocabulary.  Various tips are included for teachers in remembering names or devising a seating plan.   Five Minute Fillers Lots of ideas for those extra minutes   Fall Bulletin Boards   The First Day of Class Start the year off right with these quick teaching tips. They will help you to effectively identify and communicate your own priorities and expectations, establish a working classroom climate, and directly engage your students on the first day back.   Ice Breakers Ideas for Elementary and Middle School   Its Time for Back to School Find resources here for back-to-school themed clipart, fonts, school calendar templates, and getting to know you activities.   Middle School Do's and Don'ts It's your first year as a middle school teacher? Try these tips from veteran middle school teachers, take plenty of classroom material with you for your first day--or even your first week (it's better to be over-prepared than under-prepared), and expect the best from yourself and your students.   Summer Vacation Collage Elementary Levels   Tips for Starting your Day   Tips to Start the School Year  "Take It Apart Party" is an interesting idea. This activity would make an excellent and unique back to school exercise. Students work together to discover what their toaster or old hair dryer has in common, and what's different. After taking things apart, students collaborate for an art sculpture. Find several other tips and activities for starting your school year on the right foot.   Self Portrait Students will design a self-portrait collage based upon the images and events and ideas they think best defines who they are. They will then write a few sentences explaining their self-portraits, a great idea for Open House exhibits.   Welcome Back to School