Kissing Hand First Week of School Activities

Today I am starting a blog series on lesson planning for the first week of school! I’ll be sharing my experiences day by day, giving you a glimpse into what I do in my classroom during that first week. I’ll also be sharing a TON of freebies. Let’s start with some activities for The Kissing Hand!

My First Year

I got my position 2 weeks before school started. To say that I was panicked and stressed is an understatement! I scoured the Internet for advice and gathered everything I could. Not really knowing if any of it would work!

I work at a school where there’s only one teacher per grade level. The pre-k teacher, along with the first-grade teacher, were newbies just like me that first year! I desperately wanted someone to tell me exactly what to teach to get through that week.

After that week, our regular schedule would resume, and I would begin working on the curriculum that had been assigned to me. (Which was lacking many components, to say the least, but that’s for another time : ) I felt that if I could make it through that first week, I just might be okay : )

I hope that young teachers will find these resources helpful. I want to ease some of those first-week nerves and frustrations.

A Plan for the First Week

Each day in this blog series, I’ll base the resources on a common back-to-school book. You can read the book to your students and then complete the free activities that I have provided. Today, we will be talking about The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn.

First Week Realities

I have tried so many different activities in the last 8 years for first week of school. I’ve tried a center set-up, fancy art projects, get-to-know-you activities, etc.

I do try to incorporate some of these elements into our day, but I’ve become more realistic. Issues arise every single year, and you need to have flexibility in your schedule.

As the students arrive, you are working like a mad person to put all the supplies away. You are also juggling those last couple of parents who won’t stop taking pictures from the doorway. Some kids are crying and need reassurance from you. There’s one kid suspiciously eyeing the door, ready to run the minute you have your back turned! (It’s happened before, I suggest wearing comfortable shoes for unexpected mad dashes!)

Daily Schedule

In my school, we have mini-days for the first week, so here is what my schedule looks like:

8 am – Arrival and Morning Work – At each student’s desk, I have a pack of crayons and the “Welcome to Kindergarten” coloring sheet ready for them. My students bring their own supply boxes, so I have them put their pack of crayons into their boxes once I’ve unpacked everything.

8:30 am – Calendar and Class Rules – We do our calendar routines for the first time, discuss rule #1, and color the corresponding coloring page.
9:00 am – Teach Routines – Working from my procedures list, I instruct them on how to walk in the hallways, give them a school tour, and demonstrate where to use the bathroom and drink water. Prioritize which things you need to teach first from the list.
9:30 am – Assessment – I give students an uppercase letter inventory to assess their fine motor skills.

Routines and Assessment

9:55 am – Routines – Review recess dismissal procedures and what to do when the bell rings. My class puts their heads down on their tables, and I dismiss the quietest tables first. They go get a squirt of sanitizer and grab their snacks.
10 am – Recess
10:15 am – Routines – the fire alarm and why we never touch it (mine was located very close to our classroom door).
10:25 am – Language Arts – Read The Kissing Hand and then work on the “I Know My Colors” worksheet.
10:50 am – Routines – Transitions: What will be the signal that work time is over? Where will they put their work? What should they do if they haven’t finished?
11:00 am – Math: Heart and Hand Match-up, assessing counting skills and fine motor cutting skills.

11:20 a.m. – Art: Raccoon Hand and Heart Project.
11:40 am – Routines: End-of-day procedures, cleanliness, and packing-up expectations.
11:50 am – Clean-up/Pack-up
12:00 pm – Dismissal