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 going day by day giving you a glimpse into what I do in my classroom that first week. I’ll also be sharing a TON of freebies. Let’s start out 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 ideas and gathered everything that 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 right along with 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 start, and I would begin on the curriculum that was given 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’m hoping that young teachers out there can 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 off of a common back-to-school book. You can read the book to your students, and then do the FREE activities that I have provided. Today we will be talking about The Kissing Hand.

The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn

First Week Realities

I have tried so many different activities in the last 8 years for the 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 come in you are working like a mad person to put all of 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 teach them how to walk in the hallways, give them a school tour, and show them 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 – go over recess dismissal routines 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 to put their work, and what to 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 am – Art – Raccoon hand and heart project.
11:40 am – Routines – End of the day procedures, cleanliness, and packing-up expectations.
11:50 am – Clean-up/Pack-up
12:00 pm – Dismissal