Back-to-school season is here! There’s something so exciting about setting up the classroom, meeting a new group of students, and planning all of the fun learning that’s ahead. But, the first few weeks can also feel overwhelming. Between teaching routines, building classroom community, assessing students, and planning engaging lessons, there’s a lot to fit into a short amount of time.
To make your planning a little easier, I’ve gathered some of my favorite back-to-school resources all in one place for you!
Whether you’re looking for beginning-of-the-year assessments, literacy activities, writing ideas, or classroom freebies, I hope you’ll find something that helps you start the school year with more confidence and less stress!
1. Back-to-School Literacy Assessments ✅
One of the first things we always need to do is find out what my students already know. These low-prep literacy assessments make it easy to gather beginning-of-the-year data while helping you identify each student’s strengths and areas for growth.
These assessments cover essential early literacy skills like letter names, letter sounds, concepts of print, CVC words, high-frequency words, writing, and more. They’re simple to administer and give you valuable information to help guide your instruction from day one.
⭐ Perfect for:
- Beginning-of-the-year assessments
- Small group planning
- Progress monitoring
- Intervention groups
- Parent conferences
Ready to simplify your beginning-of-the-year assessments? Check out my Back-to-School Literacy Assessments to see everything that’s included.
If you’re in need of other assessments, check out my Free 1st Grade Reading Comprehension Assessments!
2. Back-to-School Activity Booklet 🍎
Are you looking for a meaningful first-week activity? This is a resource I use every year. It’s a fun way to learn about your new students while giving them an opportunity to draw, write, and build confidence during those first few days together. It’s perfect for building your classroom community while practicing those classroom routines.
⭐ Perfect for:
- First weeks of school
- Morning work
- Independent work
Looking for engaging back-to-school activities for 1st grade? Explore my Back-to-School Booklet to help students build confidence, practice literacy skills, and share about themselves during the first week of school.
3. Friendship Activities Book 💖
Building a positive classroom community is so important at the beginning of the year. During the first few weeks of school, I spend time helping students learn how to be kind classmates, good listeners, and supportive friends.
This friendship resource includes engaging activities that encourage teamwork, communication, and respectful behavior while helping students get to know one another. See what else is included at this Friendship Activities blog post!
⭐ Perfect for:
- Classroom community
- Social-emotional learning
- Morning meetings
- Back-to-school activities
Looking for friendship activities for kindergarten and 1st grade? Check out my Friendship Activities Book filled with engaging activities to help students build positive relationships.
4. Partner Talk Conversation Cards 💬
These Partner Talk Conversation Cards give students meaningful topics to discuss while building speaking, listening, and conversation skills. They are a fabulous activity for the first few weeks of school while students get to know one another. Set the foundations for classroom discussions while practicing oral language, active listening, and respectful conversations.
⭐ Students practice:
- Listening carefully
- Taking turns speaking
- Asking questions
- Building on a partner’s ideas
- Respectfully agreeing and disagreeing
Looking for partner talk activities for kindergarten through 2nd grade? Check out my Partner Talk Conversation Cards to help students build speaking, listening, and conversation skills.
5. Free Discussion Starters for Parents and Kids 🧑🏽🍼
I send this parent handout with my back to school packet every year! It includes 30 open-ended questions to help parents and students talk about their school day experiences.
These open-ended prompts help students get comfortable talking about school while practicing oral language skills in a fun and low-pressure way.
Download these free conversation starter questions for kindergarten through 2nd grade and help your students practice speaking, listening, and communication skills through meaningful discussions.
6. August & September Writing Prompts 📝
These monthly writing prompts give students engaging topics to write about while helping them build confidence and stamina. They’re easy to fit into morning work, writing centers, independent writing time, or homework. I also use them for early finishers!
With a variety of seasonal topics, students stay excited about writing all month long!
Looking for August and September writing prompts for 1st grade? Check out this collection of engaging prompts that are perfect for writing workshop, morning work, literacy centers, or early finishers.
7. August & September Poems 🍏
Shared reading is one of my favorite ways to build fluency and confidence. We start our Poem of the Week routine on Day 1 and the kids love it! These August and September poems are perfect for introducing poetry, practicing repeated reading, building vocabulary, and strengthening reading fluency. They also make wonderful additions to literacy stations, poetry notebooks, or morning meetings.
Students love reading familiar poems from their Poetry Journal throughout the year. You can read more about our Poem of the Week routine HERE!
Looking for August and September poems for 1st grade? Explore this collection of seasonal poems that are perfect for shared reading, fluency practice, poetry notebooks, and literacy centers.
8. August & September Sub Plans 😷
Let’s be honest…it’s never too early to have emergency sub plans ready!
I created these sub plans to reflect what first graders are actually learning during August and September, so your students can keep practicing the skills they’re already working on in class.
Your future self will thank you!
Looking for August and September sub plans for 1st grade? Explore these low-prep activities that are designed around the skills and concepts students are learning during the first couple of months of school.
9. Free Classroom Calendars 🗓️
These classroom calendars are an easy way to stay organized throughout the school year. Use them to keep track of important dates, classroom events, homework, and monthly activities. They’re simple, practical, and a great addition to any classroom.
Looking for free printable classroom calendars? Download these free Classroom Calendars to keep track of important dates, classroom events, and monthly plans.
10. Free Book Tickets 🎟️
These free book tickets are a simple way to encourage positive behavior and celebrate your students throughout the school year. I hand out tickets when students show kindness, responsibility, or make great choices. Each Friday, I choose a few tickets from our box and the winner goes to our book treasure chest to grab a new book! It’s an easy classroom management routine that gives students something to look forward to each week.
Celebrate positive choices all week long with these free Book Tickets! Download this simple classroom management freebie and motivate your students with an exciting Friday book drawing.
Ready to Start the School Year?
The beginning of the school year sets the foundation for everything that follows. With the right resources, you can spend less time planning and more time building relationships, teaching routines, and helping your students grow.
I hope this collection gives you plenty of ideas to make your first weeks of school a little easier. Whether you’re looking for literacy assessments, writing activities, or classroom community resources, I hope you’ll find something that fits your classroom.
Have a wonderful school year, and happy teaching!
Jennifer ~ Practical Primary Teacher 🍎🍏
⭐ You may also enjoy…
10 Fun First Week of School Activities for 1st Grade
8 Classroom Routines to Teach, Starting on Day 1
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