First Ten Minutes Of The Day
Having a morning routine that is familiar to your students sets your class up for the day.
Making sure the first ten minutes of the day is structured the same way every day and keeping it identical for your students from one day to the next makes their morning predictable and they can feel safe in knowing what will happen when they arrive at school each day. Will you greet them at the door, will they come directly to their tables? Will they start their work or will you need to explain something?
It is best if the morning activity you choose is an independent activity, a quiet one where no speaking is preferred. You also want the activity to be a little fun not bore your students straight up. It may mean some organisation such as leaving whiteboards or journals out on tables the afternoon prior. You may also like to set a timer so students know how long they have.
For the students beginning work straight away, knowing exactly what to do with no questions or talking they can begin work right away. Having the same routine each morning makes for a great structure start. This is a great way to get your students settled and ready for the day! It also allows for the time when the last-minute parents need to quickly chat to you and your students are not just left hanging.
What do you do first up?
Tap on - students’ class roll is on the board, and they tap on, and sit in their seats upon entering the room
Story starters - Have your own on the board for students to write about or use Scholastic Story Starters with prompts for all age levels
Word of the day - each morning choose a word and write it on the board. When students enter the classroom they use a dictionary to find out more about the word written on the board. You could also purchase Mrs Wordsmith’s flipbook called Storyteller's Word a Day which is really popular
Grej Of The Day - GOTD is a website with activities - introduce a concept and give examples before summarising it together
Number of the day on the board, whiteboards left on their table to pick up and create different ways to make the number of the day
Which One Doesn’t Belong? - WODB is a great website. Either copy a problem on the whiteboard or set it as a task on their Google Classroom. Students decide which of the four does not belong and why. Encourages creative thinking and problem-solving skills
Math’s Challenge - three minute timed times table quiz and mark and students record their results on their own personal chart
Journal writing - similar to morning pages. A chance for your students to write about anything on their mind
Yoga sequence - complete a Cosmic Kids Yoga session or lead your own
Outdoor fitness session - have your students meet you outside for a power walk, boot camp rotations, partner dance, cross country practice, relays
Meditation - Have an aquarium playing on the board for the children to watch
Reading - Start with ten minutes of individual quiet reading. Students bring a book to read or provide chapter books in the classroom library
Like anything, your students will have to be trained and introduced to your expectations during this time. They need to know what equipment they will need and where they will be working. It should just be a ten to fifteen-minute activity without it chewing into your daily program. Always allow time for some reflection and for students to share their responses if it suits your chosen morning activity.
Having a consistent morning routine will help to create a calm classroom and students will be settled and will set the day in good stead.
Do you use a morning activity or do you get started into your teaching programs first thing? We would love it if you joined the conversation and left a comment below.