Back To School First Week Activities Get to Know You Ice Breakers All About Me

This Back to School Workbook for Grades 2 to 5 is a set of first week of school activities: student icebreakers, journal prompts and classroom expectations worksheets. Students reflect on their first day, draw and write about themselves, build classroom community and ease into routines, and you get a useful look at your new learners.

It is made for classroom teachers, homeschoolers and substitute teachers who want no-prep back to school ideas that help students open up and connect. From wish lists and top 10s to drawing a favorite book and writing a kindness acrostic, the pages also let you see students' writing and social-emotional thinking from the start.

WHAT'S INCLUDED (30 PRINTABLE WORKSHEETS, NON-EDITABLE)

• Coloring title page to turn into a student journal
• First Day of School reflection
• Back to School Wish (tablet screen drawing prompt)
• All About Me
• My Top 10 Favorites
• Back to School Selfie
• 2 Truths and a Lie
• Something I Want My Teacher to Know
• Summer Break Comic
• Journal Prompt: Summer Break
• Find Someone Who...
• My Goals for This Year
• Questions and Wonders
• What is Kindness? (writing activity)
• Kindness Acrostic Poem
• How I Will Show Kindness (journal prompt)
• Design a Notebook Cover
• A Good Friend (graphic organizer)
• A Student Is...Isn’t...
• What Makes a Classroom Great?
• Create Your Own Classroom Rules
• Why Rules Matter (reflection)
• Instagram a First Week Moment
• Favorite Book Cover Drawing
• Space Travel: If I Could Go Anywhere
• All About My Friends
• #Throwback Memory (magazine cover design)
• Finish the Picture Creativity Challenge
• Movie Character Tablet Screen Drawing

HOW TO USE IT

Print the whole workbook and staple it into a first week of school journal for morning work or early finishers. Or print individual pages to suit your lesson plans and pacing.

Pages like “Something I Want My Teacher to Know” or “All About My Friends” are handy to keep in student files for quick reference. Many of the drawing and writing prompts also make good bulletin board displays.

FAQ

Who can use this resource?

Elementary classroom teachers, homeschool families, substitute teachers and special education teachers working with students in Grades 2 to 5. It works for general education, homeschool portfolios or back to school community building in any setting.

How can I use it?

Use it during the first week or month of school to introduce routines, learn about your students and build classroom culture. It works for morning work, bell ringers, centers, independent work or whole-group reflection.

How long will it take?

It can fill 2 to 3 full classes, stretch over a week, or last a month if you use one page a day. Timing depends on student age, writing stamina and your teaching style.

Is it editable?

No. It is non-editable.

ALL TEACHER REVIEWS

★★★★★ “Great Resource!!!” Jeffrey M.

★★★★★ “Great resource!” Shelly R.

Get free, classroom-ready art lessons and printables in my Free Art Lesson Library.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kathleen McGiveron (Ms Artastic) is an artist who has been featured on NBC LX News and designs art lessons for kids and educational resources for teachers. She is the founder of Ms Artastic and hosts the Ms Artastic YouTube Channel and Podcast.

TERMS OF USE

Images and lessons are copyright products.

YOU MAY: use this for personal classroom or homeschool use.

YOU MAY NOT: share it, resell it or post it publicly. Admins must purchase additional licenses.

Sincerely,

Ms Artastic