Save your time and start the year strong with this low prep bundle that contains back to school activities for the first week of school. The Middle School ELA bundle focuses on getting to know your students and building a positive classroom community. Set expectations and the tone for the new year by engaging students in collaborative activities about classroom expectations, routines, and what they need to be successful this school year.
Students will LOVE getting to move around and collaborate with their classmates during learning stations and other team-building activities, rather than sitting in desks while their teacher goes over important information. In addition, students will enjoy middle school activities that relate to their interests, like social media templates and other digital activities.
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Resource:
✅ Comes in PRINT and DIGITAL Versions
✅ Low Prep Activities
✅ Strategies and Activities to Promote Student Collaboration and Reflection
✅ Sets CLEAR expectations from Day 1
✅ Editable Options
✅ Student Work Samples
✅ FREE: Bonus Back to School Resources
✍ What’s Included:
1. All About Me: Letter to My Teacher Activity
2. Back to School Stations: 8 Print and Digital Stations
• Station #1: All About Me Poster
• Station #2: “What I Need” Gallery Walk
• Station #3: Syllabus Scavenger Hunt
• Station #4: Goal Setting Banners
• Station #5: Creating a GREAT Classroom
• Station #6: Investigate the Teacher!
• Station #7: Back to School Social Media Templates
• Station #8: Get Organized!
3. Social Media Nightmare! Escape Room Materials
- Student Directions + Escape Room Mission
- Challenge #1: Polybius (Central Idea and Supporting Details)
– Text: Nonfiction News Article (4 Multiple Choice Questions)
– Polybius Puzzle
- Challenge #2: Code Word (Author’s Purpose and Point of View)
– Text: Nonfiction Primary Source Email (6 Multiple Choice Questions)
– Code Word Puzzle
- Challenge #3: End at the Start Questions Maze (Context Clues)
– Text: Online Blog Post (6 Questions)
– Questions Maze Puzzle
- Challenge #4: Secret Numbers (Main Idea and Figurative Language)
– Text: Poem (6 Multiple Choice Questions)
– Secret Numbers Puzzle
- The Final Challenge (Combination of Skills)
– Short Story (8 Multiple Choice Questions)
– Name the Suspect! Challenge
- Print Materials + Google Slides and Google Forms Materials
- Letter from Mastermind
4. Back to School Literary Laughables Fill in the Blank Stories
• 6 Literary Laughables: Complete Back to School Stories
- The Welcome Committee Disaster
- The Cafeteria Jungle
- The Backpack of Doom
- Wrong Club, Right Fit
- Locker Buddies: A Disaster in Progress
- The Map in Locker 47
• 8 Literary Laughables: Cliffhanger Back to School Stories
- Welcome to…Where Am I?
- 9:01- Frozen in Time
- The Library with No Books
- Orientation Day Disaster
- Find Me First
- Silence at the Snack Table
- Cafeteria Chaos
- Say Cheese
BONUS Resources:
→ Back to School Social Media Templates Project
→ Interview with a Classmate: Biography Writing Project
→ Find Someone Who Game Icebreaker Activity
→ Letter to My Future Self: Goal Setting Activity
→ Growth Mindset Bulletin Board: 63 Interactive Posters with Questions
→ Classroom Rules and Expectations Placemat Consensus
→ Teacher Planning and Reflection Tools
→ Summer Reading Assessment Project
→ Become a Writing Expert: Analyzing Prompts and Writing Samples
→ Growth Mindset Note Cards
What Other Teachers are Saying About This Back to School Bundle:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: Lisa V. says, “This gave me lots of great beginning of the year resources! Thank you!”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: Alyssa P. says, “Great resource for the beginning of the year!”
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: Rachel C.. says, “I highly recommend this for back-to-school get-to-know-you and team-building activities!”
