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First grade is a year full of adventure! First grade learners begin to see themselves as readers, writers, mathematicians, scientists, and more. To help make it the best year ever, we’ve scoured our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook and the web for some of the best tips and ideas for teaching first grade. We hope this list of gems will inspire you whether you are a brand-new teacher or a veteran. We’ve organized the list by topic to make it easy to cruise for ideas!
Getting Your Classroom Ready
1. Create an inviting classroom
Need ideas? We’ve gathered real-life first grade classrooms for you to browse!
2. Gather all the supplies
Not sure exactly what you need for the first grade classroom? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with this list of essential first grade classroom supplies.
3. Welcome your students with a big, colorful bulletin board
Image source: Doodlebugs Teaching
Seeing their names up on the wall will help students instantly feel at home, and the bright colors will create a festive mood in the classroom. Check out these bulletin board ideas.
4. Get a jump start on lessons
In first grade, teacher planning and prep time are precious! It makes life a lot easier when you can purchase existing lessons, bundles, books, and pages. And why not support other teachers while you do it? Check out our favorite Teachers Pay Teachers sellers for first grade.
5. Put together an irresistible classroom reading nook
Image source: Polka Dot Teacher
Your first graders are well on their way to becoming readers, so make this time extra special for them by setting up one of these awesome reading nooks.
6. Fill your classroom library with these classic first grade books
Here are 60 of our favorite first grade books.
7. Set up sensory tables
Early childhood teachers know that hands-on learning is essential. Sensory play encourages open-ended thinking, language development, and collaboration, and it builds fine motor skills. Sensory materials are magically both engaging and calming. Here are our favorites!
The First Days of School
8. Introduce yourself creatively
If you’re teaching first grade, you have the honor of being one of the first teachers a child will meet! Make day one memorable by introducing yourself in a creative way, such as sending postcards over the summer! For creative ideas, check out Unique Ways To Introduce Yourself to Students This Year.
9. Get to know one another with icebreakers
Get the kids mixing and moving as they get to know one another. Click here for lots of great ideas.
10. Set the stage with the perfect read-alouds
Here are our favorite back-to-school read-aloud books to help you get to know one another.
11. Keep track of classroom read-alouds
Are you looking for new and fun ways to track your classroom read-alouds? We have a few different methods of fun read-aloud tracking to spice up your routine.
Create a Classroom Community
12. Start the day with morning meeting
Morning meeting is an engaging way to connect with your students at the beginning of each day. An objectives and agenda board along with a morning message will help your students start off on the right track. Plus, check out this big list of morning meeting questions to last you all year!
13. Greet students with a song
Start morning meetings or greet your students with a song. It’s a great way to start the day on a positive note. Here are our favorite welcome songs to start your day!
14. Establish a culture of kindness
Print these free downloadable posters to remind your students that kindness matters most of all.
15. Build a happy classroom community
Everyone could use a reminder on how to make and keep friends. Here are our favorite friendship videos to help you build a happy classroom community.
16. Teach emotional regulation
Image source: Pathway 2 Success
Learning to live with your emotions takes a lot of practice. Here are Tips for Teaching Emotional Regulation.
17. Teach the difference between reporting and tattling
Image source: Mrs. Warner’s Learning Community
Save yourself a lot of headaches by teaching your students the difference between reporting and tattling. Read the Child Mind Institute’s Is It Tattling or Telling?
18. Read stories that build your students’ social-emotional skills
Learning how to be in school and be a good friend are a huge part of being a first grader. Share these SEL stories that will not only teach lessons but start conversations.
Ideas for Language Arts
19. Incorporate daily writing prompts
We’ve gathered plenty of writing prompts that you can download and use to get your first graders practicing their writing skills.
20. Stock up on fun tools to use for guided reading
Image source: Miss Van Maren’s Fantastic First Grade
Learning to read is hard work! Make it as fun as you can with the great ideas found at the blog Guided Reading: A Little Novelty Goes a Long Way. For more information on guided reading, check out What Is Guided Reading?
21. Encourage critical thinking
First grade teacher Heather M. shares, “I give students questions that take more thought than our simple carpet discussions—questions that they had to apply what they know to answer. It helps them get away from answering without thinking just to be first.” Here is a big list of critical thinking questions to ask your class.
22. Differentiate reading instruction
“Read Works is an incredible resource for teaching reading!” says first grade teacher Kellie P. “At least once a week, I use a reading passage and question set in either ‘guided reading’ or ‘read to someone’ for small-group practice. I can easily differentiate because they provide the Lexile levels. I found this resource to be very helpful, especially with nonfiction, to integrate science and social studies concepts into Daily 5.”
23. Use apps to motivate resistant readers
We’ve rounded up a list of the top apps that teach essential reading skills and motivate kids to read.
24. Have your students create personal word walls or sound walls
Image source: Cara Carroll
Instead of having one massive class word wall, have students create and post their own personal word walls or sound walls in your classroom. Your first graders will love showcasing their skills! Check out Just Cara Carroll for a free personal word wall template.
25. Have fun with literacy centers
We love this big list of literacy center ideas for grades K-2.
26. Make things interesting with foldables
Image source: Mrs. T’s First Grade Class
Foldables are a great and easy way to make any literacy activity more fun. The one above helps students group words with the same blend.
27. Teach them how to retell a story
Use these reading comprehension anchor charts to review stories with your first graders and strengthen their recall skills after reading.
28. Use paint strips to work on CVC words
Image source: Serving Pink Lemonade
Practice making new words by adding word parts to different beginning letters and letter sounds. And check out these other fun ways to use paint strips!
29. Teach sight words
Image source: Make, Take, and Teach
Check out these fun sight word activities for the classroom!
30. Make phonics fun
Phonics is the foundation for reading success. Breaking words into their constituent sounds helps kids understand and build their literacy skills, bit by bit. Check out these fun phonics activities.
31. Use games to teach blends
Image source: The Measured Mom
Check out these six free, low-prep games for teaching blends.
32. Introduce interactive notebooks
Image source: Teaching With Love & Laughter
First grade teacher Lori shares, “Using interactive notebooks is a great way for children to learn and interact with new information, as well as review and practice skills already introduced. They really took pride in their notebooks and were very proud to share their work with others. Unlike completing worksheets or other printables, which go home right away, these books are always available to the children.” Here’s a guide for how to use interactive notebooks plus a bunch of awesome examples.
Ideas for Math
33. Keep your math manipulatives organized and easy to access
Check out these creative ways to use math manipulatives.
Plus, here are some additional ideas from first grade teachers:
- “Use labels with words and pictures on bins. We take actual pictures of the materials.” —Amy L.
- “I give my kids the things they use the most, like counters and linking cubes, in a ziplock baggie to keep in their desks. When we need them, I just tell them to take out their math tools. It saves a lot of time passing them out every time they are needed.” —Diane D.
- “I put my manipulatives into clear shoe boxes and label them with words and pictures. I have a set of shelves in my back room where the kids can access them.” —Kelly H.
- “Save baby wipe tubs and give each student their own set of place value books to keep in the desk.” —Ann M.
34. Keep math journals
Image source: Miss Van Maren’s Fantastic First Grade
Making a chart that connects the numeral, word, and picture for each number will help reinforce number concepts with your little ones. Check out more great examples of how to use math journals.
35. Differentiate math work by using online resources
There are tons of online resources for differentiating math work. For a huge list of suggestions, check out our best math websites for teaching and learning math.
36. Play math games
Here’s a big list of math games that are just right for first grade.
37. Watch math videos
Making math more engaging for kids can be difficult. But teaching math will be anything but boring when you introduce students to some of our favorite subtraction and addition videos on YouTube.
38. Teach shapes
Learning shapes is one of the earliest concepts we teach kids. Shapes ready them for geometry in the years ahead, but it’s also an important skill for learning how to write and draw. Get started with these activities for learning shapes.
39. Count the days of school and celebrate when you reach 100!
There are so many different fun ways to celebrate the 100th day of school. We’ve got a whole collection of 100th Day of School activities for you.
40. Have “Number Talks”
You can build mental math and computation skills with Number Talks.
First grade teacher Stephanie W. shares, “Our students need to be able to explain their thinking on math assessments, so this is a perfect way to get them comfortable with reasoning aloud. They learn to explain clearly and logically. It also helps them to see their errors since you write down the problem exactly the way they explain it. If they can’t see the errors, other students can help clarify. It also gives value to working problems in different ways. As children develop a deeper number sense, they decompose and manipulate numbers in more complex ways.”
41. Get to know the hundreds chart with number puzzles
Image source: Mrs. T’s First Grade Class
These easy-to-make number puzzle games will help students see what 1 more, 10 more, 1 less, and 10 less look like. We’ve also gathered plenty of hundreds chart activities you can do with your students.
42. Share math word problems daily
We’ve got a collection of free math word problems for your first grade class! Use them for math word problems of the day or a warm-up whenever you need it.
Ideas for Science
43. Create “apple eruptions”
Image source: Growing a Jeweled Rose
Conduct an apple-volcano science experiment. Fun and yum! Click here for step-by-step instructions. Plus, check out these apple science activities.
44. Get hands-on with science
Science is the perfect subject for kids to get down and dirty in. Try this big list of first grade science projects for inspiration.
45. Try daily STEM challenges
These STEM challenges are designed with your first graders in mind. Try one each day or each week to get their minds thinking outside the box.
46. Use a science journal to teach the seasons
Image source: Today … in First Grade
Students will draw trees in each season, describe what they wear during the different seasons, and journal about what makes winter, spring, summer, and fall different as they fill in this science journal.
47. Look for resources from an old friend
Check out these awesome lesson plans for teaching first grade science in the kitchen, on the playground, and throughout the day from PBS Kids.
48. Take a field trip
There’s something about the first grade field trip that’s so special. We’ve rounded up our favorite first grade field trips that students will remember forever.
Ideas for Classroom Organization
49. When it comes to decorating your classroom, less is more
Anyone teaching first grade is going to have the urge to decorate, but check out these HELPLINE readers’ thoughts on why simplicity rules:
- “I have learned to start with a blank slate and let the students ‘decorate’ the classroom through the year with their work.” —Sarah H.
- “I made the mistake of covering every wall with decor and then had nowhere for anchor charts!” —Ann M.
- “You will see people go overboard with themes. Don’t bother! I saw the cutest classroom where the teacher had bought a pack of plain borders with various colors, and she just alternated the colors on the wall with alternating butcher paper. Go simple.” —Suzanne H.
Plus, check out our minimalist guide to classroom design.
50. Keep paperwork organized with labeled three-drawer bins
Image source: Learning to Teach
Hurray! No more messy piles everywhere when teaching first grade. For more ideas, check out these organization tips for back to school.
51. Create classroom mailboxes for students
Image source: The Teaching Thief
Use mailboxes to return work and have students write and deliver letters to one another! Personalize them to match your classroom decor. Here are our favorite DIY mailboxes.
52. Craft milk-crate seats with built-in storage
Image source: The Apple Tree Room
These adorable seats can double as bins for easy materials storage. Check out other creative ways to use milk crates in your classroom.
53. Keep your classroom books organized
Make it easier for students to grab their favorite books. These amazing classroom bookshelves are perfect for setting up a classroom library or reading nook.
54. Use “absent folders” to help students catch up when they return to school
Image source: Teaching With Terhune
Partner students at the beginning of the year. When one student is absent, have their partner put work in the Absent Folder for them. When the student returns to school, send the folder home. Total time-saver!
Ideas for Classroom Management
55. There’s a chart for that
These classroom management anchor charts tackle every possible issue.
56. Use a snappy call-and-response to get their attention
For fun ideas for quieting a noisy class, check out these attention-getters.
57. Put a system in place for the lunch count
Image source: Tales From a Fourth Grade Math Nut
Here are some of our favorite lunch count ideas for making it quick and easy.
58. Take a brain break
Check out these brain break videos, gathered just for your first graders.
59. Reduce stress during dismissal
Dismissal time doesn’t have to be chaotic. Check out these great tips on handling dismissal time.
60. Let students pick their own seats (carefully)
Teaching first grade is part of easing kids into the school experience. Let them practice their independence with these tips for letting students choose their seats.
61. Motivate students to tidy up the classroom
We’ve put together this list of catchy cleanup songs for kids to make those transitions a breeze!
62. Have students use colored sticky notes to communicate their understanding of a concept
Image source: Love, Teach, Inspire
Students signal if they’re struggling, stuck, or solid on a concept they’re learning! You can use sticky notes or colored index cards.
63. Set up a “Calm-Down Corner” and toolbox
Image source: Creatively Teaching First
The calm-down spot is a classroom space where students go to regulate their emotions and redirect their behavior. Stock these spaces with tools students can use to help them calm down and make better choices. Learn more about Why Safe Spaces Are Critical in Today’s Classrooms.
Need more inspiration? Here are 8 Types of Learning Spaces to Consider Including in Your Elementary Classroom.
64. Use online timers to keep the learning on track
We’ve rounded up the best, fun online timers to try for the classroom to help with keeping students on track.
Other Ideas
65. Use all the anchor charts
Here are our favorite anchor charts for teaching first grade.
66. Build relationships with your students’ parents
Check out these Teacher-Tested Ways To Make Your Classroom Parents Adore You.
67. Make art
Check out these art projects that are just right for first graders.
68. Set the tone for work time with background music
From Piano Guys to Afrobeat to the Jingle Punks Hipster Orchestra, you can find a Pandora station for every occasion.
69. Play with your kids
First graders are hilarious! Don’t forget to have fun with them. Here are a bunch of old-school recess games you can teach your students.
70. Use technology to organize classroom volunteers
Sites like SignUpGenius are free and user-friendly. You could also assign one of your classroom volunteers to manage the content and delegation of any project or extra hands needed using this service. If you are looking for more ways to use classroom volunteers, here are Tricks To Get the Most Out of Classroom Volunteers.
71. Display student work from the ceiling
Image source: Kroger’s Kindergarten
This is the perfect solution for teaching in first grade classrooms with limited wall space, which is the case in most classrooms. Dangle student work from the ceiling! Check out more clever ways to display students’ work in the classroom and online.
72. Bring more positive language into your classroom
Here are a few ways we can find the kind of mindfulness and positive language we hope to model for our students.
73. Get acquainted with running records
What are running records? When used meaningfully while teaching first grade, running records can really help you move the needle. Running records are a valuable reading-assessment tool used in many primary classrooms.
74. Create DIY classroom cubbies
Image source: The Kindergarten Smorgasboard
Give your kids some space of their own. These DIY classroom cubbies provide lots of options for teachers.
75. Grab inspired dry erasers
Image source: @kinder_charm
This is one of the best money-saving hacks I’ve seen in recent years! After all, inspiration can come from all sorts of places. They’re perfect for little hands and they really get the “erasing” job done. Bonus: They’re cute too! Check out more of our favorite money-saving classroom hacks.
What are your top tips for teaching first grade? Come share in our WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.
Plus, check out our guide to teaching in a first grade classroom.
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