At the beginning of the school year, let students get to know one another. Have children toss a softball around in a circle. The students must call out the name of whomever the ball is thrown to. For another getting-acquainted exercise for children of reading age, distribute a handout with statements such as "Find someone who was born in another state" and "Find someone who went on vacation over the summer." Ask students to walk around the classroom, writing down the names of students who meet the descriptions.
Bring current events into the classroom. For example, talk about current global issues such as a recent catastrophic natural disaster. Ask students to brainstorm a list of ways they can help, or how they could stay safe in a similar situation. Also discuss figures from the past, such as Martin Luther King Jr., and ask students how they see the effects of these figures' work in the world today.
If you have access to a computer lab, bring your students there one day. If there are not enough computers for everyone, pair up students or allow them to work in groups. Allow them to visit educational websites designed for K-5 students where they can participate in activities such as word searches and mathematics games. Some websites include printable coloring pages and word mazes.
Leave students with a positive experience to take with them into the next school year. Have everyone sit in a circle and share stories about favorite activities over the year, or three new pieces of information learned over the year. Divide students into groups to make a list of concerns, hopes and expectations regarding the upcoming school year. Bring the group back together for a large discussion of these issues.