On the first day of class, discuss the class rules and appropriate behavior. Outline the top four or five rules for discussion, including raising a hand to talk, listening respectfully when others talk, talking with indoor voices, taking turns talking and speaking respectfully to others. Ask students if they can think of other important discussion rules. Discuss other appropriate classroom behaviors you want to enforce such as respecting property, avoiding violence and telling the truth. Get student input on other rules that make them feel safe and able to learn. Make a list of the rules based on the discussion and post it in the classroom.
Have the students sit on the reading circle mat and close their eyes. Ask them to visualize the story or poem you are going to read aloud in their minds. Read them a story or poem with lots of descriptive wording and clear, defined actions. When the reading is complete, allow the students a few moments of silence to process the events and language. Ask individual students to describe what was most memorable. Collect a list of descriptive words the students remember most. Ask individual students to help recreate the events in sequence. After you have thoroughly discussed the reading, let each student illustrate their favorite part of the story.
Place one item in each of six to eight bags. Hold the bag and ask a student to reach into the bag and describe what is in the bag. Ask students to use descriptive words like smooth, soft, hard, rough, long or short. Ask the other students if they might know what could be in the bag based on the student's description. Allow for four to five guesses unless someone names it. Ask the original student if he knows what is in the bag. If not, pull the item out and reveal it. Ask the class for other descriptive words that might include its color and shape. Repeat with each bag, using a different student to reach into the bag.
Draw several facial expressions on the board. Ask the students to identify the emotion behind the face. Allow one or two students to describe a time when she felt like the expression. Ask the students which emotions feel best and which ones hurt. Encourage the students to discuss how they might make someone feel better who looks lonely, frightened, sad or angry.