Take a picture of each student. Have students attach their pictures to card stock, cut to size, to create postcards. On the back, have students write a message to a family member. For example, have children list reasons why they love their moms to create a Mother's Day gift. Have the students address their postcards. You may wish to place the postcards in envelopes to protect the photographs. Add stamps and place them in the mail for family members to enjoy.
Teach students how to write acrostic poems by creating a few poems together. Begin by printing the letters of a word vertically on a piece of paper. Write a word or phrase beginning with each letter that describes or relates to the topic. Children can create their own acrostic poems on paper or computers. You may wish to use this activity to describe special times of the year such as summer, Christmas or Father's Day.
Class books are a collaborative activity in which each student is responsible for creating a page. Choose a theme for the book. Ideas can include things children are thankful for, what they want for Christmas or what they would like to be when they grow up. You may wish to provide students with a common sentence starter to use. Ask them to draw a picture to illustrate their sentences. Create a cover for the book using card stock and bind it using materials such as coils, ribbon or binder rings. Enjoy reading the book together.
Journal writing can be a weekly activity for first-grade students. Provide each child with a notebook. You may wish to use notebooks that contain pages with lines for writing and a blank space for pictures. Provide children with a topic to write about and illustrate, such as their favorite subject, something they are looking forward to or the best present they have ever received. You may also let students choose their own topics. Have the students hand in their journals for you to read and respond to them.