Students can feel more welcome and appreciated in the classroom through morning meetings. You might begin your day with a responsive greeting like, "Good morning, (name). The school day wouldn't be the same without your presence. I'm glad you are here." After you greet the class, have the students turn and greet a classmate with the same greeting. Students will feel more welcome in the classroom and model inclusivity and appreciation for others.
You can include responsive strategies in circle time to create a sense of community and acceptance. Each student may have a partner assigned for circle time. You may begin with instructions for the activity. Students may "turn and talk" with their partners when you instruct them to share their feelings or ideas with a partner. Following the sharing time, a few students may explain their experience during the sharing exercise with the entire class.
Allow students to stand in a circle and toss a beanbag from one student to another. The student who tosses the beanbag may ask a question of the student who receives the bag. For example, the student tossing the bag may ask, "What is four plus eight?" and receive the correct answer from the other student. That student then repeats the activity until all students have had the opportunity to respond.
This activity gets the class up and moving and wakes them up. It also gives students a chance to review information.
Talk to students about why people set goals. You might also volunteer different kinds of goals for the classroom environment and for their personal lives. Ask students to "turn and talk" to a partnered student to share a goal. The students might work together to see that goals are met.
The activity helps students think about areas of improvement and work cooperatively on a project.
In groups of four to five students, the student who is the leader asks a question about a recently completed lesson. Another student prepares one true answer and several false answers to ask the group. The remaining members of the group determine which answer is fact and which answers are fiction. Students take turns with the roles in the group.
The activity provides a way to review information, take turns and develop leadership skills.