In the morning, students arrive at different times. As children trickle in, instruct them to complete morning preparatory activities such as unpacking backpacks, turning in homework and going to the bathroom. Establish morning etiquette rules for the children, including pointing out toys they should not touch and an demonstrating appropriate volume for chit-chat.
Provide an engaging, independent activity that children can quietly perform as you greet students and interact with parents. Students can color, play with puzzles or read picture books while they wait for their classmates to arrive.
Once the students are present, bring them together on a rug or common area to say hello and complete necessary classroom tasks. In the morning, teachers take attendance, make classroom announcements and lead the Pledge of Allegiance. Talk with students about an interesting topic, ask them questions or go over planned activities for the day.
Kindergartners enjoy songs or rhymes and can easily learn lyrics through repetition. Sing morning songs to say hello, introduce curriculum, practice memorization and focus attention. Children may already know the ABC song or other nursery rhymes and will be eager to sing along.
Each morning, update the class calendar to reflect the date. Note the day of the week, month and year. Mark any major holidays or classroom events on the calendar so children can anticipate their arrival and develop a sense of time's passage.
Discuss the weather for the day. Read the temperature with a thermometer and observe the weather outside. Share a newspaper forecast with the children to see how the weather will change over the course of the day. On some days, children may be open to more involved weather discussions about appropriate clothing or seasons.
Writing a morning message with the children as a group is a tool that demonstrates the power of literacy. Students watch the teacher organize his thoughts and record them in writing for the class to observe, read or copy. Use a standard format for every morning message, beginning with a phrase such as "Good morning," "Today is," or "Hello boys and girls."
Students will be more attentive to the morning message if they are involved in its creation. Take student dictation, poll the group for message topics or allow individual students to write on the board. Instruct children to copy the morning message onto paper or individual dry erase boards.