With summer break coming to an end, we know that teachers and students are starting to roll up their sleeves for their first day back to school. After a few months of relaxation and less responsibility; we know how hard it can be for everyone to get back into the school groove. That's why we made a list of our favorite activities to make your first day back in class a little less stressful and a lot more fun. Check out How to make Back to School Fun: 5 Class Activities:

Communal Bulletin Board

Sprucing up your classroom with motivational posters and curriculum calendars is a great, however an interactive bulletin board is fantastic for engaging students and turning your classroom into a community. Buzzfeed has a lot of ideas for savvy school bulletins and our favorite was one that invites students to contribute. The possibilities are endless with this type of board; if you're an English teacher you can ask your students to tack on their favorite quote, if you're an Art teacher their favorite painter. If you don't want to base the board on your curriculum specifically, turn it into a vision board by asking your students to share a personal goal they want to achieve by the end of the school year.

Icebreakers

The first day of school can be a nerve racking for new teachers, students and especially for those in their first year of high school. Any icebreaker activity involving introductions is a great way to calm those first day jitters and have everyone get familiar with one another. There are a variety of different icebreaker activities you can incorporate; a classic icebreakers is having everyone sit in a circle and one at a time, introducing themselves with their name, favorite color and movie. For those teaching juniors who just arrived to the big kids school, scavenger hunts are also a great icebreaker as students are not only encouraged to communicate with their new peers but discover their new surroundings in a less intimidating manner.

Time Capsule

This back to school activity is our favorite off the list. Similar to the communal and vision board, a time capsule is a great way to break the ice with your students and have them set a personal goal for themselves to work towards throughout the year. It's simple; students write down something they would like to achieve in their class, then collect and store them somewhere safe for the rest of the year. Once the last day of school rolls around, have each student come and collect their papers. Come the end of the year, your students will feel successful after reading something they may have forgotten about throughout the year; all thanks to a great activity from your first class.

Brainteasers & Puzzles

It can be tough for students to jump back into the groove on the first day back; without completely ignoring a lesson take the opportunity of making the first one more fun and interactive. Brainteasers and puzzles related to your curriculum that your students have to solve either on their own or as a class can be a way to get their gears in motion. If you really want them to keep thinking about it even after class, keep the answers until the next lesson and have a short discussion. We found this website to be a great resource for those teaching middle and high schools.

For more ideas & tips for your first day back to school, check out these websites:

• A to Z Teacher Stuff: Activities for the First Days of School
• NCTE: Back to School Lessons for the Middle Level Classroom

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