Getting to know you activities for students are an important part of back to school. They help you learn about your students and build classroom community. Through these activities, relationships can be fostered as students learn things about their classmates and things they have in common. Getting to know you activities can also help teachers guide instruction and make connections.
Getting to know you activities do not have to be complicated. Teachers do not need anything extra added to their plates, especially at the beginning of the school year. The pressure to start instruction and begin curriculum is always high, but you won’t ever regret taking the time to implement some of these activities.
Getting to Know You All About Me Activities
Sprinkle these activities throughout the first week. Each one requires minimal prep or materials but meets the need to learn about your students.
3 About Me Bags
These bags are low-prep and a great home to school connection. All you have to do is attach the printable to a paper bag and send them home. Students collect 3 things to share about themselves, place them in the bag, and return them to school. Sharing the bags is very flexible. Pick a schedule (all at once, one a day) that works best for your classroom.
I always start by sharing my own bag with my class. This gives students a chance to see examples of what they could put in their own bag and lets them get to know a little bit about their teacher.
Pom Pom Share Get to Know You Ice Breaker Questions
Another quick activity that is also low prep is Pom Pom Share. This All About Me activity only needs pom poms. Display the icebreaker questions under a document camera or project them on an interactive whiteboard. Students pull a pom pom and then answer the questions next to the matching color.
Pom Pom Share can be done whole class during morning meeting, in small groups, or with partners. Change the questions up and you can use it more than once! You can grab a sample of this activity to try for yourself below.
Would You Rather Getting to Know You Activities
Would you rather questions can also help you learn about your students’ interests, likes, and dislikes. The best part about these would you rather questions is they integrate movement! Students listen to the question and two choices. Each choice has a movement picture next to it. Students show their answers by completing the matching exercise. Now you’ve got a get to know you activity and brain break in one!
Getting to Know You All About Me Crafts
If you’re looking for something a little more in-depth with a final product, these all-about-me crafts can meet multiple needs. First, they are a great way for students to share about themselves plus they make a great beginning of the year bulletin board. Complete these all-about-me crafts in the classroom or send them home as a family project.
These flowers and suns can be differentiated and used with a variety of grades. Students can draw, cut out pictures, or write to share information about themselves. Allow student to present their creation or display the whole class together and make an all-about-me bulletin board.
What are your favorite ways to build classroom community and get to know your students?
