Good morning, teachers! Are you ready to start off your day with a little something extra? We’re talking about morning meeting activities today!
If you’re looking for something that will give your students an opportunity to practice important social-emotional and cooperation skills while reviewing skills and having fun at the same time? Well then, let me introduce you to one of our best-kept secrets in upper elementary education: Morning Meeting Activities!
That’s right – when done correctly, morning meeting activities can provide an incredibly enjoyable way for students to get involved in meaningful learning as they come into the classroom each day. So, let’s take a look at why using morning meeting activities is so beneficial and how you can get started using them today. Let’s take a peek inside my morning meeting to show you what I mean.
Fast Prep for Morning Meeting Activities
Before kids arrive, I choose my slide for the day and display it on the board. After a quick look at my lesson plans for day, I add the list of supplies I want students to gather and any important announcements for the day like “Don’t forget that tomorrow is picture day!”
Establishing the Routine
Since we start this on Day 1 kids have the routine down in no time. I greet the students at the door as they come in each morning and hand them an index card on their way in that they will use for the morning meeting. After saying hello, the kids put their stuff away and check the board for the supply list. Supply #1 is always a freshly sharpened pencil.
A Little Bit of Subject Area Content
Next, the students will use the index card to answer one warm-up question for math and one warm-up question for Language Arts on their index card. I find that just a little thinking in each of these subjects gets their brains ready to learn without being an overwhelming task first thing in the morning while we all need a little grace to get going.
Social Skills and Creative Outlets
The final step for kids is to prepare for the morning meeting discussion–the BEST part of the morning. I have the “just for fun” question or prompt of the day on the board so kids can get creative and start thinking about their answers. Once the bell rings, we discuss and share answers to the fun prompt of the day. These are great opportunities for students to practice social skills and share the quirky parts of their personalities in a safe setting.
I love this intentional routine to start the day, and I really love that I have the whole year done and prepped already! All I have to do is add the daily supply list or announcements! Give it a for yourself with this free week of editable 4th-grade morning slides that make classroom management and content review a breeze!
This set of 180 done-for-you 4th-grade morning slides will help you start the day on the right foot and set the tone for managing the rest of the day. These morning meeting activities are life savers for keeping classroom management simple, your mornings organized, and your students on task while you handle other morning routines. Say ciao chaos and hello smooth sailing classrooms!
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