Community Building in the Classroom

When I started block II in the grade 5/6 classroom it was really important for me to get to know my new students and build a sense of community in the classroom.

We played a game of Football Tell All:

Form a circle. Say the student's name that you want to pass to. Answer the question closest to your right thumb.

I used this activity as a brainstorming session for a letter writing activity. The students wrote me letters, introducing themselves and telling me things they would like me to know about them.

Both activities gave me a strong sense of who the students are in my classroom and is helping me plan lessons to meet their needs.