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Clean classrooms, freshly sharpened pencils, and new seating charts mean it’s almost time to welcome students. With back-to-school season in full swing, our teachers are busy preparing for a brand-new year, so we’re here to help put the finishing touches on the first week of school with a lesson plan in creativity (and products that’ll get there before the bell rings!). Check out 10 creative lesson plans to start the school year— class is in session!

 

Homeroom: Set Goals & Capture Dreams

First Day of School Chalkboard

Help each student realize their potential by setting goals and getting to know them with the First Day of School chalkboard. Write what they love and hope to be as a grown-up, then have them pose with it for a quick pic so the memory will last forever. At the end of the year, flip the board around and reflect how much they’ve grown by writing down their favorite subjects and books from the past year!

 

Spelling: Start with an Easy A
Apples  

A is for apples! Twist green, red, white, and black fuzzy sticks into the cutest apple crafts, then hang them around the classroom to add the perfect back-to-school décor. This fine motor skills craft pairs nicely with a quick lesson on the vowel and the different sounds it makes!

 

History: Stay Present by Learning about the Past
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Now and then we all need help adjusting to new environments. Worry Dolls have helped kids with their anxieties for centuries (starting in Guatemala). Along with our Teacher’s Corner history lessons, the Ultimate Box of Crafts has everything students need to create their own worry dolls, like fuzzy sticks, wiggly eyes, and craft sticks!

 

Science: Welcome a New Class Pet

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Who doesn’t love a class pet? Create your own sea creatures to place around the classroom using pony beads, craft sticks, wiggly eyes (all in the Ultimate Box of Crafts), and canvas! Afterward, dive into a science lesson about octopi and their super-helpful tentacles!

 

Psst…Looking for class pets your students can keep? Create frogs, ladybugs, dogs, penguins, and other animals with the Made By Me Ultimate Bead Pets kit, and have them latch the keychains to their backpacks or lunchboxes!

 

Math: Shape Up Your School Year

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Start the year with an interactive geometry lesson! Create a magnetic tangram with foam sheets and magnets to attach to the chalkboard or whiteboard. Then, have your students move the shapes around to create new ones!

 

Language Arts: Write a Summer Story

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Explore storytelling alongside writers Maya Angelou and Toni Morrison while students  

make their own books! Give your class an afternoon of creative writing as they share their summer experiences through a first-person narrative.

 

See any budding authors in your classroom? Inspire young writers to start journaling — the STMT Journaling Set is the perfect beginner’s guide!

 

Music: Set the Tone for the School Year

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Shake things up with handmade instruments! Grab paper plates, jingle bells, colorful paints, and assorted brushes to craft upcycled tambourines. While the crafts dry, start a lesson in the power of percussion and prepare for an awesome class concert!

 

Art: Sharpen Pencils & Creativity

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Help your students prepare for class with shark pencil cases to keep all their supplies in one place. As they follow the template to sew foam pieces together, give students the opportunity to learn about each other with fun ice breakers!

 

Sensory Play: Feel the Feels in the Classroom

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Don’t let the stress of the school year dim sparkle! Encourage students to explore their emotions and sense with rainbow glitter sensory bottles designed to them shine all semester long! Customize the bottles with positive icons and colorful letters included in the Just My Style Sticker Book to add a little extra happiness to the sensory craft—or reward your students with the stickers when they’re on their best behavior!

 

Motor Practice: Make Students Feel Welcome

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Whether it’s taking attendance on the board or assigning everyone lockers, make the process easier with personalized magnet nameplates. Students get to practice their motor skills using colored pencils, markers, and scissors to design their own names before sticking them to any magnetic surface!

 

Skip a trip to the supply closet and grab the Made By Me Magnetic Tiles kit to decorate right away. Students will have mini magnetic masterpieces to their locker or the chalkboard in no time!

 

Want to include more creativity in your lesson plans? Head to our Teacher’s Corner Lesson Finder to select the perfect projects for your subjects and grade level. Happy school year!