First Day of School Icebreakes
By Caroline Wyman

Classroom Puzzle
Make a large puzzle on a big piece of poster board, making sure there is one piece for each of your students. Count yourself as one of the pieces too! Cut out each piece ahead of time and have the pieces ready with crayons or markers for each child to decorate.

Talk to the class and explain that this activity will show what an important part they play in the class. Let them know that each of them has special talents that will make up their classroom for this year. Talk about what kind of talent might be important for the class to have. For example, someone may be a good cleaner upper or a good line leader. While others may be a good listener or good friend.

After discussing the puzzle and how the pieces will fit together, have each student write in marker or crayon what their classroom talent is and how their piece helps complete the puzzle. Have them decorate the puzzle pieces with colorful patterns or designs. Once everyone is finished collect the pieces and laminate them. Have a bulletin board available where the class can put their puzzle together. Students can then admire their creative pieces that make up the classroom.

I Know Someone Who...
This lesson can help the students get to know each other by "interviewing" each other with statements made by you (their teacher) that start off with I know someone who...

Make up at least one statement per student, but having extras always helps the process. For example, "I know someone who has a dog" or "I know someone who has an older bother," or a more difficult one maybe "I know someone who has been on a flight to Disney World."

Have statements that are easy and generic, as well as more specific. Next to each statement have a blank line for a student's signature. Make sure that the students know that they can only have one statement per student. Each student can only sign once.

Once everyone has found a student for each statement come together and share what everyone learned about each other. You'll find that everyone will be more than willing to talk about their new and exciting classroom. This activity may also spark some new friendships when students realize that they have things in common.

Bag of Surprises
This activity will help everyone to get to know each other on the first day of school by using their creative thoughts to relate items to themselves. Some ideas and thoughts may be a bit of a stretch, but this makes the students think and relate more.

Have a brown paper lunch bag prepared for each student. In each bag have a few different items that you have collected. For example, put a button, a crayon and a rock in one bag. In another put a pencil, a coin and a leaf. You can repeat certain items in separate bags, but each bag should be different.

The object of the lesson is for each student to trade their items with classmates so that they can find at least one item that relates to them. They may have to stretch their imaginiation in order to explain their relation to their item. You can also tell them that if they cannot come up with a related thought they can find their own item at home to use the next day.

Once everyone has made their trades, have each student explain their connection to their bag. You can start off by showing a bag and what some of the items may relate to, for example a pencil may mean that they like to write stories, or a button may mean that they like to shop for clothes or that they like to sew. The more creative the explanations the better! Have fun with this activity and have your students decorate their bags with a portrait of themselves on the front.

Caroline Wyman has a degree in Sociology and a Masters in Elementary Education and is the administrator for TeacherNet.com.