As the new school year begins, setting a positive and engaging tone is essential for building a welcoming elementary classroom community. One of the best ways to achieve this is through thoughtfully chosen back-to-school read-aloud books that capture students’ imaginations and promote a love of reading. In this blog post, I’ll share some of my favorite back-to-school read-aloud books for the elementary classroom.
FIND 2 FREE GOOGLE SLIDE ACTIVITY LINKS BELOW!
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“A Letter from Your Teacher” by Susan Olsen is a heartwarming book written as a letter from the teacher to the students, welcoming them to the class at the beginning of the year. It lets the students know that as their teacher, I am dedicated to supporting and challenging them while putting my whole heart into being their teacher.
This book is perfect for the start of the school year as it can lead to the first writing activity for the students. After reading the book, have the students write their own letters. They can introduce themselves and share their goals for the year as a student in the class. This activity not only helps students practice their writing skills but also allows them to set personal goals and reflect on their expectations for the year.
“A Teacher’s Top Secret Confidential” by LaNesha Tabb is read by the teacher to the students to let them know they were specially picked for the class. We needed all kinds of students. You were picked because of your special gifts. This book is a great way for students to connect to the teacher and feel like they belong in this class.
Hook (engagement): I love this book because you can create excitement by having someone deliver it to the class. Maybe the PE coach or the office secretary. They show off the word “confidential” on the front of a big envelope and have the book inside it. Students will love to know what is so special and mysterious. Here is a video of the author using a similar hook and reading the book so you get an idea of how cool the unveiling can be. Although this is a great video, teacher need to be one one reading the book to their own class, so they feel they were picked by their teacher to be in the classroom.
“How I Spent My Summer Vacation” by Mark Teague tells the adventurous tale of Wallace Bleff, who, instead of visiting his Aunt Fern, gets swept away by cowboys and learns the ways of the West, from riding broncos to roping cattle, ultimately saving Aunt Fern’s barbecue from a stampede.
I love when books can lead to engaging activities, and “How I Spent My Summer Vacation” is perfect for this.
After reading the story, you can introduce a “Two Truths and a Lie” activity. This is a great ice-breaker or get-to-know-you activity. First, explain to students they will each think of 3 statements about their summer. 2 statements are true, and one should be a made-up story, just like Wallace’s imaginative tale. Next, each student will take turns sharing and the rest of the class can guess which is the lie. Finally, after the class makes their guesses, the student reveals which statement was the lie.
TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE – ACTIVITY
This is a free Google Slides Activity for this icebreaker activity.
This activity not only encourages creativity and storytelling but also helps students get to know each other better in a fun and interactive way.
One of my all-time favorites for this purpose is “First Day Jitters” by Julie Danneberg. This story not only captivates students with its engaging plot but also serves as a reminder that everyone, including teachers, might feel a bit nervous on the first day of school.
“First Day Jitters” is all about Sarah Jane Hartwell, who’s so nervous about starting at a new school that she doesn’t even want to get out of bed. The story takes us through her morning routine, filled with all those familiar feelings of nervousness and dread. But here’s the best part – there’s a surprising twist at the end that always gets both the kids and adults laughing. This funny and heartwarming book is perfect for showing students that first-day jitters are totally normal and that everyone, even teachers, can feel that way too.
I love to read this book on the first day of school because it opens up conversations and makes a great starting point for discussions about feelings.
Activity: During the second day of school, I revisit “First Day Jitters” to delve deeper into the topic of feelings. We create a class feelings graph where students can express the feelings they felt on the first day. I give each student a circle and they draw a picture of how they felt and place it on the graph. This activity not only helps students articulate their emotions but also introduces the concept of bar graphs in a fun and relatable way.
This activity fosters a sense of community and understanding among students while providing a practical connection to math lessons on graphing and data interpretation.
FIRST DAY FEELINGS ANCHOR CHART –
This is a free Google Slides link to access these labels.
Another fantastic back-to-school read-aloud is “All Are Welcome” by Alexandra Penfold. This beautifully illustrated book celebrates diversity and inclusion. It shows a day in the life of a school where all children are welcomed with open arms, no matter their background, race, or culture. It’s a wonderful way to highlight the importance of kindness, acceptance, and unity in your classroom.
I love this book because its message is clear: everyone belongs, and every child is valued. This makes it perfect for setting a tone of acceptance and celebration of differences from the very beginning of the school year.
Creating a Diversity Quilt is an easy and engaging activity that can connect to this book. For this activity, give each student a square of construction paper. You could use various colors that they can choose from. Ask them to draw or write something that represents their unique background, culture, or something they love about themselves. This could be a family tradition, a favorite food, a special talent, or anything that makes them unique. Once completed, have each student share their square with the class, explaining what it represents. Collect all the squares and assemble them on a bulletin board or a large piece of paper to create a “Diversity Quilt.” Once the quilt is displayed you could lead a discussion about how each square is different, but together they make a beautiful quilt, just like how each student’s uniqueness contributes to the classroom community. The activity reinforces the message that everyone is welcome and valued in your classroom.
Leave a comment if you have read one of these books to your class or have another suggestion.