Teachers are wonderful at establishing routines that first week of school and getting everyone settled back in to a new year of learning, and read alouds for the first week of school are an excellent addition to your back to school lesson plans. Whether you are using read alouds for the first week of school to settle nerves, model expectations, or motivate students, using picture books during the first week of school has many benefits and can help you reach many goals. Plus, students enjoy a great read aloud!
Favorite Read Alouds for the First Week of School #1
If you enjoy motivating your students to become readers from day 1, then Miss Malarkey Leaves No Reader Behind is the book for you! From motivating your students to become readers this year to introducing a lesson on finding the just right book, this will quickly become one of your favorite read alouds for the first week of school.
Favorite Read Alouds for the First Week of School #2
Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon is such a sweet book for a lesson on respect and treating others with kindness. It is a great follow up to our classroom rules introduction. This sweet book is an excellent choice to address behaviors and expectations for the classroom such as bullying and how to treat others. It is also an inspirational book to discuss positive self confidence, encourage students to embrace their own quirks and differences, and to stand up against negativity.
Favorite Read Alouds for the First Week of School #3
A cockroach is the most unlikely character that I would normally want to read about, but in Crickwing there are so many wonderful lessons to be discussed about bullying, treating others with respect, and working together, that I completely forget by the end of the story that Crickwing is a cockroach. If you haven’t read this book, it is a great one to read.
Favorite Read Alouds for the First Week of School #4
My Mouth is a Volcano is a very cute way to discuss that dreaded topic: blurting out! It is a great book for a discussion on how to work and talk with our partners and in our groups. Very cute!
Favorite Read Alouds for the First Week of School #5
I always enjoy reading First Day Jitters to my class. It is such a fun book that I think it is a great ice-breaker for the very first day of school. It helps to get us all relaxed and settled in, and helps to calm all of our jitters on the first day.
Over the years I changed up the read alouds that I used during the first week of school, but the one that I seemed to use every year was First Day Jitters.
What are some of your favorite first week read alouds? There are so many great books out there! Do you have any new ones that you have discovered and tried?
For more great first week of school getting to know you activities, check out this post: HERE.
