NEA's Top 20 Back-to-School Resources

Lesson Ideas, Welcoming Students, Setting Up Your Classroom, Meeting Parents, and More

Lessons & Activities

Fun Activities Get the School Year Off to a Good Start!
These activities help you get to know students and their strengths.

Fresh Ideas for Opening Day
Five lesson plans help get the year off to a great start.

Best of the Icebreakers
Ten creative, teacher-tested ideas help you start the school year strong.

Going Back to School Can Be Expensive!
In this homework activity, parents help students figure the costs of going back to school.

Works4Me: Starting School
Teacher-submitted tips for welcoming new students, learning their names, and getting to know them. Plus activity ideas you can start now and build upon throughout the school year.

New to Your School

30 Questions to Ask During the First Days of School
Make your life as a teacher easier by learning school procedures early on.

Advice for New Special Education Teachers
A veteran special education teacher offers advice to new teachers for surviving the first few months of school.

33 Ways to Start the First Year Off Right
A little planning before school begins can pay big dividends throughout the school year. This checklist will help you plan for the months ahead.

Setting Up Your Learning Environment

Order in the Classroom!
Practical tips and tools to get your classroom in order.

Toward a Brain-Compatible Elementary School
Examples of how a school was designed to be compatible with how the brain learns.

Determine Classroom Procedures Before School Starts
Use this checklist to set your classroom climate.

Teachers Start Your Engines
20 classroom management strategies give your year a great start.

Establishing Classroom Rules
Ten activities help you set the right tone for the rest of your school year.

Teacher's Back-to-School Supply List
27 things you do not want to forget.

Reaching Out to Parents & the Community

Increase Parent Involvement With First Day of School Activities
Develop a first day program that gets the whole community involved.

Creating a Professional Image
Advice for first-year teachers on cultivating a professional image that will strengthen your work with students, other teachers and parents.

But Wait There's More!

Planning for Your First Day at School
On the first day of school, the secret to success is in the planning, not the pedagogy.

13 Ways to Beat the First-Day Jitters
Some steps to take before school begins.

A Cheer Me Up File
Develop a folder of glad tidings to yourself.

Maximizing the Opening of the School Day
How to establish the right rapport and get started on the right foot.