Description
The Back to School Writing Activity Unit also includes fun writing prompts for students to write to each other as their secret students. It also includes writing prompts for them to report to their teacher about their progress in helping their secret student.
While it was designed for back-to-school, this resource can also be used at any time of year when your classroom community needs work as well. It can also be great for a new teacher or long-term sub coming into the classroom mid-year.
The unit is introduced with the original story “A ‘Tree-Riffic’ Classroom Community.” It is a story about a class that does a similar activity and creates an apple tree bulletin board with their kind letters. After reading the story, the students will draw their assigned classmate, who they will be writing to for the duration of the unit. The students will have 10 writing prompts to write letters as secret students. They will also have 4 accountability writing prompts in which they report their acts of service to their teacher (and report what they will be putting on the intro page for their classmate).
At the end of the unit, the students reveal who they are with a back-to-school class introductions activity!
Best of all? This unit includes lots of EDITABLE sections! You will type your students’ names only one time, and they will auto-populate as needed throughout the unit.
➡️PLEASE REVIEW THE DETAILED PREVIEW FILE WHICH WILL GIVE YOU A PEEK INSIDE EVERYTHING INCLUDED!⬅️
WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THE BACK-TO-SCHOOL WRITING ACTIVITIES UNIT?
- Teacher Information & Preparation: All the unit information and preparation is clearly laid out- so you know exactly what you need to do!
- Back to School Intro Lesson Plan and Original Story: This lesson plan is a fun way to introduce the unit using the original story. Depending on your student’s age and ability, you may read the story aloud to them or print the story and have them read it as a reading passage.
- Writing Prompt Info: This page clearly lays out the two types of writing prompts: Secret Student writing prompts and Report to Teacher Writing Prompts.
- The Big Reveal Activity Lesson Plan: This reveal activity is a fun and memorable activity in which the students will present their back-to-school writing posters to each other.
- EDITABLE Student Name Cards: Add your student’s names to the student name cards so they are ready for the students to draw a name to become a secret student.
- FOR YOUR CONVENIENCE, you only need to type your students’ names into the document ONE TIME, and they will auto-populate onto the Recording Sheets AND the Reveal Cards! No need to type them out three times. Pretty cool, right? Color and black and white included!
- EDITABLE Secret Student Recording Sheet: This adorable recording sheet is for you, as the teacher! This helps you keep track as you deliver the letters. It is also inevitable that students will forget who they were assigned to, so it’s great to have your list handy. You can type the assigned classmate’s name, or print out the form and write them as the students draw names. Color and black and white included!
- EDITABLE Parent Letter: This letter is ready to go- all that is left to do is add the date and your name. You may edit the contents of the letter as well if you’d like.
- Back to School Writing Prompts #1-#10: These prompts are what students will use to write their letters to their assigned classmates. There are 10 pre-made prompts included.
- Full-color versions of the writing prompts are included for you to display using a SMARTBoard, Projector, etc. This makes it easy for students to see the prompts at all times. If you prefer, black and white versions to print out are also included.
- EDITABLE Writing Prompts 6 editable pages for you to create your own!
- Report To Teacher Prompts #1-#4 PLUS 2 Editable Templates: The second kind of writing prompt the students will get is the “Report to Teacher” prompt. These keep the students accountable for looking after their assigned classmates as secret students. They also help you to see how the students are helping each other!
- There are four of these prompts pre-written and two editable templates for you to add your own! Full-color versions for projecting or black and white for printing are both included.
- Just like the other prompts, there are display versions and handout versions included.
- Student Writing Pages- MULTIPLE DIFFERENTIATED VERSIONS! These will be used for the secret student writing prompts. Two different header versions are included: “A Sweet Note for You” and “An Apple a Day”. There are three versions with each header included. Two are lined with different spacing, and one is with half for writing/half for illustrating. Choose the one that works best for your grade level!
- Report to Teacher Student Writing Pages- MULTIPLE DIFFERENTIATED VERSIONS! These will be used for the Report to Teacher writing prompts. There are three versions included. Two lined with different spacing, and one with half for writing/half for illustrating. Choose the one that works best for your grade level!
- Back-to-School Intro Poster Templates: A wide variety of back-to-school intro page options are included. Two headers are included: “Awesome to the Core” and “You’re One Smart Apple”. There are several differentiated versions of the posters with different line spacing. Apple-shaped versions are also included if you’d like to create an apple tree bulletin board like the students in the story did. Choose your favorite template for the kids to use, or put them on a back table and let the students choose!
- Student “Thank You” Writing Pages: After the final reveal activity is complete, have the students write a thank you letter to the classmate who was their secret student.
**LOVE WHAT YOU SEE AND WANT TO BUILD YOUR CLASSROOM COMMUNITY ALL YEAR LONG?**
By continuing the secret student activities each month, your classroom community will grow. Patricia R. said, “These activities really make the student think about being kind to others. My class behavior has improved tremendously since starting these activities. They revert back to their old behavior quickly without this to keep them accountable.”
CLICK HERE TO GRAB THE SECRET STUDENT YEAR-LONG BUNDLE AND SAVE!
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