Planning for the First Week of Grade One
Make the first week of grade one a success! Discover practical tips, engaging activities, and flexible plans to build your classroom community, establish consistent routines, and feel confident knowing your first week of school planning is done.
The first week of grade is a pretty big transition for students. They are stepping into a new phase of their primary school journey. We need to build on the foundation laid in kindergarten and introduce our first grade students to a world of
increased independence
more structured routines
and higher academic expectations.
For many first grade teachers, this transition brings its own set of challenges and opportunities.
While you’re eager to help your new class of students develop key skills and meet curriculum benchmarks, it’s equally important to nurture relationships and emotional well-being. Striking the right balance between building a strong classroom community, establishing routines, and introducing complex academics can feel like a delicate juggling act.
If you're feeling those first day jitters and are both excited and a little apprehensive about how to manage it all—especially when incorporating play-based approaches into 1st grade—it’s completely normal.
Many teachers wonder how to maintain the magic of hands-on, joyful learning while meeting the growing academic demands of this new stage.
The good news?
It can be such an exciting time!
With thoughtful planning, a flexible mindset, and a focus on connection, you will set the stage for a successful and meaningful year ahead.
This blog post will guide you through my tried and tested practical strategies for planning that first week of first grade. I’ve got tips to help you balance relationships, routines, and academics in a way that feels manageable and impactful.
Ready to make your first week of school activities as memorable and rewarding as it can be?
Read on!
How to Start Planning for Back to School in 1st Grade
At the beginning of the year, the first week of grade one sets the tone for the rest of the year, and here's my biggest tip: thoughtful planning can make all the difference!
At this stage, your students are ready for more independence and structure, but remember - they’re still little children!
Your new students still need an engaging, age-appropriate, supportive play-based environment.
So balancing all these elements is your key to a successful start.
To set the foundation for a successful year, consider incorporating the following elements into your first week of school lesson plans:
Group activities that build community
Clear classroom rules and procedures
Independent work time
Whole class and small group lessons
Opportunities for partner tasks
Collaborative games
Play based learning time
Small group challenges are the perfect way to build relationships and foster teamwork, while also helping students ease into the idea of working on their own.
For example, you might start the day with a morning meeting or a circle time activity where students share something about their favourite thing or an interesting fact about themselves. Then transition into a simple buddy task like creating a class puzzle or banner together. These types of activities build trust, confidence, and a sense of belonging in the classroom.
It’s also essential to prepare for the increased curriculum demands of grade one while keeping your environment age-appropriate and inviting at the same time.
Yes, grade one is serious learning, but it’s important to remember that even at this stage, children learn best through play. Incorporating fun activities and playful, hands-on learning opportunities alongside more structured academic tasks ensures that your students will remain engaged and enthusiastic about school.
For example, setting up math stations with manipulatives like pattern blocks or number cards can make introducing key concepts both fun and meaningful. Similarly, a writing corner with colourful prompts and open-ended materials invites creativity while supporting literacy goals.
These playful elements don’t just support curriculum outcomes—they also create a classroom environment where learning feels doable and enjoyable.
As you plan, aim to strike a balance: focus on introducing essential routines and academic expectations while keeping the space welcoming and the activities developmentally appropriate.
When students feel supported and inspired, they’ll be ready to tackle the challenges of grade one with excitement and curiosity.
With a thoughtful balance of routines, academics, and play, you’ll set the stage for a year full of growth, discovery, and success—for both you and your students.
If Nothing Else - Build a Classroom Community!
One of the most rewarding parts of the first week of grade one is watching your students start to bond as a team. Building a strong classroom community during these early days is essential—it creates a sense of belonging, trust, and shared purpose that will carry your class through the rest of the year.
The first week of first grade is a perfect opportunity to lay the foundation for a strong classroom community.
Building relationships, encouraging teamwork, and helping students feel connected to their new friends is just as important as introducing academics. During this exciting time, my planning incorporates intentional activities that foster collaboration, connection, and trust among my first graders.
Here’s how I build a classroom community step-by-step during the first week of school:
1. Circle Time for Connection
Circle Time is an essential part of my first-week routine. It’s a great way to encourage participation, build bonds, and establish the class as a team.
We gather together to discuss how school works, share about ourselves, and reflect on the day. Here are a few ideas for some short meetings to help build trust and a sense of belonging.
“Getting to Know You” Game: On the first day of school, we sit in a circle, and each student says their name along with the phonics action for the initial sound of their name. This is a fun activity that reinforces the foundation stage phonics curriculum and also helps everyone learn each other's names.
Classroom Rules Discussion: Together, we brainstorm what our classroom should “look like, sound like, and feel like” for everyone to have a great time. I record our class rules and ideas on an anchor chart, ensuring that all voices are heard. By co-creating our rules, students feel ownership of their space.
Reflection Activities: At the end of the day, we gather to reflect. I ask, “What was your favourite thing about today?” or “What’s one way we showed kindness to a new friend today?” Reflection activities help students develop emotional awareness and connection with their peers.
2. Class Books: A Shared Experience
Creating a class book from an All About Me worksheet is one of my favourite first-week activities. Not only does it encourage teamwork, but it’s also a wonderful tool for first graders to celebrate their uniqueness while connecting as a group.
On Day One, I introduce a simple worksheet where each child writes their name, completes a drawing of themselves, and adds a few details like their favourite book or activity.
I compile the pages into a book and add it to our classroom library. It becomes a treasured read-aloud throughout the rest of the year. Students love seeing their work displayed and shared like this.
This simple activity combines social-emotional learning, fine motor practice, and classroom community building.
3. Partner and Small Group Work
In the first week of school, students need to practice working together and learning the importance of teamwork. Partner and small group activities are a great way to introduce collaboration in a low-stakes, playful environment.
Partner Work: Simple play based activities like block play, sensory bins and watercolour painting help students break the ice and form connections.
Small Group Rotations: I introduce working in small groups right from the first day. I like to use short, engaging tasks, like making words with playdough or worksheets like the All About Me one to help students learn to share, communicate, and problem-solve together.
Team Games: Fun games involving music are not only great brain breaks but can also encourage teamwork and laughter.
4. Classroom Roles for Ownership
Students love feeling responsible, and classroom roles like those from Walker Learning are a great way to foster pride in their contributions.
During the first week, I introduce simple tasks such as:
The Photographer: Takes pictures of classmates making different facial expressions to use in future activities (tying into our emotions theme).
The Reporter: Writes down the birthdays of three classmates on our classroom calendar. This ties into our morning meeting and math lessons.
These tasks are easy and manageable and go a long way to help students feel like valued members of our classroom community. If you want to save yourself heaps of planning time and want more tasks like these, check out my done-for-you sets:
For more information about Walker Learning, visit Early Life Foundations or read my blog posts:
5. Reflection and Sharing: “Two Stars and a Wish”
At the end of the week, I introduce peer feedback using the “Two Stars and a Wish” strategy. It’s a perfect opportunity for students to develop social skills, encourage each other, and learn how to give and receive constructive feedback.
After an activity like “Write to Self,” I select one student to share their work. The class then gives two positive comments (stars) and one suggestion for improvement (a wish).
This gentle introduction to reflection helps build a supportive, encouraging classroom culture.
6. Emotions and Wellbeing: Building Awareness
Supporting emotional well-being is a priority in my classroom. We start the school year off with an SEL theme around feelings and emotional regulation through storytelling and play.
Read-Alouds: Books like The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn or Feeling Fine by Stephanie Owen Reeder are excellent for starting conversations about emotions and building empathy.
Zen Den: I introduce our classroom’s “Zen Den”—a calm, quiet space where students can self-regulate when they’re feeling overwhelmed. We use tools like water timers, relaxation music, and simple breathing exercises.
Feelings Activities: Students participate in activities like creating faces with playdough, reflecting different emotions, or sharing times when they felt happy, sad, or scared.
Building emotional awareness in a new class of students creates a safe, supportive environment where everyone feels seen and understood.
Building a classroom community during the first week of school sets the stage for a successful new school year.
Whether it’s co-creating rules, completing a class book, or participating in reflection activities, each step helps students bond as a team. The small moments we spend building trust and connection at this time of year will pay off tenfold.
By the end of the week, you’ll see your first-grade students beginning to settle into routines, collaborate with their new friends, and feel proud of their role in the classroom.
Preparing for back to school has never-ending to-do lists, but please don’t overlook the importance of building a classroom community.
It should be one of your main goals if you want to have a productive and successful school year, it truly should be one of your top priorities!!!
To learn more about what a classroom community is, why it’s so important, and how to easily build one, check out my blog post: How to Build a Classroom Community. You’ll find a wealth of ideas, tips and activities to help you create a warm and welcoming environment that supports connection, learning and growth right from day one.
Make building a classroom community a priority this year— You won’t regret it! It truly is the foundation that will pay off in every lesson and activity.
Year One Planning for the First Week of School
The first week of school is a pivotal time for setting the tone and establishing the routines that will guide your first graders through the year.
My weekly planning for year one is designed to ensure structure while remaining flexible enough to adapt to the needs of each unique class. With intentional activities, I balance
play based learning
academics
social-emotional learning
and relationship-building
to create a strong foundation for the rest of the year.
Here’s a closer look at how I approach first-week planning for grade one and the strategies I use to stay responsive to my students.
Daily Structure and Flexibility
I like to plan for the week as a whole but I print my plans day by day to give myself the flexibility to adapt based on observations.
In my Year One Weekly Plan, the schedule includes a mix of explicit teaching, hands-on activities, and reflective practices. Each day builds on the previous one, gradually introducing routines and expectations.
Morning Routine: Starting the Day Right
The morning routine sets us up for a successful day, especially in the first week of school. It sets the tone, provides structure, and helps students transition smoothly into the school day.
Here’s how I approach mornings in my grade one classroom:
Morning Meeting: Each day begins with a predictable and engaging morning meeting. This is the perfect time to greet each other, review the day’s schedule, and reinforce the classroom rules we co-created earlier in the week. On day one I start with a simple “Say Your Name Game,” where students introduce themselves and by the end of the week, students can share not just their names but also fun details like their favourite book or something new they’ve learned.
Introduce the Day’s Learning Intentions: We take a moment each morning to talk about what we’ll be learning that day. I use illustrated learning intentions (WALT goals) to show students what we are focusing on for literacy and numeracy. I explain how these learning intentions relate to their work for the day, helping students connect their tasks to larger goals.
Count the Days of School: We start our 100 Days of School Tracker, a simple but engaging activity where we count the number of days we’ve been together. This ties into early math skills like number recognition, sequencing and place value. By adding one new number each day, students begin to see patterns, such as counting by 10s as the weeks progress.
Calendar Work: Calendar time is another key component of our mornings. We don't just look at the date. We review the day, date, and month, and discuss upcoming events. My students help adjust the calendar display and answer questions like, “What day will it be tomorrow?” or “What day was it yesterday?” As the year progresses, this evolves into opportunities for students to take on leadership roles, such as leading the calendar discussion.
Explicit Teaching Blocks
Each day includes short, focused teaching blocks for SEL, literacy, maths and science. These sessions are carefully planned but flexible, allowing me to adjust based on how students are responding.
There is a strong Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) focus.
Incorporating SEL into my weekly plan is essential for helping my students adjust to their new environment. This includes class reflection times, where we reflect as a group, sharing successes and challenges.
This all helps to foster self-awareness and helps my students feel valued. I also timetable SEL lessons through stories and the use of our “Zen Den.”
Grade one is an exciting time to introduce more formal academic lessons. During the first week, try to ease your students into structured tasks with activities that feel approachable and enjoyable:
Whole Class Lessons: Begin with short, interactive sessions such as a shared reading or a hands-on math demonstration. Keep lessons brief and engaging to keep your students’ attention, setting expectations and a positive tone for future learning.
Centers and Rotations: Introduce centers or math and literacy rotations by modelling expectations and routines. For example, set up a rotation with a reading corner, a writing activity, or a hands-on math station. Gradually increase the complexity as your students become familiar with the process.
Group Work: Use small group tasks to encourage collaboration while ensuring students also feel supported. For example, create groups for a shared writing project or a math puzzle-solving activity.
Investigation Time and Play Based Learning
Hands-on play based learning opportunities, such as our Investigations, allow my students to explore, create, and engage with materials on their terms. These sessions are an essential part of any play-based learning pedagogy, fostering creativity and critical thinking.
Start the year by setting up inviting provocations or learning invitations that connect to your curriculum. For instance:
A sensory table with materials for sorting and counting during math.
A science area with magnifying glasses and natural objects for observation and discussion.
If you’re new to play-based learning, check out my comprehensive blog post: How to Start with Play-Based Learning. This post highlights the benefits of play-based learning, has practical examples, and heaps of tips to get started with play in your classroom.
Reflect and Adjust Plans After the First Week
The first week of grade one is always a learning experience—for both you and your students!
As you observe your class settling into routines, tackling new tasks, and working with their peers, you'll gain valuable insights into their unique needs and abilities. These observations are gold! They will not only help you shape your planning for the weeks ahead but also ensure your classroom remains a supportive, productive, and engaging space.
One of the most important parts of my first-week planning is flexibility.
While my plan outlines specific lessons and activities, I continually assess how well they’re working and adapt accordingly. My observations inform my teaching.
Here are a couple of real-life examples:
Engagement Levels: If I notice a lack of engagement during a lesson, I adjust by incorporating movement or hands-on tasks. For instance, if a math lesson feels too abstract, I might switch to using physical manipulatives or a fun activity like my Math Towers game.
Social Dynamics: Observing how students interact helps me identify areas for growth. If a group struggles with teamwork, I can add more collaborative tasks, like building challenges or team games.
At the end of the week, I review my notes and reflect on our first week of school activities.
I look at what worked well and what needs adjustment. For example:
If students showed strong interest in a particular topic, I might weave it into next week’s lessons or investigation areas.
If routines weren’t fully established on the first day, I allocate extra time on the second day of school for modelling and practising expectations.
Having a solid plan for the first weeks of school is essential, but so is the ability to adjust as you learn more about your first grade students. Your weekly plan is a great starting point, but it’s your observations and flexibility that ensure every student feels supported and engaged.
Flexibility is crucial during the first week of grade one.
As you observe your students, be prepared to adapt your plans.
Some activities may take longer than expected, while others may need simplification or added challenge. Take notes throughout the day and use these reflections to adjust your plans for the following day.
For example:
If students seem overwhelmed by group rotations, scale back the number of stations or increase teacher-guided support.
If they show particular interest in a topic during Investigations, build on that curiosity by incorporating it into whole-class lessons or other activities.
By blending structured routines with flexibility and observing your students’ needs, you’ll create a classroom environment that feels both purposeful and responsive.
This approach not only supports academic growth but also nurtures a love for learning from the very first week.
With a little planning and a lot of observing, reflecting and adapting, you'll create an environment where your students can thrive, develop confidence, and build the skills they need for the rest of the year.
Evolving Your Planning
Grade one planning is never a one-size-fits-all process.
As I have already stressed, during the first week, pay attention to how students respond to different activities and routines.
Use an observation checklist, like my free Investigation Time Observation Checklist, to document areas such as:
Students’ ability to engage in sustained independent work.
Social interactions during group and partner tasks.
Fine motor skills during writing or hands-on activities.
Critical thinking and creativity during play-based Investigations.
For example:
If you notice some students struggling with fine motor tasks like cutting or handwriting, you might plan more activities that build these skills. Playdough modeling or tracing exercises are some of my favourites.
If a group shows high engagement during a collaborative STEM challenge, you can incorporate similar activities to further develop teamwork and problem-solving skills.
Adjusting Expectations and Pacing
Grade one students arrive with varying levels of maturity, learning styles, and readiness for structured tasks. Adapting your expectations and pacing ensures that all students will feel challenged but not overwhelmed.
Here are some tips for fine-tuning your approach:
Routines and Procedures: If students are still struggling with transitions or classroom routines, dedicate additional time to modelling and practising these steps. Use visual cues or timers to help students understand expectations.
Academic Tasks: Break down larger tasks into smaller, more manageable steps for students who need extra support. Conversely, provide extension activities for those ready to dive deeper.
Learning Styles: Use a mix of teaching strategies such as hands-on learning, auditory instruction, and visual aids, to engage all your diverse learners. For example, combine a read-aloud story with a related sensory activity or a philosophy-based group discussion.
Reflection as a Teaching Tool
Take time at the end of each day to review your notes and reflect on what worked and what didn’t.
Ask yourself:
Which activities kept students engaged and which did not?
Did students grasp key concepts, or do they need more time and practice?
How can I adjust tomorrow’s plans to better meet their needs?
Flexibility is your greatest asset during this time. Some days will run smoothly, while others might require on-the-fly adjustments. The goal is to create a classroom environment where every student feels supported and has the opportunity to succeed.
Use My Free Observation Checklist
To help you document and reflect on your students’ progress during Investigations or any of your first day activities, download my free Investigation Time Observation Checklist to help you.
This tool will guide you in identifying key areas of growth and areas needing further support, making it easier to adapt your planning effectively.
A thoughtful approach like this ensures your plans are not just effective but also deeply aligned with the unique dynamics of your classroom.
Plan, Adapt, and Thrive!
The first week of grade one is so important. It’s an opportunity to lay the groundwork for a year of exploration, learning, and growth.
With thoughtful planning, flexible routines, and a focus on building a strong classroom community, you will create an environment where your students feel supported, engaged, and inspired!
As you navigate these first few days, remember that flexibility is your superpower.
Observing and adapting to your students’ needs will ensure your plans remain effective and meaningful.
Whether it’s adjusting routines, incorporating more play-based learning, or tailoring academic tasks to different maturity levels, each small change will make a big difference in creating a successful year.
For additional support, don’t forget to grab my free Investigation Time Observation Checklist to help you document and reflect on your students’ progress.
Ready to Create Your Clear Plan?
If you’re looking for a complete planning guide to kick off grade one with confidence, download my Grade One Planning for the First Week of School and get access to my real-life plans, tips, and resources all tailored for this exciting first week.
With the right mindset and my free tools, you’ve got everything you need to make the first week of grade one a memorable and rewarding experience—for you and your students.
Here’s to a fantastic start to the year!