TITLE:     GETTING TO KNOW YOU

AUTHOR:     Karen S. Greenhalgh, Coronado Elementary School
                  Littleton, CO  80127

OVERVIEW:  Introducing students to the teacher and each other.
When students enter their classroom for the first time in the
Fall, the need to know classmate's names and something about each
other is very important.

GRADE LEVEL:  First through Sixth          General

PURPOSE: 
   To help children quickly get to know one another and set up an
   atmosphere for learning.

OBJECTIVES:    
   Students will be able to call each other by name and mention
   something important about that person.
   
   Students will develop a sense of bonding and classroom trust
   earlier than might otherwise be felt.
   
   Students will be able to find a partner with similar interests
   for other activities throughout the remainder of the first day.

RESOURCES/MATERIALS:  None  (Space for circle/class list
optional)

ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES:  
   Students sit in a circle.  One child starts by telling his/her
name and something that they are interested in outside of school.
(Children should be encouraged to speak loudly enough for everyone
in the circle to hear them.)  The student sitting next to the first
child to speak now says the name and interest of the first person
who has spoken and then says his/her name and interest.  The third
child must repeat the names and the interests of the first two
children and then his/her own.  And so it goes until all the children
have had a turn.  The students at the end of the circle will have a
more challenging time due to the many names and interests, but it is
perfectly all right to help any student who may need it.  After all
the children have said their names and interests, the teacher then
will try to name and tell the interests of all the children in the
circle.

   After completing the above activity, the teacher should ask the
children to choose a partner.  The partners will get together and
talk about their summer activities.  Where did they go?  What did
they do that was fun?  What people did they see?  What did they do
that was hard?  ETC.  After five minutes have the children come
back to the circle with their partner.  Each child will tell at
least one interesting thing about their partner's summer for the
rest of the group to hear. The children should be cautioned to
share with the entire group only those things which their partner
had agreed is okay.

   These short activities will hopefully encourage lots of class
interaction and set the stage for learning activities to follow
for the remainder of that very important FIRST DAY. The teacher
will also profit from knowing much about his/her students so early
in the year.

TYING IT ALL TOGETHER:  
   Class book could be made with drawings (possible self-portraits)
and anecdotes about the students.  This book could easily be
updated throughout the year.