You
might have the students write a letter
describing their first few weeks of
school for the parents to read. Also,
provide paper on the student desks for
the parents to write a note to their
child about Open House ti be read the
next morning. You could have sign up
sheets for parents interested in helping
with planning parties or special
projects. Another idea is to
have a textbook out on the desk with a
short, simple assignment similar to what
their child might be doing this year, and
the parents have to complete it. You
could have a tape recorder set up for
each parent to record a message for their
child. Wendy
This
will be my third year teaching third
grade and back to school night always
gives me the jitters. I have my
students (using a template) draw
their head with hair, eyes, a smile,
etc. They draw themselves. Beneath
the portrait the students ask their
parents questions about them. For
example What's my favorite food? What
holiday do I like the best? Who is my
best friend? The parents enjoy
looking at their childs portrait and
answering questions about them. I
walk around and ask questions. Before
that I read off my policies and
procedures. Last year I video taped
my class during lunch, library,
computer, gym and showed it with
backroung music about children,
several parents got teary eyed. Good
Luck
Debbie
Use
the overhead projector to draw a
silouette of each child's profile.
They'll take magazines to cut out
pictures or words that represent
themselves, and paste them inside
their silouette (no names). I'll have
those propped up (taped) on each seat
and the parents have to guess to find
their child's desk (I'll have the
nameplate covered). I'll also have
their journal on the desk (turned
over, so no name is showing)with an
entry that the parent has to answer
(What is the greatest thing about
being a parent? What is the hardest
thing about being a parent?). The
child will have already written a
similar entry that says about being a
child. I'll have a table at the
doorway with a list for parents to
sign up to volunteer throughout the
year. I'll also have their first
newsletter to take home with them -
that has my website address and
general information. When the parent
first shows up at my door, I'll hand
them a paper that shows them
different things to see/do in the
classroom, to make sure they don't
miss anything (find the child's desk,
get a newsletter, read/write in the
journal, visit the volunteer desk if
they're interested, check out the
bulletin boards, centers, cubbies,
and poet-tree). I may or maynot, on
that same volunteer table, have some
cookies, juice, and decaf. coffee (in
a carafe) I'll also have some mints
attached to a thank-you card for them
to take as they're leaving (It says,
"Thanks for coming to our
Openhouse - it "mint" a lot
to us!) I think I covered everything
- sorry that's so long, but I wanted
to give you some ideas to throw
around! - Susan/5th/MS
Posted
by Melissat on 8/01/02
One
thing I do with first grade (and is
easily done with
second) is to make a puzzle for the
parents to put together.
Across the top of the paper in large
letters I put WELCOME
(which acts as a guideline when the
parents are putting them
together). There are lines drawn on the
paper, and the
children draw a picture or write a
message, disregarding the
lines as they draw/write. Then they cut
on those lines and
place the pieces in an envelope. Fun and
easy!
Posted
by jessica/3/MO on
8/01/02
You can
have the students write a note to their
parents about
school or whatever and then have the
parents write their kids
back. Just a thought.
Posted
by Marzee on
8/01/02
I am a
first grade teacher too. I have for my
open house a
Powerpoint slide show that I use to talk
about first grade. I
leave a heart on the child's desk for the
parent to write a note
on. And I have a parent handbook that has
all of my procedures
for the year listed. If the open house is
a few days or a week
after school is started I share a slide
show of the children in
class. I am not sure if I can do that
this year since our parent
meeting is the night of the first day of
school. To tie the
evening together, I have a little cookie
gift I give the parents
as well. I have posted this before but
thought I'd share it
again. I make slice and bake sugar
cookies and wrap two in a
baggie with curling ribbon attached to
it. I then attach this
little poem. It is always a big hit.
A
Message for you!
As
sugar and flour come together to make
A wonderful cookie creation that you
bake,
Parents and teachers join as one
To create an educated daughter or son.
It
takes lots of love, caring and
understanding
But an individual will emerge who is
special notwithstanding.
We will work together to help each child
bloom
So they can grow and prosper as they
learn in this room.
So I
share this little confection with you as
I say
I am committed to helping your child grow
each and every day.
Yes, the road is long, but the journey's
begun
As we strive to educate your daughter or
your son.
Marzee
Woodward, 1997
I
always put out every text book and
workbook that we will
use during the year. I let the parents
browse through them
and make sure they know where the child
should be reading now
and will (hopefully) be at the end of the
year by showing
them these books.I try to make this a
welcoming time and let
the parents know that they can come for
lunch, assist in the
room, etc.
Last
year we did a powerpoint program with the
students and
had it running on our classroom
computers. It took many
hours, however, to create but showed the
children taking part
in different classroom activities (P.E.,
music, reading,
math, etc.)
Avoid
discussing individual students like the
plague ! Tell
them that you are just getting to know
their child and that
you would love to schedule an appt. for a
conference. If you
give specific info on a child, another
parent might hear.
Then you will be guilty of a breach of
confidentiality.
We call
ours Back to School night, but I'm
assuming this is
the same thing. In first I always told
the parents was what
the expectations were for their child
when they left my
class, based on the standards set by our
district. I would
show them a page of a book on the
overhead based on what
level they should be entering 1st grade
at (our district
that's a 4) and then showed them the same
of a book at the
level they MUST be reading at to leave
1st grade (again in
our district a level 14). The parents
really need to know
what is expected of their kiddos because
first grade is much
different than kindergarten. I go over
the curriculum in
general and have a handbook that I pass
out called the "ABC's
of Second Grade" that has the things
I need them to know
alphabetized, in case they forget
anything that I may have
said. Good luck! Karen in CA
It is
also nice to make up a communication book
for each child. (Folder with prongs) May
include your day's agenda, special
schedule (so they know when to have
tennis shoes on their children for PE), a
nice poem...
Most
important, blank pages for communication.
You MAY want to write a short note to
each parent on the first page. ("I'm
so excited to have Melissa in my class
this year. She seems to be a lovely young
lady!) During Open house, ask your
parents to use this book rather than
individual notes to communicate with you
about anything. Whenever they have a
question, thought or comment to share,
they write it in the book. The book stays
home unless it has an important message
for you. It is much easier than a bunch
of little notes, and actually makes a
nice little keepsake for the parents to
keep at the end of the year. Any note
that comes in that you want to keep--just
copy it! If you have a special basket for
papaers/notes from home, just remind your
students where to put it (and tell the
parents so they can remind their children
at home) when they come in. You'll know
those folders need to be checked ASAP as
they have a note from home.
Open
House Ideas
1.Back to School Raffle-When a parent
walks into my classroom, I hand them a
ticket to write their child’s name.
At the end of the night I raffle the
prize off. I usually have the
“Prize” on my desk during the
school day. I tell the students if your
parents come to Open House they can win
this raffle for you! They get very
excited!!
Raffle:I
get a white plastic box (stamp it with
large handprints) and fill it with some
Candy (wrap it with a labels that says,
Welcome to our Class! & fun school
supplies. (glitter pens etc) I wrap it in
clear cellophane and put a couple of
balloons on top. Who ever wins it, leaves
my room with this great noticeable prize
and tours the rest of the school with it!
Parents from all grades ask about it!
http://www.sacredheartschoolsuffern.com/Openhouse.html -
Click here to see the tickets.
2.I put a colored sheet of paper faced
down on the desk.(I even put a small
piece of tape, so parenst can't peek) A
pencil is placed on the side of the desk.
Sometime during my speech, I ask the
parentsto fill out some information. I
believe there are three questions. One is
What do you believe is important for me
to know about your child to help him or
her succeed? I have a set of Questions.
Parents usually write soooo much. They
are happy to see that your really want to
get to know their child on a personal
level. If anyone wants this sheet, just
email me and I’ll send it.
3. This
year since I have second grade, I am
going to trace the kids bodies on white
paper and let the kids design to look
like them. I'll have it sitting in their
desk.(It's a paper version of them!) I
have a great picture of someone who did
this. It's adorable!! Again, email me if
you want it!
I
usually make my students a magnet for
their refrigerator. I use the ellison to
cut out foam apples and write their name
on it. I attach it to a spring clothespin
and add a magenet to the back. I usually
clip their work to the clothespin and lay
it on their desk so their parents see
what they've been doing. They're a hit
every year. Lisa
Hi,
I do an estimation jar for open house
night. I fill a glass jar that has been
decorated with candy and have each family
make an estimate of how many pieces of
candy are in the jar. The closest
estimate wins the jar. I send it home
with the student the next day. It's
always a big hit. This year I am going to
put a baggie with 2 cookies in it on the
desk for the parents with the following
poem from the first grade mailring I'm
on:
As sugar and flour come together to make
A wonderful cookie creation that you
bake,
Parents and teachers join as one
To create and educated daughter or son.
It takes lots of love, caring and
understanding
But an individual will emerge who is
special notwithstanding.
We will work together to help each child
bloom
So they can grow and prosper as they
learn in this room.
So I share this little confection with
you as I say
I am committed to helping your child grow
each and every day.
Yes, the road is long, but the journey's
begun
As we strive together to educate your
daughter or your son.
In the past I have made magnets for the
fridge. I also make a welcome mat for the
floor and have all of the kids sign it.
Have a great school year! Lisa
WELCOME
MAT IDEA
This
only works well if your Open House is
after school is in session. We \par take
a large piece of oaktag and decorate it
to look like a welcome mat. I cut out
"Welcome" and then decorate it
with fall leaves. Then the students \par
sign their names all around the mat. It's
just adorable and I love watching \par
the parents gingerly step over the 'art'!
We also keep it our for our Religious
Education students who we share our
classroom with on Wednesday nights-
Barb/2/NE
This
year, I used an idea I got, I think from
this web site.
I made up a nursery rhyme scavenger hunt
to put their
supplies away. I tried to pick
interesting areas in the
room, like the computer table, science
table, book area,
etc... It went so well!! Everyone was
kept busy and not a
single parent had time to monopolize my
time!
These
are the nursery rhymes that I made up for
open house. I
drew a simple map of my room and taped it
to the top of my hunt.
This was just an extra way to help the
parents find the correct
drop off locations.
1.
Walk, walk, walk, as fast as you can.
Leave your watercolor
paints on the gingerbread man. (I made
one out of bulletin board
paper).
2. One,
two, buckle my shoe. Leave your plain
wooden pencils by
the spot marked (2).
3.
Little Boy Blue put the cows in the
stable. Then leave your
Kleenex on the computer table.
4.
Jack-Be-Nimble you know the fable. Leave
your wipes on the
Science table.
5. Jack
and Jill went up the hill, or so that's
what they say.
Please put your glue by the barn under
the hay.
6.
There was an old lady who moved to a
sandal, put your
washable markers beside the candle. (I
made one out of
construction paper).
7.
Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall. Put your
crayons by the
mirror - don't let them fall.
8.
Hickory, Dickory, Dock. Put your Zip Lock
Bags under the
clock.
These
items go directly into your locker: Book
Bag, Resting rug,
Gym shoes, Paint Shirt and Second Change
of Clothes.
BY
Barbie/IL
open
house poem
open to
one & all come fill up an hour or two
always meet & shake hands w/ all the
teachers in your grade
don't regret it they keep our kids filled
w/ knowlege - diana munir
Last year
someone on the list had a great poem to
use for open house. It involved sweetarts
and some other candies. I put it on the
board, had the kids sign their names and
then had a basket for parents to pick
some candy out of. It was a hit! I am at
a complete loss as to how it went and
what candies were used. Does anyone
remember how this went? Thanks! Alana
For all you
give,
For all you
do,
These sweet treats
Are just
for you!
LifeSavers
for your helpfulness!
Sweetarts because you understand us!
Hershey's Kisses for your hugs and
kisses!
Butterfinger bars because you forgive our
mistakes!
~Kris in AR
