You're Finally Here! Back to School & First Day of School Activities

Inside this resource are high-engagement print and digital back-to-school activities for the first day of school and the entire first week. Based on the most perfect back-to-school book ever, You’re Finally Here! by Melanie Watt, this unit includes 5 days of creative and fun activities to easily use with Google Classroom or Seesaw.

July 2023 update: The book is now available on Amazon in paperback!

Filled with fresh ideas for getting to know you, icebreakers, manners, partner games, and an adorable class-made anchor chart. It also includes goal setting, a writing craft, and a booklet students make to explain what took them so long to get to your class!

All materials that have a grade level on them are included in these grades:

• Kindergarten-Fifth Grade
• Prep Year-Year 5
• Grade 1-Grade 5

***Don't miss the new video!*** I have added a YouTube link to an adorable read-aloud book video I made to go with this unit. Please note: I have also linked the video to one of the digital activity slides, so you will need to make sure your school has not blocked YouTube for the video to play on the actual slide. Otherwise, you can play the video in your classroom.

I’ve included activities and journal writing prompts to introduce students to journal routines, take a beginning-of-the-year writing baseline, and teach procedures for working with a partner. Intended for Grades 1-3, some of the activities may be adapted for Kindergarten.

The included back-to-school bulletin board doubles as a first-day photo booth backdrop with first-day photo signs for grades K-5 (including Canadian, UK and Australian grade levels.). I’ve even included student gift tags & desk notes to welcome your class to Meet the Teacher Night and the first day of school.

Here’s How It Works:

The very impatient book character bunny is waiting and waiting for his readers to arrive! When they finally do, he is overjoyed! I read the book on the first day of school and tell my new class, that just like the book character, I have been waiting, and waiting, and WAITING for them to arrive! And they’re finally here! Priceless responses follow when I ask, very dramatically, “What took you so long?”. Every year my class LOVES this book and all the activities, and I know yours will too!

What’s inside:

You're Finally Here! Read Aloud Book Video

5 days of digital activities on Google Slides

5 days of digital activities preloaded into Seesaw

Class anchor chart with chart parts

How are you doing so far? Social/emotional writing activity

What took you so long? Hilarious student booklet

Icebreakers

Getting to know you activities

School manners

Character traits activity

Goal setting character craft

Partner games

Roam the Room game

Journal writing prompts

Taking a writing baseline activity

First day desk notes & gift tags

Bulletin board title lettering

First day photo signs (Grades K-5 in US, UK, Canadian, and Australian grade levels)

• Kindergarten-Fifth Grade
• Prep Year-Year 5
• Grade 1-Grade 5

All resources are included in color and black and white.

*Please download the preview to see everything included.

Don’t have time to get the book?

No worries! Let me read it to your class on YouTube! This unit includes an adorable, beautifully made reread-aloud video that you AND your students will love!

For Distance Learning

Easily use this unit for distance learning, a virtual first week of school with the 5 days of digital activities on Google Slides, or use the set preloaded into Seesaw. A beautifully done read-aloud video of the book on YouTube, makes it easy to share the book with students. Students can watch the video again any time as they do the activities at home. Click here to see how to use this book for a virtual first day of school and distance learning!

Happy new school year!

Linda Kamp

Around the Kampfire

You may also like these helpful PRINT and DIGITAL resources:

Easily plan and manage an in-person or a virtual Meet the Teacher Night, Curriculum Night, and First Day of School

Meet the Teacher EDITABLE Classroom Kits & Parent Forms

Meet the Teacher | Curriculum Night | First Day BUNDLE-Brights theme

Meet the Teacher | Curriculum Night | First Day BUNDLE-Burlap & Chalkboard theme