The MASSIVE List of Back to School Ideas for Secondary Teachers

Oh, back to school time.  Back to school season causes anticipation, dread, and excitement in even the most seasoned teacher.  It's a time for new beginnings, fresh faces, and changes.  I love back to school shopping for all the different school supplies.  I also end up hunting for new first day of school activities and tips each school year.  You would think after ten years I'd have it down, but I like to change things up!

I love hunting for new tips and ideas for the beginning of each school year.  I want to see all the beautiful organization photos, interactive notebooks tips, first day of school activities, and teaching tips.  I love reading about it all!!

Decorating Tips

Kindness Posters - These posters have quotes about kindness.  They're a great addition to your classroom!

Growth Mindset Posters - These posters have quotes about growth mindset.  They are a great way to add color and motivation to your classroom.

Word Walls - This blog post is an awesome inspiration post if you're wanting to do a word wall in your classroom.  Personally, I love that the classrooms actually look like real life ;)

9 Mathtastic Bulletin Board Ideas - These bulletin board ideas are great for math classes, but there are ideas for other classes as well!  There are interactive boards, super quick "print and go" boards, and everything in between.

10 Simple Ways to Decorate Your Science Classroom - These REAL LIFE tips are perfect to help you wrap your head around decorating your classroom.  If you don't feel like a "Pinterest teacher", these tips will help you look like one, with minimal effort.  They're really applicable for any subject!

How to Decorate Your High School Classroom - These easy tips will help create the atmosphere you want!

Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practice Posters - If you need to hang the standards in your classroom, these free posters may be perfect!

Classroom and Paperwork Organization

DIY Classroom Labels - This is such a cool idea for labeling your things.  It's easy too!

8 Ideas for Emergency Sub Plans in Secondary Math - It's probably going to happen at some point in the year.  Take care of it now while you're getting everything else ready.  Your future self will thank you.

Editable Teacher Planner and Assignment Organizer for Google Slides - This is helpful for your online lesson planning.

6 Ideas for Setting up the Middle School Math Classroom - This blog post is a treasure trove of ideas if you're looking for real-life ideas instead of just "Pinterest pretty" classrooms.

3 Must-Have Classroom Supplies for Every Teacher - These three classroom supplies are not ones you want to skimp on!

6 High School Teacher Must-Haves - This must-have list is a great place to start if you're a new teacher.

Tips for Staying Organized When Students Have Been Absent - It's going to happen.  Get yourself together so you're prepared.  Again, your future self will thank you.

Back to School Mini Class Lists - This free class list is perfect for leaving around your classroom.  It's always helpful to have a few of these laying around because you never know when you'll need it!

6 Tips for First-Year Teachers - This list is a great read.  I especially agree with #3!

Classroom Management

Classroom Management: 3 Ways to Stay Calm and Consistent - These three easy tips will help you set the tone for the year and help you stay calm when your brain wants to fly off the handle.

How to Create a Seating Chart - You need a seating chart.  Period.  This is an easy way to create one.

8 Ways to Get Secondary Students to Behave for a Substitute - I think we all need this.

Tips to Help Students Focus - Keeping students on task is the first line of defense.

Encouraging Student Accountability with Popsicle Sticks - This blog post explains how to use popsicle sticks to randomly call on students.

Bellwork Keeps Me Sane - My beginning of class procedures are what keep my classroom running smoothly.  This is how I get students to come in and get right to work.

Back to School Tips for Your Classroom - These back to school classroom management tips are a good way to start your year right!

5 Classroom Routines to Establish at the Beginning of the School Year - This list of routines is a great checklist to make sure you are teaching everything you need to make your class run smoothly.

A Cell Phone Policy that Actually Works - This is an interesting idea to help with the cell phone issue.  It's a great idea no matter what your stance is on phones in the classroom.

How I Plan My Seating Arrangement for My Secondary Classroom - This is an interesting approach to assigning seats.

All About Me Activities

First Day of School Activity - This FREE all about me worksheet is great for math classes.  I like to use it as seatwork while I'm taking roll at the beginning of the period.

Back to School Pennant - This pennant is a great activity for the first day!  I've used it in the past as a sponge activity at the end of class.  The bonus is that you can use it for decor when they are finished!

Math About Me Project - This project is a fun way for students to use numbers and mathematical expressions to write about themselves.  It is a great way to sneak in a little review!

About Me - Back to School Activity - This all about me activity looks like an iPad and doubles as classroom decor.  It's a unique idea that students probably haven't seen before!

All About Me Beginning of Year Activity - This editable activity is a countdown style worksheet with an ice breaker included.  It would be perfect for seatwork that leads into a class activity.

Beginning of Year Task Card Stations Activity - This is a fun activity that gets students moving around the room and has them complete various ice breaker activities in small groups.

Back to School All About Me for Google Slides - This all about me activity has a digital twist!

First Week of School Math Activity Set  - This is a whole set of all about me activities that you can use throughout the first week of school.

Let's Connect: Making First Impressions - This free activity spans over three days and aims to help students connect with you and with each other.

First Day of School Activities

Back to School Character Education Stations - I love using stations in my classes because students get to move around!  This EDITABLE stations activity is the perfect combination of growth mindset, kindness education, and classroom procedures.

Back to School Teaching Procedures Powerpoint - This powerpoint is pretty much "everything you need to know about this class" all in one powerpoint.  Pretty much perfect for any class!

A Day in the Life of a Teacher - The First Day - This blog post details ideas for a first day of school AND explains what NOT to do.

Emoji Logic Puzzles - These emoji puzzles are sure to be a hit in any class!  They are a fun activity for any level of students.

Math Critical Thinking Writing Prompts - This sample of writing prompts is a great start to incorporate writing in your classroom.  There are even prompts in the sample that would be perfect for the beginning of the school year.

First Day of School 2016 - This blog post details exactly what I did through the first day of school in 2016.  It explains all of the activities I used and how it went.

First Day of School 2015 - This blog post explains another first day of school, in detail.

First Day of School Ideas - This blog post is a list of ideas for the first day of school from teachers throughout the world.

How (and Why) I Teach Optical Illusions - I teach a short lesson about optical illusions every year.  I don't always teach it on the first day of school, but it would be a fun and unique way to begin the school year!

The Marshmallow Challenge - This was a fun activity that I did with my advisory group one school year.  It broke the ice without feeling like a pre-planned ice breaker game.  Yes!

8 Standards of Mathematical Practices Sorting Activity - This is an interesting activity for students to learn about the mathematical practices.

Interactive Notebook Tips

Interactive Notebook Setup - In this blog post I outline EXACTLY what the first few pages of my student's interactive notebooks look like.  I also explain how we set them up together.  It only takes about 15-20 minutes too!

Interactive Notebook Tips: Teaching a Lesson - If you're thinking about interactive notebooks, but you're not quite sure how it works during a lesson, this is the perfect blog post for you!

8 Interactive Notebook Tips to Save Your Sanity - These tips are perfect for new and old alike!  These activities make life easier as we go through the school year.

9 Tips to Keep Interactive Notebooks Manageable - This blog post is another set of tips to help you SIMPLIFY your INB life.

Getting Started with Interactive Notebooks - This post is another great explanation about how to set up an interactive notebook and get students to "buy in".  It includes a FREE eBook too!

Back to School Bright Year Bookmark - This free bookmark would be a cute addition to your student's interactive notebook.

Editable Flipbook Template Bundle - This is a handy template to keep around for making interactive notebook notes.

Editable Trifold Foldable Template - This is another great template to keep around for making notes.

I hope these tips have given you lots of ideas for your first day of school!  Since I love new ideas for back to school, I thought you would too!

What are your favorite tips and ideas for back to school season?