Out-of-the-Box Lessons to Kick Off Your School Year

As an elementary school counselor, one of the most rewarding parts of my job is using creativity to engage students in their learning. Here are some unique and effective strategies to captivate your students from the start of the school year.
 

Dress to Impress (and Engage!)

Walking into a classroom wearing something unexpected is a surefire way to capture students' attention and spark their curiosity. Consider your lesson topic and make a meaningful connection with your attire. Whether it’s a superhero cape, a quirky hat, a headband with animal ears, or even a cardboard box that you cut head and arm holes into, then allow students to decorate you with sharpies, your creative outfit will make your lesson unforgettable.


 

Props with a Purpose

Props can transform a simple lesson into an immersive experience. Role-playing becomes even more engaging when you introduce a “director” with a clapboard to start and stop the action.

For lessons on perspective taking, use eyeglasses with different colored lenses to make the concept more tangible. Students can share their perspectives while wearing glasses, then switch to re-state their partner’s story as a way of demonstrating understanding of each other's viewpoints.



One of my students' all-time favorite activities is making “friendship salad” in kindergarten. Each ingredient symbolizes an important aspect of a healthy friendship, such as caring hearts, helping hands, and kind words. We discuss these components and ways to demonstrate them as they are added to a large bowl. Then they’re mixed together and we enjoy the salad as a group. Sending home a recipe card for students to make at home extends the lesson to their families, creating an opportunity for shared learning. (Always check for food allergies and get approval from your administration before serving food to students.)
 

Cooperative Challenges

Cooperative challenges are excellent for building teamwork and problem-solving skills, and are particularly engaging for older students. For example, in the cup stacking challenge, groups use a rubber band and string contraption to stack cups into a pyramid without touching them with their hands. Another engaging activity involves a metal washer and string contraption that the group uses to balance a tennis ball, which must be transported to and dropped into a bucket. This challenge requires students to strategize the best way to keep the ball balanced while moving as a unit. These activities necessitate effective communication, critical thinking and teamwork toward a common goal, providing essential life skills that every child needs.


 

Interactive Games

Games are a fantastic tool to captivate students' attention and stimulate their critical thinking skills. One example is "Quiz, Quiz, Trade," a high-energy activity where each student receives a card with a scenario. Students pair up, read and answer their cards to each other, then trade cards and find new partners to repeat the process. This fast-paced game keeps students active while practicing their decision-making abilities.

Older students may enjoy “Stinky Feet,” also known as the “Unfair Game,” which is perfect for trivia or end-of-year reviews. After answering each question correctly, one student from each group selects an upside-down sticky note with a point value from the board. The twist? Some points might be negative! This element of unpredictability keeps this game exciting and adds a fun challenge.



Finally, younger students love the “What’s Behind the Boxes?” activity that uses a simple PowerPoint template. A picture is placed on each slide, then covered with eight colored boxes. Individual students are selected to answer a question. With a correct answer, a box disappears from the slide to reveal a small part of the image in the background. Getting to guess the photo is a thrill they thoroughly enjoy! Never fear, if one student is incorrect, it’s the next student’s turn to continue the same process until the picture is guessed or the final picture is revealed.


 
By incorporating these out-of-the-box ideas into your classroom lessons, you can create a dynamic and engaging learning environment that will excite and motivate your students. Try them this school year and watch the magic unfold! For further explanations or more ideas, feel free to reach out to me at tanya@mtschoolcounselor.org.
 
Tanya Kirschman is a K–5 school counselor in Billings, Montana.