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The 2nd Day of 2nd Grade: Two Steps Forward, A Celebration of All Things 2

In my district, the first week of school is typically 3 or 4 days.  Over the years I had worked my first week plans into a 4 day work of art.

Then they threw a wrench into the machine.  The first week was a full 5 days.  What was I supposed to do with that??  I didn’t feel I had time to start a full math unit or to get centers up and running, but 5 days was too long to spend practicing routines and procedures.

In an effort to fill up those first days with meaningful activities, I came across the idea of celebrating the 2nd day of 2nd grade.  I loved it so much I continued to do it every year.

I usually do it in the afternoon of the second day.  It’s a nice little break from the tedium of drilling expectations.  It gives the students a chance to unwind a bit, too.

Don’t get me wrong.  This may be fun, but it is still important work.

I’m reinforcing expectations, they’re practicing procedures.

I’m assessing how they work together and which concepts they are still shaky with from first grade.

They’re learning how to work together and how things run in our new classroom.

We’re building an identity as a class.

2 Steps Forward: Celebrating All Things 2 for the 2nd Day (or Week) of 2nd Grade!

The theme is “2 Steps Forward.”  We’re honoring our new beginning as 2nd graders (and as a 2nd grade teacher starting over again!).  This is a celebration of all things 2.  You can pick it up at TPT here.

We’ve planned for waaaayyyy more than you can use in a day.  This gives you the chance to pick and choose what is most valuable for your class.

Or you can stretch the celebration out for a week and celebrate the 2nd Week in 2nd Grade!  Or the first week in 2nd grade, or really whatever works for your class!

In this unit, there are 17 work pages.  Copy the ones you think will be most useful for your students.

The topics covered are meant to be a review of 1st grade concepts.  It’s purposefully easier than a 2nd grade level so none of your littles get overwhelmed and you can assess their current level of understanding on several topics. The kids LOVE these themed work packets.

Topics covered include: skip-counting, basic addition and subtraction, compound words, antonyms, opinion writing, symmetry, sight words, and goal setting.

2 Steps Forward: Celebrating All Things 2 for the 2nd Day (or Week) of 2nd Grade!
2 Steps Forward: Celebrating All Things 2 for the 2nd Day (or Week) of 2nd Grade!
2 Steps Forward: Celebrating All Things 2 for the 2nd Day (or Week) of 2nd Grade!

 

You will want your students involved in books as soon as possible.

This unit includes 4 story tie-ins.

The books aren’t included, but should be easy to find (affiliate links): I Got Two Dogs by John Lithgow (my favorite! Find the video of him singing it on YouTube!), Max Found Two Sticks by Jerry Pinkney, Two Bad Ants by Chris Van Allsburg, and Two Cool Coyotes by Jillian Lund.

Pick and choose which books you want to use, or use them all throughout the week. There are activities to use after reading each book. 

For I Got Two Dogs you can have students compare and write about their own 2 dogs (real or imaginary).

Max Found Two Sticks is the perfect lead in to some drumming activities.  Help students make rhythm patterns.

We used pick-up sticks for our rhythm sticks, but Popsicle sticks, chopsticks, or pencils would also work!

2 Steps Forward: Celebrating All Things 2 for the 2nd Day (or Week) of 2nd Grade!

Two Bad Ants is a wonderful book on point of view.  Your students can write about what might happen if those bad ants came to 2nd grade.

Two Cool Coyotes is the perfect lead-in to some discussion about friendship (so important at the beginning of the year!).  There are graphic organizers for students to get to know one another and even a sign for a photo op.  You can take a picture of your new Cool Kids!

2 Steps Forward: Celebrating All Things 2 for the 2nd Day (or Week) of 2nd Grade!

As a fun get-to-know you activity, we have cards for kids to mingle and mix and chat a bit.  Students have to find their matching half and then share 2 things about themselves.  When I first did this, I used die-cut shapes.

2 Steps Forward: Celebrating All Things 2 for the 2nd Day (or Week) of 2nd Grade!

(Love the ketchup stained mouth!  These particular kids are headed to junior high next month!  Where has the time gone???)


Want a quick and easy activity for the first week of school?

Click here to download the FREE 2nd Day of 2nd Grade Sampler of Activities!


If you need a game to get everyone up and moving, head to the gym for a game of PB&J.  There are complete directions in the teacher’s guide.

When we’re having a class celebration, I love to set up centers.  I set the timer and have small groups rotate through each station.  At the beginning of the year this is an important opportunity for establishing center expectations (noise level, working together, responsibly caring for materials, etc.).

We’ve included 4 full color centers in this unit.

There’s Tic-Tac-Two, a game to practice adding and subtracting two.

2 Steps Forward: Celebrating All Things 2 for the 2nd Day (or Week) of 2nd Grade!

To help students practice syllables, we have Time 2 Plant the Garden. Students get to add tulips with 2-syllable pictures to their gardens.

2 Steps Forward: Celebrating All Things 2 for the 2nd Day (or Week) of 2nd Grade!

And there’s Scoopin’ Up Place Value, a place value review activity using ice cream cones.

2 Steps Forward: Celebrating All Things 2 for the 2nd Day (or Week) of 2nd Grade!

It Takes Two is a purely-for-fun game, played like old maid.

2 Steps Forward: Celebrating All Things 2 for the 2nd Day (or Week) of 2nd Grade!

2 Steps Forward: Celebrating All Things 2 for the 2nd Day (or Week) of 2nd Grade!

Because we know there’s pressure to get the first hallway display up, the pack includes a glyph craftivity focused on (what else?)…shoes!  Students answer some get-to-know-you questions and create a shoe craft based on their answers.

2 Steps Forward: Celebrating All Things 2 for the 2nd Day (or Week) of 2nd Grade!

This can be your class’s first data collection activity.  There is a blank graph included.  We also have some hallway signs that explain the glyph so you can prove to your admin, students’ parents, fellow teachers, and anyone else that walks past that this is an academically rich task!

2 Steps Forward: Celebrating All Things 2 for the 2nd Day (or Week) of 2nd Grade!

2 Steps Forward: Celebrating All Things 2 for the 2nd Day (or Week) of 2nd Grade!

Of course you’ll want to commemorate your new little 2s with a photo opportunity.  We have a sign for you to take a photograph each child with, but instead of holding it, the kids put their feet in the photo.  Fun way to commemorate those brand new shoes for the beginning of the school year! We’re steppin’ into 2nd!

We also put together a 22 page resource guide with details and tips for all the included activities + other ideas. Like we said, this is probably a bit more than you could use in one day. We were having so much fun making this set that we just couldn’t help ourselves! 

 

2 Steps Forward: Celebrating All Things 2 for the 2nd Day (or Week) of 2nd Grade!

 

Throughout the resource guide you’ll find ATTA BOY tip boxes for ideas on how to make an activity serve the demands of starting school: Assessing, Training, Teaching, Affirming at the Beginning Of the Year.

2 Steps Forward: Celebrating All Things 2 for the 2nd Day (or Week) of 2nd Grade!

 

2 Steps Forward: Celebrating All Things 2 for the 2nd Day (or Week) of 2nd Grade!

Celebrating all things 2 on the 2nd day of 2nd grade is great way to take two steps forward into a wonderful year! (Was that last part too cheesy?)


Ready to celebrate the 2nd day of 2nd?

Click here to get 2 Steps Forward: The 2nd Day of 2nd Grade!


Check out our FB Live where we talk you through how we celebrate the 2nd Day of 2nd Grade!

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After a combined 14 years in 2nd grade, sisters Heidi & Emily are passionate about helping simplify life for other teachers!

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