We are heading into the first week of instruction here in our district. Of course it is not a typical year, since our district has decided to do 100% distance learning for 90 days. My hope is to share a weekly lesson plan, along with ideas to assist you. So bring on the 1st Week of Kindergarten Plans & Ideas!

1st Day of Kindergarten

The first day of Kindergarten is always important! For some students, it is the first time that they get to see and ‘meet’ their teacher. Whether you are in-person or virtual, choose some activities that ALL students can be included in and try not to plan too much.

In-Person Classroom Ideas

I usually have playdough on the table for when students come in on the first day. Alternatives can include blocks, mega-blocks, cubes, etc. I advise against having crayons, pencils, etc., because students don’t always know the proper way to use the tools and ‘rush’ through coloring sheets or other printables. Playdough, blocks, or cubes are an open-ended activity and there is no ‘finish’ or deadline. This also allows me to greet individual students as they enter the classroom and talk or answer parent questions. I usually have a crier or two and this also allows me to comfort them AND their family! 😉 If you are looking for a complete first day of kindergarten, go and check out THIS post!

Virtual Classroom Ideas

As you log into your live lesson for the first day, bring a few things that you can use to share about yourself & family. Welcome students and talk about your name and then share some of your things. I would share my panda bear and how I LOVE panda bears. I would share a picture of my family and tell them about my kids, husband, and pets. I would try and keep this pretty fast paced and then tell students to think about their special things that they could share with our class. But I wouldn’t give students a chance to share yet. Next, I would share your rules & expectations for your Live lessons. Of course using visuals is a MUST! Every school district operates differently, has different learning management systems, and various rules and procedures. So please adjust for your class and style. But if you are looking for some printable visual rules to use or send to your students, I have included some freebies HERE!

After teaching and modeling the rules and expectations that you have for your students during Live Lessons or other times, it’s time to read a book! I would choose Our Class is a Family or you could choose any of the books here!

After reading the book, you can talk about how your class is a family, which can lead into a discussion about names. You have already shared your name, but you can have students take turns sharing their names. You can also use this video song about names as an introduction or even a brain break with a purpose!

Next up is to read any book about names, like Alma and How She Got Her Name, or Chrysanthemum.

I would end the lesson by teaching about pencils and having the students practice using their pencil by drawing lines, curves, and possibly their name. I have created an awesome pack for teaching Little Learners about using School Supplies and it would be the perfect addition to your virtual classroom! You can find it here or on TPT!

And finally, end your Live Lesson with a goodbye song or chant and directions on what to do and what to bring for the next day’s lesson. I suggest having students do this fun and digital All About Me activity.

1st Week of Kindergarten Plans

The remaining days in the first week of kindergarten will consist of:

• Introducing & Practicing School Supplies
• Name activities, name songs, and practicing writing first name (I use this website to create the name writing practice sheets
• Introduce, read, & learn about colors
• Introduce, read & learn about 2D shapes
• Self-Portrait, using the Guided Drawing method of using shapes

The first week is going to be filled with lots of hiccups and trial/errors, so I think that you should take it slow and extend GRACE to yourself!! The lesson plan for this week leaves room to make changes and as always…do what works for your students and YOU! Download the first week of virtual Kindergarten lesson plans here.

Distance Learning Daily Lesson Plan & Weekly Snapshot

You can download the daily lesson plan or weekly snapshot lesson planner here!

• First Week of Kindergarten Book Suggestions
• Books for Teaching Rules & Procedures
• Books about Names
• Teaching Colors Books & hands-on activities
• Teaching Shapes Books & hands-on activities

Do you know that Kindergarten Chaos offers personal development courses & workshops? I share my tried and true tips and ideas for teaching intentionally and with purpose and fun to the kids of TODAY!

Join In On The Fun!

Abigail is a Kindergarten Teacher, Curriculum Writer, National Speaker and author of the website, Kindergarten Chaos, LLC. She lives in Las Vegas, NV with her husband and 3 kids. She provides professional development to schools and districts all over the country. If your school or district is in need of professional development (either in-person or virtually) for everything Little Learners, please email her at kindergartenchaos2@gmail.com