Master Your Morning Meeting: Tips for an Engaging Classroom 

Master your morning with daily meetings that engage all your students. They are a game-changer in any classroom, setting the tone for a day filled with learning and growth. If you’re looking to make the most of these morning moments, you’re in the right place! Let’s dive into how you can transform your morning meetings into a powerful tool for building community, enhancing literacy, and fostering a love for learning in your students.

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Get Your Students Talking with Word of the Day

Kick off your morning with a Phonics Scavenger Hunt! It’s a fun and interactive way to get your students thinking about the sounds and letters that make up our language. Start by writing the word of the day on the board. Highlight the phonics feature you’re focusing on—whether it’s a beginning letter sound, vowel sound, or even more advanced concepts like digraphs and blends.

Then, let your students become word detectives. Ask them to come up with other words that start with the same sound or have the same word features. This activity not only reinforces phonics but also sparks creativity and collaboration among your students.

This video shows what one kindergarten teacher did with “word of the day.”

Make Literacy Fun with a Sing-Along

Who doesn’t love a good sing-along? Our Literacy Jam Time takes advantage of familiar tunes like “Mary Had a Little Lamb” or “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” to make learning new words fun and memorable. Each reading comprehension bundle comes with a singable book filled with vocabulary words.

And guess what? If you’re not up for singing yourself, we’ve got you covered. There’s a digital version with a recorded song that you can play for your class. Or, if you’re more hands-on, you can create posters or hand out lyric sheets so students can find the word of the day in the lyrics. This approach makes literacy engaging and accessible for all learners.

Check out how this teacher kept her students engaged using our “Quality Student” song on digital Boom cards. You can try a few cards for free from the Back to School SEL digital reader  

Master Your Morning with Themed Weeks

Master your morning with weekly themes. Themes are a preschool teacher’s best friend, and turned out to be mine as a first grade teacher. They make planning easier and learning more cohesive. Each week, introduce a new theme that ties into your morning meeting activities. Whether it’s classroom vision, culture, engaged instruction, or meaningful vocabulary, themes help reinforce concepts and make learning more fun for your students.

Some teachers are doing this with their sensory tables and centers, so why not extend it to your morning meetings? For example, if the theme of the week is “Community Helpers,” your word of the day and related activities can revolve around that.

I always started the year with a SEL theme , and used these words all through the year as part of our classroom culture. I introduced them during morning meeting and students discussed the words in groups of 2 or 3. It gave them an opportunity to talk in the mornings, which is very important for young children.

My students increased their vocabulary and increased their writing skills through the year. The first picture is a page from our classroom Big Book called “Quality Students.” Students used the SEL words. The next sample is when we had our theme on reading vocabulary and the student was journaling about the word, “vowels.” The last sample is from our plant theme. The student highlighted the word of the day vocabulary.

You’re Not Alone—We’re Here to Help!

Remember, you’re part of a community. Teaching is an ongoing journey, and there’s always more to learn. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you need support or fresh ideas. We’re just an email away at [email protected]. Whether you have questions about the resources we’ve provided or want to brainstorm new strategies, we’re here for you.

As you head into this school year, remember that your students are creative, responsible, and ready to learn. With the right tools and a little inspiration, your morning meetings can become the highlight of your day—and theirs!

Thank you for letting me share my passion for teaching with you. I hope you feel motivated and ready to make this school year amazing. Have a fabulous day and an even better school year!

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