This carefully curated list of classroom expectation activities is designed to establish a positive, well-structured learning environment for all students. The activities focus on cultivating respect, responsibility, and self-regulation while promoting a sense of belonging and inclusivity among learners. By incorporating these activities into your teaching routine, you can foster a collaborative classroom atmosphere that supports both individual growth and group success. Discover the perfect balance between setting clear expectations and encouraging social connections as you explore these innovative ideas!
1. Create a Classroom Contract
To create a classroom contract, begin by having conversations about respect, community, teamwork, and responsibility. Next, create an anchor chart to brainstorm what a great classroom looks, sounds, and feels like. Review the chart with students and pick the top ideas to form the contract. After having students sign the contract, display it in the classroom, and review it regularly.
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2. Interactive Classroom Rules Display
Create a classroom expectations display using editable expectation cards to clearly show students what is expected of them during lessons. Include visuals and descriptions of the desired behavior, such as raising hands or working hard. This approach ensures students understand expectations, promoting a positive learning environment.
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3. Class Rules Booklet
This simple classroom expectations booklet covers essential rules like raising hands, respecting classmates, and trying one’s best. Read the booklet to students or have them read it to you. This is an effective way to establish routines and expectations at the beginning of the school year while setting students up for success.
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4. Classroom Management Song
This fun and catchy song features six essential rules: raising hands to speak, walking in school, being nice, keeping hands and feet to oneself, cleaning up, and looking at the speaker. Singing will help kids more easily remember and follow these rules, contributing to a focused learning environment.
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5. Classroom Behavior Expectations Video
In this pretend-play activity, Gus the Alligator teaches children about classroom rules with engaging role-play scenarios. Kids learn important expectations, such as listening, sharing, and following directions, in a fun and interactive way, helping to establish respectful classroom norms.
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6. Code of Conduct Word Search
This word search puzzle contains various rules such as respecting the teacher, sharing, working quietly, and being kind. It can serve as the basis for a basic classroom discussion while helping children enhance their pattern recognition skills and expand their vocabulary.
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7. Classroom Rules Crossword
This crossword puzzle focuses on various rules and guidelines, such as restroom policies, being quiet in line, and cleaning up. It’s a simple way to help students review school procedures while improving their problem-solving skills, cognitive abilities, and reading comprehension.
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8. Slideshow of Classroom Routines
This editable slideshow presentation outlines common routines and expectations for students. By presenting these expectations in a visually appealing and easy-to-understand manner, students can become familiar with classroom rules from the beginning, helping to support classroom management throughout the year.
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9. Play a Review Game
To play this engaging board game, students can take turns spinning and moving across the board, picking up procedure cards that require them to read, apply, or act out different situations related to classroom expectations. This interactive approach encourages kids to apply the rules to real-life scenarios, helping them retain the information better.
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10. Read Aloud About Classroom Expectations
Students learn proper behavior by following Percy’s ten simple rules, while also discovering what not to do through humorous examples. This colorful picture book not only makes school enjoyable but also helps students develop positive habits, ensuring a smooth and successful learning experience.
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11. Interactive Worksheet on Rights and Responsibilities
Develop your own set of classroom agreements with this collaborative activity where students discuss their rights and responsibilities. Conducting this activity early in the school year fosters a sense of ownership, responsibility, and respect, helping to create a supportive learning environment.
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12. Assign Class Jobs
Foster a sense of responsibility and community in the classroom by assigning specific jobs to students using a classroom jobs template. This template includes various duties and offers opportunities for learners to connect with their strengths and interests, helping to create an organized and neat classroom.
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13. Test Student Understanding of Your Class Statement
Test and strengthen students’ understanding of your classroom expectations with this written assessment. Invite students to grade their own work using a colored pencil and add their own questions or personal notes about their performance before reviewing the answers as a class.
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14. Review Expectations with an Interactive Game of Charades
Incorporate a dynamic game of charades to help students understand your expectations while expressing their unique personalities. Place students in small groups and provide them with task cards featuring classroom rules to act out. Watch as they perform, smile and learn!
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15. Try a Social Story with Primary Students
This visual social story teaches classroom expectations and can be adapted to various grade levels, making it a great choice for children with autism or those needing explicit modeling. Why not read it aloud during the first few days of school, allowing students to internalize expectations early on in the year?
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16. Student Goals and Reflection Worksheet
Encouraging positive behavior is an important part of reinforcing classroom expectations. With these charts, kids can personalize their behavioral goals for the year. You can encourage them by focusing on positive actions, reviewing the charts frequently, and asking learners to reflect on their goals. When a student demonstrates consistent positive behavior, allow them to color a star on their chart and give them an award.
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17. Bingo Activity for Students to Review School Rules
These colorful Bingo cards cover various classroom rules and can be customized with specific prizes, fostering a sense of community and motivation. Students work together to earn bingo pieces, improving transitions, focus, and teamwork while keeping them excited and invested in their learning environment.
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18. Classroom Community Rules Coloring Page
These visually-appealing coloring pages about class rules offer numerous benefits, including reinforcing understanding, enhancing creativity, and developing fine motor skills. They also encourage mindfulness, and relaxation and can be used to facilitate discussion among students.
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19. Classroom Expectations Bee Craft
Most classroom rules can be distilled down to three core principles: Be Safe, Be Kind, and Be Your Best. Kids can unleash their inner artist by creating these colorful bees out of colored construction paper, before adding their own unique twist with glitter or googly eyes.
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20. Teach The Golden Rule to Build a Positive School Community
The Golden Rule teaches kids to treat others the way they would like to be treated. In this featured hands-on activity, students use pepper, water, soap, and sugar to represent people and different types of interactions. This helps them understand the consequences of their actions and encourages them to treat others with kindness and respect.
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21. Use the ‘Give Me Five’ Learning Management System
This “Give Me Five” poster can serve as a visual reminder to help students focus and maintain a well-organized classroom environment. By using this popular and effective technique, you can quickly communicate your expectations and regain students’ attention, reducing disruptions and increasing focus.
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