The beginning of the school year is one of the busiest times of the year. One step you can take now while you’re cleaning up your art room is to prep a few supplies for the first week’s activities. A little forward thinking now will allow you to completely rest during summer break and come back in the fall calm, composed, and ready to go!
Prep these six back-to-school activities now so you can enjoy a sweet, stress-free summer!
First Day Folder and Slideshow
Back-to-school is full of meetings, and the time to work in your rooms and prepare for classes flies by! Set yourself up for a smooth start by preparing all of your administrative tasks now. Gather everything in one place so you don’t have to waste time hunting through boxes and file drawers. Collecting visuals that you can quickly pop up on the walls and making physical or digital copies of resources to pass out later will allow you to focus on what truly matters—welcoming your new students.
Store the following items in your First Day Folder and/or Slideshow:
- Posters
- Welcome signs
- Get-to-know-you games
- Schedules
- Syllabi, course overviews, and rubrics
- Supply inventories and order forms
- Student and parent/caregiver surveys
- Lunch assignments
- Seating charts
- Student artwork examples
- Learning Management System (LMS) class codes
Prepare the following now:
- Archive old LMS classes and delete old classroom codes
- Create new LMS classes and generate new codes
- Make copies of worksheets and syllabi
- Collect any data from surveys you want to save, and then clear responses
- Gather art supplies for first-day artmaking activities
First Day Project Prep
High school students spend most of their first day sitting and listening, with maybe an ice breaker or two mixed in. One surefire way to grab their attention and get them excited for your class is to have them make art from the start! Prep these beginner-level activities now by grabbing supplies as you clean your room. Store them in copy paper box lids and label them with the activity title and instructions so they’re truly grab-and-go. Build community, brighten up your room or hallway with fresh artwork, and start the year with joy and creativity!
Colorful Garland
As a bellringer or exit ticket, ask students why they like art, why art is important, or what art means to them. Students will write their responses on small, colorful papers. As they turn them in, attach them to a string to make a festive garland or staple them around the edge of a display to make a custom bulletin board border. It’s also fun to repeat this activity at the end of the year and see how their answers evolve after taking your class.
Collect these materials now:
- 4×4 squares of brightly colored paper
- Markers
- String
- Hole punch
- Stapler
Monochromatic Designs
Get to know your students and take a peek at their drawing abilities with this simple activity. Students draw an object that represents them using only monochromatic colors. Work together as a class to arrange the designs in a class collage, and you have an instant, large-scale display for the hallway!
Collect these materials now:
- White drawing paper in your choice of size
- Variety of supplies like colored pencils, crayons, and markers
Personal Logo
Boost creativity with purpose on day one by walking students through a brainstorming process. Use the Symbols of Self and Group Identity Resource from FLEX Curriculum to generate a list of personal symbols that they can transform into a personal logo. This is a fantastic introductory activity for a graphic design or general design course. Take it one step further next class by making DIY stickers of their logos to customize their sketchbooks and portfolios.
Collect these materials now:
- Scrap paper
- 4×4 squares of white paper
- Pencils
- Colored pencils
- Markers
Colorful Paper Sculpture Challenge
If you’re looking for a 3D activity to get students even more hands-on, challenge them to create their own sculpture! A paper sculpture is great because it’s minimal mess and doesn’t require your supply order to arrive on time. Provide prompts for students to convey with their paper sculpture, such as Chaotic or Serene. Check out the instructional guide Paper Folding and Building Techniques from FLEX Curriculum to facilitate construction.
Collect these materials now:
- 4×4 or 5×5 squares of colored paper
- Scissors
- Liquid glue
- Glue sticks
- Tape
Abstract Black Line Design
If you’re feeling brave and you have the supplies, break out the paint on day one! Students are typically on their best behavior, and it’s a way to immediately get them pumped to make art. It’s also an opportunity to introduce basic brush use, care, and cleanup. Plus, you’ll end up with a bold, modern “mural” for the blank school walls.
Using only black paint, students create an abstract design on small paper. While it dries, students can clean up, and you can give your introductory spiel. Students will cut their design into four pieces, glue it onto a larger class paper, and work together to add more lines to make a cohesive design.
Collect these materials now:
- Pre-cut white bulletin board or butcher paper
- White drawing paper
- Scissors
- Black paint
- ½ inch flat brushes
- Palettes
- Liquid glue
Continuous Line Painting
For a whimsical design that will add instant color to your walls, try this collaborative activity. On large paper, sketch a one-inch-thick line that loops and curves around the entire surface. Divide the whole paper into sections, and then cut and number each section. Students will paint the negative space, leaving the one-inch line white. Alternatively, you can use paint sticks or jumbo oil pastels for bright, pigmented colors. When it’s dry, piece it back together using the numbers to see the final design!
Collect these materials now:
- Pre-cut white bulletin board or butcher paper
- Paint
- Brushes
- Water cups
- Pencils and markers
- Scissors
- Tape
Deciding how to kick off the school year as it’s about to happen can be stressful! Instead, prep your activities and materials now so you can completely relax this summer, confident that your first week will be engaging and seamless. From slideshows and copies to individual paper sculptures or group murals, there is so much you can gather and organize as you wrap up your studio right now. Take a few minutes to think forward and plan ahead so you can close this year with sweet intention and start the next with purpose!
What is your go-to first day of art class activity?
What is one thing you always complete before leaving for summer break that saves you time in the fall?
To chat about end-of-year clean up and back-to-school prep with other art teachers, join us in The Art of Ed Community!
Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.
