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Build Classroom Community with the Classroom Challenge Activity

The first few days of school are such an important time for teachers and their students in all grades, but I think it’s especially important to build a strong sense of classroom community for middle schoolers. Taking time to intentionally build strong relationships with students sets everyone up for success!

If you’re looking to build classroom community with your middle school ELA students, I have the perfect activity to help! The Classroom Challenge is a flexible, low-prep resource that can be used in several different ways. 

Build a strong sense of community in middle school ELA classrooms with this fun series of activities!

When to Use It:

I love using the Classroom Challenge as a way to build a strong sense of community right from the beginning of the school year, but it can be adapted in many different ways. This series of 20 short tasks (each task takes between 5-10 minutes to complete) was designed to help you get to know your students, and for students to get to know each other! 

I like using these activities as a daily ice-breaker for the first month of school (or the first month after a mid-year semester change). Another way to use this resource is to kick off each new week with a new challenge, providing regular opportunities for students to connect (with each other, and with you, too!). Or, if you prefer, you can just keep these activities in your “back pocket” for those times where your lesson ends a little bit early and you need to keep students engaged!

How it Works:

If you’re planning to run the Classroom Challenge in your middle school ELA classroom this year, you’ll need to dedicate a space – a bulletin board for example – where you can build anticipation and display the latest challenges. The Classroom Challenge is an interactive display that “hides” 20 activity prompts. Each day (or week, depending on your preference), unveil a new challenge for your students to complete!

One of the reasons why I like setting up the Classroom Challenge at the beginning of the year is that once it is ready to go, running each challenge is quite low-prep! I also find that when I invest time into setting up an ongoing activity, it creates a structured routine that helps students – and me! – ease into the “back to school” season. While the set-up for the Classroom Challenge can be a little bit time-consuming at the outset, laminating the finished display creates a durable, low-prep resource that can be used again next year!

The Classroom Challenge activity is an interactive bulletin board - perfect for back to school!

Setting Up the Challenges:

Start setting up the challenge by printing and assembling the display according to the provided step-by-step instructions. This ready-to-print activity looks great in black and white or color, and both options are available in the resource! 

You will need the following materials:

  • 20 sheets of brightly-colored cardstock or paper
  • White printer paper
  • 20 file folders
  • Tape or glue

*OPTIONAL: If you have access to labels or sticker paper, this can help streamline the process of attaching labels to your file folders!

First print the “envelope” template on each of the brightly-colored pages. These will form the main part of the display, and conceal the instructions for each challenge! You may like to choose your colors according to your classroom theme, or organize each activity by category – it’s up to you! Cut out each envelope on the outer edge, and then, using the guide, fold the triangular flaps inward. 

TIP: Keep the lines on the outside to speed up the process!

The envelope template can be laminated and re-used!

Next, print the 20 “challenge squares” on white printer paper. Tape or glue them to the center of each envelope. From here, fold along the template lines to create the “flaps” of the envelope. Next, print the labeled circles on white paper or cardstock. These will be used to “seal” each envelope closed, concealing the challenges underneath! When the whole display is ready, you can attach it to your bulletin board.

TIP:  Planning to laminate this display? I recommend assembling, cutting, and folding the envelope pieces BEFORE laminating each page. Laminate the circles used to “seal” each envelope separately!

Finally, if you really want to save some time later on, attach the provided labels to each folder. Once everything is ready, print the instruction sheets and other materials for each activity and put them in the corresponding folder. This makes it very easy for anyone (including a substitute teacher) to easily find the materials they need.

Labels and file folders help to keep everything organized so you can focus on building a strong classroom community.

Types of Challenges:

The Classroom Challenge is packed with activities to build classroom community in the first month of school (or all year long!). To help you stay organized, challenges fall into four different categories: Kindness, Teamwork & Collaboration, Expression, and Sharing Ideas & Opinions. As you set up the Classroom Challenge in your own space, you might choose to focus on one category per week during the first month of school, or mix it up for a bit of variety!

Build classroom community through an interactive display packed with challenges to help students get to know each other and develop teamwork skills

Here are just a few examples of the 20 print-and-go activities found in this resource: 

1. Kindness

  • Random Acts of Kindness: Students work with a partner to brainstorm a list of random acts of kindness.
  • Pat Yourself on the Back: Students brainstorm the things they like about themselves and assemble a classroom display of all their “compliments!”
  • What I Like About You: After names are drawn randomly, students anonymously compliment a classmate! These positive messages look great as a classroom display!

2. Teamwork & Collaboration

  • 4 Corners: This critical thinking game gets students up and moving as they evaluate how much they agree or disagree with a list of statements! 
  • Alphabetical Line-Up: Time your class to see how quickly they can organize themselves into alphabetical order by first name!
  • Two Truths and a Lie: Build classroom community and encourage students to get to know each other better by facilitating a quick game of Two Truths and a Lie in small groups of 3-4 people.

3. Expression

  • My Sightless Self Portrait: Set a timer for two minutes and have students draw self-portraits without looking! 
  • Top 10 Lists: Students create a Top 10 list on any topic of their choice!
  • Would You Rather? Game: Working in pairs, students play a quick game of “Would you Rather?”

4. Sharing Ideas & Opinions

  • One-Minute Talk: Students talk for one minute to a partner about a given topic (provided by the teacher).
  • Class Recommendations: Students write down a recommendation (book, TV show, movie, game, etc.) for their classmates. These make a great display!
  • Stuck on a Deserted Island: Students imagine they are stuck on a deserted island. Everyone must pick one book, one movie, and one other item to bring!
Challenge students to build community by brainstorming acts of kindness.

There you go! I hope these ideas help you set the tone for a new school year, and build a strong sense of community in your classroom. Grab The Classroom Challenge by clicking the image below!

Looking for more great back-to-school activities that help to build classroom community? Check out my post on What I Do The First Week Back to School in Middle School ELA.

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