Back to School 2025 Teaching Resources
Head back to school in 2025 with activities, classroom decor printables and so many more teacher resources created by teachers for teachers just like you!
Whether you're planning for your very first day as a teacher or just your first day of the 2025-2026 school year, we've got you covered with everything you're going to need to make students feel welcome when coming back to school and your classroom.
Explore editable Google Slides templates, printable back to school coloring pages and word searches, inspiring back to school quotes to hang on the walls of your classroom ... and that's just the start of what's in store for your teacher toolkit. Get the peace of mind that you'll be all set to head back into the classroom with everything you need for a successful school year!
Looking for ideas for getting your students excited about going back to school? Read on for tips from our teacher team, including back-to-school jokes you can share with your class and some back-to-school songs with a positive vibe to set the tone for the school year!
Silly Back to School Jokes for Kids
There's no question that telling jokes in your classroom can help build that student-teacher relationship. Are you hoping to incorporate a few kid-friendly (and seriously silly) puns into your planning? Here are a few that have a school theme and are appropriate to share with the younger elementary students:
- Why did the math worksheet look sad? It had a lot of problems.
- How do bees get to school? They take the buzzzzz.
- What did the crayon say to the pencil? You're pretty sharp.
- What did the pencil say to the sharpener? Get to the point!
- What do you call a dinosaur that sometimes teaches school? A "sub"-saurus!
- What's a teacher's favorite type of music? Class-ical!
- What's a vampire's favorite kind of test to take? A blood test!
- What is a snake’s favorite subject? – Hiss-tory.
- What did the bus driver say to the frog? Hop on.
- Why are fish so smart? They spend a lot of time in schools.
Back to School Songs to Play in the Classroom
Going back to school comes with mixed emotions for teachers and students. Excitement to see friends and learn new things can be mixed with apprehension — especially for pre-K or kindergarten students who may have never ridden a school bus or been in a school setting before. You'll want to set a positive tone from day one to help students start the school year off feeling energized and excited.
What better way to motivate your class and pump them up than playing songs perfect for back to school? You can play them quietly as students filter into the classroom in the morning on their first day, use them for a dance party brain break mid-day or add them to a classroom playlist for those times when you need to turn on some jams while kids work in small groups.
Here are a few favorite kid-friendly back-to-school songs from the teachers on the Teach Starter team:
- Welcome Back to School by Dwayne Reed — It doesn't get more on target than this fun tune from a Chicago educator. Teaching kindergarten? Check out Reed's Welcome to Kindergarten for a song that's more specific to your class.
- Happy by Pharrell — This song about not letting anything ruin your happy mood is perfect for establishing a positive vibe. You can also use it as an example of using repetition as a persuasive device in writing.
- Can't Stop This Feeling by Justin Timberlake
- We're All in This Together by the High School Musical cast
- ABC by The Jackson 5
- School Days by Chuck Berry — This is an oldie that most students will have never heard before, but it's still a goodie!
- The Educate Song — This is a cover of Bruno Mars' Grenade that's all about education, and it's sung by a group of public school students!
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Whole-Class Reward Tracker - Digital Reward Charts
Celebrate classroom successes with a set of fully digital classroom reward charts.
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Classroom Jobs Bulletin Board
Keep track of classroom responsibilities with a Classroom Jobs Bulletin Board Display!
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Monthly Newsletter Calendar Templates
Keep students and parents informed of classroom happenings by providing a monthly newsletter made with a handy editable newsletter template.
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Interest Inventory for Students – Reward Survey
Discover motivators and reinforcers that excite your students with this printable reward survey.
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Pencil Management System - Challenge
Stop those pencils from magically disappearing with a classroom Pencil Challenge display kit.
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We Make Sweet Choices! Class Reward Tracker
Encourage teamwork and positive behavior in your classroom with a new ice-cream themed classroom reward system.
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Printable Take-Home Folder Covers
Customize and color your own Take Home Folder inserts with editable and printable folder cover templates.
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Parent Teacher Conference Templates
Save time, enhance organization and strengthen the parent-teacher partnership with this set of parent-teacher conference forms.
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Classroom Routines for Independent Work Checklist
Give your students a checklist to remind them of classroom routines to follow when working independently.
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Positive Notes Home – Parent Communication Templates
Use this editable template to share information with parents and guardians about academic improvement, positive behavior and more!
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Behavior Think Sheet - Upper Grades
Invite your students to reflect on their behavior choices with this behavior think sheet.
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Weekly Newsletter Templates
Send out important information to your students’ parents and guardians using weekly newsletters made with our handy templates!
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G.R.O.U.P.S - Group Work Expectations Poster
Encourage cooperative behavior during group work activities with a printable group work mnemonic poster.
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Classroom Calendar Bulletin Board
Use this classroom calendar each and every morning to help keep your classroom an organized zone.
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Classroom Library Book Bin Labels
Organize your classroom library with these illustrated book bin labels.
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Ice Cream Birthday Bulletin Board Set
Create an ice cream-themed birthday bulletin board for your classroom with this printable set.
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P.R.I.D.E. Classroom Rules Poster Set
Set your expectations for classroom behavior at the beginning of a school year with a set of printable classroom rule posters.
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Animal ABC - Rainbow Alphabet Line
Display these bold and bright alphabet posters with animals in your classroom.
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Back to School Student Information Survey - Google Form Data Collection Resource
Collect student contact information quickly and easily with a Student Information Google Form.
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Where Are We? Classroom Door Sign
Add a "where are we?" classroom door sign to your classroom door to let people know where you and your students have gone!
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Kindergarten Morning Work (August)
Practice foundational math and language arts skills during the month of August with this collection of 23 kindergarten morning work worksheets.
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Editable Classroom Newsletter
Give important information to your students’ parents and guardians by using this editable classroom newsletter.
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Back to School STEM Challenge Cards – Primary
Integrate STEM activities into your back-to-school plans by guiding students to create a picture frame, name tag, and pencil cup.
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R-Controlled Vowel Posters
Supplement your phonics curriculum with an R-controlled vowel poster display.
- Back to School 2025 for For Pre Kindergarten
- Back to School 2025 for For Kindergarten
- Back to School 2025 for For 1st Grade
- Back to School 2025 for For 2nd Grade
- Back to School 2025 for For 3rd Grade
- Back to School 2025 for For 4th Grade
- Back to School 2025 for For 5th Grade
- Back to School 2025 for For 6th Grade
- Back to School 2025 for For 7th Grade