Mornings in the elementary classroom can be chaotic. Students come in with boundless energy, backpacks rustle, endless chattering, and the teacher begins to stress. Elementary teachers know how the day starts is likely how the entire day will go. This is why it is essential to have a morning routine to set a positive tone for the day ahead. Teachers can do this by incorporating a structured morning meeting into the beginning of class each day. This daily routine will help establish a sense of community and provide an opportunity to discuss the daily agenda. Not sure where to start? These simple and effective morning meeting ideas will give you a stress-free start and create a productive classroom even before the bell rings!

Why Morning Meetings Are Important

Creating a solid morning routine in an elementary classroom is crucial. Between attendance, lunch counts, and checking folders—mornings for teachers are busy. Luckily, there are Morning Greetings Slides! These slides will help you establish easy-to-follow routine students can complete quietly and independently each morning. 

However, morning meetings are more than just a routine. Morning meetings help students settle in for the day, create inclusion, and teach social-emotional skills. This will create a classroom full of caring and supportive classmates. Honestly, these morning meeting ideas will lay a foundation for a successful day of learning. 

#1: A Daily Quote

Add a dash of inspiration to kickstart each day with a daily quote. A daily quote can ready minds and set a positive tone. Additionally, thinking about the meaning of each quote can teach analytical skills and broaden their perspectives. Whether a line from a famous author, historical figure, or a positive role model, each quote can offer a unique lesson. 

There are so many ways for students to interact with quotes. For example, they can complete a journal entry question, discuss it with their classmates, or do a think-pair-share activity. However, finding a quote for each day is a small task that can get pushed to the side. Luckily, the Morning Greeting Slides have a quote of the day listed on each slide for the entire month! Teachers don’t have to waste any time hunting down elementary classroom quotes. This resource also provides ready-to-use journal prompts for the quotes!

Using daily quotes also gives the teacher a touch of motivation. As situations arise throughout the day, you can refer students to the daily quote for further discussion. Overall, quotes are a great way of helping students transition from morning chaos to a focused learning mindset. 

#2: Question of the Day

Displaying a question of the day is another small yet powerful tool. Thought-provoking questions can spark curiosity and critical thinking. Also, having a daily question can springboard meaningful discussions. Holding a class discussion on the question of the day is one way to open student minds to learning. If you need students to work independently or quietly, try having them answer a journal prompt using the question of the day. 

There are so many engaging ways to have them answer, such as a fun Post-It activity. This activity gets students up and moving and allows the class to connect through their answers. Honestly, there are so many fantastic activity options for each question of the day inside the Morning Greeting Slides! Students look forward to sharing their answers each morning.

#3: Morning To-Do List

This morning meeting idea will save your teacher sanity. Imagine stepping into your classroom and the students are already productively completing work. Giving students a morning to-do list will create an efficient and calm morning routine. 

When students see the list displayed, they can visually see the roadmap laid out for the day. Then, they can begin checking off each item on the list. This will give them responsibility first thing in the morning. Teachers can start their morning tasks while students have a visual reminder of what they should do. No more annoying “What do I do now?” questions!

You can quickly add your morning to-do list to the Morning Greeting Slides. Each slide has a dedicated space for the list to be displayed and seen easily. You can add step-by-step directions to get students started on tasks right away. Additionally, you can also add homework reminders or important dates like picture day or holidays. This morning meeting idea helps create a routine that is easy for the students to stick to. 

#4: Set the Tone 

None of the morning meeting ideas above can work if you don’t set the tone for your classroom. The tone of the classroom can influence students’ attitudes, engagement levels, and learning outcomes. 

One way to do this is by using music. Before students arrive, start music that establishes the mood for the morning. For example, if you need students to stay calm and relax, play classical or ambient music. Play upbeat pop or uplifting instrumentals if you want students to feel inspired or motivated. Or, energize the classroom with upbeat instrumentals or fun Disney songs!

Another way to set the tone is by using Bitmojis. Students love Bitmoji’s, especially when they are of their teacher! Personalizing your Bitmoji and adding it to your Morning Greeting Slides is a fantastic way to add fun to your morning routine. Each slide has a place for you to add your personalized Bitmoji. You can easily find Bitmoji’s that match your day. Specifically, you can look for Bitmoji’s that relate to the question of the day or the quote. Students love seeing festive Bitmoji’s near the holidays or even Bitmoji’s that display your current mood. 

Why Morning Greeting Slides Are the Perfect Morning Meeting Idea

There are so many fun morning meeting ideas. The Morning Greeting Slides are the perfect way to engage your students when they enter the door! You won’t have to worry about constant interruptions or repeating yourself over and over.

There are Morning Greeting Slides for each month of the year, and all the slides are editable. You can easily customize your slides for the week in a snap! You can even grab the Morning Greeting Year-Long Bundle and have easy-to-use morning meeting slides for the entire year! Each slide includes a question of the day, a quote, the date, a to-do list, and a fun Bitmoji. You just have to plug in your to-do list and add a cute Bitmoji, and you will have a ready-to-go morning routine. 

Students love walking into the classroom and seeing what their morning greeting slide looks like each day. The morning will become one of their favorite parts of their school day! These morning meeting ideas will give your classroom the routine it needs and a stress-free start to your busy day!

Save this blog for later!

Save this blog to your favorite classroom Pinterest board. When you are ready to implement fresh ideas to your morning meeting routine, you’ll be able to come back to this post.