Students LOVE This Back to School Writing Activity

The first week of school is always a little chaotic. We’re learning names, practicing routines, answering a million questions, and trying to build a classroom where everyone feels comfortable.

Some years, I found myself handing out “All About Me” worksheets just because it was easy. My students completed it… and then it would end up in a folder that nobody looked at again.

I wanted something that felt a little more special.

Something that got students talking, laughing, and sharing about themselves while still giving them meaningful writing practice.

That’s how this activity became one of my favorite back-to-school traditions.

More than just another “All About Me” activity

What I love most is that students don’t feel like they’re completing another writing assignment.

Instead, they’re excited to discover the different prompts, think about their answers, and learn fun facts about their classmates along the way.

I’ve learned so much about my students from this activity over the years. I find out who loves to fish, who spends their weekends at the soccer field, who can’t wait to read the next Dog Man book, and who dreams of becoming a veterinarian.

Those little conversations make such a difference during the first week of school.

It makes writing feel less intimidating

The beginning of the school year can be tough for reluctant writers.

When students have smaller prompts to respond to, they tend to write more confidently because they’re only thinking about one idea at a time.

Before they know it, they’ve filled an entire project with complete sentences about themselves.

It feels much more manageable than asking students to write one long paragraph on the first week of school.

Back to School Bulletin Board

Every year, these projects become of my favorite classroom displays. Students immediately begin walking around the room reading each other’s work. I hear comments like:

“You like soccer too?”

“I love those books!”

“We both have dogs!”

Without even realizing it, they’re finding connections with classmates and beginning to build new friendships.

That’s exactly what I want during our first few weeks together.

My favorite part? The Keepsake!

After displaying them for a few weeks, I send them home. I always laminate them first.I use my personal laminator because I like the thicker lamination to cover their work. I think it will make their masterpieces last longer.

Every year I’ll get a message from a parent telling me how much they enjoyed stopping to read about this version of their child.

It works for every classroom

Over the years, I have made tweaks and adjustments to this activity because every group is different.

Some years we’ve used Skittles to help us brainstorm. This is what I choose the most. It’s so fun!

Other times, I’ve skipped the candy altogether and used a slideshow to guide my students through the writing process.

I love having choices because every class is a little different.

Why I keep coming back to this activity

There are so many great back-to-school activities out there, but I always find myself coming back to this one because it checks so many boxes.

It helps students get comfortable writing, which is an important part of our third-grade classroom.

It encourages conversations.

It builds classroom community.

The kids really do love it.

And at the end, everyone has something they’re proud to hang in the hallway.

Those first few days of school go by so quickly (thank goodness 😅). I want the activities we do together to help us start building relationships right away, and this has become one of my favorite ways to do that.

Want to use this Skittles back-to-school writing activity with your students?

If you’re looking for an engaging back-to-school writing activity that helps students get to know one another while creating a colorful classroom display, you can take a look at my All About Me Writing Craft.

It includes multiple writing templates, editable teacher slides, different brainstorming options, and a digital activity. The entire resource is customizable so you can choose what works best for your classroom. Click here to grab your copy of this Skittles back-to-school writing activity.

Looking for more Back-to-School? Check out these activities:

Reasons to have a Number Talks Routine

the Ideal Number of Weekly Vocabulary Words for Third Graders