Newsela | Engaging Back-To-School Activities for Every Subject

Don’t you just love returning to school in the fall? Does it make you want to buy classroom supplies? “You’ve Got Mail” humor aside, going back to school is a pretty exciting time for you and your students.

To make the transition smooth, fun, and engaging this year, we’ve collected some easy-to-use back-to-school activities to help you start the new year off right!

[ELA back-to-school activities for reading, writing, and classroom community](id-ela)

Key Takeaways

● Ready-to-use ELA resources help you start with units, videos, poems, debates, and text sets instead of building every lesson from scratch.
● Community-building themes give students safe ways to discuss identity, growth, friendship, and new beginnings while practicing literacy skills.
● Flexible grade-level options make it easier to match back-to-school activities to elementary, middle, and high school learners.

Use the first days of school to help students reconnect with reading, writing, and discussion. These ELA back-to-school activities give you ready-to-use ways to build classroom communities and get students practicing literacy skills right away.

Start with ELA units about growth, identity, and new beginnings

Start the year with focused ELA units that help students talk about community, relationships, goals, and identity. Each unit gives you texts, skills practice, and a performance task that you can use to build classroom connections and literacy skills practice.

ELA units

Back-to-school ELA units by grade level

Use these ELA units to help students reflect on growth, relationships, community, identity, new beginnings, routines, and resilience.

Scroll left to right to see the full table.

Unit	Grade levels	What students do	Essential question
Power of Play	2–5	Students explore why play matters, read fiction and nonfiction texts, and create their own game.	Why is it important to have opportunities to play?
Relationships in Action	3–5	Students learn about different relationships, friendship, and relationship stories before creating a brochure.	What value do different relationships have in our lives?
The Strength of Communities	3–5	Students examine types of communities, community action, and challenging times before creating an improvement plan.	How do communities show strength during challenging times?
What Creativity Means	3–6	Students connect creativity to problem-solving, community, and self-expression before creating a collage.	What does it mean to be creative?
Goals and Growing	3–6	Students learn goal-setting strategies, explore self-compassion, and write about how they hope to grow.	How would you like to grow this school year?
Interests and Who You Are	5–8	Students reflect on identity, interests, and hobbies before creating a product about who they are.	Who am I? How do my interests relate to my identity?
The Power of the Internet	7–9	Students analyze connection, social media, internet access, and opinion texts before writing an argument.	Does the internet make us closer or farther apart?
New Beginnings	7–10	Students explore new beginnings, community, and belonging before writing a personal profile.	How can we embrace new beginnings to foster a class community and support our academic success?
Reestablishing Routines	9–12	Students review routines, goals, accountability, and academic communication before writing a professional email.	How can we reestablish routines and habits to support our academic success?
Resilience and Processing Change	9–12	Students reflect on challenges, setbacks, growth, and hope before writing a personal narrative.	How can resilience benefit us in our personal and academic pursuits?
Building Self-Management Skills for the Future	9–12	Students learn about growth mindset, stress, self-discipline, and initiative before writing a narrative.	How can self-management skills help us succeed in high school and beyond?

Use back-to-school videos to support literacy skills and discussion

Videos can help students ease back into learning while practicing skills like listening and close viewing. Browse Newsela ELA’s collection of videos for all learners to bring multimodal learning support to your classroom.

Introduce younger students to Generation Genius ELA videos

Generation Genius ELA videos give K–5 students a friendly way into literacy skills, with animated characters and supporting instructional materials you can use to kick off lessons, review concepts, or spark quick class discussions.

Generation Genius ELA videos

Generation Genius ELA video collections by grade band

Use these video lessons to introduce or review literacy skills with elementary students.

Scroll left to right to see the full table.

Collection	Grade levels	Sample videos
Generation Genius ELA Videos for Grades K–2	K–2	The Three Little Dogs: Reading Fluency The Mixed-Up Tale: Story Structure Sight for Sore Eyes: Introduction to Sight Words
Generation Genius ELA Videos for Grades 3–5	3–5	Where’s Pip?: Recognizing Text Structures Decorating Cookies: Determining Sequence of Events Pip Hood and the Universal Message: Determining the Theme

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Share curated back-to-school videos for multimodal learning

Use curated back-to-school videos to bring multimodal learning into the first weeks of the new year. These selections can support quick writes, partner discussions, and class conversations.

Curated back-to-school videos

Back-to-school videos by grade level and runtime

Use these short videos to spark discussion, build background knowledge, and help students practice literacy skills through multimodal learning.

Scroll left to right to see the full table.

Video	Grade levels	Runtime	Use it for
Overcoming obstacles	4–5	4:14	Discussing perseverance and growth.
What makes education different from school?	6–8	2:45	Talking about learning, school, and purpose.
Can you really change your personality?	6–8	4:08	Reflecting on identity and personal growth.
Saying no to peer pressure	6–8	4:24	Discussing decision-making and relationships.
How miscommunication happens (and how to avoid it)	6–8	4:32	Building communication and discussion norms.
Growth mindset vs fixed mindset	6–8	5:03	Introducing goal setting and academic habits.
Where do new words come from?	6–8	5:08	Sparking curiosity about language.
How will AI change the world?	6–8	5:40	Discussing future-ready skills and technology.
What is plagiarism, and how do I avoid it?	6–8	7:09	Reviewing academic honesty and source use.
How to write and send an email to your teacher: Step by step guide for students in Gmail	6–8	8:15	Practicing academic communication.
Taking notes	6–8	8:28	Reviewing study skills and classroom routines.
Meet your master: Getting to know your brain	6–8	12:33	Talking about learning and the brain.
Why storytelling is so powerful	6–12	2:20	Launching personal narratives and class storytelling.
Dream Jobs: Literature professor	6–12	5:26	Connecting literacy to careers.
Want to change the world? Start by being brave enough to care	6–12	11:00	Discussing empathy, courage, and action.
10 ways to have a better conversation	6–12	11:44	Building discussion routines and listening skills.
America Ferrera: My identity is a superpower—not an obstacle	6–12	14:02	Exploring identity, voice, and belonging.
How to speak so that people want to listen	9–12	9:54	Practicing presentation and speaking skills.
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: The danger of a single story	9–12	18:46	Discussing perspective, identity, and bias.

Assign first-day-of-school poems and fiction about friendship, growth, and goals

Poetry is a low-lift way to start the year with close reading and reflection. Use these first-day-of-school poems to help students think about topics like friendship, growing up, and goals they want to set for the year.

First-day-of-school poems

Poems for friendship, growth, and goal setting

Use these poems to start quick writes, close reading, partner discussion, or reflection activities during the first days of school.

Scroll left to right to see the full table.

Poem	Author	Grade levels	Themes
“A Time to Talk”	Robert Frost	2–8	Friendship, connection, making time for others
“Werewolf Charm School”	Ben Eggertsen	4–8	School routines, belonging, humor
“On Friendship”	Kahlil Gibran	4–5	Friendship, trust, community
“There Is No Frigate Like a Book”	Emily Dickinson	4–12	Reading, imagination, curiosity
“Hope”	Alice Dunbar-Nelson	4–12	Hope, resilience, optimism
“Songs for the People”	Frances Ellen Watkins Harper	4–12	Community, service, voice
“Dreams”	Langston Hughes	4–12	Dreams, goals, perseverance
“My People”	Langston Hughes	4–12	Identity, belonging, pride
“As I Grew Older”	Langston Hughes	6–12	Growing up, dreams, overcoming obstacles
“If”	Rudyard Kipling	6–12	Character, perseverance, self-management
“Up-Hill”	Christina Rossetti	6–12	Journey, endurance, uncertainty
“Instructions on Not Giving Up”	Ada Limón	9–12	Resilience, renewal, perseverance

Build independent reading routines with fiction and poetry collections

Give students choice early in the year with fiction and poetry collections tied to back-to-school themes. These collections work well for independent reading, book talks, reading conferences, or quick response journals.

Independent reading

Back-to-school fiction and poetry collections

Use these themed collections to help students choose texts that connect to who they are, where they are going, and how they want to grow this school year.

Scroll left to right to see the full table.

Genre	Purpose	Sample selections
Fiction About Belonging and Fitting In	Help students discuss acceptance, difference, and what it means to find your place.	“The Little Mermaid” by Hans Christian Andersen “The Ugly Duckling” by Hans Christian Andersen “Frankenstein”: Chapter 11 by Mary Shelley
Poetry About Belonging and Fitting In	Use poems to help students reflect on community, comfort, and connection.	“Good Hours” by Robert Frost “The Lake Isle of Innisfree” by William Butler Yeats “Our Blanket” by Lelila Lakhal
Fiction About Choices	Prompt students to think about decisions, consequences, and character motivation.	“Jack and the Fish” by Rex Ellis “Her Hands That Held the Stars” by Rebecca Birch “The Scarlet Letter”: Chapter 2 by Nathaniel Hawthorne
Fiction About Growing Up	Support reflection on change, independence, and the experiences that shape students.	“Solo on the Subway” by Diana C. Conway “The Return of Sal Caputo” by Timothy Tocher “Treasure Island”: Chapter 1 by Robert Louis Stevenson
Poems About Growing Up	Invite students to write about change, goals, and the parts of childhood they carry forward.	“Aspiration” by Henrietta Cordelia Ray “Nothing Gold Can Stay” by Robert Frost “Season of Change” by C.L. Clickard
Fiction About Identity	Help students explore identity, self-expression, and how characters understand themselves.	“The Peacock and Juno” by Aesop “Hermia’s Shell” by Bish Denham “Désirée’s Baby” by Kate Chopin
Poems About Identity	Use poetry to open reflection on voice, selfhood, and belonging.	“Song of Myself” by Walt Whitman “I’m Nobody! Who are you?” by Emily Dickinson “Grace” by Joy Harjo
Fiction About Journeys	Connect back-to-school transitions to stories about movement, challenge, and discovery.	“The Tortoise and the Hare” by Aesop “A Spectacular Ride” by Drollene P. Brown “Around the World in Eighty Days”: Chapter 1 by Jules Verne
Poems About Journeys	Encourage students to think about where they have been and where they are headed next.	“blessing the boats” by Lucille Clifton “Up-Hill” by Christina Rossetti “Flying” by Kurt Metzler

Lead back-to-school debates about school routines and expectations

Back-to-school debates give students a structured way to practice argument, evidence, and speaking. Use these school-related topics to help students discuss routines and expectations they already have opinions about.

Classroom discussion

Back-to-school debate topics for ELA

Use these debate topics to help students practice argument writing, text evidence, accountable talk, and respectful discussion.

Scroll left to right to see the full table.

Debate topic	Grade levels	Questions students can debate
Should Teachers Assign Homework?	3–12	Why do schools traditionally assign homework? What alternatives could teachers use to assess student growth? Who is in favor of homework? Who is against it? What are the benefits and drawbacks of homework?
When Is the Best Time for School to Start?	4–12	What do doctors and scientists say about teenagers’ sleep needs? Why do middle and high schools often start early? What are the benefits of later school start times? What are the drawbacks of starting school later?
Should Schools Have Dress Codes or Uniforms?	6–12	Why have schools used dress codes or uniforms? What are the benefits of dress codes or uniforms? What are the drawbacks of dress codes or uniforms? How might dress codes discriminate against students?

Debate worksheets and resources

Support students before, during, and after the debate

Plan the argument

Help students organize claims, evidence, and reasoning before they speak or write.

Debate Graphic Organizer Debate Text Evidence Graphic Organizer

Guide the discussion

Give students sentence frames they can use to respond, agree, disagree, and build on ideas.

Accountable Talk Sentence Starters

Reflect and assess

Wrap up the activity with reflection and a rubric for discussion or argument skills.

After Debate Reflection Debate Rubric

Use teacher-created ELA text sets for ready-made back-to-school lessons

Need a quick lesson that already has a clear purpose, timing, and a connection to standards? These teacher-created text sets can help students build empathy, practice opinion writing, and explore a growth mindset during the first weeks of school.

Teacher-created lessons

Back-to-school ELA text sets created by teachers

Use these ready-made lessons to start the year with student reflection, discussion, writing, and Newsela navigation practice.

Scroll left to right to see the full table.

Text set	Grade levels	Objective	Time	Standards
Kindness is Contagious By Susan Leighton, 5th grade, Maine	2–8	Students learn how people can build empathy by sharing stories and experiences.	50–60 minutes	RI.5.1 RI.5.2
Beginning of the Year Scavenger Hunt By Arianna Ranahosseini, former secondary ELA teacher	3–12	Students navigate Newsela and explore its features by completing a scavenger hunt.	60 minutes	CCRA.R.2 CCRA.R.4 CCRA.R.7 CCRA.R.10
Back-to-School Opinion Writing By Catherine Anderson, Virginia	4–5	Students identify opinion writing structure, then write an opinion piece using a mentor text.	Three 60-minute lessons or five 30-minute lessons	W.4.1 W.5.1
Growth Mindset: What Moves Us? By Tracy Pompei, 6th grade humanities, Connecticut	6–12	Students learn about growth mindset, motivation, goal setting, and sketchnoting.	3–5 lessons over multiple days	CCRA.R.2 CCRA.R.10 CCRA.W.7 CCRA.SL.2

[Social studies back-to-school activities for inquiry and discussion](id-ss)

Use social studies activities to build discussion routines, spark curiosity, and introduce students to inquiry skills. These resources can help you start the year with primary sources, videos, and ready-made collections that support evidence-based thinking.

Build classroom community with social studies icebreaker activities

Start your first week of social studies classes with activities that help students get to know one another while practicing inquiry, discussion, and source analysis. These icebreakers connect the classroom community to skills students will use all year.

Social studies icebreakers

Use these activities to help students build relationships while exploring geography, storytelling, media, history, civics, and culture.

Icebreaker	Grade band	What students do	CASEL alignment
Around the World!	3–12	Students write about a place they want to visit, share responses in a name game, and extend learning by researching a region or continent.	Social Awareness Relationship Skills Responsible Decision-Making
Tell Me a Story	3–12	Students share personal stories, rotate partners, discuss what they learned, and connect storytelling to social, cultural, and historical value.	Self-Awareness Social Awareness Relationship Skills Responsible Decision-Making
Map It Out	6–8	Students work in groups to create a school map, join a gallery walk, vote on maps, and discuss why maps matter.	Self-Management Relationship Skills Responsible Decision-Making
Create a Country	9–12	Students answer get-to-know-you prompts, design an imaginary country, and connect the activity to trade, resources, and geography.	Self-Awareness Relationship Skills Responsible Decision-Making
Who Am I?	6–12	Students ask yes-or-no questions to identify a celebrity or historical figure, then explore that person’s cultural, political, or historical impact.	Relationship Skills Responsible Decision-Making
Time Capsule	6–12	Students choose items for a future time capsule, explain their significance, and extend the activity with historical source analysis.	Self-Management Social Awareness Relationship Skills Responsible Decision-Making
Choose a Color	6–12	Students choose a color, answer a mystery question, identify related social studies branches, and summarize a current events connection.	Self-Awareness Relationship Skills Responsible Decision-Making
In the Media	6–12	Students discuss media power, write a short article about an interesting topic, and analyze a past or present source.	Social Awareness Relationship Skills

Plan core social studies courses with ready-to-use collections

Use Newsela Social Studies course collections to start planning units, pacing, and skill review for the year ahead. These core collections give you flexible instruction options for a variety of topics that may be part of your state curriculum or standards.

Core social studies courses

Use these collections to plan units, introduce key topics, and support inquiry-based social studies instruction throughout the school year.

Course collection	Grade levels	What students explore	Sample units
AI Literacy Collection	3–12	Students build foundational AI literacy and explore how data, algorithms, and privacy shape digital life.	Foundations of AI Algorithmic Thinking and Data Analysis Data Privacy and Security
Black U.S. History	6–12	Students examine Black U.S. history from West Africa and North America through the modern era.	What Is Black U.S. History? Independence for Whom? A Job Unfinished
Civics and Engaged Citizenship	6–12	Students learn about government structures, rights, responsibilities, policy, participation, and global citizenship.	Foundations of Government Rights and Responsibilities of the People Political Participation
Economics and Financial Literacy	6–12	Students develop economic reasoning and connect economic concepts to personal finance decisions.	Fundamental Economic Concepts The Global Economy Financial Literacy
Exploring World Geography	6–12	Students explore geography across world regions and build background knowledge about places, people, and environments.	Geography of North America Geography of Africa Geography of East and Southeast Asia
Exploring World History	6–12	Students study major eras, movements, conflicts, revolutions, and global issues across world history.	European Renaissance and Reformation The Industrial Revolution Contemporary Global Issues
The Newsela Elementary Social Studies Collection	K–5	Students build early social studies knowledge through rules, maps, civics, community, elections, and government.	Map Skills Community Constitution and Government
Unearthing Ancient Civilizations	6–12	Students investigate ancient civilizations, early societies, and historical developments across regions.	Ancient Egypt Ancient India Ancient and Classical Rome
United States History: Pre-Contact to Modern Times	6–12	Students examine U.S. history from 1600 to the present through multiple lenses and diverse perspectives.	Development of U.S. Constitutional Democracy Course and Consequences of World War II Contemporary America

Explore high school social studies electives

For high school students, elective collections can help connect social studies to a variety of special interests and career paths. Use these ready-to-use collections to introduce course options, preview units, or build flexible lessons around student interests.

High school social studies electives

Use these elective collections to help students explore specialized social studies topics and connect course content to real-world questions.

Elective collection	What students explore	Sample units
Art History	Students study architecture, painting, sculpture, and photography from Western and non-Western traditions.	Art Appreciation Global Prehistoric and Ancient Art Renaissance and Baroque Art
Comparative Religions	Students explore the history, holidays, core beliefs, and contemporary issues connected to world religions.	Judaism Christianity Contemporary Religious Issues
Constitutional Law	Students examine the U.S. Constitution, government structure, individual rights, landmark Supreme Court cases, and constitutional debates.	Foundations of the U.S. Constitution The Bill of Rights and Individual Liberties Contemporary Constitutional Issues
Economics	Students study economic systems, market behavior, national policy, global markets, and personal finance.	Foundations of Economics Economic Systems and Markets Economics in Personal Finance
Psychology	Students explore major psychological theories, research methods, brain function, mental health, and social influences on behavior.	Introduction to Psychology Research Methods in Psychology Mental Health and Disorders
Sociology	Students examine how society shapes human behavior through culture, social institutions, socialization, and social groups.	Intro to Sociology Culture Socialization
Women’s Studies	Students learn about women’s experiences, contributions, social roles, and advancement in American history and global contexts.	Women in Early History Women in American History Women Working Today

Teach primary source basics with leveled historical texts

Primary sources help students practice evidence-based discussion and context at the start of the year. This collection includes a variety of primary sources at multiple reading levels, so all students can access the concepts you want to discuss.

Primary source practice

Primary sources for back-to-school social studies lessons

Use these primary sources to introduce sourcing, perspective, context, close reading, and evidence-based discussion.

Scroll left to right to see the full table.

Primary source	Grade levels \| Reading levels	Use it for	Spanish	Sensitive Content
Two views on the prospect of American independence Address/Letter	4–8 \| 400L–1450L	Comparing Loyalist and Patriot perspectives on American independence.	✓ Yes
The Anti-Federalist Papers, Brutus 1 Essay	4–12 \| 580L–1440L	Analyzing arguments against ratifying the Constitution.	✓ Yes
Gertrude Weil’s letters on women’s suffrage Letter	4–12 \| 480L–1120L	Exploring suffrage, civic action, and women’s rights advocacy.
Excerpt from the “Narrative Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave” Memoir excerpt	4–12 \| 570L–1110L	Reading an autobiographical account connected to slavery, freedom, and voice.	✓ Yes
The separation of Charles Ball’s family Memoir excerpt	4–12 \| 550L–1440L	Discussing family separation, slavery, and historical testimony.
“For the Equal Rights Amendment” by Shirley Chisholm Address	6–12 \| 570L–1290L	Analyzing constitutional arguments, equality, and persuasive rhetoric.
The Articles of Confederation Document	6–12 \| 590L–1860L	Introducing the first U.S. government and its limitations.	✓ Yes
The Bill of Rights Document	6–12 \| 570L–1590L	Reviewing rights, amendments, and constitutional protections.	✓ Yes
The Declaration of Independence Document	6–12 \| 530L–1420L	Studying founding ideals, grievances, and independence.	✓ Yes
The Declaration of Sentiments, Seneca Falls Conference Document	6–12 \| 660L–1460L	Connecting women’s rights, reform movements, and founding language.	✓ Yes
James Madison’s Federalist Papers No. 10 Essay	6–12 \| 730L–1420L	Analyzing Federalist arguments, factions, and constitutional debate.	✓ Yes
Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation Executive Order	6–12 \| 740L–1960L	Examining emancipation, executive power, and the Civil War.	✓ Yes
Martin Luther King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail Letter	6–12 \| 480L–1220L	Examining civil rights, direct action, and persuasive writing.	✓ Yes	✓ Yes
The Ride of Paul Revere Letter	6–12 \| 540L–1280L	Clarifying historical evidence connected to Paul Revere beyond the famous poem.	✓ Yes
Colonial voices on religious diversity Memoir	6–12 \| 450L–1280L	Discussing religious diversity and perspectives in colonial history.	✓ Yes
The life of Venture Smith, an enslaved African brought to America Memoir	6–12 \| 530L–1180L	Exploring enslavement, biography, agency, and historical memory.
Jefferson’s Notes on Slavery Notes	6–12 \| 660L–1230L	Discussing slavery, contradiction, and founding-era perspectives.		✓ Yes
Malcolm X’s “The Ballot or the Bullet,” April 3, 1964 Speech	9–12 \| 600L–1000L	Analyzing voting rights, civil rights, argument, and rhetoric.		✓ Yes

Use social studies videos to introduce media literacy, civics, and culture

Take learning beyond icebreakers and primary sources with short social studies videos that build background knowledge, support discussion, and promote multimodal learning.

Social studies videos

Use these videos to introduce discussion topics, build background knowledge, and support multimodal social studies learning.

Video	Grade levels	Runtime	Use it for
News literacy: How does bias impact how we see world events?	4–5	2:09	Introducing media bias and news literacy.
Mapping world history	4–5	2:21	Connecting maps to historical thinking.
Why do some people have more access to technology than others?	4–12	1:57	Discussing technology access and equity.
How are we shaped by our culture?	4–12	2:40	Introducing culture, identity, and belonging.
Designing the Constitution: Learning from our ancestors	6–8	2:04	Previewing constitutional ideas and historical influence.
What is a citizen? From Ancient Athens to the U.S.	6–8	2:09	Introducing citizenship across historical contexts.
The Declaration of Independence	6–8	2:27	Reviewing founding ideals and independence.
What is human geography?	6–8	9:19	Introducing geography through people, places, and patterns.
How geography shapes a culture	6–12	1:48	Connecting geography, environment, and culture.
How can you use technology to become a more active global citizen?	6–12	1:54	Discussing digital citizenship and global awareness.
How can governments represent people?	6–12	2:12	Introducing representation and government systems.
What makes a civilization?	6–12	3:58	Previewing ancient civilizations and historical patterns.
The rise and fall of history’s first empire	6–12	5:21	Discussing power, empire, and historical change.
Separation of powers and checks and balances	6–12	8:01	Reviewing branches of government and checks on power.
Political parties	6–12	8:54	Introducing political parties and civic participation.
Bias in the media	6–12	16:07	Analyzing media bias and source evaluation.
The Bill of Rights: Cornerstone of U.S. society?	9–12	2:15	Discussing rights, civic values, and constitutional protections.
The dark(er) side of media	9–12	9:58	Exploring media influence and critical consumption.
Introduction to media literacy	9–12	10:05	Introducing media literacy skills and discussion norms.

Use teacher-created social studies text sets for back-to-school lessons

Need a quick social studies lesson that helps students talk, think, and investigate right away? These teacher-created text sets cover a variety of key topics with options for elementary, middle, and high school learning.

Teacher-created lessons

Use these ready-made lessons to help students explore identity, citizenship, voting, social systems, and exploration during the first weeks of school.

Text set	Content areas	Grade levels	Learning objective	Time
Media’s Impact on Creating Our Own Identity By Sara Levine	ELA Social Studies SEL/Life Skills	3–5	Students learn how the world around them can have positive and negative effects on the identities they create.	3–4 45-minute class periods
Explorers: Past, Present, Future By Cassidy Zumwalt	ELA Science Social Studies	4–6	Students investigate the question: What does it mean to be an explorer?	3–4 30-minute lessons
With Rights Come Responsibilities By Penny Hebert	ELA Civics Social Studies	6–12	Students learn about the rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizens and differentiate between a right and a civic responsibility.	4–5 50-minute class periods
The Role of Voting in American Democracy By Andrew Delafuente Jr.	Social Studies	7	Students consider the impact of voting, the role of political parties, and the voting process.	45–60 minutes
Global Social Hierarchies By Anne Stewart	Social Studies	9	Students learn how social systems have impacted people around the world.	2 class periods

[Science and STEM back-to-school activities for hands-on learning](id-sci)

Key Takeaways

● Interactive STEM activities help students reengage quickly. Simulations, videos, and diagrams give students multiple ways to explore concepts during the first weeks of school.
● Science routines start with observation and inquiry. Back-to-school lessons can help students practice asking questions, using models, analyzing visuals, and discussing evidence.
● Ready-made resources support smoother planning. Science safety, tools, careers, math review, and inquiry resources give you flexible options for launching STEM learning.

Start the year with interactive science and STEM activities that get students observing, questioning, modeling, and discussing right away. These resources help you introduce inquiry routines and review key skills through hands-on, multimodal learning.

Use PhET simulations to launch interactive STEM lessons

PhET simulations give students a hands-on way to test ideas, manipulate variables, and discuss what they notice—without having a full lab or tools at their fingertips. Use these back-to-school selections to introduce key concepts that you’ll return to all year long.

Interactive STEM simulations

PhET simulations for back-to-school STEM lessons

Use these simulations to help students ask questions, test models, analyze data, and make observations across science and math topics.

Scroll left to right to see the full table.

Simulation	Science or math focus	Students can practice	Standards
Circuit Construction Kit: DC	Physics Engineering	Make observations about energy transfer and ask questions about electric and magnetic forces.	3.2.4.B 3.2.6-8.I
Membrane Transport	Biology Biochemistry	Use models to describe cell function and investigate evidence that living things are made of cells.	3.1.6-8.B 3.1.6-8.A
Mean: Share and Balance	Mathematics Statistics Data Science	Analyze measures of center, describe patterns and deviations, and summarize data distributions.	M06.D-S.1.1.2 M06.D-S.1.1.3 CC.2.4.6.B.1
States of Matter: Basics	Physics Chemistry	Compare substance structure and model how potential energy changes when interacting objects rearrange.	3.2.9-12.B 3.2.6-8.P
Gravity and Orbits	Physics	Use evidence, mathematical representations, and models to explain gravity and motion in space systems.	3.2.6-8.J 3.2.9-12.L 3.3.6-8.B

Share Generation Genius science and math videos

Use Generation Genius videos to review foundational science and math concepts before students jump into deeper investigations and discussions. There are videos across science disciplines and grade bands to fit any student’s needs.

Introduce science concepts with Generation Genius Science videos

Generation Genius Science videos can help students review foundational concepts, build vocabulary, and start discussing scientific ideas before hands-on investigations begin. Broken up by grade level, use these collections to launch lessons on any topic you’re teaching in class.

Generation Genius Science videos

Generation Genius Science video collections by grade band

Use these video lessons to introduce or review science concepts with elementary and middle school students.

Scroll left to right to see the full table.

Collection	Sample videos
Generation Genius Science K–2	What Is Science? (K–2 Version) Natural Resources Parts of a Plant
Generation Genius Science 3–5	What Is Science? (3–5 Version) Animal & Plant Life Cycles Properties of Matter
Generation Genius Science 6–8	What Is Science? (6–8 Version) Properties of Elements The Solar System

Review math skills with Generation Genius Math videos

Generation Genius Math videos can help students revisit foundational skills before starting new units. Use these grade-band collections to review the right skills your students need to build on their existing math knowledge.

Generation Genius Math videos

Generation Genius Math video collections by grade band

Use these video lessons to review math concepts with elementary and middle school students.

Scroll left to right to see the full table.

Collection	Sample videos
Generation Genius Math K–2	Intro to Counting Objects Intro to Addition Intro to Subtraction
Generation Genius Math 3–5	Intro to Multiplication Intro to Division Introduction to Decimals (Tenths & Hundredths)
Generation Genius Math 6–8	Intro to Algebraic Expressions Intro to Functions Pythagorean Theorem

Build background knowledge with science diagrams

Science diagrams give students a visual way to explore new topics before they read, investigate, or discuss. Use these collections to help them preview ideas across science disciplines.

Science diagrams

Science diagram collections for building background knowledge

Use these diagram collections to help students visualize science concepts, introduce vocabulary, and make observations before deeper reading or investigation.

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Collection	Sample diagrams
Earth and Space Science Diagrams	The rock cycle Earth’s tectonic plates What is gravity
Biology Diagrams	The process of photosynthesis Sensory regions of the brain The skeletal system
Geography Diagrams	Climate map of North America Climate map of Asia Climate map of Africa
Physical Science Diagrams	Types of Energy Conservation of Mass Wave properties
Engineering Diagrams	Lab Safety Laboratory equipment What are natural and artificial materials?

Review science safety, tools, careers, and inquiry skills

Before students begin experiments or design investigations, help them build a foundation in science safety, tools, and inquiry routines. These collections can support elementary, middle, and high school learners as they prepare to think and work like scientists.

Science classroom foundations

Science safety, tools, careers, and inquiry collections

Use these collections to introduce science classroom routines, investigation skills, STEM careers, fieldwork, writing, and representation in science.

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Collection	Use it for	Compelling question	Related resources
Science Safety	Establishing safety expectations before experiments, investigations, and hands-on science work.	How can I stay safe while carrying out scientific investigations?	Science Safety Rules for Every K–12 Classroom
Science Tools	Introducing tools scientists use to record data, make observations, and explore scientific questions.	As a scientist, what tools can I use to help me explore scientific questions?	Are You Teaching Scientific Literacy the Right Way?
Science Careers	Helping students explore the wide range of jobs and pathways connected to science.	What does a career in science look like?
Science Fieldwork	Showing students that science happens in laboratories, classrooms, field sites, oceans, space, and more.	Where do scientists complete their work?
Scientific Method	Reviewing how scientists ask questions, solve problems, test ideas, and evaluate evidence.	How can I find success in each of the steps of the scientific method?	How To Teach Students the 7 Steps of the Scientific Method
Engineering Design Process	Introducing how engineers identify problems, plan solutions, test ideas, and revise designs.	What is the engineering design process?	Teach the Engineering Design Process to Your Students
Science Writing	Helping students connect observation, planning, investigation, reporting, and written communication.	How do scientists utilize their writing skills?
Diversity in Science	Exploring representation in STEM and helping students see the diversity of people who contribute to science.	How diverse is the field of science, and why is this diversity important?	How To Celebrate Women’s History Month in Science Classes Meet Famous Black History Figures in Science Class AAPI Scientists: STEM Lessons for Your Classroom

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Engaging Back-To-School Activities for Every Subject

Christy Walters

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[ELA back-to-school activities for reading, writing, and classroom community](id-ela)

Key Takeaways

Start with ELA units about growth, identity, and new beginnings

Back-to-school ELA units by grade level

Use back-to-school videos to support literacy skills and discussion

Introduce younger students to Generation Genius ELA videos

Generation Genius ELA video collections by grade band

Meet the Learning League, Your Students’ New Learning Buddies

Share curated back-to-school videos for multimodal learning

Back-to-school videos by grade level and runtime

Assign first-day-of-school poems and fiction about friendship, growth, and goals

Poems for friendship, growth, and goal setting

Build independent reading routines with fiction and poetry collections

Back-to-school fiction and poetry collections

Lead back-to-school debates about school routines and expectations

Back-to-school debate topics for ELA

Support students before, during, and after the debate

Plan the argument

Guide the discussion

Reflect and assess

Use teacher-created ELA text sets for ready-made back-to-school lessons

Back-to-school ELA text sets created by teachers

[Social studies back-to-school activities for inquiry and discussion](id-ss)

Key Takeaways

Build classroom community with social studies icebreaker activities

Back-to-school icebreaker activities for social studies

Plan core social studies courses with ready-to-use collections

Ready-to-use Newsela Social Studies course collections

Explore high school social studies electives

Ready-to-use elective collections for high school social studies

Teach primary source basics with leveled historical texts

Primary sources for back-to-school social studies lessons

Use social studies videos to introduce media literacy, civics, and culture

Back-to-school videos for media literacy, civics, and culture

Use teacher-created social studies text sets for back-to-school lessons

Back-to-school social studies text sets created by teachers

[Science and STEM back-to-school activities for hands-on learning](id-sci)

Key Takeaways

Use PhET simulations to launch interactive STEM lessons

PhET simulations for back-to-school STEM lessons

Share Generation Genius science and math videos

Introduce science concepts with Generation Genius Science videos

Generation Genius Science video collections by grade band

Review math skills with Generation Genius Math videos

Generation Genius Math video collections by grade band

Build background knowledge with science diagrams

Science diagram collections for building background knowledge

Review science safety, tools, careers, and inquiry skills

Science safety, tools, careers, and inquiry collections

Start the school year with a Newsela premium free trial

Everything you need to accelerate learning across ELA, social studies, and science

Kick off the school year with confidence through 12 free professional learning sessions for Newsela and Formative.

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