Birthday Activity

First Day of Middle School Birthday Idea

Aug 11, 2006 Debbie DeSpirt

A birthday activity to record your students' birthdays and to teach problem solving skills.

Teachers have a multitude of information to record on the first day of school. Take the boredom out of data gathering by recording each students' birthday with this fun and interactive birthday activity. This activity is geared for students in middle school and high school.

Birthday Activity

The purpose of the birthday activity is to record the students' birthdays and to teach children problem solving skills.

Instruct the students that they are unable to talk with the other students for this next activity. Do not tell them it is an activity to find out their classmates birthday until after you instructed them about the no talking rule. Model to the students how they may communicate with their hands, face, or using body language. For example, a student may use his hand to show the number 3 to symbolize the third month of March. The only rule for this activity is the students will not converse.

Students will be making a line in chronological order for the 12 months. The teacher will decide on the location in the classroom for the first month. (January at the front of the class and December at the back of the class)

The teacher will observe the students and enforce the no talking rule, as the students get into line. After the line is complete, the teacher will ask each student his/her birthday and record them.

Interesting Note: In most classes you will usually find 2 students with the same birthday. I found my birthday match when I first participated in this birthday activity in Teachers College.

Classroom Birthday Calendars

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Birthday Activity