Morning Meeting: The Secret to Building Community in the Classroom in 3 Easy Steps
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Creating a warm and welcoming classroom for your students doesn’t just happen by accident— it’s intentionally built through dependable routines, daily connection, and opportunities for students to feel valued and seen! One of the most powerful ways to set this tone is through Morning Meeting. More than just a quick “Good morning!” and tossing bookbags into cubbies, this part of the day builds trust, establishes consistency, and encourages students to start the day positively and with focus. When Morning Meeting is used well, it becomes your secret weapon for building community in the classroom!
Keep reading for 3 easy steps for setting up an engaging and meaningful morning routine for your students:
What is Morning Meeting and Why Does It Matter?
Morning Meeting is a daily ritual that gives you and your students a chance to come together as a community before diving headfirst into academics. It lasts 10-15 max, and it should include these 4 parts:
- Greeting
- Share
- Activity
- Message
This routine will become a fun time that your students look forward to, help them feel safe and prepared for the day, and foster deeper peer relationships. Morning Meeting is also a great time to naturally teach important social emotional skills like listening and respect while easing the transition from home into the learning day!
How Morning Meeting Builds a Positive Classroom Community
As you know, students thrive on dependability and connection. When you take the time to slow down and check in with them each morning, you’re showing them that THEY MATTER! This daily touchpoint helps prevent behavior challenges, improves motivation, and sets a positive tone for learning.
When you start the day in the same (exciting!) way each day, you’re setting the foundation for building community in the classroom that will carry you and your students well throughout the entire school year.
3 Easy Steps for Great Morning Meetings
The thought of planning Morning Meeting every.single.day probably has you feeling slightly overwhelmed— but stop your doubts and spiraling worries!
The editable YEARLONG Morning Meeting Daily Slides make planning this daily routine super simple, engaging, and completely STRESS FREE! It includes 180 different days worth of Morning Meeting, so you don’t have to repeat anything.
With this resource, you can have an amazing Morning Meeting with your students each morning in just 3 easy steps and ZERO prep:
Step 1: Welcome & Greeting
First, start with an attention-grabbing greeting slide that welcomes your students to the new school day.
Consider any of these greeting options:
- Word of the Day
- Songs & Chants
- Fact of the Day
- Joke of the Day
- & more
*Try 10 Morning Meeting Songs & Chants for FREE!
This consistent greeting helps students transition from home to school and provides a sense of security as the day begins.
Step 2: Share Together
Next, encourage students to share their thoughts and feelings with one another. This important step promotes empathy and understanding among your students and is vital for building a strong classroom community!
Display the Question of the Day, Words of Wisdom, or Advice of the Day to get your students talking.
What is your favorite book?
What did you have for breakfast this morning?
If you want pancakes for breakfast, offer to help make them.
What is the oldest thing that you own? How did you get that old thing?
The editable Morning Meeting Daily Slides make it easy for you to tailor questions and prompts to your class’s individual needs. You’ll know what they need most based on the day before or what’s coming up later in the day.
Step 3: Activity & Routine
Finally, wrap up Morning Meeting with an interactive activity.
Options include:
- Logic Puzzles
- Brain Teasers
- & more!
This last step reinforces teamwork and helps students shift into learning mode with lots of energy and focus for the day ahead! It’s the perfect way to connect community-building to your day.
More about the Yearlong Editable Morning Meeting Slides
This resource truly includes everything you need for a full year (180 days!) of highly enjoyable and community-focused morning routines!
The daily slides template includes:
- Positive Affirmations: Start each day with confidence (10 unique affirmations).
- Jokes of the Day: A new, hilarious joke for every day of the year.
- Fun Facts: Fascinating daily facts to spark curiosity and discussion.
- Logic Puzzles & Brain Teasers: Challenge your students with 180 critical thinking puzzles (6 different types, including riddles, sudoku, and word-play puzzles).
- Daily Vocabulary Words: Build robust language skills with a new academic vocabulary word each day (tier 2 words, definitions, and parts of speech included).
- Conversation-Starting Questions: Engage students with meaningful discussions that build community and strengthen speaking and listening skills.
- Words of Wisdom: Daily kid-friendly advice to inspire deeper thinking and conversation.
This set also includes printable and projectable student recording sheets to help hold your students accountable!
For your benefit, interactive answers to the daily joke and logic puzzle are included on each slide also. Again– all fun & zero work for you!
Interested in Morning Meeting for Older Students?
If you teach middle or high school, you can still harness the power of Morning Meeting with a format that better fits your students’ needs.
Try these Good Morning Slides for Middle & High School to create meaningful check-ins and build a positive routine for your older learners, too!
Morning Meeting doesn’t need to feel like another task on your to-do list— it’s an easy opportunity for building community in the classroom between your students and yourself! By using the done-for-you Morning Meeting Daily Slides, you can implement this routine with zero stress. As you positively set up each day, you’re giving your students the gift of connection and belonging that will carry them much farther than the four walls of your classroom!
Let me know if you have any questions about anything you see here. Don’t forget to pin this post to refer to it later!
Other posts you may enjoy:
Easy HOW TO: Maximizing Your Classroom Management Skills with Morning Meeting
The PROVEN Benefits of Morning Meeting in the Elementary Classroom
10 Tips for a Successful Morning Routine to Reduce Chaos in the Elementary Classroom
MAKE MORNING ROUTINES IN YOUR CLASSROOM FUN AND ENGAGING WITH THESE
Free Morning Meeting Songs & Greetings
The perfect way to get students energized and ready to go in the mornings!
Diane Romo
Thank you for being here! I love sharing ideas with other teachers! If you are looking to enhance your teaching and build a positive classroom community, you have come to the right place!
