Welcome Back Celebration

Year 1 | 60 Minutes | Class of 26 Students

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Overview

This is the first lesson in the unit "Fun First Days!" designed to create a warm, inclusive, and engaging classroom environment. The lesson aims to foster social connections, enrich vocabulary, and build a sense of community through interactive games, sharing, and creative expression.

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National Curriculum Links (Primary - Early Years/Foundation Stage to Year 1)

• Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE)

  • Develop confidence and self-awareness
  • Recognise and celebrate similarities and differences
  • Participate in collaborative learning

• English – Spoken Language

  • Pupils should be taught to participate in discussions, listen carefully to others, and take turns in conversation
  • Use new vocabulary linked to experiences

• Art & Design

  • Use a range of materials to express ideas
  • Experiment with colour, shape, and texture

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WALT (We Are Learning To)

• Get to know our classmates and build friendships through fun games.
• Use new vocabulary to talk about our summer holiday experiences.
• Create a class mural that represents our interests and feelings.

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Success Criteria

• I can listen and take turns during group activities.
• I can use words to describe my summer experiences.
• I can contribute to a shared artwork by choosing colours and drawing.
• I feel happy and safe with my new classmates.

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Equipment & Resources

• Large roll of paper for mural
• Colourful markers, crayons, and stickers
• Picture cards with vocabulary prompts (e.g., sun, beach, garden, football)
• Name badges or sticker dots for team games
• Soft ball or beanbag for icebreaker games
• Dyslexia-friendly sentence starters for sharing time (clear font, large text)

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Lesson Outline

Time	Activity	Description & Differentiation
0-10 min	Welcome and Circle Time Introduction	Welcome children with a smile. Briefly explain the lesson. Use clear language and visual prompts.
		Pose an open question: “What did you do in the summer?” Introduce key vocabulary using picture cards.
		Differentiation: Use visual word cards and sentence stems; allow non-verbal responses or simple phrases.
10-25 min	Icebreaker Game: “Pass the Smile”	Children sit in a circle passing a soft ball while saying their names and one word about summer (e.g., "sun").
		Emphasise turn-taking and listening skills. Use visual cues to support notice of turn order.
		Differentiation: Support with adult prompts or partner talk; provide visual cues for children with language delays.
25-40 min	Sharing Summer Experiences	Children share short sentences about their holidays in pairs or small groups using dyslexia-friendly sentence starters (e.g., "I went to…", "I liked…").
		Teacher models language first. Record new vocabulary introduced during sharing on the board.
		Differentiation: Provide sentence starters and key word cards; encourage use of gestures or drawing to assist communication.
40-55 min	Class Mural Creation: “Our Summer Stories”	Children draw or colour pictures representing their interests and summer fun on a large mural paper. Use vocabulary captured earlier.
		Teacher prompts: “What colours will you choose? Why?” “What shapes can show your favourite thing?”
		Differentiation: Children can dictate their ideas to adults or peer helpers; provide stamps and stickers for fine motor support.
55-60 min	Reflection and Clean-Up	Gather to look at the mural. Each child says one word about their favourite part of the day.
		Praise all contributions, reiterate our class community and shared interests.

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Differentiation Strategies

• Use visuals, symbols, and sentence starters to support children with language or literacy difficulties.
• Pair or group diverse learners with supportive peers for collaborative tasks.
• Provide quiet spaces or fidget tools for children needing sensory regulation.
• Scaffold language with modelling and repetition.
• Offer multi-sensory materials for creating the mural (e.g., textured paper, stickers).

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Extension Activities (for advanced learners)

• Encourage children to write a simple sentence or label on their mural contributions.
• Invite children to use new vocabulary words in full sentences during sharing.
• Challenge learners to think about “Why” they enjoyed certain experiences and explain these to the class.

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Dyslexia-Friendly Reading Support

• Use large, clear font (e.g., OpenDyslexic or Arial) on all printed sentence starters.
• Present key vocabulary on cards with corresponding images.
• Chunk instructions into simple, short sentences.
• Use high-contrast backgrounds and coloured overlays if requested.

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Reflection for Teacher

• Did all children participate comfortably in the icebreaker and sharing?
• Were new vocabulary words effectively integrated and understood?
• How did the mural activity foster collaboration and creativity?
• What adjustments might support quieter or more shy children better?

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This lesson harnesses active participation and language-rich interactions to build confidence and community, laying a firm foundation for Year 1 learners’ successful start to the school year.