Greetings

Greetings are a fun way to start the morning. During greetings students greet their peers and their teacher which helps them get to know each other. Listed below are some possible greetings that educators can use within their classroom.

• Beach Ball greeting- This greeting requires a beach ball, preferably a large one. On each of the colors the teacher should write a question on it. When doing this greeting the class should be in a large circle, each student will throw and catch the beach ball. When catching the ball the catchers right thumb will determine which question they answer. The student will read out what the question is and answer it. The student will then say "Good morning (insert name)" and throw the ball to that person. This will continue until each student has answered a question and thrown the ball.
• Knock Knock greeting- This is a good greeting to use when students are still getting to know each other and learning each others names.

Script

Student 1: Knock knock

All: Who's there?

Student 1: (First name)

All: _(Insert first name of student 1)__ who?

Student 1: __(First and last name)__

All: Good morning __(First and last name)__

• Say Your Name- This greeting is also a good choice if students are still learning each others names.

All: Say your name and when you do, we will say it back to you!

Student 1: First name

All: repeats first name

The whole class should get in a large circle and say this chant for each student. Once all the children have stated their name then the greeting is done.

• Compliment greeting- This is a fast greeting that should make every student a little happier in the morning. Each child greets another child with "Good morning ____. (insert compliment). Children can be sitting in a circle and greet the person next to them or children can roam around the class and greet multiple people. But the teacher should model what a compliment should sound like so students don't say anything rude to each other.
• 5 Greetings- This greeting is a quick way for students to greet each other with a verbal greeting and a gesture. Instruct students to greet five different students with "Good morning __(insert name of student)__" and a gesture. The teacher should write a few examples on the board like, a wave, handshake, fist bump or elbow touch. But students can feel free to be creative as long as they are appropriate.
• 5 Up High Greeting

This greeting requires partners.

Script- Five up high (high five)

Five down low (high five down low)

You're a friend, I'm glad to know.

• Doing the Rumba

Everyone stands in a circle and the teacher chooses one student to begin.

One person begins by making gestures while saying "This is the way to do the Rumba".

Everyone then mimics the actions.

The next person in the circle then responds saying "No ____Name of the previous student___ "This is the way we do the Rumba".

Everyone mimics the second person and it continues in this way until everyone has had a chance to do their Rumba.

• Noodle Greeting- For this greeting a swimming noodle is needed.

Everyone will stand in a circle, but one person will stand in the middle of the circle holding the noodle length ways. The student in the middle of the circle holding the noodle will say "Good morning/ Good afternoon __name of another student__". The student in the middle will then drop the noodle. The student addressed in the greeting will then try to catch the noodle before it hits the ground. If the student catches it before it drops the person that greeted them will stay in the center and greet another student. But if the noodle hits the ground, that student will then become the new person greeting and holding the noodle. This will continue until all students have been greeted.

• A Little Known Fact

Have the students think of a fact about themselves which many people may not know. Students introduce themselves "Good morning, my name is _____ and a little known fact about me is ____." Group responds "Good morning, __(name)__. This continues until every student has gone.

• Spider Web

Holding a ball of yarn a student greets someone across the circle and gently rolls the ball to that person while firmly holding on to the end of the yarn. The student who receives the ball of yarn greets another student across the circle and rolls the ball to that student, making sure to hold onto the unraveling strand with one hand. This continues until everyone has been greeted and the yarn has created a web across the circle. To unravel the web, students greet each other in reverse order until the ball of yarn is wound up again.

• Hallaboo Greeting

Give the students a list of different ways to move, a list of different ways to greet and a list of topics. The teacher will choose one from each list and the children will move in that way, greet in that way and talk about that topic. The teacher can do this as many times as they wish. For example, the lists could be....

Ways to move- Like a zombie, like a dog, in slow motion, skip, don't pick your feet up

Ways to greet- Link elbows, wink, fist bump, high five, smile, hip bump

Topics- Favorite subject, one fun thing that happened over the weekend, favorite movie, favorite dessert, favorite season, favorite food

The teacher may choose like move in slow motion, greet with a high five and talk about their favorite food.

• Doing the Wave Greeting

1- Everyone stands in a circle with both arms extended out toward their classmates without touching palms.

2- Turn to the student on your left and say "Good morning/afternoon __(name of student)__. __(That student)__ will greet back." Both students raise their arms/hands in a wave like motion.

3- The last student to greet will then greet the next person to their left and greet another the same way with the same motion.

4- Continue until the wave goes around the circle.