A morning meeting is a great chance to boost classroom connections, improve communication skills, and set up consistent routines for students. It's also a perfect time for students to work on key skills such as attending, listening to whole-class instruction, and following multi-step directions. For many special education students, morning meeting may be one of the only times they join in on group activities, making it a crucial part of the school day.
While calendar time is a staple of morning meetings, there are plenty of ways to extend learning and make this routine more meaningful. Here are some engaging ways to spice up your morning meeting.
Emotional Check In
Starting the day with an emotional check-in helps students develop emotional regulation and self-awareness. Recognizing and expressing emotions is the first step in managing them. During this activity, students state how they are feeling and share something positive, such as good news or something they are looking forward to. Including classroom staff in this process provides students with valuable models for self-expression.
A structured visual emotions chart or communication board can support students with limited verbal skills. If you're looking for a ready-made tool, grab the free emotional check-in visual from the resource library to make this activity even more accessible!
Environmental Signs
Morning meeting is an ideal time to introduce functional literacy skills, such as recognizing and understanding community and safety signs. Implementing a Sign of the Week routine provides structured, repeated exposure to real-world symbols, improving students’ recognition and comprehension skills.
Incorporate hands-on activities like matching signs, discussing their meaning, and identifying where they are found in the community. This approach not only builds environmental print awareness but also fosters independence and safety skills in daily life.
Question of the Day
Adding a Question of the Day to morning meeting encourages language development, social interaction, and critical thinking. Students can practice forming and answering questions while engaging in a meaningful discussion.
To expand this activity:
Graph student responses to incorporate math and data analysis skills.
Have students write their answers in a journal to reinforce functional writing skills.
Encourage peer interaction by having students take turns asking and responding, which supports social skills and AAC users in communication practice.
This inclusive activity ensures all students, regardless of communication abilities, participate in classroom discussions and build expressive and receptive language skills.
Weather
Weather discussions are a common part of many morning routines, but you can take it further by incorporating functional literacy, science, and real-world connections:
Pull up the weekly forecast and compare temperatures in different locations.
Discuss seasonal changes and appropriate clothing choices.
Make inferences about daily activities based on the weather.
Use a weather tracking chart to record and analyze patterns over time.
Go beyond the basics and connect this skill to real life!
Calendar Skills
Calendar time is essential for a morning meeting, but it can go beyond just singing the days of the week song. Here are some strategies to build deeper time management and sequencing skills:
Teach students how to read and understand calendar abbreviations.
Ask elapsed time questions, such as “How many days until Friday?” or “What date was last Monday?”
Practice sequencing by arranging numbers, days of the week, or months of the year in order.
Teach students how to use planners or classroom calendars to record upcoming events, special occasions, and schedule changes.
Building functional calendar skills helps students become more independent in managing their daily routines and responsibilities.
Final Thoughts
Morning meetings are more than just a routine—they are a powerful tool for building community, reinforcing academic and functional skills, and setting a positive tone for the day. By adding in emotional check-ins, functional literacy, social interaction, and real-world applications, you can make morning meeting engaging, inclusive, and meaningful for all students.
Try out these ideas and see how they transform your morning routine!
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