One of my favorite books to read to the children on the first day of school is Mrs. Spitzer's Garden by Edith Pattou. I usually have the children come to the floor and sit in a circle, so that everyone can see each other. This is our first morning meeting of the year and this book sets the tone for the year. I use it to help students to talk about what they expect to learn and explore this school year. This conversation then leads to ways we can help build community in our classroom.
