Morning Meeting greetings are the perfect way to start each day in your upper elementary classroom. Morning Meeting is one of the most important parts of my school day. I believe that it should be a pillar in every classroom. If who do Morning Meeting, or if you’re interested in starting Morning Meeting, you may know that the first component of the Responsive Classroom Morning Meeting is the Greeting.
Students work on their manners and respect as they greet their classmates. Greetings are an integral part of building classroom community. Students acknowledge each other and build relationships in our safe space.If you’re looking for more support with Morning Meeting, sign up for my FREE video training series! I would love to share my best tips and ideas with you!!
Fall Morning Meeting Greetings for 3rd-5th Grade
Sometimes it can be challenging coming up with fresh ideas for Morning Meeting greetings that are different than the norm. I love adding seasonal or holiday morning meeting greetings to my arsenal to peak student interest and enjoy each season and holiday.
Here are five Morning Meeting Greetings for Fall– my favorite season! I have included a couple for the whole season, as well as a Halloween-themed greeting and a Thanksgiving-themed greeting. Make sure you read to the bottom of this post for a freebie and to pin this post to refer back to during the autumn months!
Morning Meeting Greeting 1: Falling Leaves
This first Morning Meeting greeting is done with all students standing in a circle. The first student waves to his/her neighbor and says, “Good Morning, (Student’s Name)”. Student 2 shakes Student 1’s hand and says “Good Morning, (Student’s Name).” Then, Student 1 acts like a falling leaf (as if Student 2 shook his branch to make him fall off the “tree”) and falls to sit on the ground.
This continues around the circle. The last student standing shakes hands with the first fallen leaf so that everyone is seated at the end of the greeting!
Morning Meeting Greeting 2: Pumpkin Seeds
Before Morning Meeting begins, get a hollow pumpkin (or orange bucket if a pumpkin isn’t available). Cut seed shapes out of colored paper and write each student’s name on a seed, and put them into the bucket. During your Greeting time, call one student to pick a seed out of the pumpkin (without looking) and greet that student with a fist bump or high five. Then, Student 1 sits down and Student 2 picks a seed out of the pumpkin. This continues until all seeds are out of the pumpkin and everyone has been greeted! Keep the seeds to reuse several times!
Greeting 3: Smores
Students can mingle around and find different partners to do this with, or they can sit in a circle and take turns greeting each other. Basically, they will make a hand stack with their partners. They will take turns using a hand – Student 1’s first hand will act like a graham cracker, and be flat on the bottom. Student 2’s first hand will act like the chocolate, and be in a fist with his/her fingers on top of the first hand. Student 1’s second hand will act like the marshmallow, and be in a fist with his/her fingers sideways, and Student 2’s second hand will be the second graham cracker, laying flat on the top.
After all four hands have been stacked, they’ll greet each other, and then act like they’re eating a s’more and say “YUM!” at the end!
Morning Meeting Greeting 4: Trick or Treat
This is a class greeting. Everyone is seated in a circle, and this is the dialogue that happens:
Class: “Ding Dong” (acts like they’re pushing a doorbell)
Student: “Who’s there?” (acts like he/she is opening a door)
Class: “Trick or Treat, (Student’s Name)!”
Student: “No tricks here…our class is a TREAT!” OR “Happy Halloween, Class!”
You can choose (or make your own) for what the student will say at the end. Then, this will continue around the circle so that everyone has a chance to be greeted.
Greeting 5: #Thankful
Finally, this is a great greeting to do in November or any time! It’s very similar to a Compliment Circle. Everyone will sit in a circle with their legs out in front of them. You, as the teacher, start by saying, “I’m thankful for (Student’s Name) because…” Then, finish the phrase.
You’ll have to model some ideas that are deeper and more meaningful than “He’s a great friend” or “ She’s really nice”. Encourage students to think outside of the box. Whichever student you choose says, “Thank you (your name)” and pulls in his/her legs. Then, the student to your left (or right) is next to repeat the greeting to someone whose legs are out in front of them. By the end, everyone has greeted someone else, and everyone has received a greeting!
If you’re a visual learner like me, I’ve recorded myself doing and teaching these greetings. Feel free to watch this video to get a better idea of how each morning meeting greeting works!
I have made a Fall Morning Meeting Greetings PDF for you to download and print out as a reference, as you do these greetings with your class. Click here to get that freebie!
Here are some more great fall blog posts from other teachers to read!
The Teacher House has a great post on how to get students healthy!
This is a great read about incorporating science and nature into your lessons!
Feeling the sniffles or stomachache coming on? Brain Ninjas has you covered with Emergency Sub Plans!
Teaching in Room 5 has awesome Scholastic book order secrets to share!
Morning Meeting Time-Saver
If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed and want to take something OFF of your crazy full plate as an upper elementary teacher, I’m here to help. And that includes Fall Morning Meeting slides – these slides include everything you need to make your Fall Morning Meetings the best they can be while not having to prep a thing! Click here to learn more.
I hope you and your students enjoy using these greetings to strengthen your classroom community this fall! I’d love to see them in action – feel free to snap a photo or video and post it on Instagram or Facebook, and tag me! Don’t forget to pin this post to your Fall Pinterest Boards too!!
I hope you and your students enjoy using these greetings to strengthen your classroom community this fall! I’d love to see them in action – feel free to snap a photo or video and post it on Instagram or Facebook, and tag me! Don’t forget to pin this post to your Fall Pinterest Boards too!!
Love all the fun pictures on this post! I can't wait to add some of these tips into my daily classroom. I love seasonal/festive ideas that I can incorporate!
I love all these ideas, Allie! I am a huge fan of seasonal activities, so I can’t wait to use these. Thank you for sharing!
I love morning meeting time! These fall morning meeting greetings are so much fun! I have never heard of the pumpkin one, I have to try it! Thanks!
I just love these ideas! They are perfect for this time of the year!
Some really cute ideas here! It’s always tough for me to come up with seasonal ideas. Thanks.
I love fall and love your ideas for morning meetings! Another great post Allie! Thank you for always sharing your awesomeness!