Why Morning Meeting Is The Secret To Classroom Management Success
Spring has sprung, your students are bouncing off the walls, and classroom management might feel like a distant memory. But just because it’s April doesn’t mean your students magically remember how to collaborate or get along.
That’s where Morning Meeting comes in—a simple, powerful classroom routine that resets your community and makes your mornings smoother (and way more fun).
Let’s walk through exactly how to use Morning Meeting this spring to bring your class back together—with tons of tips, a breakdown of the structure, and examples that are perfect for upper elementary students.
Why Spring Is the Perfect Time to Bring Back Morning Meeting
In fall, you were all about community building. But by spring? We’re hanging on by a thread. 😅
Students are excited, distracted, and more independent—but that doesn’t mean they’ve mastered the skills of collaboration, respect, or kindness.
Morning Meeting gives your students a reset. It reteaches what it looks like to be part of a community, gives everyone a sense of belonging, and makes space for connection and joy.
And it doesn’t have to be complicated. You can start tomorrow with just a few simple tools.
What Is Morning Meeting?
Morning Meeting is a daily routine that helps students transition into the day with purpose, connection, and joy. It typically includes four components:
Morning Message
Greeting
Sharing
Activity/Game
Each part serves a purpose and sets the tone for the day. Let’s break them down.
What a Morning Meeting Looks Like in Upper Elementary
You may be thinking, “Okay, but my kids are too cool for this.” Trust me—they’ll LOVE it when it’s designed with them in mind. (No cheesy name games or awkward forced sharing here.)
Here’s what one Morning Meeting might look like:
Morning Message
Start with a message slide projected on the board as students walk in. It sets expectations and gives them something to do right away. Example:
Good morning! ☀️ Today is Tasty Tuesday! If it’s your birthday, what tasty treat are you celebrating with?
This message gets students engaged and ready to share while you take attendance or handle other morning tasks.
Alt text suggestion: “Colorful morning message slide for Tasty Tuesday with prompt and icons.”
Greeting
Greet each other with something fun and movement-based, like the High-Five Jump Greeting. Every student jumps up, gives a high-five, and says good morning to a classmate.
It sounds silly—but it gets kids moving, smiling, and acknowledging each other. And for older students, it breaks the ice in a non-cringe way.
Sharing
This is where the connection deepens. Students share a response to a prompt with a partner or small group. For example:
What’s your go-to birthday dessert?
What’s something fun you did last weekend?
What’s one thing you’re proud of from yesterday?
Tip: Rotate between light and reflective prompts to keep students engaged.
Activity/Game
This is the magic moment—the part of Morning Meeting that truly builds community. It’s fun, collaborative, and gives students a chance to practice teamwork.
One of our favorites? Pass the Apple.
Here’s how it works:
Everyone stands in a circle.
One student holds an object (apple, ball, stress banana—whatever you’ve got).
The teacher says a category (like chips, desserts, countries, or sports teams).
The student with the object must name 7 items in that category before the object makes its way back to them.
So if the category is chips, you might hear: “Doritos! Fritos! Takis! BBQ Lays! Sour Cream Ruffles! Cheetos! Pringles!”
Meanwhile, the rest of the class is frantically passing the object around the circle.
It’s fast. It’s silly. It’s everything you need to build cooperation and connection—without a lecture.
Why This Works So Well in Spring
Spring is tricky. Students are testing boundaries, dreaming about summer, and often need a re-centering moment each day. Morning Meeting gives them that.
Here’s what you’re really building:
Authentic interaction (not just behavior reminders)
Social-emotional learning in action
A consistent routine they can count on
Joy and laughter before academics even start
And the best part? It only takes 10–15 minutes.
Don’t Want to Plan It All Yourself? I Got You.
If you’re thinking, “Okay, this sounds great but I don’t have time to come up with prompts and games every day,” BFF—I hear you.
I’ve already done the work for you. I created an entire month of Morning Meeting slides for upper elementary:
A different theme and prompt every day
Built-in greetings, sharing questions, and activities
Totally age-appropriate for grades 3–6
✨ Your students will love it. You’ll love how easy it is. And your classroom will feel like a community again.
Click here to check it out in my TPT store!
Pro Tips for Morning Meeting Success
Be consistent. Even 2–3 days a week makes a huge difference.
Make it visual. Use slides or written prompts so students always know what’s next.
Celebrate participation. High-five students who jump in and encourage the quieter ones.
Adjust for your group. Add movement, music, or reflection time depending on your class vibe.
Keep the Momentum Going
Morning Meeting isn’t just a spring reset—it can carry you all the way to summer with strong classroom vibes and real connections.
And when students feel seen, heard, and part of a group? Everything else—behavior, engagement, learning—gets so much better.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need a new curriculum or a magic wand to reset your classroom this spring. You just need 10 minutes, a fun prompt, and a little structure. Morning Meeting is the simplest way to bring joy, connection, and calm back to your classroom.
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