Fifth grade teachers I work with do a journal entry and SEL check in on a google form. Students share anything they want the teacher to know privately and quickly. I prefer a choice board for my class. We have individual boxes of legos, playdough, reading, or an art choice. My students love the slow start and I love not grading another “morning work”. It’s always a calm morning.

I use quick quotes. Since our benchmarks cover the founding of America, I use quotes from the Founding Fathers and have the students turn them into tweets. The next day we read the “tweets” and then quick discussion. New quote assigned and cycle continues.

My 5th graders and I do “Rose, Bud, Thorn”. A rose is something good that has already happened, a bud is something you are looking forward to soon, and a thorn is any negative feelings or events they want to share. It’s a good way to check in with kids and get some insight into their hearts!