Back to School 2026: 8 Ways to Start the Year Strong (Plus, Enter to Win!)
Back to School 2026: 8 Ways to Start the Year Strong (Plus, Enter to Win!)
Quick Take: Back-to-school season is here, and after a summer of planning, prepping, and (hopefully) some rest, science educators everywhere are getting ready to welcome students back into the classroom. We're sharing 8 ways to start the year off strong, plus details on our Instagram giveaway, where three lucky winners will take home prizes worth over $400 total. Read on for tips and how to enter.
A new school year always brings that mix of excitement and "where did summer go?" energy, and we're here for both. As you get your classroom ready for a new group of students, we've put together 8 ideas to help you start strong, plus a chance to win one of three prizes in our back-to-school Instagram giveaway.
8 Ways to Kick Off the New School Year
Whether you're a classroom veteran or brand new to teaching science, these are simple ways to start the year with momentum:
- Send a Welcome Message Before Day One: A quick note or postcard to students (and families) ahead of the first day can ease first-day nerves and start the year off with a personal touch.
- Revisit Your Unit Sequence: Take a few minutes to map out your units for the semester. Knowing where you're headed makes it easier to build anticipation for each new investigation.
- Build Community Before Content: The first few days matter more for relationships than for coverage. Icebreakers rooted in real scientific questions can help students see themselves as scientists from the start.
- Refresh Your Classroom Routines: Take a few minutes to revisit norms, procedures, and goals from last year. Deciding what to keep, tweak, or drop can save you headaches once the year picks up speed.
- Set Up a Communication Rhythm with Families: A quick welcome email or newsletter template makes it easier to keep families in the loop once the year gets busy.
- Create a "Parking Lot" for Student Questions: Encourage students to post questions they're curious about all year. Revisiting them later shows students their curiosity drives the learning.
- Give Yourself Grace During Week One: Not everything will go according to plan, and that's alright. The first week is about building routines, not perfecting them.
- Enter Our Back-to-School Giveaway! Because a fresh school year deserves a little extra excitement. Which brings us to...
Join Our 2026 Back-to-School Instagram Giveaway!
We're kicking off the new school year by giving back to the science educators who make it all happen. We're giving away over $400 in prizes across three winners, because the people doing this work deserve more than a pat on the back.
Here's what's up for grabs:
Grand Prize: $300 Activate Learning store credit + a $50 gift card (Amazon or TPT) — a total value of $350
Second Prize: A $50 gift card (Amazon or TPT)
Third Prize: An Activate Learning "What's Your Evidence" t-shirt
Here's how to enter:
- Follow @ActivateLearning on Instagram (required)
- Comment "Activate" on our giveaway post (+1 entry)
- Tag a science educator friend in the comments (+1 entry per tag, up to 3 tags)
Multiple entries are allowed, so the more you comment and tag, the more chances you have to win.
Giveaway starts on Monday, August 24th, 2026.
Entries close at 5 PM EST on Friday, August 28th, 2026.
Winners will be announced publicly and notified by DM on September 1st, with a 48-hour window to claim their prize.
Grab a colleague, tag them in the comments, and start the school year with a little extra luck on your side.
Here's to a Great Year Ahead
However this school year unfolds, we hope it's full of curious questions, good evidence, and a classroom full of students who feel excited to learn. Good luck with the giveaway, and welcome back!
-The Activate Learning Team
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