Ideas to Make Morning Meeting Work for Upper Elementary

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The phrase “Morning Meeting” usually sparks two images…

Students stilling on the floor singing a cute welcome song,

And the day’s calendar and weather review.

These are both great activities for Morning Meeting, BUT they don’t really have an upper elementary vibe. If I asked my 5th graders to come to sit on the carpet to sing our “good morning song”, I’m pretty sure I’d lose them. 

That doesn’t mean that Morning Meetings aren’t for upper elementary students - actually quite the contrary.  For upper elementary students, this time serves as an opportunity to foster social-emotional growth, build a sense of classroom community, as well as establish a positive tone for the day.  

To make Morning Meetings work in upper elementary classrooms, we need to consider tweaking the activities and adding engaging, meaningful tasks that fit their age and developmental needs.

The Importance of Morning Meetings in Upper Elementary Classrooms

Before we can talk about how to elevate Morning Meetings to suit our upper elementary students, we first need to ground ourselves in the what and establish the purpose of Morning Meetings.

Morning Meeting is a time in the day (usually first thing in the morning) with the purpose of creating a welcoming environment for students where they can connect with each other, share about what’s happening in their lives outside of school, as well as prepare for the day. 

It’s about building community - which is important for all students. 

For upper elementary students, this time is important for students to practice and build social-emotional skills such as empathy, communication, and collaboration in a structured setting. 

For our upper elementary students, we can take Morning Meeting time beyond just reviewing the day’s activities by incorporating time for conversations that promote self-awareness and critical thinking.  By incorporating engaging activities such as discussing fascinating facts (something my students LOVED by the way) or reflecting on personal experiences, you can transform your Morning Meeting time into a powerful classroom experience that both you and your students will enjoy. 

Morning Meeting Activities for Upper Elementary

I get it… the idea of Morning Meeting can seem a little too “elementary” for our older students.  

At the very mention of Morning Meeting, many upper elementary students (and teachers) cringe at the image of sitting in a circle talking about the day’s weather. 

Morning Meeting in Upper Elementary looks different.  

We can engage students in community building with a balance of academic engagement along with social-emotional learning. Here are my go-to strategies for creating a cringe-free morning meeting. 

Build Classroom Community During Morning Meeting

Let’s talk about icebreakers…

Just kidding! BUT incorporating similar activities can be a great way to support and build camaraderie amongst your Upper Elementary students. 

Activities such as “Would You Rather”, the “Name Chain Game”, or identifying objects they would prefer if they were stranded are engaging and can easily spark conversation while providing an entry point for ALL students to access the conversation.  

Also, starting a discussion around fun and interesting facts is a way to spark conversation and engagement. For example, my students LOVED learning about animals.  So, every morning, we’d start out the day learning an interesting fact about a baby animal (because - who doesn’t like looking at and learning about baby animals!). This was an easy way to not only ignite curiosity and engage students in discussions, it also create a shared learning experience that brought students together. 

Provide Time for Social-Emotional Learning

Upper elementary students are going through a lot…

Socially, emotionally, and academically.

It’s a time of big changes and even bigger feelings.

This is why giving upper elementary students opportunities to reflect and strengthen their interpersonal skills is so important.  Including activities that focus on these skills during Morning Meeting is perfect because it provides a structured - yet welcoming and safe - space for students to practice skills such as empathy, active listening, and self-awareness.

Simple activities such as a daily gratitude practice or setting personal goals are a great place to start.  You can also add role-playing scenarios to help students explore ideas like kindness, perspective-taking, and teamwork. These little moments can make a big difference in helping your students navigate this unique stage of life.

Use Morning Meetings to Make Academic Connections

One of the biggest shifts that I encountered when I moved from first to fifth grade was the content. 

Yes, a lot of learning happens in BOTH grades, but the depth and rigor of the fifth-grade curriculum created a starkly different pressure when trying to get it all in. Because of the amount of content, upper elementary students benefit from multiple opportunities to engage in and interact with content.  

You can do this by including a math challenge such as a monthly estimation challenge or start the day off by introducing students to a “word of the day” with the challenge to use it correctly throughout the day. 

I love weaving in daily fun facts - like the ones from my Baby Animal Morning Meeting Slides - as a fun way to bring in content. For example, after sharing a baby animal fact, I’ll ask questions that connect to what we’ve been learning in science, like habitats, adaptations, or life cycles. It’s such an easy and engaging way to tie it all together!

Elevate Your Morning Meeting Routine

I get it - planning for Morning Meetings can feel like it’s just “one more thing”...

However, incorporating engaging and meaningful morning meeting activities in your upper elementary classroom doesn’t have to be daunting.

Hone in on activities that promote connection-building and social-emotional learning, with a dash of academic integration, to transform this daily routine into a cornerstone of your classroom culture. 

Ready to take your morning meetings to the next level? 

Check out my Baby Animal Facts Morning Meeting Slides (180 Days of Facts). This ready-to-use resource includes 180 days of new baby animals and interesting facts to spark engagement and discussions during your morning meetings ALL YEAR LONG!

More Ways to Elevate Your Upper Elementary Classroom

Not only was I able to bring Morning Meeting into my fifth-grade classroom, but I also incorporated the Daily 5 framework into my literacy block.

And OMG teacher friend, it was a GAME CHANGER!

For more on how I made the Daily 5 work for my fifth graders, check out this YouTube video!

CLICK HERE for more on what Daily 5 looks like in 5th grade.