7 Hidden Benefits of Morning Meeting in Upper Grades

When it comes to incorporating morning meeting in upper grades, many teachers might initially think it’s too “babyish” for their older students. Even my own third-grader once expressed that sentiment! You may be stuck picturing calendar with a group of kindergarten students huddled around a carpet or a teacher reading an oversized picture book in a rocking chair. However, in this post, we’ll dive into the hidden benefits of morning meetings in upper grades, revealing why they’re not just for the little ones.

Why is Morning Meeting in Upper Grades Important?

As an upper grade teacher, you’re probably familiar with students wanting to avoid “little kid” activities at all costs, even if they might benefit from some of them. Your students are dealing with different challenges than the littles and realizing they are now the big kids on campus. Unfortunately this sometimes manifests as trying out disrespectful behaviors, being bored and not engaged in class activities, and even starting to isolate. Do you have students in your class that are having difficulty making friends, participating, or regulating emotions? Morning meeting in upper elementary grades can help!

Create a Safe Place with Upper Elementary Morning Meetings

Morning meeting in upper grades is extremely beneficial for older students who may be struggling to connect with peers. The daily community building forms bonds that may otherwise be a challenge as students become self conscious or less confident as they change from a young child to an adolescent. The engaging routine from morning meeting slides gives students something to look forward to. This becomes their safe space for the day as they may start finding school more difficult with more complex subjects and peer relationships. Ready to see how something as simple as morning meeting in upper elementary can make a big difference for your students?

How Does it Work?

There is a curriculum to get through in the upper grades and I know every moment is precious. In order to maximize the time you have to teach all the things you need to, I planned out an entire year of morning meeting that requires no prep and is completely editable for your classroom’s needs! All you have to do is pull up the digital slides and customize it for your day as needed!

Your students will learn to check the cover slide for any daily announcements, get immediately engaged with your morning message, and collaborate with daily greetings, share sessions, and activities to start their day off on a positive note. This positivity can trickle down throughout the day, giving students the confidence to participate and share more during other subjects and activities as well!

What’s Included?

The bundle of morning meeting slides includes 40 weeks of completely prepped for you morning meetings requiring no printing or paper! There is a PowerPoint and Google Slides version for you to choose from as well as directions to download any fonts you might need. After editing the daily cover slide and morning message slide, the rest of the meeting is completely done!

Students will be exposed to 30 different greetings that rotate throughout the year to engage students and promote social connections. 180 unique share topics allow students to listen to one another and give students the chance to learn more about their peers. These include sentence frame prompts to help guide even your most timid student. Finally, over 25 activities are included to encourage community building right from the start.

The predictable format and clear expectations makes this something that will quickly become comfortable for your students and minimize questions about how to participate. The meetings can be completed in as little as 15 minutes with this format, helping you aid your students in growing their social emotional competencies while still leaving time for other things in your packed schedule.

Benefits of Morning Meeting in Upper Elementary

• Kids will secretly love answering questions. You may think that older students will think answering questions during a morning meeting is boring and too childish. But there are plenty of kids who secretly love this kind of interaction. Morning meetings can allow students to express themselves, share their thoughts, and feel valued in a supportive classroom environment. Answering these simple questions may be just the confidence boost one of your students needs to start sharing a little more.
• Creating a safe space in an awkward time. Upper elementary is an in-between stage when they’re not little anymore but not old enough to be in middle school. They may still like some things younger students like but might not feel it’s acceptable. Students are becoming more independent but are still often seen as little kids because they’re in elementary school. Morning meetings provide a safe space where students can express themselves and feel heard and seen, even when they might not feel that way generally.

• Cultivating friendships. Morning meetings often involve activities that reveal commonalities between students. When they discover shared interests or experiences, it’s an excellent opportunity for forging friendships that might not have happened otherwise. It’s a reminder that connecting with others can happen when you least expect it.
• Building social-emotional intelligence and awareness. As students grow, it becomes increasingly important to develop their social-emotional intelligence and self-awareness. Morning meetings help older students explore their emotions, communicate effectively, and become more empathetic individuals. These are essential skills to navigate the complexities of pre-adolescence.

• Students participating more throughout the day. The open and inclusive atmosphere of morning meetings can carry over to other parts of the school day. Students who feel comfortable expressing themselves during these meetings may find it easier to participate in classroom discussions or seek help when they need it.
• Teachers get great anecdotes to share with parents. Morning meetings can provide teachers with valuable insights into their students’ lives, interests, and concerns. These anecdotes can be shared with parents, fostering a strong connection between home and school. It’s a great way to keep parents informed about their child’s experiences and progress.
• Creating a memorable class culture. One of the most beautiful outcomes of morning meetings in upper grades is the creation of a unique class culture. Students develop inside jokes, memorable sayings, and shared experiences that become cherished memories of their time together.

What Teachers are Saying

“This is fabulous. We have to implement morning meetings this year and I LOVE THIS! It has so much done for me (thank you!) and so fun. The kids love it and I love the variety yet it is similar. Perfect x 100!”

— Sarah Iseley ★★★★★

“We are a Leader In Me school and I LOVE using these for morning meetings! No prep and students are engaged! Don’t second think this- buy it!”

— Tiffany Filyaw  ★★★★★

“My students look forward to the activities and are very engaged. It is excellent for me to gauge how they are feeling and how they relate to each other. Great for team building and building social skills.”

— Jennifer F. ★★★★★

“I had previously used the morning meeting for lower grades with my middle and high school students, but have since moved to having juniors and seniors with intellectual disabilities. The format and questions are developmentally where my students are at, but the graphics don’t make them feel like they are being given “kid stuff” to do.”

— MaryAnn M. ★★★★★

Try This Free Week of Morning Meeting in Upper Elementary

Morning meetings in upper grades may seem unconventional, but they hold a treasure trove of hidden benefits for both students and teachers. To help you unlock these advantages in your classroom, we’ve prepared a free week of upper elementary morning meeting slides. Try them out and experience the positive changes for yourself. Let’s create a classroom environment where students feel valued, supported, and connected, no matter their age. Download your free resources today and watch your class culture flourish!

Reasons to Use Morning Meeting for Older Kids in Your Classroom

• Create a safe place for students to express themselves and feel valued right from the beginning of their day with you.
• Grow peer relationships for your students and help them work on important social-emotional skills.
• Increase classroom participation and cultivate a positive classroom culture.

Want to read more about morning meetings? Check out these posts:

• Morning Meeting Games to Play Any Time of Year
• Morning Meeting Questions to Get to Know Your Students
• Browse all of my morning meeting posts!