Start the Year Strong with Our Class is a Family: Building Community While

The first few weeks of school are about more than seating charts and supply label. They’re the foundation for everything else. That’s why I always look for picture books that help me set the tone for our classroom culture and sneak in a bit of literacy instruction without overwhelming students on Day 1.

One of my favorites for this is Our Class is a Family by Shannon Olsen. It’s heartwarming, relatable, and just the right length for those early back-to-school days. But don’t let the adorable illustrations fool you—it’s not just for little ones. With the right support, this book opens the door to rich character discussions and meaningful SEL work, even in 3rd–5th grade.

Let’s talk about how you can use this Our Class is a Family activities bundle to kick off the school year with connection, collaboration, and some ELA skill-building, too.

What’s Included in This Companion Resource?

This no-prep, print-and-go activity pack is designed to pair perfectly with your read-aloud and makes it easy to extend the story into powerful class conversations. Here’s what you get:

Step-by-step lesson plans broken into 3 parts: read-aloud, writing, and partner comparison
Character trait anchor chart prompts and trait vocabulary cards
“Thinking About Traits” writing page to help students reflect deeply
Partner Venn diagram activity that encourages connection and comparison
Optional self-portrait activity (internal vs. external traits)
Bulletin board-ready materials so you can display your classroom “family”

How to Use This Book with Upper Elementary Students

It’s true…This book is often found in primary classrooms, but hear me out. Upper elementary students still need guidance building classroom norms, reflecting on character, and getting to know each other beyond surface-level stuff.

In fact, giving them opportunities to reflect on traits and compare perspectives with books that aren’t overly long or confusing helps them grow as readers and community members.

Here’s how to make it work:

Dig Deeper with Traits

Use the included trait cards to challenge your students to describe characters not just as “nice” or “funny,” but with more precise language. Encourage evidence from the text: What did that character do that showed generosity? What did they say that showed teamwork?

Pair Up for Meaningful Connections

The Venn diagram activity is deceptively simple but incredibly powerful. Pair students up and watch them discover shared interests and unique differences. This activity sets the stage for your classroom to feel like a team from day one.

Build Vocabulary Naturally

The character trait anchor chart becomes a living document. Add to it throughout the year as traits come up in your read-alouds or class novels.

How I Implemented This:

Day 1: Focus on community and connection. Start the read-aloud and begin your class discussion.
Day 2–3: Do the trait card sort and writing page. Discuss how those traits show up in your classroom.
Day 4: Introduce the Venn diagram and let students partner up.
Day 5: Display your students’ work and celebrate your “class family.” Bonus points if you use the self-portraits!

our is a family character trait self-portraits activity

These activities are flexible enough to use over a week or to spread out and revisit later. I’ve even seen teachers bring back the same trait vocabulary later in the year during novel studies.

Final Thoughts

Back-to-school season doesn’t have to be all rules and procedures. Our Class is a Family gives you the perfect springboard to build a classroom culture that’s warm, reflective, and kind, while still checking off those ELA standards.

This resource is about more than just filling time. It’s about laying the groundwork for how your students will treat one another and engage in your classroom all year long.