Getting ready for a new school year just got easier! These free back to school lesson plans for 2nd through 5th grade include a full month of ready-to-use activities for reading, writing, math, science, and social studies.
This freebie is designed to help you start strong, stay organized, and reduce back-to-school stress. Whether you’re a new teacher or a seasoned pro, you’ll love how these no-prep lessons guide your first few weeks while keeping your students engaged and learning.
Save your evenings and weekends—everything you need is ready to download and teach!
These plans are flexible enough to fit your teaching style and classroom needs. You can mix and match activities, adjust the pacing, or use the plans as a foundation for your own.
With these free lessons, you’ll walk into your classroom confident and prepared—ready to set the tone for a successful year.
Tips on Getting Ready for Back to School
Back-to-school season can feel overwhelming with new students, fresh expectations, and never-ending to-do lists. But it doesn’t have to be that way! When you start the year with a structured set of lesson plans, you can focus on building relationships and classroom routines instead of scrambling for materials.
The key to a smooth start is preparation—with flexibility! Here are a few teacher-tested tips to help you get ready for back to school:
- Plan your first week, not your whole year. Focus on routines, expectations, and getting to know your students before diving deep into new content.
- Use flexible lesson plans. Even the best-laid plans can change when you meet your new group. The free back to school lesson plans are easy to adapt, so you can adjust as needed.
- Create a welcoming classroom space. A few thoughtful touches—like labeled supplies, organized centers, and a warm welcome sign—set a positive tone from day one.
- Batch your prep. Make copies, organize materials, and prep centers in weekly chunks to save time during those hectic first days.
- Prioritize connection over perfection. Students remember how you made them feel more than how perfect your first day bulletin board looked.
With a little planning (and the right free resources), you can start your school year calm, confident, and completely ready to teach.
Everything You Need for Back to School
Once you download your free lesson plans, explore even more back-to-school resources on The Butterfly Teacher blog! You’ll find classroom setup tips, engaging icebreaker activities, and organization hacks to help your first month run smoothly.
You can also discover back-to-school book lists, teacher time-saving printables, and ideas for creating strong classroom routines.
Each blog post and resource included in the comprehensive guide below is designed to help you start the school year calm, confident, and fully prepared.
You don’t have to spend hours planning or stressing over how to start the school year. These free back to school lesson plans for 2nd–5th grade take care of the hard part for you—so you can focus on connecting with your students and creating a joyful classroom environment.
Download your free set and start your school year organized, confident, and ready to teach from day one!
