SAVE ON SPRING FAVORITES
The first week of school is packed—from prepping your room to learning new names and routines. These time capsule activities give you something that’s easy to prep, meaningful for students, and flexible enough to fit into your day.
If you’ve ever wondered how to use a classroom time capsule, students complete a set of pages at the beginning of the year, then repeat the same set at the end. They’ll be able to see how much they’ve grown—and they’ll be proud of it. You’ll get a clear snapshot of your student’s early skills without needing a formal assessment.
If you haven’t picked up your activities yet, you can grab the full Time Capsule Kit here.
This time capsule for first grade is designed with first grade in mind—but flexible enough to work for kindergarten or second grade too.
You’ll get:
Cover pages for manila envelopes (Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd grades – boy and girl versions)
Pringles can labels (Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd grades – boy and girl versions)
Self-portrait template – includes a simple head-and-shoulders outline to help students get started
“My Favorites” page – both unlined (for beginning of year) and lined (for end of year)
“What Will I Learn This Year?” and “What Did I Learn This Year?” writing pages
Selfie page – with boy and girl versions
Height measurement labels – you can type student names into the editable fields before printing, or print them blank and have students write their own
Before school starts, think about how you want to use a classroom time capsule:
Envelopes – simple, stackable, and easy to prep
Pringles cans – colorful, visual, and make a great class display
Print the pages you plan to use. If you know you’ll repeat the activity at the end of the year, print double now to save time later.
Want a little extra pop? Print your labels on Astrobrights paper or cardstock for added color and durability.
For the height labels, you have the choice of handwritten or typed labels. It’s easy to type your student’s names into the blue fields and print! (The blue fields do not print)
Or, print a blank page and have your students write their name onto their own label.
Hint: The labels are pretty small for a first grader to hold when they’re cut apart. Consider having your whole class write their names onto the labels THEN cut.
This time capsule kit gives you two choices of storage based on your classroom. If you have plenty of storage (jealous!) then use the envelopes. Or if you want one classroom time capsule, use the Pringles can.
Just don’t forget where you put your time capsule!
Start by choosing the right cover page for each student based on their grade level and preferred version (boy or girl). Print and paste the cover onto the front of a large manila envelope—this will serve as their personal time capsule folder.
As students complete each page—like their self-portrait, favorites list, and writing prompts—place them inside the envelope. You can organize them as you go or wait until everything is finished and file them all at once.
Once each envelope is filled, store them in a tub or cabinet where they’ll stay out of sight until the end of the school year. Keeping them tucked away helps make the end-of-year reveal even more impactful.
Start by cleaning out an empty Pringles can and choosing the label that matches your class’s grade level. Print the label—Astrobrights paper works great if you want a little extra color—and wrap it around the can. Use tape on both edges to keep it secure.
As students finish their time capsule pages, roll each one gently and slide them into the can. All of the pages can be stored together this way, making it a great option for keeping everything in one place.
Lid on. Done.
You don’t need to do this all in one day. Spread it out over a couple of mornings or center blocks.
Start with the unlined My Favorites page—even if they only write the first letter of “pizza,” it’s okay. The point is to capture where they are right now.
Next, take a photo of each student and glue it to their Selfie page.
Give your students the “What Will I Learn This Year?” page. It’s a short writing activity that gets them thinking ahead—and gives you an early glimpse at their writing and sentence structure.
Have them color in their self-portrait—however they want. Green faces? Go for it. It’s their drawing.
Measure each student’s height using yarn. Tip: Have them stand in front of you and measure from floor to the top of their head—don’t worry about hair height. An easy and quick method is to hold the ball of yarn in one hand and the scissors in another. Let the end of the yarn touch the floor and roughly eyeball where to cut the yarn. Tape the yarn to the student’s label and set it aside.
Once every page is finished, store it away—and do not bring it back out until the end of the year.
Print the same set of time capsule activities again, this time swapping in the “What Did I Learn?” page instead of the “What Will I Learn?” version.
Use the lined My Favorites page now to make growth more visible.
Let students complete all of their new pages before showing them their originals. When they’re finished, bring out the original time capsule. It’s always a hit when your students realize they’re working on their time capsules from the beginning of the year.
Have students pair up and share one or two pages from their beginning and end sets. Encourage them to point out something they’re proud of or surprised by.
Set up a gallery walk by placing each student’s beginning and end pages side-by-side on their desk. Give the class time to walk around to see their classmate’s time capsules.
Send them home as a keepsake by placing all completed pages back into the envelope. If you used a Pringles can, simply staple all the pages together. Add a quick note to families explaining the activity—it’s something they’ll want to hang on to.
Model everything first—especially the self-portrait – it’s hard!
Label everything as you go (especially height strings!)
Expect imperfection—messy writing and drawings are part of the fun.
Encourage effort—celebrate where they are now – mistakes are fine!
Keep it simple—this isn’t a formal project, it’s a snapshot of where they are right now.
This isn’t just something to fill time at the beginning of the year. It gives students a clear way to see their own progress—and a reason to feel proud of it. For teachers, it’s a reminder of just how much growth happens over the course of a school year.
It’s easy to prep, flexible enough to fit into your schedule, and one of those traditions that’s worth repeating every year.
Still need to get your first grade time capsule activities? Get them here.
You’ve downloaded the Editable Student of the Week Kit. This guide will walk you through how to use each.