The first week of school doesn’t ease you in—it drops you in. Between meetings, prepping materials, and making your bulletin boards, there’s not much extra time. You need something easy to prep, meaningful for students, and flexible enough to fit a packed schedule.
This first grade time capsule activity gives your students a way to show what they’re like at the beginning of the year—and then see how much they’ve changed by the end. They’re simple to prep, easy for students to complete, and a meaningful way to document growth.
Why Use a Time Capsule In Your First Grade Classroom?
This first grade time capsule activity serves some important purposes in your classroom. First, it helps build classroom community. As students share their favorite things, interests, and drawings, they start to learn a little more about each other—and you start to see connections forming.
These easy back to school activities will give you a quick look at your students’ early skills. From handwriting and fine motor control to how well they follow directions, the time capsule gives you helpful information without the pressure of a formal assessment.
They also give students something to come back to at the end of the year. They can see how much neater their handwriting is, how their answers have changed, and how much more confident they’ve become. That time capsule growth comparison gives them a real sense of pride in what they’ve accomplished.
What Goes Inside The Time Capsule?
These activities are designed for first grade, with enough flexibility to work for kindergarten and second grade too. Here’s what’s included—and a few quick tips to make each part easier:
Self-Portrait Template
Students draw themselves at the beginning of the year. The template includes a simple outline of a head and shoulders to support younger students and reduce frustration.
“My Favorites” Page
A quick and fun way for students to share their favorite food, book, color, and more. It’s a great tool for building classroom community right away.
“What Will I Learn This Year?” Page
This short writing activity lets students share what they’re excited to learn. It gives them a moment to think ahead—and gives you an early snapshot of their writing skills.
“What Did I Learn This Year?” Page
Used at the end of the year, this page helps students list what they’ve learned. It’s a strong contrast to their beginning-of-year work, and students love seeing the difference.
Selfie Page
Teachers take a photo of each student during the first week and glue it onto this photo booth-style frame. Both boy and girl versions are included.
Height Measurement Labels
Each student’s height is measured with yarn, then taped to a label with their name. Labels can be typed or handwritten, and the yarn is easy to store and re-measure later.
Individual Time Capsule Cover Pages
These cover pages are made for storing each student’s time capsule in a manila folder. Choose from Kindergarten, First, or Second Grade options, with both boy and girl versions available.
Whole Class Time Capsule Labels
If you prefer to keep everything in one place, use a Pringles can as a class capsule. Labels are included for each grade level to decorate the can and keep it organized.
How To Use The First Grade Time Capsule Activity At The End Of The Year
Store your time capsule folders or the Pringles can somewhere out of sight so students forget about them. When it’s time to use them again, bring them back out and make it a special part of your year-end routine.
Have students complete the same pages again—new self-portraits, updated favorites, and fresh writing. They’ll be able to see their own progress, and they’ll be proud of how far they’ve come. You can play some music, let students walk around to see each other’s work, and give them time to notice how much they’ve changed.
If you have students who joined mid-year, they can still be part of the activity. They can complete the end-of-year pages with the rest of the class—it still makes a meaningful keepsake, even without the beginning-of-year comparison.
Why Teachers Use This Year After Year
It helps students connect from the start. When students share their favorite things, hobbies, and interests, they start to find common ground. It’s an easy way to begin building classroom community.
It gives you a clear picture of student readiness. You’ll see how students approach writing, drawing, and following directions—without needing to plan a formal assessment.
It gives students a way to recognize their own growth.
It shows growth from the beginning of school to the end of first grade. Seeing their work from the beginning and end of the year side by side helps students realize how much they’ve learned. They’re proud of what they can do now.
It works with any schedule.
This low prep back to school activity can be completed in one day or spread out over the first week, depending on what works best for your class.
It’s low prep.
Everything is ready to print and use. No extra setup or materials required for the time capsule except using yarn to measure your student’s height.
What Makes This Time Capsule Different?
This resource was designed specifically for early elementary classrooms. Every page is built around what first grade students can realistically do at the beginning of the year—no extra fluff, and nothing that needs a long explanation.
The activities are low-pressure and developmentally appropriate, so students can complete them independently or with minimal support. The growth comparison is motivating, not overwhelming.
For teachers, the first grade time capsule activity is a practical starting point. You’ll get a quick look at your students’ skills, personalities, and comfort with classroom routines. It also works well as a memory book alternative, especially for teachers who want something simple but meaningful to send home.
Tips for Success
Model First
Especially with the self-portrait—draw your own and let them see that mistakes are okay.
Skip The Corrections
You want an authentic snapshot, not a polished piece.
Label Yarn Lengths First
Trust us—future you will be grateful.
Keep It Simple
These activities can take just a day or two, depending on how you space them out.
Use It As An Informal Assessment
Watch how students follow directions, stay on task, and approach writing—it tells you a lot.
Want to Save Time? Grab the Ready-to-Go Time Capsule Kit
Everything in this post is included in one easy-to-use download. The kit is designed to be simple to prep and ready to go—so you can focus on getting to know your students, not building materials from scratch.
Inside the Time Capsule kit, you’ll find:
- Self-portrait templates with head-and-shoulders outlines
- “My Favorites” page
- “What Will I Learn This Year?” and “What Did I Learn This Year?” writing pages
- Selfie pages for student photos (boy and girl versions)
- Editable height measurement labels
- Individual time capsule cover pages for Kindergarten, First, and Second Grade (boy and girl versions)
- Whole class time capsule labels for Pringles can storage
Get It Here
The first week of school moves quickly, and it’s easy to jump straight into routines and expectations. These first grade time capsule activities give you a way to pause—just long enough to learn more about your students and give them something meaningful to look back on.
When students open their time capsule at the end of the year, they can see exactly how much they’ve grown. It’s a clear reminder for them and for you—of just how much progress happens in a year. It’s everything you need for a start and end of year project that actually fits your schedule.
