Try Back to School Community Building Activities
Your students can scroll and swipe. But can they look someone in the eye and have a meaningful conversation?
The SHINE Backpack is full of ready-to-use upper elementary resources that give students the skills they need to thrive in and outside the classroom. From habits for success to SEL skills, your classroom will be running smoothly, and your students will learn how to become well-rounded individuals.
You’ve seen it in your own classroom. Behaviors are getting more challenging. Teaching is getting harder.
- Students are struggling to self-regulate, leading to bigger or more frequent outbursts.
- The room is constantly buzzing with humming, talking, and tapping. It’s like their brains never rest.
- Students are moving at video game speed. They struggle to slow down, stop, process, and then speak.
- Focus in the classroom feels fleeting. No lesson brings the same dopamine hit that TikTok and YouTube do.
You’re trying to compete with technology, and it’s exhausting. You’re constantly correcting behaviors, and it’s not the job you signed up for. You wish you could help students focus and tamp down behaviors without trying yet another classroom management strategy.
What if this year could feel different?
Kids want independence, but nobody’s handed them the tools to do it successfully, yet. So the classroom (and home) becomes a struggle: meltdowns, behavior issues, and constant correction.
Now imagine the alternative. Students who can pause before they speak. Students who know the difference between what happens on screen and reality. Students who can manage disagreement.
That’s not luck or “how some kids are wired”. It’s a set of skills that are taught.
“Better behavior” isn’t found in another classroom management system.
Because let’s be honest, you’ve tried quite a few.
But you keep landing back in the same place. Sure, those systems might last for a few weeks, but eventually the positive effects fade, and you’re back to Googling “how to get 4th graders to focus during lessons”.
The truth is: it’s unfair for students to get in trouble for skills they simple weren’t taught. Classroom management doesn’t show students how to regulate. It doesn’t teach them how to stay organized or speak confidently in class.
And that’s the problem.
If students aren’t taught how to act (just punished for not acting right), the behavior systems will continue to fail.
That’s why I created the SHINE Backpack. It is full of resources that teach students the skills they need to human without taking away from your class time. Students will learn responsibility, independence, empathy, organization, and more through your daily routines and activities.
This school year, your students can shine!
Show up ready and prepared.
Get the tools you need to establish routines and habits for success, so kids are ready to learn and responsible for their work.
Engage in learning.
Grab activities that encourage participation, discussion, and meaningful learning. Students will have fun and develop new skills.
Build relationships and manage emotions.
Learn how to make SEL a daily practice, so students develop key relational and emotional skills that foster a positive classroom community.
Create the kind of classroom where learning thrives, and learners shine.
everything you need
A growing library of tools and activities for upper elementary students that teaches them how to human by building independence, easing behavior struggles, and turning them into active learners.
SEL activities that help students build self-awareness, empathy, and strong relationships
Habits for Success resources that teach responsibility, independence, and classroom routines
Engagement tools that encourage participation and meaningful discussion between students
Inclusion activities that teach kids how to cheer on others, celebrate moments where students go above and beyond, and help everyone feel valued and seen
Neat and Organized Systems, including planners, to-do lists, and systems that help you model the skills you want students to embody
The vault currently contains 20+ resources and is growing!
Grab the backpack now for $49 (valued at $80+) and access all future resources for free.
THIS WILL TRANSFORM YOUR life
JUST LIKE IT HAS our PAST STUDENTS
★★★★★
“Courtney always creates a wonderful resource, and this was a lifesaver this year. Thank you.”
Rosy B.
100 Days to Shine
less prep, more impact
WHY THE SHINE BACKPACK WORKS
LOW-PREP RESOURCES TO SAVE TIME
You don’t need more on your plate. The resources are loaded into one Google Folder so they’re easy to find, with only what you need — no fluff or complicated directions. Print, complete the minimal prep, and you’re ready to go!
CLASSROOM TESTED FOR SUCCESS
Courtney has used these resources in her own upper elementary classroom, so they’ve gone through real classroom testing. They’re easy to implement, have a positive impact, and are student-approved.
ENGAGEMENT BOOSTING
The entire backpack is designed to boost engagement. When your community is strong, routines are flowing, and students are regulated, there’s more focus, more buy-in, and less distraction.
WHAT’S INSIDE THE BACKPACK
The SHINE Backpack is a growing library of ready-to-use resources designed to help you build routines, community, engagement, and organization from the very first week of school.
SEL ACTIVITIES
Help students build empathy and strong relationships with resources like Positivity Pants and 10 Days to Shine.
HABITS FOR SUCCESS
Teach responsibility, independence, and classroom routines with resources like the “Ketchup” Absent Work Routine and Reading Rotation Slides.
INCLUSION
Help every child feel seen, valued, and connected with resources like RAK Center and Student Awards.
NEAT AND ORGANIZED SYSTEMS
Stay ready for whatever the school year brings with tools like an Editable Teacher Planner and ELA Emergency Sub Plans.
ENGAGEMENT
Encourage participation, discussion, and meaningful learning with resources like Jar of Joy and Classmate Interview.
The SHINE Backpack is a growing library! It currently has 20+ resources inside, with new resources being added throughout the year.
TEACHERS ARE LOVING THE SHINE BACKPACK
★★★★★
Krista c.
“This is a great way to keep me organized on who needs some ketch-up due to absences.”
★★★★★
Lisa e.
“This is such a helpful tool for keeping track of work for absent students. I love the helper aspect so I don’t have to write everything in myself.”
★★★★★
Brittany P.
“I love using these direction cards! We use them every day, and it has cut down on the amount of directions I have to give overall.”
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GRAB THE BACKPACK?
Once you purchase, everything is neatly organized so you can save it, access it, and use it whenever you need it.
- Growing library of 20+ resources, with future additions included for free
- Instant access delivered by email after purchase
- Organized Google Folder so everything is easy to find and save to your Drive
- Editable Google Slides and Docs, plus a tech guide if you need help
The Teacher Behind the Backpack
I’m Courtney, the veteran teacher behind Ramona Recommends and The SHINE Backpack!
More and more these days, I watch kids sit at Starbucks with their friends, heads down and eyes glued to their phones. They are together…but they aren’t talking. And it nags at me: we are sending students into this world unprepared.
I decided that I wanted to teach my students how to human. I was going to be the teacher who taught the curriculum and how to write a thank you note. After years of implementing this in my classroom, I’ve taken those resources and put them into the SHINE Backpack.
One of my first homework assignments in my classroom is for my students to learn how to make their bed. I believe if you start small and continue to build their humaning skills they will turn out to be awesome!
I created the SHINE Backpack to help students learn how to human! I want the kids of tomorrow to feel success and be proud of their accomplishments.
QUESTIONS BEFORE YOU OPEN THE BACKPACK?
What grade levels does the backpack work for?
The resources inside the SHINE Backpack are written and created specifically for upper elementary students (grades 3-5). However, you can use these resources to support EL and SPED students who might need lower-level reading materials.
How do I access the backpack?
All of the materials in the backpack can be found in Google Drive! This way, you can easily access the resources and receive updates.
When will the SHINE Backpack be complete?
The SHINE Backpack will be complete by the end of June 2027 with the additions of the following resources:
- 5-10 Life Hacks Skill Activities “How to Human”
When will the backpack be complete?
I am adding new resources to the SHINE Backpack during the 2026-2027 school year. After that, it will be zipped up and complete!
What is the refund policy?
Due to the digital nature of this resource, there are no refunds. If you are unhappy with your purchase or are struggling to access the materials, please contact ramonarecommends@gmail.com
A CLASSROOM THAT FEELS DIFFERENT
in the best way 🤩
With the right tools in place, back to school can feel calmer, more organized, and more connected from the very beginning.
- Your students know the routines. No need to repeat yourself 10x a day.
- Mornings feel calm and productive, instead of chaotic.
- Every student feels seen, welcome, and included.
- Students have a strong relationship with you and their peers.
- Your lessons are full of fun, learning, and engagement.
- You feel able to juggle the items on your to-do list.
The classroom where your students shine from day one.
Calm mornings. Routines that keep chaos at bay. Students who feel safe and seen. Exciting moments of learning. This is the feeling you want. Not the one where you’re constantly managing behaviors and wondering why students don’t have the basic skills you’d expect.
The SHINE Backpack is your toolkit to changing how students interact with their peers, show up in the classroom, and navigate the world.
The SHINE Backpack is your toolkit to changing how back to school feels this year.