Back to School with a Global Mindset:

As students return to classrooms across Europe and the United States, the first week is the ideal time to inspire curiosity, connection, and big-picture thinking. Teachers have a unique opportunity to start the year by introducing a global mindset that encourages respect, empathy, and a love for learning about the world.

Here are four simple ways to bring global learning into the first few days of term using content and activities from Can Do Kids Worldwide.

1. Explore a New Country Together

Begin your week by diving into one of the countries featured on the platform. Choose a country and read the interactive eBook with your students, either as a class read-aloud or during group time. Use the content as a springboard for questions like: What surprised you? How is life similar or different? What would you like to learn more about?

Tip: Students can record facts, draw pictures, or write down new words in a travel-style journal that they add to each time they explore a new country.

2. Start a Global “Hello” Routine

Teach students how to say hello in the language of the country you’re exploring that week. Encourage them to use it as their greeting during roll call or morning circle. This small shift helps make the language real and shows students how different cultures communicate.

Extend the idea: Add a sticky note with the greeting and country name to a classroom board or wall each week to build a growing language collection.

3. Launch a “Can Do” Character Focus

Introduce the idea of a “Can Do” mindset by choosing one trait/skill to highlight during the week, such as confidence, problem-solving, or teamwork. Then use one of the printed “Can Do” resource sheets provided on the platform. Students can complete these to reflect on how they’ve shown the trait in their own lives or how they will work to develop them

In the first week: Start with a class-wide brainstorm of what “Can Do” means and create a display of student reflections.

4. Cultural Music & Movement Break

Choose a song or dance from one of the countries featured on the website. Play the music during a movement break and encourage students to try the rhythm or movements associated with it. Talk briefly about where the music comes from and what it represents.

Example: If exploring Brazil, play a traditional rhythm and have students clap along or invent their own patterns. This is a quick, fun way to keep energy up while connecting to culture through sound.

Why Start the Year Globally?

Framing the first week around global understanding helps students feel connected to something larger than themselves. It builds curiosity, encourages inclusive thinking, and supports character development in meaningful ways.

With the ready-to-use stories, printable activities, and cultural resources on Can Do Kids Worldwide, it’s easy to give students a classroom experience that reflects the wider world.