Here's a good idea from the George Lucas Educational Foundation's website: Edutopia.org comes an article by Alex Shervrin Venet.
The rose and thorn check-in is a quick strategy for building community and developing student voice.
"At the start of a recent class, my students gathered a bouquet of good news: a trip to Ireland, an end to recent car troubles, an upcoming visit with a friend. These were highlights they shared during our start-of-class routine, the rose and thorn check-in."