Quick Before It Dries

I decided a last year to actively engage my students on the very first day.  Students where presented with a question regarding the speed of a hot wheels car (at the time I had no lab equipment).  We discussed what could be measured, data to be collected, and factors that could affect its speed.  They were in shock,  "a lab on the first day," "this is going to be fun" we're a few of the remarks I remembered.  The students had to collect data from 10 other students and make a data table.  I've never had a better opening day.  For the first time, I didn't pass out once I got home from exhaustion.