Introductory

Week Lesson Plan

Unit Working Title: First Week of School
Context:
Grade Level: 8th
Lesson Theme: Acknowledging Individuality and Basic Routines
Week __1__; Plan #__1__ of 3; [90 mins.]
Plan type: _____Full-Detail ____Summary

Unit Learning Objectives:

SWBAT:
Cognitive (know/understand):
1. Students will know general classroom routines.
2. Students will know the names and some information about their peers and teacher.

Affective (feel/value) and/or Non-Cognitive:
3. Students will understand that each person brings unique background, experience, and perspective to our
class.

Performance (do):
4. Students will know how to listen and take notes while others are speaking.
5. Students will collaborate to write norms for Quiet-Attentive-Listening.
6. Students will be able to share their interests and preferences with their teacher.

SOLs:

7.1The student will participate in and contribute to conversations, group discussions, and oral presentations.
a) Communicate ideas and information orally in an organized and succinct manner.
b) Ask probing questions to seek elaboration and clarification of ideas.

CCSs:
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.8.1
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners
on grade 8 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas and expressing their own clearly.

Methods of Assessment:

Diagnostic
Formative
Summative

Explain
r
outines
t
o
a

p
artner
[
Obj.
Interest inventories will be
1]
completed in class today. This
Q & A about routines [Obj. 1]
will give I an idea about:
Partner Grids [Obj. 4]
students interests, preferred
Write Ideas on sticky notes &
learning environments, who
place on chart & Observation
they are, how they are
during Quiet-Attentive-Listening
approaching this year in the
activity [Obj. 5]
English Language Arts [Obj. 6]
Observation during Train Wreck &
Partner Grids [Obj. 2 & 3]

Beginning Room Arrangement:

[Changes in this arrangement that become necessary later will be noted in the plan]

The class is currently set up in a large circle.

Procedures/Instructional Strategies
[Note: Any words that represent what I would say directly to students appear in italics.]

1. [__5__ mins] Welcome:

As students come into class, a Do-Now will be projected on the board and labeled as such. This will instruct students
to come in and take a seat in the circle, and to place their belongings under their seats. Additionally, underneath the
Do-Now, students will see the goal for the day posted: Acknowledge our Individuality and our Basic Routines.

I will greet students at the door as they come into class. Chairs/desks will be arranged in a large circle in preparation
for Train Wreck. Students can choose their own seats in the circle. I will greet students at the door as they come into
class, instructing them to choose a seat and to place their belongings under their chairs.

2. [__10__ mins] Hook Game (Train Wreck):

I will explain how the game will work. Students will start near their respective spots in the circle while I stand in the
center of the circle. I will start by saying her name and sharing something about herself. She will frame it using the
phrase switch if I will explain that things shared can be likes, dislikes, fun facts, experiences, etc. For example, I
could say, Hi, my name is Ms. Pugh. Switch if you love going to the beach. After I say this, everyone who loves
going to the beach has to find a new seat, including I. This means that a new person, a student now, will end in the
middle. Then, the student will say his/her name and share a fact about him/herself using the phrase switch if
Everyone who shares this like/dislike/fun fact/experience will find a new seat. The game continues until I call time.
This game will allow students share about themselves to the whole class while discovering what they have in
common with other students.

3. [__7__ mins] Go over basic classroom routines:

I will explain that these routines will help the classroom run smoothly. I will explain the following routines:
Silent Hand Raise (2 minutes) Whenever I need to have the class attention, I will raise my hand. When
students notice that my hand is raised, they should be quiet and also raise their hands to help other students
know that it is time to be quiet and pay attention. I will challenge students to get quiet as fast as they can.
Students will practice by chatting and watching for me to raise my hand.
Do Now (2 minutes) When students come into class a Do-Now will be posted at the front of the classroom.
This will tell students what they should be doing at the start of class and where they can find needed
materials. I will explain this procedure, referring back to the Do-Now that was posted at the start of this class
instructing them to find a seat and store their belongings. After the explanation, students will turn to a
partner and explain how the Do-Now will work each class period. I will listen in and re-explain if necessary.
Blog Explanation (3 minutes) At this time, I will explain to students that we will be keeping an electronic
journal throughout the year. Periodically, I will assess student blog posts for a grade. This will typically occur
at the end of each unit. Students are responsible for keeping up with blog assignments, even when absent.
They will need to have a device for class each day, unless I tell them otherwise. I prefer that students work
from laptops or tablets, however if students have an issue with a laptop or tablet their smart phones can be
used alternatively. I am planning my course assuming that I will teach in a 1:1 school, equipping each students
with a tablet or laptop. I will keep TWO spare laptops in my classroom. I will also remind them of the

resources available in the school library and computer labs. I will ask students to turn to a DIFFERENT partner
and explain how blogs will work. I will listen in and re-explain if necessary. I will give students a moment to
ask any questions they may immediately have.

4. [__15__ mins] Setting up blogs:

Now that I have introduced students to the blog-style journal, we will take a few minutes to set up their blogs. I will
explain to the students that this will prepare them for the first unit of the year, which will require blog posts almost
daily starting at the beginning of next week. For today, I will have a school laptop cart checked out to complete this
activity in case students have not yet gotten their school issued devices or if they dont have their own. At this time, I
will ask students to come get a laptop from the cart. I will wait 2-3 minutes for them to get settled in their seats.
Though they will still be seated in a circle, this will be okay for this brief activity today. I will lead students through
the Wordpress set-up process, modeling on the classroom computer and projector. I will be sure to walk them
through how to share their blogs with me so that I am able to comment. I will tell them that I will not always post
comments, but this enables me to periodically provide feedback when needed. When we are finished, students will
return their laptops to the cart.

5. [__10__ mins] Quiet-Attentive-Listening:

I will explain to the students that the routines we have just gone over will help them individually maintain order in
the classroom. Raising their hands to help get the class quiet, coming in and getting straight to work on the Do-Now,
and keeping up with their own blog posts are all easy things they can do by themselves to keep the classroom
running smoothly. Now, we will work together to define some norms and expectations that we will work together
throughout the year to maintain. From the circle set-up, I will instruct students to stay in a circle shape, but to push
two desks slightly closer so they can work with a partner for this activity. While explaining, I will distribute Sticky
Notes to each pair, two different colors. I will direct students attention to a large t-chart posted on the board. One
side says, Looks like and the other says, Sounds Like. Iwill ask students what teachers and students would be
doing if they were listening carefully to someone during a discussion. On one color, students will write what this
would look like. On the other color, they will write what this would sound like. As they finish, they will bring
their Sticky Notes up to the chart and place them on the appropriate side. I will lead the class in a short discussion to
go over the sticky notes. After class, I will write the norms onto the chart and keep it posted in the classroom for
students to reference throughout the year. If there are any norms I had in mind that the students did not
brainstorm, I will explain these during our discussion and add them to the lists.

6. [__20__ mins] 2 Truths & 1 Lie with Partner Grid:

Teacher Example & Modeling (5 minutes): I will come to class with 2 truths and 1 lie about likes/dislikes/fun
facts/experiences. I will project these on the board. I will explain that students will create their own 2 Truths
& 1 Lie after trying to identify my truths and lie. Students will turn to 3-4 people near them and will work
together to identify which statements are true and which one is false. Groups will have 2 minutes to decide.
Each group will share their thoughts before I dramatically reveal the answer. After revealing, I will briefly
share any appropriate or necessary stories to explain the examples.
Students Create 2 Truths & 1 Lie (5 minutes): I will instruct students to create their own 2 Truths & 1 Lie. I
will put a timer on the board for students to reference.
Partner Grids (10 minutes): While students are working, I will distribute Partner Grids and explain how to use
them. For the next part of the activity, students will use their 2 Truths & 1 Lie to complete Partner Grids. I
will remind students to refer to the Quiet-Attentive-Listening charts as they are talking to each other.
Students will find a partner and decide who will be Partner A and Partner B. They will exchange 2 Truths & 1

Lie, but Partner A will guess first. After Partner A guesses, Partner B will share the answer and explain one
of the statements. As Partner B is sharing, Partner A will take notes and write down a follow-up question.
Partner A will ask Partner B the follow-up question and write down the answer. Students will switch roles.
Students will be in the same pair for 2-3 minutes. They will switch partners TWO times and follow the same
procedures. I will collect the students 2 Truths & 1 Lie to use in future class periods.



7. [__10__ mins] Interest Inventories:

I will explain to students that the Partner Grid activity really helped us start to get know each other. However, I did
not get to meet with all of them individually. I will explain that I have created an Interest Inventory for them to
complete so that I can get to know each of them a little more. I will tell them that this will help me get a better idea
about: students interests, preferred learning environments, who they are, how they are approaching this year in the
English Language Arts. Even if unfinished, I will collect these at the end of class so that students cannot lose them. I
will give them some time at the start of next class to finish during the Do-Now if needed.

8. [__2__ mins] Closure:

To finish class, I will ask students about everything we did during class today. I will specifically ask students to recall
and summarize the THREE routines we discussed. I will also ask students to explain what Quiet-Attentive-Listening is
and remind them that we have a chart to refer to throughout the year. I will remind them that they need to bring a
device with them to class each day for the rest of the week. I will let them know that the rest of this week will focus
on building community and making our class a safe learning space.

Materials Needed:

Partner Grid Handout
Interest Inventories
Post-It Notes
Large Post-It Paper
Laptop Cart (from the school)