Lesson Plan
Designing Our Museum
Students will design and present a personal mini exhibit to share their interests, building classroom community and relationship skills through collaborative creation and a gallery walk.
This activity fosters self-expression, confidence, and peer connections at the start of the year. It helps 2nd graders learn about classmates’ hobbies and backgrounds and builds a supportive classroom culture.
Audience
2nd Grade
Time
45 minutes
Approach
Hands-on creation and interactive museum tour.
Materials
- All About Me Exhibit Guide, - Personal Exhibit Board, - Exhibit Showcase Rubric, - Gallery Walk Reflection, and - Art supplies (crayons, markers, scissors, glue)
Prep
Prepare Materials and Space
10 minutes
- Print enough copies of the Personal Exhibit Board for each student.
- Review the All About Me Exhibit Guide slide deck to familiarize yourself with the activity flow.
- Print or display the Exhibit Showcase Rubric and the Gallery Walk Reflection forms.
- Arrange desks or tables around the room to create a “museum” path for the gallery walk.
- Gather art supplies (crayons, markers, glue, scissors) and set them in a central supply station.
Step 1
Introduction & Modeling
5 minutes
- Gather students on the carpet and introduce the All About Me Museum concept using the All About Me Exhibit Guide slide deck.
- Explain that each student will create a small exhibit about themselves and then tour the museum to learn about classmates.
- Model one example exhibit on chart paper, highlighting title, picture, and three fun facts.
Step 2
Create Personal Exhibits
20 minutes
- Distribute the Personal Exhibit Board to each student.
- Guide students to fill in their name, draw a self-portrait or paste a photo, and write three things they love (hobbies, favorite foods, etc.).
- Encourage use of color, labels, and neat handwriting.
- Differentiation:
• Provide sentence starters (e.g., “I love to ___”) or word banks for students who need language support.
• Offer extra time or one-on-one help for students needing fine-motor or writing assistance.
• Challenge early finishers to add more details or decorate an extra border.
Step 3
Gallery Walk
10 minutes
- Once exhibits are complete, have students place their boards around the room on tables or walls.
- Distribute the Gallery Walk Reflection sheets to each student.
- Instruct students to walk quietly around the room, stopping at each exhibit to read and write one interesting fact they learned about a classmate.
- Rotate until every student has visited each exhibit.
Step 4
Share & Reflect
10 minutes
- Gather students back together and invite volunteers to share something new they discovered about a classmate.
- Use the Exhibit Showcase Rubric to give positive feedback on exhibits (creativity, clarity, neatness).
- Collect Gallery Walk Reflection sheets and highlight strong listening and observation skills.
- Cool-down: Ask students how it felt to share and learn about each other, reinforcing community values.
use Lenny to create lessons.
No credit card needed
Slide Deck
Welcome to the All About Me Exhibit!
Welcome to our classroom museum! Today, you'll create a mini exhibit about yourself and explore your classmates’ exhibits to learn more about them.
Welcome students and set the stage. Explain they are both curators and visitors today. Build excitement for creating and touring exhibits.
Objectives
- Design a personal exhibit to share your interests
- Build community by learning about classmates
- Practice presenting and observing
Read each objective aloud. Emphasize that creating and observing exhibits helps us get to know each other and build a friendly classroom community.
What is an Exhibit?
An exhibit is a display that shares interesting facts and pictures about a topic—in our case, it’s YOU!
Define what an exhibit is. If possible, show a real museum photo or a quick sample from last year to illustrate.
Exhibit Example
Title: My Favorite Things
Picture: Self-portrait
Facts:
- I love soccer
- My favorite food is pizza
- I have a puppy named Max
Model on chart paper or digitally. Point out the three key parts: title, image, and facts. Invite thumb-up when they understand.
Step 1: Name & Self-Portrait
On your Personal Exhibit Board:
- Write your name at the top
- Draw a self-portrait or paste a photo
Distribute the Personal Exhibit Board. Help students write names clearly and offer drawing tips for self-portraits.
Step 2: Three Fun Facts
Write three things you love (hobbies, favorite foods, pets, etc.).
Use complete sentences or these starters:
• “I love to…”
• “My favorite… is…”
Provide sentence starters and word banks at tables. Circulate to support students who need help writing their three facts.
Step 3: Decorate Your Exhibit
- Use color, labels, and neat handwriting
- Add borders, stickers, or drawings to make it unique
Encourage students to use color and creativity. Show examples of borders or small drawings to decorate the edges.
Gallery Walk Instructions
- Place your exhibit around the room on tables or walls.
- Pick up a Gallery Walk Reflection sheet.
- Walk quietly and read each exhibit.
- Write one interesting fact you learned on each sheet.
Model how to place boards and hold the reflection sheet. Remind students to use walking feet and quiet voices.
Reflection & Sharing
- After the walk, sit on the carpet.
- Share something new you discovered.
- We'll use the Exhibit Showcase Rubric to give positive feedback.
Gather students and invite a few to share. Highlight rubric criteria so students know what good feedback sounds like.
Ready to Begin!
Gather your materials and let's start creating your All About Me exhibit!
Transition to work time. Hand out art supplies and set a timer for 20 minutes of creation. Circulate to support and encourage.
Project Guide
Personal Exhibit Board
Name: ________________________________
Draw Your Self-Portrait
(Use this box to draw a picture of yourself!)
My Three Fun Facts
Feel free to add color, stickers, or little drawings to decorate your board!
Rubric
Exhibit Showcase Rubric
This rubric will help students and teachers give clear, objective feedback on each “All About Me” exhibit. There are three criteria, each scored at one of three levels: Exceeds Expectations, Meets Expectations, and Approaching Expectations.
| Criteria | Exceeds Expectations (3) | Meets Expectations (2) | Approaching Expectations (1) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creativity | Exhibit is highly original and engaging: decorations and materials are used in new ways; student adds extra drawings or unique elements that reflect personality. | Exhibit shows clear effort to be creative: decorations and colors chosen thoughtfully, and exhibit reflects student interests. | Exhibit includes minimal decoration or creative elements; little evidence of unique ideas or personalization. |
| Clarity | Information is exceptionally clear and well organized: title stands out, self-portrait is identifiable, facts are easy to read with complete sentences. | Information is clear and organized: title, picture, and three facts are present and understandable. | Information is somewhat unclear or disorganized: missing a clear title or facts are difficult to read or incomplete. |
| Neatness | Exhibit is exceptionally neat and polished: writing is legible, colors stay within lines, decorations are tidy, and overall presentation looks “museum-ready.” | Exhibit is generally neat: writing is legible, coloring is mostly within lines, and exhibit is presentable. | Exhibit is messy or hurried: writing is hard to read, coloring is sloppy, or pieces are not well attached. |
Scoring Guide:
- 7–9 points: Outstanding exhibition—student has gone above and beyond in creativity, clarity, and neatness.
- 4–6 points: Solid work—student meets expectations but has room to add more detail or polish.
- 3 points or below: Needs support—student would benefit from guidance on organizing ideas or improving presentation.
Cool Down
Gallery Walk Reflection
Name: ______________________ Date: ________________
1. One interesting fact I learned about a classmate:
2. How did it feel to learn something new about your classmates?
3. What would you like to learn more about your classmates?
Thank you for reflecting and sharing!