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Lesson Plan

Belonging Blast Off Lesson Plan

Students will define what makes them feel they belong in class, share personal belonging experiences through discussion and collaborative activities, and commit to one action that fosters belonging among peers.

Reestablishing classroom belonging after breaks helps 5th graders feel valued, safe, and motivated, strengthens peer relationships, and creates a positive learning environment.

Audience

5th Grade

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion, collaborative web, and personal reflection.

Materials

Prep

Prepare Materials and Space

10 minutes

Step 1

Kickoff Discussion

5 minutes

  • Display the first slide on Belonging Blast Off Slides with the question: “What makes you feel you belong here?”
  • Ask students to think silently for 30 seconds
  • Pair up and share responses for 1 minute each
  • Invite 2–3 pairs to share highlights; record key ideas on chart paper

Step 2

Think–Pair–Share: Moments of Belonging

8 minutes

  • Hand out the Belonging Blast Off Reflection Sheet
  • Students write about a time they felt they belonged in class (2 minutes)
  • Pair up and take turns reading each other’s moment (3 minutes)
  • Ask volunteers to share one story with the class (3 minutes)

Step 3

Class Belonging Web

10 minutes

  • Have students form a circle
  • Give one student a ball of yarn; they hold the end and state one action that helps them feel belonging
  • They toss the ball to another student, who holds their strand and shares
  • Continue until most students have contributed, creating a visual web
  • Discuss how each connection strengthens our classroom community

Step 4

Reflection and Commitment

5 minutes

  • Students complete the final section on the Belonging Blast Off Reflection Sheet, writing one action they will take to help a classmate feel they belong
  • Encourage neat handwriting or a quick sketch
  • Ask a few students to read their commitment aloud

Step 5

Assessment and Closure

2 minutes

  • Collect reflection sheets to review understanding and commitments
  • Summarize common themes noted during the web activity
  • Reinforce how small actions build belonging
  • Congratulate students on launching our class’s belonging journey!
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Lesson Plan

Back to Belonging Lesson Plan

Students will reconnect and strengthen classroom belonging by sharing personal stories, collaborating on a connection web, and committing to supportive actions.

Returning from break can feel isolating; this lesson rebuilds trust, empathy, and peer connections to foster a safe, inclusive 5th-grade community.

Audience

5th Grade

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Interactive discussion, collaborative web, personal reflection.

Materials

Prep

Prepare Materials and Space

10 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up Discussion

5 minutes

  • Display the first slide on Back to Belonging Slides with the prompt: “What made you feel connected here last year?”
  • Think silently for 30 seconds and jot ideas on a sticky note
  • Pair up to share ideas for 1 minute each
  • Invite 2–3 pairs to post their sticky notes on chart paper and read aloud

Step 2

Think–Pair–Share: Belonging Moment

8 minutes

  • Distribute Back to Belonging Reflection Sheet
  • Students write about a time they felt they truly belonged in class (2 minutes)
  • Pair up and take turns reading each other’s story (3 minutes)
  • Ask 2–3 volunteers to share highlights with the whole class (3 minutes)

Step 3

Class Connection Web

10 minutes

  • Have students form a circle, holding hands empty at first
  • Give one student the yarn ball; they hold the end of the yarn, share one action that builds belonging, then toss it to someone else
  • Each recipient holds their strand, shares their action, and passes the ball until most have contributed
  • Discuss how the resulting web represents our classroom support network

Step 4

Reflection and Commitment

5 minutes

  • Students complete the final section of the Back to Belonging Reflection Sheet, writing one concrete action they’ll take to help peers belong
  • Encourage neat writing or a quick sketch
  • Invite a few students to read their commitment aloud

Step 5

Closure and Assessment

2 minutes

  • Collect reflection sheets to review student understanding and commitments
  • Summarize common themes from the connection web on chart paper
  • Reinforce that small daily actions strengthen our community
  • Thank students for sharing and celebrate the web they created
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Slide Deck

Back to Belonging

Reestablishing Our Classroom Community

Building empathy, collaboration, and support after break.

Welcome students back! Introduce today’s focus on rebuilding our classroom community by sharing experiences and making new connections.

Today’s Activities

  1. Warm-Up Discussion
  2. Think–Pair–Share: Belonging Moments
  3. Class Connection Web
  4. Reflection & Commitment
  5. Closure & Celebration

Briefly walk through today’s agenda so students know what to expect.

Warm-Up Discussion

What made you feel connected here last year?

• Think silently for 30 seconds and jot ideas on a sticky note
• Pair up and share for 1 minute each
• Post 2–3 notes on chart paper and read aloud

Display the prompt. Give students 30 seconds to think and write. Circulate and encourage sharing.

Think–Pair–Share: Belonging Moments

• Write about a time you felt you truly belonged in class (2 minutes)
• Pair up and take turns reading each other’s story (3 minutes)
• Volunteers share highlights with the class (3 minutes)

Distribute reflection sheets. Remind pairs to listen actively. Invite a few volunteers to share.

Class Connection Web

• Form a circle
• Student #1 holds the yarn end, shares one action that builds belonging, then tosses to another
• Each person holds their strand, shares, and passes until most have contributed
• Observe how the web shows our support network

Guide students to form a circle. Model how to hold the yarn and toss. Highlight how each thread strengthens our community.

Reflection & Commitment

• Complete the final section of your reflection sheet:
Write one concrete action you’ll take to help peers belong
• Share commitments with a partner or the class

Encourage neat writing or a quick sketch. Invite a few students to read their commitment aloud.

Closure & Celebration

• Summarize common themes from the connection web
• Collect and review reflection sheets
• Celebrate our belonging network—small acts, big impact!

Collect reflection sheets. Summarize themes you saw on the web. Reinforce the power of small actions.

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Worksheet

Belonging Reflection Sheet

Use this sheet alongside Back to Belonging Slides

Name: ____________________________ Date: ____________

1. My Belonging Story

Write about a time you felt you truly belonged in class. Describe who was there, what happened, and how you felt.











2. Partner’s Story Highlight

After sharing with your partner, write one highlight or interesting detail you learned from their story.






3. Class Connection Web Reflection

When we created our class connection web, what did you notice or feel?






4. My Commitment

Write one specific action you will take to help your classmates feel they belong. You may add a quick sketch below if you like.








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