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Building Belonging

Lesson Plan

Belonging Builders Plan

Students will strengthen inclusion and belonging by practicing empathy, respect, and teamwork through interactive activities that highlight every student's voice and role in a supportive classroom community.

Building a positive school climate fosters trust and respect, helping students feel valued and safe. Cultivating belonging improves engagement, cooperation, and overall well-being.

Audience

4th Grade Students

Time

40 minutes

Approach

Interactive group activities and discussions

Materials

Prep

Prepare Materials

10 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up Circle Discussion

5 minutes

  • Arrange students in a circle.
  • Ask “What does belonging mean to you?” and encourage responses.
  • Note key themes on chart titled “Our Classroom Community.”

Step 2

Inclusion Chain Link Activity

15 minutes

  • Distribute paper strips and markers.
  • Each student writes one quality or action that helps peers feel included.
  • Students share their idea aloud, then attach their link to form a class chain.
  • Discuss how each link represents a student’s contribution to belonging.

Step 3

Faces of Our Community Discussion

15 minutes

  • Project Faces of Our Community slides.
  • Guide students through images of diverse classmates and community members.
  • Prompt students to identify similarities and unique traits.
  • Discuss how recognizing diversity strengthens inclusion.

Step 4

Cool-Down Belonging Shout-Outs

5 minutes

  • Distribute sticky notes or index cards.
  • Students write a shout-out recognizing a classmate’s inclusive action.
  • Volunteers stick notes on a “Belonging Board” or share aloud.
  • Reinforce positive behaviors and celebrate every voice.
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Slide Deck

Faces Of Our Community

Exploring the Diversity in Our Classroom

Introduce the lesson. Explain that we’re going to look at different faces and think about what makes each person unique and special. Remind students of our goal: to learn how noticing and celebrating differences helps everyone feel they belong.

Meet Our Peers

[Insert images of diverse classmates here]

Take a moment to look closely.

Show a slide with 6–8 photos of diverse 4th-grade students (varying skin tones, hairstyles, clothing, expressions). Ask students to look quietly for a moment and notice what stands out to them.

What Do You Notice?

What similarities and differences do you see among these faces?

Prompt students to share out observations about what they noticed. Record key ideas on chart paper: hair color, clothing, expressions, accessories, etc. Emphasize both similarities and differences.

Why Celebrate Diversity?

Diversity makes our community stronger because…

Guide discussion about why noticing differences is positive. Discuss how our differences bring new ideas, experiences, and strengths to our classroom community.

How Can We Include Everyone?

• Say hello and greet classmates by name
• Ask someone new to join your group
• Listen carefully when others speak
• Share materials and ideas freely

Connect this slide to the upcoming Inclusion Chain Link activity. Review each action and ask for examples of how students can practice these inclusion strategies.

Our Next Steps

Think of one action you will take today to help someone feel they belong.

Lead students to think about their own role. This slide sets up the next activity where they’ll write their inclusion idea on a chain link.

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Activity

Inclusion Chain Link Activity

Objective: Students will identify and share inclusive actions and symbols of belonging by collaboratively creating a paper chain that represents their collective commitment to inclusion.

Time: 15 minutes

Materials:

  • Paper strips (one per student)
  • Markers
  • Tape or stapler for linking strips

Instructions

1. Create Chain Links (5 minutes)

  • Give each student a paper strip and a marker.


  • Ask students to think of one action or quality that helps peers feel included (e.g., “listening carefully,” “saying hello,” “sharing materials”) and write it clearly on their strip.


2. Form the Chain (7 minutes)

  • Invite students, one at a time, to read aloud the action or quality they wrote.


  • After each share, have a volunteer attach that strip to the end of the growing chain using tape or a stapler.


  • Continue until every student’s link is added and the paper chain is complete.

3. Reflect on Belonging (3 minutes)

  • Display the finished chain prominently in the classroom.


  • Lead a brief discussion:
    • How does our chain show that we all play a role in making everyone feel they belong?
    • Which link (action) stood out to you and why?
  • Record key reflections on your chart titled “Our Classroom Community.”
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Cool Down

Belonging Shout-Outs Cool-Down

Objective: Students will recognize peers’ inclusive behaviors and celebrate how these actions build belonging.

Time: 5 minutes

Materials:

  • Sticky notes or index cards
  • “Belonging Board” (chart paper or bulletin board)

Steps

  1. Distribute one sticky note or index card to each student.
  2. Ask students to think of a classmate who showed an inclusive action today (e.g., inviting someone in, listening carefully, sharing materials) and write a shout-out naming the student and the action they observed.


  3. Invite volunteers to come up, place their shout-out on the Belonging Board, and read it aloud if they wish.
  4. Read 2–3 shout-outs as a class, highlighting how each action made someone feel included.
  5. Leave the Belonging Board on display as an ongoing reminder of our caring, inclusive community.
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Building Belonging • Lenny Learning