Lesson Plan
Circle Guidelines
Establish clear, respectful circle guidelines for 10th grade community circles to promote active listening, speaking authentically, and mutual respect during discussions.
Setting shared norms builds trust and safety, allowing students to engage honestly and responsibly, strengthening relationships and decision-making skills in small-group sessions.
Audience
10th Grade Group
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Introduce, model, and practice essential circle norms.
Prep
Preparation
10 minutes
- Print or prepare digital copies of the Discussion Prompts Slide Deck, Trust-Building Questions Discussion Guide, Circle Participation Criteria Rubric, and Takeaway Thoughts Reflection Sheet.
- Review the Circle Guidelines to familiarize with each norm.
- Arrange seating in a circle to ensure visibility and equal participation.
Step 1
Set Up the Circle
5 minutes
- Arrange chairs in a circle to create a safe, inclusive space.
- Ensure there are no physical barriers between participants.
- Distribute a printed copy of the Circle Guidelines to each student.
Step 2
Introduce Guidelines
5 minutes
- Explain the purpose of community circles: to foster respectful, open dialogue.
- Briefly review each guideline from the Circle Guidelines:
- Speak from the heart.
- Listen with intent.
- Respect all contributions.
- Maintain confidentiality.
- Equal airtime.
- Invite questions for clarification.
Step 3
Model and Practice
10 minutes
- Role-play one guideline at a time with a small volunteer group.
- Demonstrate correct behavior for each norm (e.g., active listening, respectful turn-taking).
- Ask students to practice in pairs, rotating roles of speaker and listener for 1–2 minutes each.
Step 4
Establish Group Norms
10 minutes
- Facilitate a whole-group discussion using sample scenarios:
- “What if someone interrupts?”
- “How do we maintain confidentiality?”
- Encourage students to suggest additional norms or wording adjustments.
- Record agreed-upon norms on chart paper or shared screen.
- Confirm group’s commitment by having each student verbally acknowledge understanding.
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Slide Deck
Discussion Prompts
Community Circles • 10th Grade
Use these prompts to guide authentic sharing and decision-making conversations.
Welcome students and introduce the purpose of today’s discussion prompts: to deepen trust and practice responsible decision-making. Remind them of the Circle Guidelines and encourage open, respectful sharing.
Prompt 1: Building Trust
• Describe a time someone earned your trust. How did they do it?
• What actions break trust, and how can they be repaired?
Prompt 1 focuses on personal experiences with trust. Invite 2–3 volunteers to share, then open to the group. Emphasize active listening.
Prompt 2: Responsible Decisions
• Recall a decision you made that had unexpected outcomes. What guided your choice?
• How do you balance personal values with peer influence?
Prompt 2 explores responsible decision-making. Encourage students to reflect on choices that had consequences—positive or negative.
Prompt 3: Respect & Listening
• What does respectful listening look like in a group?
• Share a moment when you felt truly heard. What made that experience meaningful?
Prompt 3 highlights respect and listening. Ensure students refer back to “Listen with intent” and “Respect all contributions.”
Prompt 4: Applying Insights
• Based on our discussion, name one action you will take to build trust or make better decisions.
• How can our circle support you in that action?
Prompt 4 moves students toward applying insights. Facilitate a brief brainstorm of strategies they can implement in future circles or daily life.
Next Steps & Reflection
• Spend 5 minutes writing a personal takeaway.
• Keep this reflection to guide your next circle discussion.
Conclude by thanking everyone for sharing. Remind students to jot reflections on the Takeaway Thoughts Reflection Sheet.
Discussion
Trust-Building Questions Discussion Guide
Objective: Deepen connections and foster a foundation of trust within the circle by sharing personal experiences, perspectives, and strategies for supporting one another.
Time: 15 minutes
Materials:
- A talking piece (e.g., small object passed around) to ensure equal airtime.
- Circle Guidelines visible for reference.
Facilitator Notes:
- Remind students of “Speak from the heart” and “Listen with intent.”
- Use a talking piece to help students focus and respect turn-taking.
- Encourage follow-up questions and affirmations (e.g., “Thank you for sharing.”).
- Offer 10–15 seconds of silent reflection before each question.
Discussion Questions
-
Defining Trust
• What does the word “trust” mean to you in this circle?
• Follow-up: How do you know when someone’s actions match their words?
-
Personal Experience with Trust
• Recall a moment when you felt someone truly earned your trust. What did they do or say?
• Follow-up: How did that experience change your relationship with them?
-
Trust Broken and Repaired
• Think of a time trust was broken—either in family, friends, or school. What happened?
• Follow-up: What helped you begin to rebuild that trust?
-
Behaviors That Build Safety
• What specific behaviors or words make you feel safe and respected in a group?
• Follow-up: Which of those behaviors do you see in this circle already, and which could we add?
-
Circle Commitments
• What is one action you will take this week to demonstrate trust in others?
• Follow-up: How can the circle support you in keeping that commitment?
Closing:
- Thank participants for their honesty.
- Remind them to jot any final reflections on the Takeaway Thoughts Reflection Sheet.
- Encourage everyone to carry these trust-building actions into future circles and daily life.
Rubric
Circle Participation Criteria Rubric
| Criteria | 4 – Exemplary | 3 – Proficient | 2 – Developing | 1 – Beginning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engagement | Actively initiates and sustains meaningful dialogue; encourages peers to contribute | Regularly contributes relevant ideas; builds on others’ comments | Contributes when prompted; participation is uneven | Rarely participates; contributions are minimal or off-topic |
| Respect | Demonstrates consistent respect; affirms peers’ perspectives and fosters inclusion | Shows respect for others’ opinions; rarely interrupts | Respectful most of the time; occasional interruptions or dismissals | Displays disrespect; interrupts or dismisses peers |
| Listening | Listens attentively; paraphrases and acknowledges peers’ ideas before responding | Listens and responds appropriately; shows understanding | Listening is inconsistent; sometimes distracted | Does not listen; engages in side conversations or ignores peers |
| Confidentiality | Upholds confidentiality at all times; reinforces trust within the circle | Maintains confidentiality; promptly corrects any slip | Occasionally forgets; requires reminder to keep discussions private | Does not respect confidentiality; shares circle content outside |
| Reflection | Provides deep, thoughtful reflections connecting learning to personal goals | Offers clear reflections with connections to the discussion | Reflections are surface-level; limited personal insight | Reflection missing or unrelated to circle experience |
Cool Down
Takeaway Thoughts Reflection Sheet
Use this sheet to capture your key takeaways from today’s community circle and to set a personal goal for building trust and making responsible decisions.
1. Key Insights
What is one important idea or insight you gained from today’s discussion?
2. Personal Commitment
Based on our circle, what is one specific action you will take this week to build trust or make more responsible decisions?
3. Connection to Circle Guidelines
Which circle guideline will you focus on to help you follow through on your commitment?
(e.g., “Listen with intent,” “Speak from the heart,” etc.)
4. Support Needed
How can your circle peers support you in keeping this commitment?
(e.g., reminders, accountability check-ins, encouragement)
Tip: Refer back to our Circle Guidelines and the strategies we discussed in the Discussion Prompts and Trust-Building Questions to guide your next steps.