Lesson Plan
Let's Get Started! Group Welcome
Students will be able to co-create and agree to a set of group norms and participate in an introductory activity.
To foster a safe, respectful, and engaging group environment from day one. This will help your students feel comfortable and connected, and understand expectations for group interactions.
Audience
2nd Grade
Time
20 minutes
Approach
Collaborative norm-setting and interactive game.
Materials
- Welcome to Group Slides, - Group Norms Anchor Chart Activity, - Chart paper or whiteboard, - Markers, - Getting to Know You Bingo Game, and - Pencils or crayons
Prep
Review Materials
5 minutes
- Review the Welcome to Group Slides to familiarize yourself with the content.
- Prepare chart paper or a whiteboard for the Group Norms Anchor Chart Activity.
- Print copies of the Getting to Know You Bingo Game for each student.
Step 1
Welcome and Introduction
5 minutes
- Greeting: Greet students warmly as they enter. Use the Welcome to Group Slides to display the title slide.
2. Introduction: Briefly introduce yourself and the purpose of the group. Explain that this is a special space where everyone learns and grows together.
3. Introduce Group Norms: Explain that groups work best when everyone agrees on how to treat each other. Ask students what rules or ideas help people feel safe and happy in a group.
Step 2
Brainstorming Group Norms
7 minutes
- Facilitate Brainstorming: Guide students in a brainstorming session to co-create group norms. Use the Group Norms Anchor Chart Activity for this.
2. Record Ideas: Write down student suggestions on the chart paper/whiteboard, helping to phrase them positively (e.g., "Listen when others speak" instead of "Don't interrupt").
3. Discuss and Refine: Discuss each suggested norm briefly. Ask clarifying questions like "What does 'respect' look like in our group?"
4. Finalize and Agree: Once a concise list (3-5 norms) is established, ask for a verbal agreement from all students. You can have them give a thumbs up or say "I agree!"
Step 3
Getting to Know You Activity
6 minutes
- Introduce Bingo: Distribute the Getting to Know You Bingo Game sheets and pencils/crayons.
2. Explain Instructions: Explain how to play: Students walk around and find classmates who fit the descriptions in the squares. Once they find someone, that person signs their name in the square. The goal is to get a 'bingo' (five in a row).
3. Monitor and Facilitate: Circulate the room, encourage interaction, and help students who might be shy. Ensure everyone is participating.
4. Share: After a few minutes, bring the group back together and ask who got a bingo. Have a few students share something they learned about a classmate.
Step 4
Closing and Review of Norms
2 minutes
- Review Norms: Briefly review the co-created group norms. Remind students that these norms will help the group run smoothly.
2. Positive Closing: Thank students for their participation and enthusiasm. Express excitement for future group sessions.
Slide Deck
Welcome to Our Group!
We are so glad you are here!
This is a special place for learning and growing together!
Welcome students warmly as they enter the group space. Start with a friendly greeting and a big smile. You can play some calm background music as they settle in.
What Makes a Great Group?
How do we make everyone feel:
- Safe?
- Happy?
- Respected?
Let's create some ideas together!
Explain to students that groups work best when everyone knows how to treat each other. Ask them: 'What are some ways we can make sure everyone feels safe, happy, and respected in our group?' Encourage them to think about how they want to be treated and how they want to treat others.
Our Group Norms
These are our agreements on how we will work and play together:
- Listen to each other
- Share our ideas
- Be kind and helpful
- Try our best
This slide sets the stage for the Group Norms Anchor Chart Activity. Explain that these ideas will become our 'group norms' – like agreements that help us work and play well together.
Let's Get To Know Each Other!
Time for an exciting game!
We're going to play Getting to Know You Bingo!
Find a friend who matches a square and ask them to sign it!
Introduce the Getting to Know You Bingo Game activity. Explain the rules clearly: students will walk around, find classmates who fit the descriptions, and have them sign the square. Emphasize that it's a fun way to learn new things about friends!
Great Job Today!
Thank you for sharing your ideas and getting to know each other!
Remember our group norms:
- Listen to each other
- Share our ideas
- Be kind and helpful
- Try our best
See you next time!
Wrap up the session by briefly reviewing the group norms. Remind them that practicing these norms helps make the group a great place for everyone. Thank them for their participation and express enthusiasm for next time.
Activity
Group Norms Anchor Chart Activity
Objective: To collaboratively create a visual representation of agreed-upon group norms.
Materials:
- Large chart paper or whiteboard
- Markers in various colors
Instructions for the Teacher:
-
Preparation: Have a large piece of chart paper ready, or clear a section of your whiteboard. At the top, write the title: "Our Group Norms".
-
Introduce the Concept: Remind students that a great group needs rules or agreements to help everyone feel safe, respected, and happy. Explain that you will be creating a special chart together that lists these agreements.
-
Brainstorming (5-7 minutes):
- Ask students: "What are some ways we can make sure everyone feels good in our group? What kind of rules help us learn and play well together?"
- Encourage all students to share their ideas. You can use prompts like:
- "What should our voices sound like when someone else is talking?"
- "What should we do when someone has a different idea than us?"
- "How can we show we care about our friends in the group?"
- "What does trying your best look like?"
-
Record and Rephrase (As students share):
- As students share ideas, write them down on the chart paper.
- Help students rephrase their ideas into positive, actionable statements. For example:
- If a student says, "No yelling!" you can guide them to "Use quiet voices" or "Talk calmly."
- If a student says, "Don't hit," you can guide them to "Keep our hands and feet to ourselves."
- If a student says, "Listen," you can guide them to "Listen when others are speaking."
-
Discussion and Refinement (3-5 minutes):
- Once you have a list of 5-7 ideas, read them aloud to the group.
- Ask students if there are any ideas they want to combine or make clearer.
- Lead a brief discussion for each norm: "What does 'respectful listening' look like?" or "Why is 'being kind' important?"
-
Finalize and Agreement (2 minutes):
- Once the group is happy with the list (aim for 3-5 clear, concise norms), explain that these are their official group norms.
- Ask for a sign of agreement from everyone. This could be a thumbs-up, standing up, or a verbal "I agree!"
- You can have a few students come up and trace one of the letters on the chart to make it feel even more like 'theirs'.
-
Display: Post the anchor chart in a visible place in the group room where it can be referenced often.
Game
Getting to Know You Bingo!
Find a friend who matches a square below and ask them to sign their name in that box. Try to get 5 in a row (across, down, or diagonally) for a BINGO!
| Has a pet | Loves to read | Has a birthday in the summer | Plays a sport |
| Likes to draw | Has a favorite color blue | Can tie their shoes | Likes to sing |
| Has more than one sibling | Favorite food is pizza | Wears glasses | Enjoys playing outside |
| Loves to tell jokes | Is good at math | Has traveled to another state | Likes to dance |
| Favorite animal is a dog | Can speak another language | Likes to build with LEGOs | Has a favorite toy animal |