Teacher Script: Welcome to Group

Welcome and Introduction (3 minutes)

"Good morning/afternoon, everyone! Welcome! I am so excited to see all of your wonderful faces today. We are starting a new group, and it's going to be a fantastic place for us to learn and grow together.

Today, we're going to get to know each other a little better and also talk about how we can make this group the very best it can be. Does that sound good?"

Brainstorming Group Norms (6 minutes)

"To make sure our group is a place where everyone feels safe, respected, and happy to share, we need to come up with some special rules or agreements. We call these 'group norms.' These are like promises we make to each other about how we will act and treat one another in our group.

What do you think are some important ways we should act when we are together in our group? How can we show respect? How can we make sure everyone feels heard? Think about how we can be good friends and good listeners.

(Write down student suggestions on the Group Norms Anchor Chart Activity. Guide them to ideas like: 'Listen when others are talking,' 'Raise your hand to speak,' 'Be kind with our words,' 'Respect each other's ideas,' 'Try our best.')

"These are excellent ideas! So, our group norms are... (read them aloud). Do we all agree that these are great norms for our group? Give me a thumbs up if you agree!"

Getting to Know You Bingo Activity (8 minutes)

"Now that we have our awesome group norms, let's have some fun and get to know each other better with a game called Getting to Know You Bingo Game!"

"I'm going to give each of you a Bingo card. On your card, you'll see different boxes with things like 'Has a pet dog' or 'Likes to read books.' Your job is to walk around, gently ask your classmates if they match one of the descriptions on your card. If they do, they can sign that box. Once a person signs a box, they can't sign another box on your card. Try to get a different person for each box!"

"The goal is to get three signatures in a row – across, down, or diagonally – just like regular Bingo! When you get Bingo, come show me. Don't worry if you don't get Bingo right away, the most important thing is to talk to lots of different people and learn new things about them! Any questions?"

(Distribute Bingo cards and pencils. Facilitate the activity, ensuring students are interacting respectfully and moving around.)

Group Cheer (1 minute)

"That was so much fun getting to know each other! To celebrate our first amazing group session, how about we create a quick, fun group cheer? We can make it a cheer that helps us remember how awesome our group is and the great social skills we're practicing! What are some ideas for a short cheer that reminds us to be good listeners, kind friends, and good sharers?"

(Guide students to co-create a simple cheer, referencing Group Cheer Activity for ideas. Practice it a couple of times.)

"Fantastic! Let's do our cheer one more time, super loud and proud!"

Closing and Review of Norms (2 minutes)

"Alright, bring it in everyone! Let's find our spots again. Wow, it sounds like you all learned some really cool things about each other, and we have a fantastic cheer! That was a great way to start building connections in our group.

Before we finish today, let's quickly review our group norms. (Point to the Group Norms Anchor Chart Activity). Remember, these are the promises we made to each other to make sure our group is a positive and supportive place. Let's try our best to remember and follow these every time we meet.

Thank you all for your amazing participation today! I'm really looking forward to our next group session. You did a fantastic job!"

Group Norms Anchor Chart Activity

Objective: To collaboratively create a visual representation of agreed-upon group behaviors.

Materials: Large chart paper or whiteboard, colorful markers.

Instructions for Teacher:

1. Prepare the Chart: Before the lesson, write the title "Our Group Norms" clearly at the top of the chart paper or whiteboard.
2. Introduce Norms: During the "Brainstorming Group Norms" section of the lesson, explain that group norms are like agreements or rules everyone in the group will follow to make sure it's a safe and respectful place.
3. Facilitate Brainstorming: Ask students questions like:
   • "What does it look like when someone is listening?"
   • "What kinds of words should we use when we talk to each other?"
   • "How can we make sure everyone gets a turn to speak?"
   • "What should we do if we disagree with someone?"
4. Record Student Ideas: As students share their ideas, write them down clearly and concisely on the anchor chart. Rephrase if necessary to keep them positive and actionable (e.g., instead of "Don't interrupt," write "Listen when others are talking"). Use bullet points or numbers.
   • Example Norms:
     • Listen when others are talking.
     • Raise a quiet hand to speak.
     • Use kind words.
     • Respect each other's ideas.
     • Try our best.
5. Seek Consensus: After recording several ideas, review them with the class. Ask, "Do we all agree that these are good norms for our group?" Encourage a thumbs-up or verbal agreement.
6. Display: Keep the anchor chart displayed prominently in the classroom or group space as a visual reminder of the agreed-upon norms for future sessions.

Getting to Know You Bingo!

Find a classmate who matches each description. Have them sign the box! Try to get three in a row (across, down, or diagonally) to get BINGO!

Remember to only have one person sign each box on your card!

Our Group Social Skills Cheer!

Objective: To create a fun, unifying cheer that celebrates and reinforces positive social skills within the group.

Instructions for Teacher:

1. Introduce the Idea: Explain that a cheer can be a fun way to celebrate being together and the great social skills they are using.
2. Brainstorm Ideas: Ask students for ideas for simple movements and words that celebrate good social skills like listening, sharing, being kind, and taking turns. Keep it short and catchy.
3. Co-create the Cheer: Guide students to create a simple cheer. It could be something like:
   • "Listen up, share our best! Friends together, put to the test! (We're great!)"
   • "Kind words, helping hands! This amazing group expands! (Yay team!)"
4. Practice Together: Practice the cheer a few times with the students. Encourage big voices and enthusiastic movements.
5. Use as a Closer: Use this cheer at the end of the session to send students off feeling positive and connected, and reminding them of the social skills they practiced.