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lenny

Morning Mixer

Ana

Tier 1
For Schools

Lesson Plan

Sunrise Spark Lesson Plan

Students will energize and connect through quick icebreakers and a collaborative building challenge, fostering community and a positive start to their day.

Morning activities break the ice, build rapport, and set an upbeat tone that enhances engagement and social cohesion in the classroom.

Audience

7th Grade

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Interactive check-ins, partner sharing, and team challenge.

Materials

Sunrise Spark Slide Deck, Index Cards, Pens or Pencils, Timer or Stopwatch, Sticky Notes, and Whiteboard and Markers

Prep

Setup Slide Deck and Materials

5 minutes

  • Review the Sunrise Spark Slide Deck to familiarize yourself with prompts and timing.
  • Write or print icebreaker questions on index cards (e.g., favorite hobby, proud moment).
  • Place stacks of sticky notes and markers at each table.
  • Test your timer or stopwatch to ensure it’s ready.

Step 1

Three-Word Check-In

5 minutes

  • Ask each student to write three words describing how they feel this morning on a sticky note.
  • Invite 3–4 volunteers to share one of their words aloud.
  • Cluster similar words on the whiteboard to highlight common feelings.

Step 2

Partner Prompt Exchange

10 minutes

  • Distribute one icebreaker index card to each student.
  • Set the timer for 1 minute; students find a partner and discuss their prompt.
  • When the timer rings, students swap cards and find a new partner.
  • Complete 3 rounds so each student shares with 3 classmates.

Step 3

Team Tower Challenge

10 minutes

  • Divide students into teams of 4–5.
  • Give each team 30 sticky notes and 1 marker.
  • Challenge: build the tallest freestanding tower in 5 minutes using only sticky notes.
  • Use the timer; when time’s up, measure each tower and celebrate the winning team.

Step 4

Reflection and Transition

5 minutes

  • Invite teams to share one strategy that helped them collaborate effectively.
  • Ask: “How did today’s activities help you feel more connected?”
  • Close with a positive affirmation and preview the next lesson’s focus.
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Slide Deck

Sunrise Spark

Morning Community-Building Activities for 7th Grade

Welcome everyone! Introduce ‘Sunrise Spark’ as our morning kickoff. Encourage energy and participation.

Objective

• Energize and connect through quick icebreakers
• Build classroom community
• Set a positive tone for learning

Review our objectives so students know the purpose.

Agenda (30 minutes)

  1. Three-Word Check-In (5')
  2. Partner Prompt Exchange (10')
  3. Team Tower Challenge (10')
  4. Reflection & Transition (5')

Walk through the agenda and time allocations.

Activity 1: Three-Word Check-In

• Write three words describing how you feel this morning on a sticky note.
• Volunteers share one word aloud.
• Cluster similar words on the whiteboard.

Explain the sticky-note check-in. Distribute sticky notes and markers.

Activity 2: Partner Prompt Exchange

• Take an icebreaker index card.
• Discuss the prompt with a partner for 1 minute.
• Swap cards and find a new partner. Repeat 3 rounds.

Hand out index cards. Remind students of the 1-minute timer per round.

Sample Icebreaker Questions

• What’s your favorite hobby and why?
• Share a recent proud moment.
• If you could have any superpower, what would it be?

Show examples to spark creativity. Invite students to add their own ideas.

Activity 3: Team Tower Challenge

• Teams of 4–5 build the tallest freestanding tower using only sticky notes.
• You have 5 minutes to complete the challenge.

Divide into teams, distribute 30 sticky notes and 1 marker per team.

Challenge Timer: 5 Minutes

⏱ The clock is ticking! Build your tower now.

Start the timer now. Keep an eye on the clock and cheer teams on.

Reflection

• What strategy helped your team collaborate best?
• How did today’s activities help you feel more connected?

Lead a debrief. Record key strategies on the board.

Transition

Great work! Next, we’ll dive into our math lesson on fractions—let’s keep this momentum going.

Offer positive feedback and set students’ sights on the next lesson.

Thank You!

Carry this energy forward into the rest of the day.

Thank students for their participation and enthusiasm.

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Warm Up

Morning Feeling Check-In

Objective: Gauge students’ moods and foster a positive start to the day.

Time: 5 minutes

Materials:

  • Sticky Notes
  • Pens or Pencils
  • Whiteboard or Large Chart Paper and Markers

Preparation (2 minutes):

  • Place a stack of sticky notes and pens at each student’s desk.
  • Clear a section of the whiteboard or chart paper for posting notes.

Instructions

Three-Word Mood Check (5 minutes)

  1. Ask each student to write three words on a sticky note that describe how they feel this morning.


  2. Invite volunteers to come up and post their notes on the whiteboard/chart paper.


  3. Read aloud some of the words and group similar feelings together in clusters.


  4. Prompt a brief discussion: “What do you notice about how our class is feeling today? How can we use this energy to learn together?”

Close with a quick positive affirmation before transitioning to the day’s lesson.

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lenny

Cool Down

Positive Reflection

Objective: Wrap up the session by celebrating connections and setting a positive intention for the rest of the day.

Time: 5 minutes

Materials:

  • Sticky Notes or Index Cards
  • Pens or Pencils

Preparation (1 minute):

  • Distribute one sticky note or index card and a pen to each student.

Instructions

  1. Write Your Reflection (2 minutes)
    On your card, complete the prompts below:

    • One thing I enjoyed about today’s activities was:





    • One positive goal I have for the rest of the day is:





  2. Share Out (2 minutes)

    • Invite 3–4 volunteers to read their reflections aloud.
    • Celebrate each student’s insight with a thumbs-up or words of encouragement.

  3. Collect & Display (1 minute)

    • Gather the cards and post them on a “Reflection Wall” or keep them for future check-ins.
    • Close by affirming: “Let’s carry this positive energy into our next lesson!”
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lenny