Lesson Plan
Morning Mission Meetup Lesson Plan
Students will build classroom community through greetings and sharing, practice active listening skills in peer conversations, and set positive daily intentions to foster a supportive learning environment.
Starting the day with connection and reflection helps students feel seen, builds social-emotional skills, and promotes a positive, collaborative classroom climate, setting a constructive tone for learning.
Audience
7th Grade Students
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Circle activities with sharing prompts and listening practice.
Materials
- Timer, * Whiteboard and Markers, * Index Cards (one per student), * Markers or Pens, and * Talking Piece (small object, e.g., a ball)
Prep
Prepare Materials and Space
5 minutes
- Review the Morning Mission Meetup Lesson Plan to familiarize yourself with each step.
- Gather and organize all materials: timer, whiteboard and markers, index cards, pens, and the talking piece.
- Arrange seating in a circle to facilitate eye contact and group engagement.
Step 1
Welcome & Greeting
5 minutes
- Invite students to the circle and briefly explain the purpose: building community and setting a positive tone.
- Lead a quick greeting activity (e.g., high fives or fist bumps) around the circle, encouraging eye contact and positive energy.
- Remind students of group norms: one speaker at a time, respectful body language.
Step 2
Share & Reflect
10 minutes
- Display or announce the prompt: “Share one thing you’re excited about today.”
- Distribute an index card and pen to each student; give 2 minutes to write their response.
- Pair students to share their responses (1–2 minutes each).
- Invite volunteers to share highlights with the whole class.
Step 3
Active Listening Challenge
8 minutes
- Form pairs; assign one student as Speaker and the other as Listener.
- Speaker shares a challenge or feeling for 1–2 minutes while Listener practices active listening (eye contact, nodding).
- Listener paraphrases what they heard; Speaker confirms or clarifies.
- Switch roles and repeat.
- Emphasize listening norms: no interrupting, engaging questions after paraphrasing.
Step 4
Intentions & Wrap-Up
7 minutes
- Explain that each student will share one positive intention or goal for the day, using the talking piece (only the holder speaks).
- Pass the talking piece around the circle; each student briefly states their intention.
- Acknowledge each contribution and reinforce community support.
- Finish with a group affirmation or brief cheer to close the meeting.
Slide Deck
Morning Mission Meetup
7th Grade | 30 minutes
Tier 1 Morning Meeting
Welcome students warmly. Say: “Good morning, everyone! Welcome to our Morning Mission Meetup. Today we’ll build community, practice listening, and set positive intentions for our day.”
Today's Goals
• Build our classroom community through greetings and sharing
• Practice active listening skills
• Set positive intentions to support one another
Briefly review the goals so students know what to expect. Emphasize that these steps help create a positive classroom climate.
1. Welcome & Greeting
- Form a circle
- Greeting activity: High fives or fist bumps as you go around
- Norms reminder: One speaker at a time • Respectful body language
Explain the greeting activity. Encourage eye contact and energy as you go around the circle. Reinforce norms before you start.
2. Share & Reflect
Prompt: “Share one thing you’re excited about today.”
• Write your response on an index card (2 min)
• Pair up: take 1–2 min each to share
• Volunteers share highlights with the class
Distribute index cards and pens. Monitor pairs to keep timing. After pairs share, invite 2–3 volunteers to highlight interesting responses.
3. Active Listening Challenge
• Form new pairs: assign Speaker & Listener
• Speaker shares a challenge or feeling (1–2 min)
• Listener practices active listening: eye contact, nodding
• Listener paraphrases what they heard
• Switch roles and repeat
Model one round if needed. Remind students to paraphrase accurately and ask follow-up questions. Keep each round to 2 min max.
4. Intentions & Wrap-Up
• Pass the talking piece around the circle
• Each student states one positive intention or goal for today
• End with a group affirmation or brief cheer
Introduce the talking piece. Remind students only the holder speaks. Encourage genuine intentions.
Let’s Have a Great Day!
Thank you for sharing and listening. Let’s carry this positive energy into our day!
Use this slide to close with energy. Lead a final cheer: “1-2-3, team!”. Transition smoothly into the next activity or lesson.
Script
Morning Mission Meetup Script
This script provides word-for-word guidance for leading a 30-minute Tier 1 morning meeting with 7th graders. Refer to the full Morning Mission Meetup Lesson Plan and use the Morning Mission Meetup Slides as you go.
1. Welcome & Greeting (5 minutes)
Teacher: “Good morning, everyone! Please take a seat in our circle. I’m so glad to see all of you today.”
Teacher: “We’re about to start our Morning Mission Meetup. Today, we’ll build our classroom community, practice active listening, and set positive intentions for our day. This helps us feel connected and ready to learn!”
Teacher: “Let’s begin with a greeting activity. We’re going to go around the circle giving a high five or a fist bump to the person next to us. Remember to make eye contact, smile, and use respectful body language. Also, we speak one at a time—does everyone remember our norm?”
(Teacher models by giving a high five to the student on their right.)
Teacher: “Great job! Let’s continue around the circle.”
2. Share & Reflect (10 minutes)
Teacher: “Now, I’d like each of you to think about one thing you’re excited about today. I’m handing out an index card and pen to each of you.”
Teacher: “Write your response on your card. You have two minutes—go!”
Teacher: “Time’s up! Now find a partner. You will each have up to two minutes to share what you wrote. Remember to look at each other and listen without interrupting.”
Teacher: “Okay, partners, switch roles now so the other person can share.”
Teacher: “Let’s bring it back together. Who would like to volunteer to share something interesting they heard from their partner?”
Student shares
Teacher: “Thank you for sharing that! I love hearing about your excitement for the soccer game.”
3. Active Listening Challenge (8 minutes)
Teacher: “Next, we’ll practice active listening. Find a new partner. Decide who will be the Speaker first and who will be the Listener.”
Teacher: “Speaker: share a recent challenge or feeling you’ve had. Speak for about one minute. Listener: practice active listening—make eye contact, nod, and don’t interrupt.”
Teacher: “Ready? Go!”
Teacher (after one minute): “Switch!”
Teacher: “Listeners, now paraphrase what you heard in one or two sentences. Speak up when you’re ready.”
(Listener paraphrases; Speaker confirms.)
Teacher: “Great! Now switch roles and repeat.”
Teacher: “Wonderful listening, everyone. What did you notice about how your partner listened? Raise your hand if you noticed something.”
(Student responds.)
Teacher: “Excellent observation!”
4. Intentions & Wrap-Up (7 minutes)
Teacher: “Lastly, let’s share one positive intention or goal for our day. We’ll use this talking piece—only the person holding it speaks.”
Teacher: “I’ll start: My intention is to stay curious and help my classmates. (Passes talking piece to the left.)”
(Each student shares their intention.)
Teacher: “Thank you all for sharing such thoughtful intentions. Let’s seal our positive energy with a group cheer. On the count of three, shout ‘Team!’ Ready?”
Teacher and Students: “1–2–3… Team!”
Teacher: “Fantastic work today. I’m proud of how you greeted each other, listened, and shared your intentions. Let’s carry this positivity into our next lesson. You’ve got this—have a great day!”
End of Morning Mission Meetup Script
Warm Up
Morning Check-In
Time: 5 minutes
Purpose: Reflect on your current mood and set a positive focus for the day.
-
Mood Meter: On a scale of 1 (very tired) to 5 (very energized), what number best describes how you feel right now?
Write your number: ____ -
One-Word Reflection: In one word, explain why you chose that number.
____ -
Daily Focus: What is one positive thing you want to accomplish or focus on today?
When you’re ready, we’ll share our numbers and intentions to kick off our Morning Mission Meetup!
Cool Down
Daily Intention Exit Ticket
Time: 5 minutes
Purpose: Reflect on the intention you set this morning and plan next steps.
-
My intention for today was:
-
One action I took today toward my intention:
-
Next time, I will:
Thank you for reflecting! I’ll review these to support your goals.
Rubric
Participation Rubric
Use this rubric to assess students’ engagement, respect for norms, active listening, sharing, and intention-setting during the Morning Mission Meetup.
Scoring Scale
| 4 ⁃ Exemplary | 3 ⁃ Proficient | 2 ⁃ Developing | 1 ⁃ Beginning |
|---|
| Criteria | 4 – Exemplary | 3 – Proficient | 2 – Developing | 1 – Beginning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community Engagement & Respect | Consistently greets peers with positive energy; follows norms; encourages others; makes eye contact and uses respectful body language throughout. | Greets peers and follows norms most of the time; shows positive body language; occasionally encourages classmates. | Greets classmates occasionally but may forget norms; body language inconsistent; seldom encourages others. | Rarely greets peers; interrupts or ignores norms; disengaged body language; does not encourage or acknowledge classmates. |
| Active Listening Skills | Listens attentively (eye contact, nodding); paraphrases accurately; asks thoughtful follow-up questions. | Listens with eye contact and nodding; paraphrases or asks a question with minimal prompting. | Sometimes listens but may lose focus; paraphrasing is incomplete; few or no follow-up questions. | Often distracted; does not make eye contact or nod; does not paraphrase or ask follow-up questions. |
| Sharing & Reflecting | Shares ideas clearly and thoughtfully; writes a complete response; offers positive, constructive feedback when volunteering. | Shares an appropriate idea; response is clear but may lack detail; provides positive feedback when prompted. | Shares a brief or partially relevant idea; written response may be incomplete; feedback is minimal. | Does not share or writes no/irrelevant response; does not participate in volunteer sharing. |
| Intention Setting & Wrap-Up | States a clear, meaningful intention; listens respectfully to peers; contributes enthusiastically to the group affirmation or cheer. | States an intention that relates to the day; listens when others share; participates in the affirmation. | States a vague or generic intention; listens inconsistently; joins the affirmation with minimal energy. | Does not state an intention or shares unrelated intention; does not listen to peers; opts out of the group affirmation. |
Total Score /16
Teacher Notes: Use this rubric to provide focused feedback, highlight strengths, and identify areas for growth in students’ community building and social-emotional skills during morning meetings.
Reading
Morning Meeting Importance
Morning meetings are a simple yet powerful way to set a positive tone for the entire school day. When held consistently, they help students feel safe, valued, and ready to learn. Below are key reasons why investing 20–30 minutes each morning pays off.
1. Strengthening Classroom Community
A strong classroom community is built on trust and positive relationships. Morning meetings:
- Give every student a chance to speak and be heard.
- Encourage students to learn more about each other’s interests, feelings, and experiences.
- Foster a sense of belonging: when students see that their thoughts matter, they become more invested in the group.
2. Promoting Social-Emotional Skills
Social-emotional learning (SEL) underpins success in school and life. Morning meetings develop SEL by:
- Providing structured time to practice active listening, empathy, and respectful turn-taking.
- Helping students identify and share emotions, reducing stress and misunderstandings.
- Encouraging goal-setting and self-reflection, which build self-awareness and self-management.
3. Boosting Academic Engagement
Students who feel connected and emotionally supported are more motivated learners. Research shows that morning meetings can:
- Increase attention and participation during lessons.
- Decrease behavioral disruptions, freeing teachers to teach.
- Set clear expectations and routines, so transitions into academic work are smoother.
4. Creating a Positive Classroom Culture
Starting the day with kindness and collaboration makes a lasting impression. Over time, morning meetings:
- Reinforce shared classroom norms—like respect, patience, and encouragement.
- Build a habit of celebrating small successes and practicing gratitude.
- Strengthen teacher-student rapport, leading to more open communication.
Putting It Into Practice
Ready to get started? See the detailed Morning Mission Meetup Lesson Plan for step-by-step guidance on greetings, sharing activities, active listening challenges, and intention-setting exercises.
By making morning meetings a daily ritual, you’ll create a classroom where every student feels connected, heard, and prepared to tackle new learning with confidence.
Quiz
Morning Meeting Reflection Quiz