Lesson Plan
Our Class, Our Community
Students will be able to collaboratively identify and define characteristics of a positive classroom culture, and collectively establish 3-5 measurable classroom norms to foster a supportive learning environment.
A positive classroom culture is essential for effective learning, promoting mutual respect, enhancing student engagement, and ensuring every student feels safe, valued, and ready to participate.
Audience
7th Grade
Time
30 minutes
Approach
Interactive discussion and collaborative activity
Materials
Whiteboard or projector, Markers or pens, Classroom Culture Slide Deck, and Classroom Norms Worksheet
Prep
Prepare Materials
10 minutes
Review the Classroom Culture Slide Deck and become familiar with the discussion prompts. Print enough copies of the Classroom Norms Worksheet for each student or prepare to display it digitally. Ensure the whiteboard or projector is ready for use. You may want to have sticky notes or chart paper for group ideas.
Step 1
Warm-Up: What Makes a Great Class?
5 minutes
- Begin with a quick warm-up. Ask students: "Think about a class where you felt really good about learning and participating. What made that class great?"
2. Facilitate a brief whole-class share-out, listing key ideas on the board. (e.g., 'Everyone listened,' 'Felt safe to share ideas,' 'Teachers were fair,' 'We helped each other.')
Step 2
Introducing Classroom Culture
5 minutes
- Display Slide 2: What is Classroom Culture? and briefly explain the concept: the shared beliefs, values, and practices that shape how we interact and learn together.
2. Use Slide 3: Why Does it Matter? to emphasize the importance of a positive culture for everyone's success and well-being.
Step 3
Brainstorming Positive Norms
10 minutes
- Display Slide 4: Building Our Best Class. Explain that 'norms' are like unwritten rules or agreements that guide behavior.
2. Distribute the Classroom Norms Worksheet or display it. In small groups (2-3 students), have students brainstorm 3-5 ideas for positive classroom norms. Encourage them to think about how their ideal classroom (from the warm-up) would function.
3. Circulate to provide support and encourage thoughtful discussion.
Step 4
Sharing and Finalizing Norms
8 minutes
- Bring the class back together. Ask each group to share one of their brainstormed norms.
2. As they share, guide the class in identifying common themes and consolidating ideas into 3-5 overarching, actionable, and positively phrased classroom norms. Write these finalized norms on the board.
3. Emphasize that these are 'our' norms, created by 'us,' and everyone's commitment is vital. Consider having students sign a digital or physical copy if time permits, or simply agree by show of hands.
Step 5
Cool-Down: One Word Pledge
2 minutes
- Display Slide 5: Our Class, Our Pledge. Ask students to think of one word that describes their commitment to upholding the new classroom norms.
2. Have students share their word as an exit ticket or quick verbal share, reinforcing their ownership of the classroom culture.
Slide Deck
Our Class, Our Community
Building a Great Place to Learn Together!
Welcome students and introduce the topic of classroom culture. Explain that today they will work together to make their classroom an even better place to learn.
What is Classroom Culture?
It's the shared feeling, beliefs, and ways we interact in our classroom.
It's how we treat each other, how we learn, and how we solve problems.
Ask students what they think 'classroom culture' means. Guide them towards understanding it's about the feeling, the rules (spoken and unspoken), and how everyone treats each other in the classroom.
Why Does it Matter?
A positive culture helps us:
- Learn better
- Feel safe and comfortable
- Be creative and share ideas
- Respect ourselves and others
- Work together as a team
Discuss why a positive classroom culture is important. Ask: 'How does it feel to be in a classroom where everyone is respectful?' or 'What happens when the classroom culture isn't so good?'
Building Our Best Class: Norms
What are the shared agreements or 'norms' that will make our classroom a fantastic place for everyone?
Think about:
- How we listen
- How we speak
- How we help each other
- How we respect differences
Introduce the idea of 'norms' as shared agreements. Explain that they will be brainstorming ideas to create their own classroom norms. Emphasize positive language.
Our Class, Our Pledge
We have created our classroom norms together!
Now, let's commit to making them real.
What one word describes your pledge to our new class community?
Conclude by asking students to commit to upholding these norms. Ask for one word that describes their personal commitment to these new agreements.
Worksheet
Classroom Norms Worksheet
Name: _________________________ Date: _________________________
Our Class, Our Community!
In our class, we want to create the best possible environment for everyone to learn, grow, and feel respected. Today, we're going to work together to decide on some important agreements, or "norms," that will help us achieve this.
Part 1: Reflect (2 minutes)
Think about the best classrooms you've ever been in. What made them great? How did people treat each other? How did they learn together?
Part 2: Brainstorm Norms (8 minutes)
In your small group, discuss and brainstorm 3-5 positive norms for our classroom. These should be things we all agree to do to make our class a safe, respectful, and productive place.
- How should we listen when someone is speaking?
- How should we share our ideas, even when they are different from others?
- How can we support each other when someone needs help?
- How can we show respect for our classroom space and materials?
Write down your group's ideas below. Try to make them positive and actionable!
- ____________________________________________________________________
- ____________________________________________________________________
- ____________________________________________________________________
- ____________________________________________________________________
- ____________________________________________________________________
Part 3: Prepare to Share (1 minute)
Choose one norm from your list that your group thinks is the most important to share with the rest of the class. Be ready to explain why you chose it.
Script
Classroom Culture Script
Warm-Up: What Makes a Great Class? (5 minutes)
"Good morning/afternoon everyone! Today, we're going to talk about something super important for our class, for all of us.
I want you to take a moment and think about a class you've been in – maybe this one, maybe a different one – where you felt really good about learning, where you felt comfortable participating, and where you enjoyed being there. What made that class great? What was the atmosphere like? What did people do?"
(Give students a minute to think. Encourage them to jot down a few words or phrases if they have paper, otherwise, prepare for a verbal share.)
"Alright, who would like to share one thing that made that class great?"
(Listen to student responses, write key ideas on the board. Examples: 'Everyone listened,' 'Felt safe to share ideas,' 'Teachers were fair,' 'We helped each other.')
"Excellent ideas! It sounds like many of you are describing a place where you felt respected, supported, and engaged. That's exactly what we want here."
Introducing Classroom Culture (5 minutes)
(Transition to Classroom Culture Slide Deck - Slide 2: What is Classroom Culture?)
"So, all those things you mentioned – how we treat each other, how we learn, how we solve problems, the general 'vibe' of the room – that's what we call classroom culture.
It's the shared feeling, the beliefs, and the ways we interact as a group in our classroom. It's almost like our classroom has its own personality, and we all contribute to it."
(Transition to Classroom Culture Slide Deck - Slide 3: Why Does it Matter?)
"Why do you think having a good classroom culture, like the one we just talked about, is so important? What are some benefits for us?"
(Allow a few student responses. Guide them to ideas like learning better, feeling safe, being creative, respecting others, and teamwork.)
"Exactly! When our culture is positive, it helps us all learn better, feel safe and comfortable to share our ideas, be creative, and truly respect ourselves and each other. We become a stronger team."
Brainstorming Positive Norms (10 minutes)
(Transition to Classroom Culture Slide Deck - Slide 4: Building Our Best Class)
"So, if classroom culture is so important, how do we build a really good one? We do that by creating classroom norms.
Norms are like the unwritten or spoken agreements that guide how we behave and interact. They're what we all agree to do to make this the best learning environment possible.
I'm going to give you a Classroom Norms Worksheet. In small groups of 2-3, I want you to brainstorm 3-5 positive norms for our classroom. Think about the discussions we just had. What would make this classroom a fantastic place for everyone? How should we:
- Listen when someone is speaking?
- Share our ideas, even when they are different from others?
- Support each other when someone needs help?
- Respect our classroom space and materials?
Work together, discuss your ideas, and write them down on the worksheet. Make sure your norms are positive – focus on what to do, not just what not to do. I'll be walking around to help out."
(Distribute worksheets. Circulate and support groups as they brainstorm. Provide prompts if groups are stuck.)
Sharing and Finalizing Norms (8 minutes)
"Alright everyone, let's bring our attention back together. Great discussions were happening! Now, it's time to share some of your fantastic ideas and create our official classroom norms.
Let's go group by group. Who would like to share one of their most important brainstormed norms with the class?"
(As groups share, write their suggestions on the board. Look for common themes. Guide the class to consolidate similar ideas and refine them into 3-5 clear, concise, actionable, and positively phrased norms. Rephrase student suggestions if necessary to make them more general and applicable to the whole class. For example, if a student says 'Don't talk when others are talking,' you might rephrase it as 'We listen actively when others speak.')
"These are fantastic norms that we have created together! These are our agreements, and by working together to create them, we all have ownership. Our classroom will be an even better place if we all commit to following these."
(Optional: Have students do a 'thumbs up' or raise hands to agree to the finalized norms. If time allows, you could quickly write them on chart paper and have students sign their names.)
Cool-Down: One Word Pledge (2 minutes)
(Transition to Classroom Culture Slide Deck - Slide 5: Our Class, Our Pledge)
"To wrap up, I want us all to think about our new classroom norms. In just one word, what describes your commitment to upholding these norms and making our class a positive community? It could be 'respect,' 'listen,' 'try,' 'support,' 'kindness,' 'effort,' etc.
When I say go, I'd like you to share your one word as an exit ticket, or just quickly with a partner, or out loud."
(Allow students to share their words. This reinforces their individual commitment.)
"Thank you everyone for your thoughtful participation today. Remember, our classroom culture is something we build every single day, and it's up to all of us to make it a great one!"
Cool Down
One Word Pledge: Our Classroom Culture
Name: _________________________ Date: _________________________
We just worked together to create our classroom norms, which will help make our class a positive and supportive community for everyone.
Think about these new norms and your commitment to upholding them.
In one word, what describes your personal pledge or commitment to our new class community and our shared norms?
(Examples: Respect, Listen, Support, Try, Kindness, Effort, Participate, Empathy)
My one word pledge: