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Reflect & Grow

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Lesson Plan

Reflect & Grow

Students will understand the purpose and benefits of self-reflection and identify strategies for effective reflection to apply in their academic and personal lives.

Self-reflection is a crucial skill for lifelong learning, helping students understand their strengths, weaknesses, and how to improve. This lesson empowers them to take ownership of their learning journey.

Audience

7th Grade Students

Time

15 minutes

Approach

Direct instruction, guided discussion, and personal reflection activities.

Materials

Reflect & Grow Slide Deck, Reflection Warm-Up, and My Reflection Cool Down

Prep

Prepare Materials

5 minutes

Step 1

Warm-Up: Quick Reflection

5 minutes

  • Distribute the Reflection Warm-Up activity.
  • Instruct students to choose one prompt and quickly write for 2-3 minutes.
  • "Good morning/afternoon, everyone! To get our brains warmed up, I'm handing out a quick reflection activity. Choose one of the prompts and write for a few minutes. Don't worry about perfection, just get your thoughts down!"
  • Briefly discuss a few student responses (optional, if time permits).

Step 2

Introduction: What is Reflection?

2 minutes

  • Begin with a quick question to gauge student understanding of reflection.
  • Introduce the concept of self-reflection and its importance.
  • "Has anyone ever thought about what it means to 'reflect' on something? Today, we're going to talk about something super important for how you learn and grow: reflection."
  • Use Reflect & Grow Slide Deck slide 1 and 2.

Step 3

Why Reflect? The Benefits!

3 minutes

  • Discuss the benefits of reflection, such as improved understanding, problem-solving skills, and personal growth.
  • Provide examples of when reflection is useful (e.g., after a test, a project, a disagreement).
  • "So, why bother reflecting? It might seem like extra work, but it actually makes your learning much more powerful. When you reflect, you gain a deeper understanding of what you're learning, you get better at solving problems, and you even grow as a person!"
  • Use Reflect & Grow Slide Deck slide 3 and 4.

Step 4

How to Reflect: Simple Steps

3 minutes

  • Introduce a few simple steps for effective reflection (e.g., What happened? What did I learn? What will I do differently?).
  • Emphasize that reflection can be a quick mental check-in or a more detailed written exercise.
  • "Reflection doesn't have to be complicated. There are a few simple questions that can guide you. First, just think: 'What happened?' What was the experience, the lesson, or the challenge?"
  • Use Reflect & Grow Slide Deck slide 5 and 6.

Step 5

Individual Reflection Activity

2 minutes

  • Distribute the My Reflection Cool Down.
  • Instruct students to complete the reflection independently as an exit ticket.
  • "Now it's your turn to practice one more time! Take a couple of minutes to complete this cool-down activity. Use the reflection questions to guide your thoughts on something you've learned recently."
  • Collect the cool down activity as an exit ticket.
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Slide Deck

Reflect & Grow!

The Power of Looking Back to Move Forward

Welcome to a journey of self-discovery!

Greet students and introduce the concept of reflection. Ask an open-ended question to kick things off and see what prior knowledge they have.

What is Reflection?

  • Reflection means to think deeply about something.
  • It's like looking in a mirror, but for your thoughts and experiences.
  • We reflect on what we've learned, how we felt, and what we did.

Elaborate on the definition of reflection. Encourage students to think about looking inward at their thoughts and actions.

Why Reflect? 🤔

1. Deeper Understanding

  • Helps you truly grasp concepts.
  • Connects new information to what you already know.
  • Moves information from short-term to long-term memory.

Explain the first benefit: deeper understanding. Give an example like reviewing a math problem.

Why Reflect? 🤔

2. Boosts Your Skills & Growth

  • Learn from successes and mistakes.
  • Identify areas for improvement.
  • Develop problem-solving abilities.
  • Understand your own learning style better.

Discuss the second benefit: improved skills and personal growth. Mention learning from mistakes.

How to Reflect: Simple Steps

Step 1: What happened?

  • Briefly describe the situation or experience.
  • What was the task? What did you do?
  • Just the facts!

Introduce the first step of reflection: What happened? Keep it simple.

How to Reflect: Simple Steps

Step 2: What did you learn?

  • What went well? What was challenging?
  • How did you feel?
  • What new insights did you gain?

Step 3: What will you do differently?

  • How can you apply this learning in the future?
  • What changes will you make?
  • Set a small, actionable goal!

Explain the second and third steps: What did I learn? What will I do next? Emphasize the action-oriented part.

Time to Reflect!

Now, let's put it into practice!

Take a few minutes to complete the My Reflection Cool Down.

Think about a recent learning experience or task and use the reflection steps to guide your thoughts.

Prepare students for the individual reflection activity. Remind them it's for their own growth.

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Cool Down

My Reflection Cool Down

Name: ___________________________ Date: _________________

Think about a recent lesson, activity, or experience in class.

1. What happened?

Describe the lesson or activity. What did you do or learn about?











2. What went well during this experience? What was challenging?












3. What is one new thing you learned or realized from this experience?












4. How can you use what you learned or realized from this experience in the future? What is one thing you will try to do differently?












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Warm Up

Quick Reflection Warm-Up

Name: ___________________________ Date: _________________

Take 2-3 minutes to quickly write down your thoughts on one of the following:

  1. What is something new you learned yesterday, either in school or outside of it?





  2. What is a skill you are trying to improve? What makes it challenging?





  3. Think about a recent moment where you felt successful. What contributed to that success?





Share one thought with a partner if you have time!

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