Lesson Plan
What's Your Story?
Students will be able to identify the key elements of a personal narrative and understand how sharing their story can foster empathy and connection within a community. They will also practice active listening skills.
Understanding and sharing our personal stories is crucial for developing self-awareness, building strong relationships, and appreciating the diverse experiences of others. This lesson empowers students to find their voice and connect authentically with their peers.
Audience
8th Grade Students
Time
60 minutes
Approach
Through discussion, examples, and personal reflection, students will explore narrative.
Materials
What's Your Story? Slide Deck](#whats-your-story-slide-deck), Personal Narrative Worksheet](#personal-narrative-worksheet), Story Sharing Rubric](#story-sharing-rubric), and Exit Ticket: My Story Reflection](#my-story-reflection-cool-down)
Prep
Review Materials and Set Up Classroom
15 minutes
- Review the What's Your Story? Lesson Plan, What's Your Story? Slide Deck, Personal Narrative Worksheet, Story Sharing Rubric, and Exit Ticket: My Story Reflection.
- Ensure projector and computer are working for the slide deck.
- Print copies of the Personal Narrative Worksheet and Exit Ticket: My Story Reflection for each student.
- Arrange classroom for small group discussions (optional).
Step 1
Warm-Up: Story Starter
5 minutes
- Project the 'Warm Up' slide from the What's Your Story? Slide Deck.
- Ask students to quickly write down one interesting or memorable story from their life in response to the prompt. (e.g., "Tell about a time you tried something new.")
- Share a few examples as a whole class.
Step 2
Introduction to Personal Narratives
15 minutes
- Use the What's Your Story? Slide Deck to introduce the concept of personal narratives.
- Discuss key elements: character, setting, plot (beginning, middle, end), conflict, resolution, and theme.
- Show examples of different personal narratives (e.g., short anecdotes, excerpts from memoirs).
Step 3
Crafting Your Story
20 minutes
- Distribute the Personal Narrative Worksheet.
- Guide students through the worksheet to brainstorm and outline their own personal story, focusing on a specific event or experience.
- Encourage them to think about what makes their story unique and what message they want to convey.
- Circulate to provide individual support and answer questions.
Step 4
Sharing & Listening
15 minutes
- Divide students into small groups (3-4 students).
- Explain the Story Sharing Rubric and expectations for respectful listening and constructive feedback.
- Have students take turns sharing their personal narratives with their small groups.
- Emphasize active listening and asking open-ended questions.
- Remind students to provide kind, helpful, and specific feedback to their peers.
Step 5
Cool-Down: Reflection
5 minutes
- Distribute the Exit Ticket: My Story Reflection.
- Ask students to reflect on what they learned about personal narratives and the importance of sharing their story.
- Collect exit tickets as students leave.
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Slide Deck
What's Your Story?
Why do our stories matter?
Welcome students and introduce the lesson with an engaging question to activate prior knowledge and set the stage for personal narratives.
Learning Objectives
- Identify key elements of a personal narrative.
- Understand how sharing stories fosters empathy.
- Practice active listening skills.
Introduce the learning objectives for the lesson.
What is a Personal Narrative?
A true story from YOUR life.
It's about an experience that shaped you, taught you something, or was memorable.
Explain what a personal narrative is using simple language and relatable examples.
Key Elements of a Story
- Character: Who is in your story? (Usually YOU!)
- Setting: Where and when did it happen?
- Plot: What happened? (Beginning, Middle, End)
- Conflict: What challenge or problem did you face?
- Resolution: How was the conflict resolved?
- Theme: What's the main idea or lesson learned?
Discuss the essential components of a strong personal narrative.
Brainstorm Your Story!
Think about a time when...
- You tried something new.
- You overcame a challenge.
- You learned an important lesson.
- You felt a strong emotion (joy, sadness, surprise).
Provide prompts to help students brainstorm ideas for their own narratives.
Outline Your Narrative
Use the Personal Narrative Worksheet to plan your story.
Focus on the key elements!
Explain that students will be working on a worksheet to outline their story.
Share Your Story, Listen to Others
In small groups, you will:
- Share your personal narrative.
- Listen actively to your classmates.
- Give kind, helpful, and specific feedback.
Remember our Story Sharing Rubric!
Prepare students for sharing their stories in small groups, emphasizing respect and active listening. Refer to the rubric.
Why Share Your Story?
Sharing our stories helps us:
- Understand ourselves better.
- Connect with others.
- Build empathy and community.
Conclude the lesson by asking students to reflect on the importance of sharing their stories. This leads into the cool-down activity.
Exit Ticket: My Story Reflection
Complete the Exit Ticket: My Story Reflection.
What did you learn today about personal narratives and their importance?
Direct students to complete the exit ticket as a cool-down activity.
Worksheet
Personal Narrative Brainstorm & Outline
Name: _____________________________
Date: _____________________________
Part 1: Brainstorming Your Story
Think about your life experiences. What are some memorable moments, challenges you overcame, or times you learned something important? Jot down a few ideas below.
Idea 1:
Idea 2:
Idea 3:
Part 2: Choosing Your Story
Choose ONE of your ideas to develop into a personal narrative. Which story do you want to tell and why?
My Chosen Story Idea:
Why I chose this story:
Part 3: Outlining Your Narrative
Now, let's break down your chosen story using the key elements of a personal narrative.
1. Character(s):
Who is in your story? (Focus on yourself, but include others who are important.)
2. Setting:
Where and when did your story happen? Be specific!
3. Plot (What Happened?):
Beginning:
How does your story start? What was happening before the main event?
Middle (Main Event/Conflict):
What was the main event or challenge you faced? What obstacles came up?
End (Resolution):
How was the conflict resolved? How did the story conclude?
4. Theme (Lesson Learned):
What is the main idea, message, or lesson you want to convey through your story? What did you learn from this experience?
Rubric
Story Sharing Rubric
Name: _____________________________
Date: _____________________________
This rubric will be used to assess your story sharing and listening skills. Remember to be kind, helpful, and specific in your feedback!
| Criteria | 4 - Excellent | 3 - Good | 2 - Developing | 1 - Needs Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Story Content | Story is clear, engaging, and easy to follow. Includes all key elements (character, setting, plot, conflict, resolution, theme). | Story is mostly clear and engaging. Most key elements are present. | Story is somewhat unclear or lacks engagement. Some key elements are missing. | Story is difficult to understand or lacks key elements. |
| Delivery | Shares story confidently and expressively. Maintains good eye contact and clear voice. | Shares story with some confidence. Mostly clear voice and eye contact. | Shares story hesitantly. Voice may be soft or eye contact limited. | Shares story with little confidence. Voice is unclear and limited eye contact. |
| Active Listening | Actively listens to peers, makes eye contact, and asks thoughtful, open-ended questions. | Mostly listens actively and asks relevant questions. | Shows some signs of listening, but may be distracted or ask basic questions. | Shows little active listening or asks irrelevant questions. |
| Constructive Feedback | Provides specific, kind, and helpful feedback that aids the speaker in improving their narrative. | Provides mostly kind and helpful feedback. | Feedback is general or not very helpful. | Provides little to no feedback, or feedback is unconstructive. |
| Respectful Engagement | Shows consistent respect for peers and their stories. Contributes positively to group discussion. | Mostly respectful of peers and their stories. Contributes to group. | Sometimes respectful, but may show minor distractions or disengagement. | Shows disrespect or disengagement with peers and their stories. |
Cool Down
Exit Ticket: My Story Reflection
Name: _____________________________
Date: _____________________________
Reflect on Your Learning
-
What is one new thing you learned about personal narratives today?
-
Why do you think it's important to share our personal stories with others?
-
What was one thing you enjoyed or found challenging about today's lesson?
-
How did listening to your classmates' stories make you feel or think differently?
Lesson Plan
Minds on Fire!
Students will be able to define emotion, motivation, and stress, identify key theories related to each, and analyze how these psychological concepts influence daily life and well-being.
Understanding emotion, motivation, and stress helps students gain critical insight into their own mental processes, improve self-awareness, manage personal challenges, and develop empathy for others' experiences. These skills are vital for personal growth and navigating the complexities of the modern world.
Audience
Mixed Grade High School Students
Time
3 sessions, 50 minutes each
Approach
Through interactive discussions, engaging activities, readings, and real-world examples.
Materials
- Day 1 Warm-Up: How Are You Feeling?, - Day 1 Slide Deck: The Emotional Rollercoaster, - Reading: What are Emotions Anyway?, - Activity: Emotion Charades, - Day 1 Cool Down: Emoji Exit Ticket, - Day 2 Warm-Up: What Drives You?, - Day 2 Slide Deck: The Drive to Thrive, - Worksheet: Motivating Myself, - Answer Key: Motivating Myself, - Discussion: What Makes Us Tick?, - Day 2 Cool Down: Goal Setting Reflection, - Day 3 Warm-Up: Stress Check-In, - Day 3 Slide Deck: Stress Busters!, - Game: Stress Relief Bingo, - Project Guide: My Stress Management Plan, - Rubric: Stress Management Plan Rubric, and - Day 3 Cool Down: One Word Reflection
Prep
Teacher Preparation
60 minutes
- Review all generated materials: Minds on Fire! Lesson Plan, Day 1 Warm-Up: How Are You Feeling?, Day 1 Slide Deck: The Emotional Rollercoaster, Reading: What are Emotions Anyway?, Activity: Emotion Charades, Day 1 Cool Down: Emoji Exit Ticket, Day 2 Warm-Up: What Drives You?, Day 2 Slide Deck: The Drive to Thrive, Worksheet: Motivating Myself, Answer Key: Motivating Myself, Discussion: What Makes Us Tick?, Day 2 Cool Down: Goal Setting Reflection, Day 3 Warm-Up: Stress Check-In, Day 3 Slide Deck: Stress Busters!, Game: Stress Relief Bingo, Project Guide: My Stress Management Plan, Rubric: Stress Management Plan Rubric, Day 3 Cool Down: One Word Reflection.
- Print copies of Day 1 Warm-Up: How Are You Feeling? (one per student), Reading: What are Emotions Anyway? (one per student), Day 1 Cool Down: Emoji Exit Ticket (one per student).
- Prepare materials for Activity: Emotion Charades (slips of paper with various emotions).
- Print copies of Day 2 Warm-Up: What Drives You? (one per student), Worksheet: Motivating Myself (one per student), Day 2 Cool Down: Goal Setting Reflection (one per student).
- Print copies of Day 3 Warm-Up: Stress Check-In (one per student), Project Guide: My Stress Management Plan (one per student), Day 3 Cool Down: One Word Reflection (one per student).
- Prepare for Game: Stress Relief Bingo (print bingo cards, prepare
Step 1
Day 1: The Emotional Rollercoaster (50 minutes)
50 minutes
- Warm-Up (7 minutes): Begin class with the Day 1 Warm-Up: How Are You Feeling?. Encourage students to share their responses with a partner or in a small group before a brief class discussion.
- Introduction to Emotions (15 minutes): Use the first section of the Day 1 Slide Deck: The Emotional Rollercoaster to introduce emotions, their components (physiological, cognitive, behavioral), and their importance. Discuss the basic emotions and their universality. Provide the Reading: What are Emotions Anyway? for students to follow along or read independently.
- Scaffolding: Read the Reading: What are Emotions Anyway? aloud as a class or in small groups. Provide a graphic organizer (not generated here) for key terms and definitions from the reading and slides.
- Theories of Emotion (15 minutes): Continue with the Day 1 Slide Deck: The Emotional Rollercoaster to explore key theories of emotion (e.g., James-Lange, Cannon-Bard, Schachter-Singer). Use clear examples and visual aids.
- Scaffolding: After each theory, pause for students to explain it in their own words to a partner. Use simplified language on slides and provide clear, concrete examples.
- Activity: Emotion Charades (10 minutes): Engage students with the Activity: Emotion Charades. This allows students to physically express and recognize emotions.
- Scaffolding: Provide a list of emotions with brief descriptions for students to choose from if they struggle with generating ideas. Pair students to work together if needed.
- Cool-Down (3 minutes): Conclude with the Day 1 Cool Down: Emoji Exit Ticket. Students reflect on their understanding of emotions and express it with an emoji.
Day 2: The Drive to Thrive (50 minutes)
- Warm-Up (7 minutes): Start class with Day 2 Warm-Up: What Drives You?. Have students consider what motivates them, followed by a brief whole-class share.
- Introduction to Motivation (15 minutes): Utilize the first section of the Day 2 Slide Deck: The Drive to Thrive to define motivation and introduce different types (intrinsic vs. extrinsic). Connect motivation to real-life scenarios.
- Scaffolding: Provide a simple T-chart or Venn diagram (not generated here) for students to differentiate between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation with examples.
- Theories of Motivation (15 minutes): Continue with the Day 2 Slide Deck: The Drive to Thrive to delve into motivation theories (e.g., instinct, drive-reduction, arousal, Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs). Emphasize Maslow's hierarchy with a visual.
- Scaffolding: Break down Maslow's Hierarchy into individual needs, discussing each level with simple examples. Allow students to draw or diagram the hierarchy in their notes.
- Worksheet & Discussion (10 minutes): Students complete the Worksheet: Motivating Myself individually or in pairs. Follow up with the Discussion: What Makes Us Tick? to share insights and apply theories.
- Scaffolding: Provide sentence starters for worksheet responses. For the discussion, use a