Lesson Plan
Year in Review!
Students will reflect on their academic, personal, and social growth over the past year and identify key takeaways.
Understanding our journey helps us appreciate our progress and plan for future success. It builds self-awareness and resilience.
Audience
High School Students
Time
15 minutes
Approach
Engaging activity followed by guided reflection and sharing.
Materials
Year in Review Slide Deck, Reflection Game Cards, Pen/Pencil, and Scratch Paper
Prep
Preparation
10 minutes
- Review the Year in Review Lesson Plan and ensure familiarity with the flow.
* Print and cut out the Reflection Game Cards (one set per small group of 3-4 students).
* Ensure the Year in Review Slide Deck is ready to display.
* Gather pens/pencils and scratch paper for each student.
Step 1
Warm-up: What's Your Highlight?
3 minutes
- Display the first slide of the Year in Review Slide Deck with the prompt: 'Think of ONE highlight from your year (academic, personal, or social). Share it with a partner!'
* Encourage students to quickly share with a peer next to them. Listen for positive energy and excitement.
Step 2
Introduction to Reflection
2 minutes
- Use the Lesson Script to introduce the concept of reflection and its importance.
* Transition to the main activity, explaining that they will be playing a game to help them reflect deeply.
Step 3
Reflection Game:
7 minutes
- Divide students into small groups (3-4 students per group).
* Distribute one set of Reflection Game Cards to each group.
* Explain the rules: Students take turns drawing a card and answering the prompt. Encourage active listening and respectful sharing. There are no right or wrong answers.
* Circulate around the room, listening to discussions and offering support as needed. Remind students to be concise given the time.
Step 4
Wrap-up & Takeaways
3 minutes
- Bring the class back together.
* Ask a few students to share one general insight or feeling they gained from the reflection game (without sharing personal details if they prefer not to).
* Conclude with positive reinforcement about the value of looking back to move forward, as outlined in the Lesson Script.
use Lenny to create lessons.
No credit card needed
Slide Deck
Your Year in Review!
What was ONE highlight from your year (academic, personal, or social)?
Share with a partner!
Welcome students and immediately get them thinking. This is a quick share-out to activate prior knowledge about their year.
Time to Reflect
Looking back helps us:
- See how far we've come
- Learn from our experiences
- Celebrate our successes
- Plan for the future!
Introduce the idea of reflection. Emphasize that reflection isn't just about what went well, but also about growth and learning.
The Reflection Game!
- Get into small groups.
- Take turns drawing a card.
- Answer the prompt honestly.
- Listen to your teammates!
(Refer to Reflection Game Cards)
Explain the game and group students. Make sure they understand the goal is personal reflection and sharing, not competition. Refer to the Reflection Game Cards here.
What Did We Learn?
Share one insight you gained from reflecting today. It doesn't have to be personal, just what you realized about reflection or your year!
Bring the class back together and facilitate a brief whole-class share out. Keep it high-level, focusing on the value of reflection.
Keep Reflecting!
Reflection is a powerful tool for growth. What will you carry forward?
Conclude with a positive and forward-looking message about the power of reflection for personal growth.
Script
Year in Review Script
Warm-up: What's Your Highlight? (3 minutes)
"Good morning/afternoon, everyone! As we approach the end of the year, it's a great time to pause and look back at everything that's happened. To get us started, I want you to think about just ONE highlight from your year. It could be something academic, something personal, or something social – anything that stands out as a positive memory.
Ready? Great! Now, quickly turn to a partner next to you and share your highlight. You'll have about one minute each. Go ahead!"
(Allow students to share. Circulate and listen to the buzz, prompting if needed.)
"Alright, bring it back together! It sounds like there were some fantastic moments this year. Thanks for sharing."
Introduction to Reflection (2 minutes)
"Today, we're going to take a few minutes to do something really valuable: reflect on our year. Why is reflection important? Well, it helps us see how far we've come, learn from our experiences, celebrate our successes, and even plan for what's next. It’s like looking at a map of where you’ve been to decide where you want to go.
We're going to use a fun activity to guide our reflection today."
The Reflection Game (7 minutes)
"I'm going to divide you into small groups of about 3-4 students. Each group will get a set of Reflection Game Cards. The rules are simple: take turns drawing a card and answering the prompt. There are no right or wrong answers, and the goal is just to honestly reflect and share with your group. Please be respectful listeners.
I'll give you about seven minutes for this activity. Listen for my signal to bring it back together. Go ahead and get into your groups!"
(Distribute Reflection Game Cards. Circulate, listen, and manage time. Remind students to keep moving through cards.)
Wrap-up & Takeaways (3 minutes)
"Alright everyone, bring your discussions to a close and let's come back together as a whole group. Fantastic conversations!
Can anyone share one general insight or feeling you gained from playing the reflection game today? You don't have to share anything personal if you don't want to, just what you realized about reflection itself or maybe a common theme from your year."
(Call on 2-3 students for brief shares.)
"Excellent points. Reflection truly is a powerful tool for growth. By taking this time to look back, you're not just remembering; you're actively learning about yourselves and building a foundation for your future. Keep practicing this skill! What will you carry forward from this year?"
"Great job today, class!"
Activity
Reflection Game Cards
(Cut these out into individual cards for each group)
Academic Reflection
- What was one subject or topic you found most challenging this year, and how did you approach it?
- Describe a moment where you felt proud of your academic achievement. What made it special?
- What is one study habit you improved this year, or one you want to work on next year?
- If you could give advice to your past self at the beginning of the school year about academics, what would it be?
- Name a skill you developed or improved academically this year (e.g., writing, problem-solving, research).
Personal Reflection
- What is one new thing you tried this year, or something you stepped out of your comfort zone for?
- Describe a personal challenge you overcame this year. How did you do it?
- What is one thing you learned about yourself this year that you didn't know before?
- Name a moment when you felt truly happy or content. What were you doing?
- How did you grow as a person this year? (e.g., more patient, more resilient, more independent)
Social Reflection
- Describe a positive interaction you had with a friend, family member, or classmate this year.
- What is one way you contributed to your school community, a club, or a team?
- How did your relationships change or grow this year?
- When did you feel most connected to others this year? What was happening?
- What is one thing you appreciate about your friends or family more now than at the beginning of the year?