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Week 2 Lesson Plan
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan
Grade: Ages 6 – 13 Time: 2 – 55 minute sessions 3 – 10 minute sessions
Subject: SEL Competency: Brain Building Title: Brain Flexibility
Week 2 Objectives: Students will be able to… Demonstrate ability to switch between activities that are related Demonstrate attention, memory, and impulse control skills Demonstrate ability to hold information in ones’ short-term memory for use Understand timeline and progression of events Demonstrate ability to organize events in order
1. 55 MINUTE SEL SESSION: Aim: What is the importance of using our memory to learn? Materials: None Time: 55 minutes Activities: PARACHUTE OPENING 5 min Open the Parachute INTRODUCTION 10 min Mindfulness ACTIVITY 1 10 min Handshake ACTIVITY 2 10 min Think-Pair-Share on Using Memory ACTIVITY 3 10 min Repeat After Me Song and Round CONCLUSION 5 min Discussion PARACHUTE CLOSING 5 min Close the Parachute
Week 2 Lesson Plan
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan PARACHUTE OPENING Time: 5 minutes Materials: None
INTRODUCTION: MINDFULNESS Time: 10 minutes Materials: None [NOTE: Read the following very slowly, calmly and gently. Pause between sentences.] 1. SAY: Grow your back longer and taller, reaching your head to the sky. Breathe in deeply. Exhale slowly and let yourself relax. If it is comfortable, you can close your eyes. Squeeze up your toes, and release them, feeling heat come out of your toes. Squeeze the muscles in your legs and knees, now let them fully relax and feel the heat coming out of your legs. Pull your tummy muscles in, then release them and feel the warmth radiate out. Feel your chest tighten up, and then relax, releasing heat. Shrug your shoulders up to your ears, then relax your shoulders down your back, feeling the heat come out. Tense up your arms, then relax them and let the heat come out of your fingertips. Feel the heat come up your neck and wrap around your head. Feel your whole body warm and relaxed. 2. SAY: Now bring your attention back to the class. Wiggle your fingers and your toes. Make small circles with your wrists. Stretch your arms up to the sky and then shake them out.
Week 2 Lesson Plan
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan If your eyes are closed, slowly, gently open them.
Activity 1: Handshake Buddy Time: 10 minutes Materials: None Age Adaptation For younger students, show a short handshake (3 – 5 movements). For older children, make the handshake longer (8 – 10). Sensitivity Tip It may be inappropriate for girls and boys to shake hands. If so, pair by gender.
1. SAY: Each of you will create a secret handshake with a partner. 2. SAY: Whenever I say “handshake buddy,” you have to go to your partner and do your secret handshakes. 3. ASK Can I have a volunteer to demonstrate a handshake with me? 4. DO: Demonstrate a multi-step handshake with the volunteer that you prepared in advance for the class. 5. DO: Pair the students off. They have a few minutes to prepare and practice their secret handshakes. 6. SAY: You must remember your secret handshake for the rest of the week. We will use it again. Now you can sit back down in your seats.
ACTIVITY 2: Memory THINK-PAIR-SHARE Time: 10 minutes Materials: None 1. SAY: Today’s lesson will focus on using our memories in order to learn. Sensitivity Tip Use this activity to learn if there are any patterns to some students not listening to others. For example, are boys not listening to girls? Are certain ethnic groups
2. ASK: Can you THINK about one thing you learned and remember from last week’s SEL class?
Week 2 Lesson Plan
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan 3. SAY: Now discuss what you thought about, what you remembered from last week, in a PAIR with your handshake partner. 4. ASK: Can some of the pairs SHARE what you discussed with the whole class? Sensitivity Tip Do not talk about memories generally, but stay focused on using memory for learning. Be alert to students talking about hurtful memories or become distressed, and respond appropriately.
5. ASK (2-3 students) What do you think working memory means? 6. SAY: Working memory is holding on to things that you learn so that you can repeat them or use them. You just remembered what you learned last week so you can use it this week. 7. ASK (2-3 students) Why do you think memory is important for learning? Example answers: without memory, we cannot use what we learned in the future, our memories allow us to use information and learn more. It allows us to build our knowledge and skills.
ACTIVITY 3: “Repeat After Me” Song and Round Time: 10 minutes Materials: None Sensitivity Tip Adapt the song to one that you know and that will be appropriate for the students.
1. SAY: Everyone come and stand in a circle. I will teach you a song line by line, and then you will repeat it. 2. DO: Sing a song, like the one below, one line at a time, and have the students repeat after you. Add in movements. This is an example song. Adapt the song to one that you know and that will be appropriate for the students. 3. SING:
Week 2 Lesson Plan
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan
Age Adaptation Older children can be divided into four groups to challenge them. If this is easy for them, ask if they know any other songs that can be sung in rounds to teach to the class. Age Adaptation If your students are younger or have never sung in a round before, demonstrate the round for the students. Have the whole class sing together and then you start singing after they finish the first line, while they continue singing.
Twinkle twinkle little star; How I wonder what you are. Up, above, the world so high; Like a diamond in the sky. Twinkle twinkle little star; How I wonder what you are 4. DO: Repeat the song line by line until the students are comfortable with it. 5. SAY: We will break into three groups and sing this song in a round. 6. SAY: The first group will start the song. The second will start after the first group finishes the first line and the third group will start when the second group finishes the first line. Each group will continue singing until they finish the song. 7. DO: Clearly indicate for each group when they should start. Continue the song and repeat the round until the students do it correctly and are enjoying themselves.
CONCLUSION: Discussion Time: 5 minutes Materials: None 1. DISCUSS a. How did you use your working memory in this activity? Example answer: To remember the words of the song and then sing them. b. What other skills did you use? Example answer: Focusing attention skills to help pay attention when singing in a round.
Week 2 Lesson Plan
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan c. How will you use your working memory and the skills we learned today in school and at home? Example answer: To remember instructions for an activity or a chore; to remember where things go.
PARACHUTE CLOSING Time: 5 minutes Materials: None
Week 2 Lesson Plan
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan 2. 55 MINUTE SEL SESSION: Aim: What is the importance of using our memory to learn? Materials: Story tiles, paper, markers, Time: 55 minutes Activities: PARACHUTE OPENING INTRODUCTION ACTIVITY 1 ACTIVITY 2 ACTIVITY 3 CONCLUSION PARACHUTE CLOSING
5 min 10 min 10 min 10 min 5 min 10 min 5 min
Open the Parachute Mindfulness Story-time Ordering Story Tiles Handshake Buddies Discussion on Working Memory Close the Parachute
PARACHUTE OPENING Time: 5 minutes Materials: None
INTRODUCTION: Mindfulness Time: 10 minutes Materials: None 1. SAY: Today’s mindfulness activity will help us to bring awareness to our entire bodies. [NOTE: Read the following very slowly, calmly and gently. Pause between sentences.] 2. SAY: Begin by focusing on your breath.
Week 2 Lesson Plan
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan Grow your back longer and taller, reaching your head to the sky. Place your feet firmly into the ground, and relax your arms. Breathe in through your nose, feeling your breath relax your body. If it is comfortable, close your eyes and continue to breathe normally. Bring your awareness to your left foot. Notice how it feels. Breathe in, imagining that you are breathing into your left foot. Breathe out, imagining it is releasing from your left foot. Notice how it feels now. Bring your awareness up to your left ankle. Notice how it feels. Breathe in, imagining that you are breathing into your left ankle. Breathe out, imagining it is releasing from your left ankle. Notice how it feels now. Go through the same process, breathing into and out of the: • Left leg • Right foot • Right ankle • Right leg • Abdomen & belly • Upper body, chest, & shoulders • Back • Hands • Arms • Neck • Jaw • Head & face Bring your awareness to your whole body. How does it feel? Does it feel different or the same as when you started the body scan? Doing a body scan can help you to become aware of how your body is feeling, and to release any unnecessary tension.
Week 2 Lesson Plan
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan 3. SAY: Begin to bring yourself back to the present. Focus on your breathing – in and out slowly. Wiggle your fingers and toes. As you are ready, open your eyes. 4. ASK a. How do you feel? b. Do you feel any different than before the activity?
ACTIVITY 1: Story-Time Time: 10 minutes Materials: Story tiles 1. DO: Read the story below to the students. Stop at appropriate times and ask for their understanding. For example, ask “who did the goat go to visit?” Show the corresponding picture card so all students can see as you come to each part of the story. 2. SAY: There once was a little goat who wanted to dress in a coat. But he had nothing but a piece of cloth, eaten by a moth. [NOTE: Show picture 1] He visited his friend who could sew. The friend who could sew turned it into a bow. The little goat wore a bow from moth-eaten cloth made by his friend who could sew. [NOTE: Show picture 2] But the little goat wanted to dress in a coat. He visited his cousin, who had a shop. In the shop, he bought his bow for a top. The little goat wore his top that he bought from his cousin who owned a shop for a bow from moth-eaten cloth made by his friend who could sew. [NOTE: Show picture 3]
Week 2 Lesson Plan
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan But the little goat wanted to dress in a coat. He visited his classmate who wanted to get rid of her coat. The classmate who owned a coat decided to trade her coat. The little goat finally wore his coat that he traded with his classmate who owned a coat for his top that he bought from his cousin who owned a shop for a bow from moth-eaten cloth made by his friend who could sew. In the end, everyone was glad for what they had. The little goat had his coat, his friend had his moth-eaten cloth, his cousin had the bow that his friend did sew and his classmate had a top from his cousin’s shop. [NOTE: Show picture 4] 3. ASK: a. What did the goat want to wear? Answer: A coat. b. Who did the goat go to first? Answer: His friend who knew how to sew. c. What did he get from his friend? Answer: A bow d. Who did he go to next? Answer: His cousin who owned a shop e. What did he get from his cousin? Answer: A top f. Who did he go to next? Answer: His classmate who owned a coat. g. What did he get from his classmate? Answer: A coat. h. What happened at the end? Answer: Everyone was glad.
ACTIVITY 2: Ordering Story Tiles Time: 10 minutes Materials: Story tiles for each group
Week 2 Lesson Plan
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan 4. SAY: Now that we have read the story, we will organize pictures of the story in the order that they happen in the story. We will work in groups. Each group will receive story tiles. As a group, you will organize the tiles into the order of the story. Age Adaptation For older students, make more story tiles and perhaps write the line in the story. For younger children, use fewer tiles and only pictures.
After we are all finished, one representative from each group will explain your group’s order. 5. DO: Divide students into groups of approximately 5. Distribute the story tiles (see Appendix below) to each group. While the groups are brainstorming the order of the story, walk around and listen to what they are saying to make sure they understand. 6. DO: Bring the group back together and each group shares the order of their story tiles. Students can show the order they decided on in their group by holding up one story tile at a time or taping the tiles together, if resources are available. 7. ASK: a. What was challenging about putting the story in order? b. Why do you think you remembered some parts of the story and not others? 8. SAY: We generally remember what is important to us. This can be different for different people. It is important to be able to remember information and then put it in order.
Week 2 Lesson Plan
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan ACTIVITY 3: Handshake Buddies Time: 5 minutes Materials: None 7. SAY: Find your handshake buddy. Do your handshake with your buddy. 8. ASK: Did you remember your handshake and buddy?
CONCLUSION: Discuss Working Memory Time: 10 minutes Materials: None 1. DO: Bring the students all back together for a group discussion. 2. SAY: We need to use working memory every day of our lives. 3. ASK (2-3 students): When would you need to remember information and then put it in order in your lives? Example Answer: When you are in the market and have to remember what to get; when cooking; when playing a game you need to remember the order of the rules. 4. SAY: Throughout the rest of this week, we will continue to work on our working memory. This is a skill we can use in all of our classes, not just in Social-Emotional Learning.
PARACHUTE CLOSING Time: 5 minutes Materials: None
Week 2 Lesson Plan
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan 3. 10 MINUTE SEL REVIEW SESSION: Objective: To practice working “action” memory Aim: How does the student use their memory to match cards? Materials: 10 sets of matching cards per group Time: 10 minutes Activities:
Age Adaptation Use fewer cards for younger children and more cards for older children.
Sensitivity Tip If playing cards are not used in your context, you can make your own. Use heavy paper; cut 40 cards each 6cm x 9cm. Label one side with a number 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Make another three more sets of 1-10. Each group will receive two sets mixed up.
1. ASK: What have we learned this week? Example Answer: Working Memory 2. SAY: We will play a card game in small groups to continue to build our working memories. Here are the instructions: I will give each group a stack of 20 cards. To set up for the game, place cards face down in four rows of five cards. To play the game, the first player will choose one card to turn over and then a second. If the two cards are a matching pair (for example two tens) then he or she takes and keeps the two cards. The player is awarded another turn for making a match and goes again. If the cards are not a match they are turned back over in the same spots. It is the end of the player’s turn when she or he is no longer able to make a matching pair. The next player then chooses one card to turn over. If the first is a pair for one of the cards the previous player turned over, he or she tries to remember where it was to make a matching pair. If the player is successful at making a pair, he or she takes the pair and chooses another card. This continues until all the cards are collected by players. The winner is the one with the most matching pairs at the end of the game.
Week 2 Lesson Plan
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan 3. DO: Break students into groups of approximately 4. Give each group a set of cards. Assist them in laying out the cards if they need. Allow the students to play the memory game until they have finished. 4. DO: Bring students back together. 5. ASK (2-3 students): How can this game help to build your working memory?
Week 2 Lesson Plan
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan 4. 10 MINUTE SEL REVIEW SESSION: Objective: To practice using working memory Aim: Can students remember their handshake buddies and handshake? Materials: Paper and markers Time: 10 minutes Activities: Age Adaptation Older students could alternatively write a story of when they had to use their memory to do a task.
1. SAY “Handshake buddies”! Find your handshake buddies and practice your handshake. 2. SAY: With your partner, draw a picture of a time that you had to use your memory to do a task. For example, putting away dishes, you would need to remember where the different dishes belong. 3. DO: Pass out paper and markers to the students. While the class is drawing, call up pairs one-by-one to show you their handshake. Track if students remember their buddy and/or the handshake. 4. SAY: Today we have practiced using our working memories to remember our handshake buddies and to draw a picture of a time we needed to use our working memories.
Week 2 Lesson Plan
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan
5. 10 MINUTE SEL ASSESSMENT SESSION: Objective: To use working memory to do an action Aim: Can students remember actions and switch between doing and speaking? Materials: None Time: 10 minutes Assessment: Scoring: Rating Meaning Details 1 Unsatisfactory Made five or more mistakes in acting out / saying the activity, was disruptive to the class 2 Needs Made five or more mistakes in acting out / Improvement saying the activity, but is trying to focus 3 Meets Made three or four mistakes in acting out / Expectations saying the activity 4 Exceeds Made one or two mistake in acting out / saying Expectations the activity 5 Exceptional Correctly acted out or said every activity 1. SAY: We are going to play a game that uses our memories. Stand up to make a circle. 2. SAY: I will call out instructions, and you will need to use your working memories to remember each of the activities. 3. SAY: a. In the first round, I will call out each of the five (5) activities one-by-one and then we will all act out the activity together after I say each one. We do all one-by-one. b. In the second round, I will call out all five (5) activities in a row, and then you will do all five (5) in a row. You do all at once
Week 2 Lesson Plan
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan c. In the third round, I will not say anything and you will have to remember all five (5) activities to act out. You do all using your memory. d. In the fourth round, you will stand still and say all of the five (5) activities as I said them. You will say all of the activities using your memory 4. SAY: Round one. When I call out an activity, we will all act out the activities together. Age Adaptation Change these actions to be appropriate for the age. For older students, consider adding more actions.
a. Throw a ball DO: demonstrate what this looks like seconds for learners to do the activity b. Hug yourself DO: demonstrate what this looks like seconds for learners to do the activity c. Put on shoes DO: demonstrate what this looks like seconds for learners to do the activity d. Fold a blanket DO: demonstrate what this looks like seconds for learners to do the activity e. Write a letter DO: demonstrate what this looks like seconds for learners to do the activity
and wait a few
and wait a few
and wait a few
and wait a few
and wait a few
5. SAY: Round two: I will call out all five (5) activities and then you will do all of them in a row. Ready? Throw a ball, Hug yourself, Put on shoes, Fold a blanket, Write a letter – Go! 6. DO: Wait until the students demonstrate all 5 activities. 7. SAY: Round three: Act out the five (5) activities in a row! Go!
Week 2 Lesson Plan
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan 8. DO: Wait until the students demonstrate all 5 activities. 9. SAY: Now all together as a class, in round four we will stand still and call out all of the five (5) activities as I said them. Go! 10.DO: Call out the five (5) activities without doing the motions. Observe the children doing the same 11.DO: If there is time, repeat the activity (steps 4 through 7) 12.ASK a. How did you use your working memories? b. Why is this important for your learning?
Week 2 Lesson Plan
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan APPENDIX 1: Goat with a Coat Story Tiles Picture 1
There once was a little goat who wanted to dress in a coat. But he had nothing but a piece of cloth, eaten by a moth.
Picture 3
But the little goat wanted to dress in a coat. He visited his cousin, who had a shop. In the shop, he bought his bow for a top. The little goat wore his top that he bought from his cousin who owned a shop for a bow from motheaten cloth made by his friend who could sew.
Picture 2
He visited his friend who could sew. The friend who could sew turned it into a bow. The little goat wore a bow from moth-eaten cloth made by his friend who could sew.
Picture 4
But the little goat wanted to dress in a coat. He visited his classmate who wanted to get rid of her coat. The classmate who owned a coat decided to trade her coat. The little goat finally wore his coat that he traded with his classmate who owned a coat for his top that he bought from his cousin who owned a shop for a bow from motheaten cloth made by his friend who could sew.
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan
Grade: Ages 6 – 13 Time: 2 – 55 minute sessions 3 – 10 minute sessions
Subject: SEL Competency: Brain Building Title: Brain Flexibility
Week 2 Objectives: Students will be able to… Demonstrate ability to switch between activities that are related Demonstrate attention, memory, and impulse control skills Demonstrate ability to hold information in ones’ short-term memory for use Understand timeline and progression of events Demonstrate ability to organize events in order
1. 55 MINUTE SEL SESSION: Aim: What is the importance of using our memory to learn? Materials: None Time: 55 minutes Activities: PARACHUTE OPENING 5 min Open the Parachute INTRODUCTION 10 min Mindfulness ACTIVITY 1 10 min Handshake ACTIVITY 2 10 min Think-Pair-Share on Using Memory ACTIVITY 3 10 min Repeat After Me Song and Round CONCLUSION 5 min Discussion PARACHUTE CLOSING 5 min Close the Parachute
Week 2 Lesson Plan
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan PARACHUTE OPENING Time: 5 minutes Materials: None
INTRODUCTION: MINDFULNESS Time: 10 minutes Materials: None [NOTE: Read the following very slowly, calmly and gently. Pause between sentences.] 1. SAY: Grow your back longer and taller, reaching your head to the sky. Breathe in deeply. Exhale slowly and let yourself relax. If it is comfortable, you can close your eyes. Squeeze up your toes, and release them, feeling heat come out of your toes. Squeeze the muscles in your legs and knees, now let them fully relax and feel the heat coming out of your legs. Pull your tummy muscles in, then release them and feel the warmth radiate out. Feel your chest tighten up, and then relax, releasing heat. Shrug your shoulders up to your ears, then relax your shoulders down your back, feeling the heat come out. Tense up your arms, then relax them and let the heat come out of your fingertips. Feel the heat come up your neck and wrap around your head. Feel your whole body warm and relaxed. 2. SAY: Now bring your attention back to the class. Wiggle your fingers and your toes. Make small circles with your wrists. Stretch your arms up to the sky and then shake them out.
Week 2 Lesson Plan
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan If your eyes are closed, slowly, gently open them.
Activity 1: Handshake Buddy Time: 10 minutes Materials: None Age Adaptation For younger students, show a short handshake (3 – 5 movements). For older children, make the handshake longer (8 – 10). Sensitivity Tip It may be inappropriate for girls and boys to shake hands. If so, pair by gender.
1. SAY: Each of you will create a secret handshake with a partner. 2. SAY: Whenever I say “handshake buddy,” you have to go to your partner and do your secret handshakes. 3. ASK Can I have a volunteer to demonstrate a handshake with me? 4. DO: Demonstrate a multi-step handshake with the volunteer that you prepared in advance for the class. 5. DO: Pair the students off. They have a few minutes to prepare and practice their secret handshakes. 6. SAY: You must remember your secret handshake for the rest of the week. We will use it again. Now you can sit back down in your seats.
ACTIVITY 2: Memory THINK-PAIR-SHARE Time: 10 minutes Materials: None 1. SAY: Today’s lesson will focus on using our memories in order to learn. Sensitivity Tip Use this activity to learn if there are any patterns to some students not listening to others. For example, are boys not listening to girls? Are certain ethnic groups
2. ASK: Can you THINK about one thing you learned and remember from last week’s SEL class?
Week 2 Lesson Plan
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan 3. SAY: Now discuss what you thought about, what you remembered from last week, in a PAIR with your handshake partner. 4. ASK: Can some of the pairs SHARE what you discussed with the whole class? Sensitivity Tip Do not talk about memories generally, but stay focused on using memory for learning. Be alert to students talking about hurtful memories or become distressed, and respond appropriately.
5. ASK (2-3 students) What do you think working memory means? 6. SAY: Working memory is holding on to things that you learn so that you can repeat them or use them. You just remembered what you learned last week so you can use it this week. 7. ASK (2-3 students) Why do you think memory is important for learning? Example answers: without memory, we cannot use what we learned in the future, our memories allow us to use information and learn more. It allows us to build our knowledge and skills.
ACTIVITY 3: “Repeat After Me” Song and Round Time: 10 minutes Materials: None Sensitivity Tip Adapt the song to one that you know and that will be appropriate for the students.
1. SAY: Everyone come and stand in a circle. I will teach you a song line by line, and then you will repeat it. 2. DO: Sing a song, like the one below, one line at a time, and have the students repeat after you. Add in movements. This is an example song. Adapt the song to one that you know and that will be appropriate for the students. 3. SING:
Week 2 Lesson Plan
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan
Age Adaptation Older children can be divided into four groups to challenge them. If this is easy for them, ask if they know any other songs that can be sung in rounds to teach to the class. Age Adaptation If your students are younger or have never sung in a round before, demonstrate the round for the students. Have the whole class sing together and then you start singing after they finish the first line, while they continue singing.
Twinkle twinkle little star; How I wonder what you are. Up, above, the world so high; Like a diamond in the sky. Twinkle twinkle little star; How I wonder what you are 4. DO: Repeat the song line by line until the students are comfortable with it. 5. SAY: We will break into three groups and sing this song in a round. 6. SAY: The first group will start the song. The second will start after the first group finishes the first line and the third group will start when the second group finishes the first line. Each group will continue singing until they finish the song. 7. DO: Clearly indicate for each group when they should start. Continue the song and repeat the round until the students do it correctly and are enjoying themselves.
CONCLUSION: Discussion Time: 5 minutes Materials: None 1. DISCUSS a. How did you use your working memory in this activity? Example answer: To remember the words of the song and then sing them. b. What other skills did you use? Example answer: Focusing attention skills to help pay attention when singing in a round.
Week 2 Lesson Plan
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan c. How will you use your working memory and the skills we learned today in school and at home? Example answer: To remember instructions for an activity or a chore; to remember where things go.
PARACHUTE CLOSING Time: 5 minutes Materials: None
Week 2 Lesson Plan
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan 2. 55 MINUTE SEL SESSION: Aim: What is the importance of using our memory to learn? Materials: Story tiles, paper, markers, Time: 55 minutes Activities: PARACHUTE OPENING INTRODUCTION ACTIVITY 1 ACTIVITY 2 ACTIVITY 3 CONCLUSION PARACHUTE CLOSING
5 min 10 min 10 min 10 min 5 min 10 min 5 min
Open the Parachute Mindfulness Story-time Ordering Story Tiles Handshake Buddies Discussion on Working Memory Close the Parachute
PARACHUTE OPENING Time: 5 minutes Materials: None
INTRODUCTION: Mindfulness Time: 10 minutes Materials: None 1. SAY: Today’s mindfulness activity will help us to bring awareness to our entire bodies. [NOTE: Read the following very slowly, calmly and gently. Pause between sentences.] 2. SAY: Begin by focusing on your breath.
Week 2 Lesson Plan
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan Grow your back longer and taller, reaching your head to the sky. Place your feet firmly into the ground, and relax your arms. Breathe in through your nose, feeling your breath relax your body. If it is comfortable, close your eyes and continue to breathe normally. Bring your awareness to your left foot. Notice how it feels. Breathe in, imagining that you are breathing into your left foot. Breathe out, imagining it is releasing from your left foot. Notice how it feels now. Bring your awareness up to your left ankle. Notice how it feels. Breathe in, imagining that you are breathing into your left ankle. Breathe out, imagining it is releasing from your left ankle. Notice how it feels now. Go through the same process, breathing into and out of the: • Left leg • Right foot • Right ankle • Right leg • Abdomen & belly • Upper body, chest, & shoulders • Back • Hands • Arms • Neck • Jaw • Head & face Bring your awareness to your whole body. How does it feel? Does it feel different or the same as when you started the body scan? Doing a body scan can help you to become aware of how your body is feeling, and to release any unnecessary tension.
Week 2 Lesson Plan
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan 3. SAY: Begin to bring yourself back to the present. Focus on your breathing – in and out slowly. Wiggle your fingers and toes. As you are ready, open your eyes. 4. ASK a. How do you feel? b. Do you feel any different than before the activity?
ACTIVITY 1: Story-Time Time: 10 minutes Materials: Story tiles 1. DO: Read the story below to the students. Stop at appropriate times and ask for their understanding. For example, ask “who did the goat go to visit?” Show the corresponding picture card so all students can see as you come to each part of the story. 2. SAY: There once was a little goat who wanted to dress in a coat. But he had nothing but a piece of cloth, eaten by a moth. [NOTE: Show picture 1] He visited his friend who could sew. The friend who could sew turned it into a bow. The little goat wore a bow from moth-eaten cloth made by his friend who could sew. [NOTE: Show picture 2] But the little goat wanted to dress in a coat. He visited his cousin, who had a shop. In the shop, he bought his bow for a top. The little goat wore his top that he bought from his cousin who owned a shop for a bow from moth-eaten cloth made by his friend who could sew. [NOTE: Show picture 3]
Week 2 Lesson Plan
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan But the little goat wanted to dress in a coat. He visited his classmate who wanted to get rid of her coat. The classmate who owned a coat decided to trade her coat. The little goat finally wore his coat that he traded with his classmate who owned a coat for his top that he bought from his cousin who owned a shop for a bow from moth-eaten cloth made by his friend who could sew. In the end, everyone was glad for what they had. The little goat had his coat, his friend had his moth-eaten cloth, his cousin had the bow that his friend did sew and his classmate had a top from his cousin’s shop. [NOTE: Show picture 4] 3. ASK: a. What did the goat want to wear? Answer: A coat. b. Who did the goat go to first? Answer: His friend who knew how to sew. c. What did he get from his friend? Answer: A bow d. Who did he go to next? Answer: His cousin who owned a shop e. What did he get from his cousin? Answer: A top f. Who did he go to next? Answer: His classmate who owned a coat. g. What did he get from his classmate? Answer: A coat. h. What happened at the end? Answer: Everyone was glad.
ACTIVITY 2: Ordering Story Tiles Time: 10 minutes Materials: Story tiles for each group
Week 2 Lesson Plan
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan 4. SAY: Now that we have read the story, we will organize pictures of the story in the order that they happen in the story. We will work in groups. Each group will receive story tiles. As a group, you will organize the tiles into the order of the story. Age Adaptation For older students, make more story tiles and perhaps write the line in the story. For younger children, use fewer tiles and only pictures.
After we are all finished, one representative from each group will explain your group’s order. 5. DO: Divide students into groups of approximately 5. Distribute the story tiles (see Appendix below) to each group. While the groups are brainstorming the order of the story, walk around and listen to what they are saying to make sure they understand. 6. DO: Bring the group back together and each group shares the order of their story tiles. Students can show the order they decided on in their group by holding up one story tile at a time or taping the tiles together, if resources are available. 7. ASK: a. What was challenging about putting the story in order? b. Why do you think you remembered some parts of the story and not others? 8. SAY: We generally remember what is important to us. This can be different for different people. It is important to be able to remember information and then put it in order.
Week 2 Lesson Plan
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan ACTIVITY 3: Handshake Buddies Time: 5 minutes Materials: None 7. SAY: Find your handshake buddy. Do your handshake with your buddy. 8. ASK: Did you remember your handshake and buddy?
CONCLUSION: Discuss Working Memory Time: 10 minutes Materials: None 1. DO: Bring the students all back together for a group discussion. 2. SAY: We need to use working memory every day of our lives. 3. ASK (2-3 students): When would you need to remember information and then put it in order in your lives? Example Answer: When you are in the market and have to remember what to get; when cooking; when playing a game you need to remember the order of the rules. 4. SAY: Throughout the rest of this week, we will continue to work on our working memory. This is a skill we can use in all of our classes, not just in Social-Emotional Learning.
PARACHUTE CLOSING Time: 5 minutes Materials: None
Week 2 Lesson Plan
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan 3. 10 MINUTE SEL REVIEW SESSION: Objective: To practice working “action” memory Aim: How does the student use their memory to match cards? Materials: 10 sets of matching cards per group Time: 10 minutes Activities:
Age Adaptation Use fewer cards for younger children and more cards for older children.
Sensitivity Tip If playing cards are not used in your context, you can make your own. Use heavy paper; cut 40 cards each 6cm x 9cm. Label one side with a number 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. Make another three more sets of 1-10. Each group will receive two sets mixed up.
1. ASK: What have we learned this week? Example Answer: Working Memory 2. SAY: We will play a card game in small groups to continue to build our working memories. Here are the instructions: I will give each group a stack of 20 cards. To set up for the game, place cards face down in four rows of five cards. To play the game, the first player will choose one card to turn over and then a second. If the two cards are a matching pair (for example two tens) then he or she takes and keeps the two cards. The player is awarded another turn for making a match and goes again. If the cards are not a match they are turned back over in the same spots. It is the end of the player’s turn when she or he is no longer able to make a matching pair. The next player then chooses one card to turn over. If the first is a pair for one of the cards the previous player turned over, he or she tries to remember where it was to make a matching pair. If the player is successful at making a pair, he or she takes the pair and chooses another card. This continues until all the cards are collected by players. The winner is the one with the most matching pairs at the end of the game.
Week 2 Lesson Plan
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan 3. DO: Break students into groups of approximately 4. Give each group a set of cards. Assist them in laying out the cards if they need. Allow the students to play the memory game until they have finished. 4. DO: Bring students back together. 5. ASK (2-3 students): How can this game help to build your working memory?
Week 2 Lesson Plan
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan 4. 10 MINUTE SEL REVIEW SESSION: Objective: To practice using working memory Aim: Can students remember their handshake buddies and handshake? Materials: Paper and markers Time: 10 minutes Activities: Age Adaptation Older students could alternatively write a story of when they had to use their memory to do a task.
1. SAY “Handshake buddies”! Find your handshake buddies and practice your handshake. 2. SAY: With your partner, draw a picture of a time that you had to use your memory to do a task. For example, putting away dishes, you would need to remember where the different dishes belong. 3. DO: Pass out paper and markers to the students. While the class is drawing, call up pairs one-by-one to show you their handshake. Track if students remember their buddy and/or the handshake. 4. SAY: Today we have practiced using our working memories to remember our handshake buddies and to draw a picture of a time we needed to use our working memories.
Week 2 Lesson Plan
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan
5. 10 MINUTE SEL ASSESSMENT SESSION: Objective: To use working memory to do an action Aim: Can students remember actions and switch between doing and speaking? Materials: None Time: 10 minutes Assessment: Scoring: Rating Meaning Details 1 Unsatisfactory Made five or more mistakes in acting out / saying the activity, was disruptive to the class 2 Needs Made five or more mistakes in acting out / Improvement saying the activity, but is trying to focus 3 Meets Made three or four mistakes in acting out / Expectations saying the activity 4 Exceeds Made one or two mistake in acting out / saying Expectations the activity 5 Exceptional Correctly acted out or said every activity 1. SAY: We are going to play a game that uses our memories. Stand up to make a circle. 2. SAY: I will call out instructions, and you will need to use your working memories to remember each of the activities. 3. SAY: a. In the first round, I will call out each of the five (5) activities one-by-one and then we will all act out the activity together after I say each one. We do all one-by-one. b. In the second round, I will call out all five (5) activities in a row, and then you will do all five (5) in a row. You do all at once
Week 2 Lesson Plan
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan c. In the third round, I will not say anything and you will have to remember all five (5) activities to act out. You do all using your memory. d. In the fourth round, you will stand still and say all of the five (5) activities as I said them. You will say all of the activities using your memory 4. SAY: Round one. When I call out an activity, we will all act out the activities together. Age Adaptation Change these actions to be appropriate for the age. For older students, consider adding more actions.
a. Throw a ball DO: demonstrate what this looks like seconds for learners to do the activity b. Hug yourself DO: demonstrate what this looks like seconds for learners to do the activity c. Put on shoes DO: demonstrate what this looks like seconds for learners to do the activity d. Fold a blanket DO: demonstrate what this looks like seconds for learners to do the activity e. Write a letter DO: demonstrate what this looks like seconds for learners to do the activity
and wait a few
and wait a few
and wait a few
and wait a few
and wait a few
5. SAY: Round two: I will call out all five (5) activities and then you will do all of them in a row. Ready? Throw a ball, Hug yourself, Put on shoes, Fold a blanket, Write a letter – Go! 6. DO: Wait until the students demonstrate all 5 activities. 7. SAY: Round three: Act out the five (5) activities in a row! Go!
Week 2 Lesson Plan
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan 8. DO: Wait until the students demonstrate all 5 activities. 9. SAY: Now all together as a class, in round four we will stand still and call out all of the five (5) activities as I said them. Go! 10.DO: Call out the five (5) activities without doing the motions. Observe the children doing the same 11.DO: If there is time, repeat the activity (steps 4 through 7) 12.ASK a. How did you use your working memories? b. Why is this important for your learning?
Week 2 Lesson Plan
SEL Weekly Lesson Plan APPENDIX 1: Goat with a Coat Story Tiles Picture 1
There once was a little goat who wanted to dress in a coat. But he had nothing but a piece of cloth, eaten by a moth.
Picture 3
But the little goat wanted to dress in a coat. He visited his cousin, who had a shop. In the shop, he bought his bow for a top. The little goat wore his top that he bought from his cousin who owned a shop for a bow from motheaten cloth made by his friend who could sew.
Picture 2
He visited his friend who could sew. The friend who could sew turned it into a bow. The little goat wore a bow from moth-eaten cloth made by his friend who could sew.
Picture 4
But the little goat wanted to dress in a coat. He visited his classmate who wanted to get rid of her coat. The classmate who owned a coat decided to trade her coat. The little goat finally wore his coat that he traded with his classmate who owned a coat for his top that he bought from his cousin who owned a shop for a bow from motheaten cloth made by his friend who could sew.
