Here is the link to the actual lesson plan that will be updated as we improve, update, and add new content to be used.

This lesson is based on the slidedeck below. You will notice different versions at the bottom so you might have to adjust some of these items based on the version of teaching you plan on using.

To view the slides to see the lesson click here

To have a forced copy of your own click here

OVERVIEW:

The goal of this quick little activity is to help students tell a story. Depending on how you use the activity the goal may change. This can be used to work on recall such as having them build a story about what they did yesterday or over the weekend. This activity could also be used to recall the events of a story being read to them. Additionally, it could be used to put together a timeline of events in history.

Regardless of your angle to the prompt students will be working on recall and sequence skills.

MATERIALS

LEGO DUPLO blocks of the six pieces identified in the slides.

Because of our social distancing there is also a digital version where students can do this activity within the slides provided. See below to access the slides based on your approach to teaching.

KICK OFF

Our lesson today will focus on sequence and recall skills and how we can be good communicators by organizing our thoughts to tell a complete story.

PURPOSE/LEARNING INTENTION

Sequence Skills

Recall Skills

DIRECTIONS

As a teacher regardless of your approach to using the slides and materials, slides 1-4 will be the same. You will introduce the lesson, get them situated with their proper materials and go over our Building norms(slide 4) for this lesson. Slide 4 is most important as we work these in every single build lesson to build safety in being vulnerable and to create a safe space to share. Don’t gloss over the importance of these six items.

Slide 5 – This is a space for the students to practice some digital skills. Depending on background knowledge you might need to give them time to practice how to move the bricks on the slide, how to rotate, etc. This may take longer depending on the needs and skillsets of your students.

Slide 6 – This is the prompt for the actual activity. As a teacher you can edit the prompt to be different from the template example of building a story of your morning. Adjust to your classroom needs and learning target of the day.

Slide 7 – Explain to them what is to come. They are limited in time as it is not so important about the build, but to have a visual to tell a story. This might be a good time to insert private reasoning time before moving to the next slide with the 1 minute timer.

Slide 8 & 9 – These are examples to show the students that there are unlimited ways to structure and organize the bricks to tell a story. Feel free to use the examples provided, but as always kids love their teachers and your own examples hold more weight.

This might be a good place to insert private reasoning time as well for them to rethink or process how to tell a story with six bricks.

Slide 10 – The slide for them to move and organize the bricks. A timer is on the screen so you might want to make a student version with the timer removed(optional). The timer is set to 60 seconds to give them time to move the bricks. If you are using the other versions, then you might need to give them time to find their slide before you begin.

Slide 11 – This slide will take longer than the 2 minutes provided. Again, depending on your background and skillsets of your students you might have to teach them where the note section of a slide is and how to access this portion of the tool. The slidedeck has a sample template where they write one sentence per brick to help. Obviously, you will need to adjust this to your students and goals. Writing can be more complex or perhaps they don’t write at all and only insert key words or phrases. Refer to your learning targets and goals and make changes to meet the needs of the learning and goals.

Again, the timer is set for two minutes if you wish to use it to give them writing time to organize their storytelling.

Slide 12 – A time to share. This will depend on the model of teaching(F2F, online, hybrid) and age of students. You could do whole class share out, they could record to a Flipgrid, they could be pushed out into breakout rooms, etc.

Sharing is vital. Don’t delete this part of the lesson. Sharing it more important than anything else as we help students learn how to listen, be supportive as well as learning how to be vulnerable to share ideas, articulate thoughts, etc.

Refer back to the slide 4 to remind them about how we operate in these lessons.

PREP:

Step 1: You do the build and story building yourself as an educator. Be brave and use your example for slides 8&9.

Step 2: Decide on best approach for you class. Down below are several options you can use. We will work to provide as many of these as we can. If you create a version PLEASE share with me(Aaron Maurer – amaurer@mbaea.org) so I can share in the lesson so others can learn and benefit from your amazing work.

Step 3: Test tech equipment and make sure everything is ready

Step 4: Have fun!

DEBRIEF

What happened? What worked in this digital version of building and storytelling? While nothing replicates actual hands on learning, did you feel that this helped with engagement, interaction, and being able to sequence events of a story?

Please share your thoughts here in our Google Group. This is a space for educators to share ideas, questions, and adaptations so we can all benefit!

OPTIONS TO TEACH

Option 1: Every student gets a copy in Google Classroom (this is the same as link up top FYI)

Option 2: Every student gets a slide in ONE Google Slidedeck

Option 3: Peardeck (coming soon)

Option 4: PowerPoint Version

Option 5: Video Follow Along – Here is a 20 minute video that you could play along as the lesson or watch to see how it can be taught.

Here is a link to the Google Group if you would like to share insights and idea. This group will lead to more content as we continue to develop lessons for teachers.