LESSON PLAN: First Grade Self Contained School Awareness

[Sherry Snyder]

Differentiating lessons for learning modalities is a big part of our training and daily work for special educators. However, thinking in terms of student multiple intelligences, temperament, and about interaction of teacher temperaments was an epiphany. 

In creating our lesson, we discovered additional activities that would better assist students to create a more complete understanding of their environment. Differentiating made our lesson have a greater depth. 21st Century learners must navigate their environment, learn to interact within their environment, have the ability to work with others, and be able to function within the greater society. 

Our lesson allows our students to build greater independence within our school environment. As first graders new to our school, we felt that decreasing anxiety about unknowns would be the best way to provide a safe and nurturing place in which to learn. Goleman tells us that social emotional learning is the critical component that contributes to adult success in school and society. 

Greeting people, following directions, talking to friends, talking to adults, navigating the environment safely, and following a schedule are all life skills critical to building independence. Because of the varied abilities of our students in our self contained classroom, we needed to adjust our activities. Some students are non verbal. We provided a means for greeting others, for that population. Some are able to match line drawings, some are able to match picture to picture. Some have reading and math readiness, some have more emerging skills. Differentiation has allowed us to accommodate all these learners.  

Attached is our differentiated lesson plan for an opening day activity.   Prior to the start of the school year, the students were provided with an introductory booklet, that depicts our school building and several key teachers they will meet.  The intention is that the parents will read this to their child prior to their arrival.  The school tour will be the next step to this learning process.  Greeting new people they meet is a life skill necessary to making social connections.  All of the lesson activities have been scaffolded to accommodate and challenge our diverse learners.

[Cindy Kusswurm]

This is Awesome! I love that you have students greet someone at each designated area. Thanks for all your work. I will be able to utilize some of your unit for special needs students in my classroom.

[Donna Pope]

Great unit! It is fun to see how everything came together for you. I like the picture cues you used. Your students will love using these.

[Mercedes Draftz]

This was really cool! The school tour is so important for those students. I also like how they have to engage in appropriate greetings!

[Sheila Liss]

What a well written intro to your lesson! The lesson includes some many different types activities all introducing the students to their new school.