Guidance — Grades K–5

Creating Community in the Classroom: Part 4 (Rewarding Improvement)

The fourth lesson in a series on improving classroom learning climate, this lesson provides an opportunity to evaluate student progress and to provide positive reinforcement for improvements in behavior. Using a one to ten continuum, students will subjectively evaluate class progress on the ten adjectives listed as class climate goals. After this process, students will publicly recognize those classmates who have helped the class improve or who have personally improved.

Format: lesson plan (grade K–8 Guidance)

By Pat Nystrom.

Graphically Organize a Biography

This lesson is a good ending to a unit on biographies. The students will work together in small groups to create a poster that displays the information from a biography in a graphic organizer.

Format: lesson plan (grade K–5 Information Skills, Guidance, and Social Studies)

By Ellen Benton.

Problem Solving with "Swimmy"

This lesson will stress to the students the importance of working together to solve a problem.

Format: lesson plan (grade K–5 Guidance)

By Amy Taylor.

Lesson plans on the web

It's too loud in here! Teamwork in the classroom

First- and second-grade students have the chance to connect their prior knowledge with new knowledge as they work with their peers to develop classroom rules. (Learn more)

Format: lesson plan (grade K–5 English Language Arts, Guidance, and Social Studies)

Provider: IRA/NCTE