Each month, the school spends an hour with their "prayer families", a group of students with a member of each grade level, in order to foster lasting relationships between students while experiencing community service and community developing activities. Below you will see pictures and examples of the events of the 2010-2011 school year, each 8th grade "parent" has led his/her team beautifully this year, helping younger students to realize the importance of getting to know others, creating a community of love and faith, and giving back to those less fortunate.
Lesson Plan for September's Prayer Family Activity "Getting to Know You"
Objective- For school families to meet the other members in their group and learn about their likes, dislikes and interests.
Intro: 10 minutes
Please begin the hour with the prayer that is attached
Remind/ explain/ discuss with the students why we have prayer families this year (to get to know friends in different grades, to make sure there are older students looking out for others, etc.)
Please make sure all families are sitting together, separately from the other families in the room. Ideally, if space allows, students will be sitting in a circle for this activity.
Activity:
1. (Teacher directions 1) Each student should fill out the attached ½ sheet with 2 interesting facts about themselves, they should NOT write their names on the sheet (the older students may write for the K-2 students). Once complete, the family “parent” will be responsible for cutting up the paper and placing it in the cup (10 minutes)
2. Please read teacher directions 2 out loud to the families before distributing the M&Ms (each family should also have a set of directions)
3. Once all directions have been made clear, the students will have 20 minutes to complete the get-to-know-you game. Students should take turns picking one M&M and sharing a fact based on that color’s category. Each student should share at least twice.
4. (Teacher directions 3) After 20 minutes the family parent should lead the group in a “guessing game”. Picking one paper from the facts written earlier, the parent will read the fact out loud to the prayer family and ask them to guess which family member it is. (10 minutes)
5. Wrap up the activity by seeing how many each group got correct.
Closing:
Remind students that these school families will meet once a month to do activities and service projects and they are special friendships for this year. Encourage the students to watch out for each other on the playground and around campus during the next month. (5 minutes)
Intro: 10 minutes
Please begin the hour with the prayer that is attached
Remind/ explain/ discuss with the students why we have prayer families this year (to get to know friends in different grades, to make sure there are older students looking out for others, etc.)
Please make sure all families are sitting together, separately from the other families in the room. Ideally, if space allows, students will be sitting in a circle for this activity.
Activity:
1. (Teacher directions 1) Each student should fill out the attached ½ sheet with 2 interesting facts about themselves, they should NOT write their names on the sheet (the older students may write for the K-2 students). Once complete, the family “parent” will be responsible for cutting up the paper and placing it in the cup (10 minutes)
2. Please read teacher directions 2 out loud to the families before distributing the M&Ms (each family should also have a set of directions)
3. Once all directions have been made clear, the students will have 20 minutes to complete the get-to-know-you game. Students should take turns picking one M&M and sharing a fact based on that color’s category. Each student should share at least twice.
4. (Teacher directions 3) After 20 minutes the family parent should lead the group in a “guessing game”. Picking one paper from the facts written earlier, the parent will read the fact out loud to the prayer family and ask them to guess which family member it is. (10 minutes)
5. Wrap up the activity by seeing how many each group got correct.
Closing:
Remind students that these school families will meet once a month to do activities and service projects and they are special friendships for this year. Encourage the students to watch out for each other on the playground and around campus during the next month. (5 minutes)
DEAR Day- Drop Everything and Read!
Aim of DEAR day- to give students a school-wide conversation about reading and the importance of reading. Giving students positive and fun experiences with reading exposes children to opportunities to grow in their appreciation for books and stories. Because students often learn best through conversations in their own vernacular, this activity is designed for older students to be role models and teachers of reading.
Preparation
DEAR Acrostic poems- done by end of day Monday
o Bulletin Board
o D.E.A.R. stands for Drop Everything and Read—but what else do the letters D, E, A, and R inspire? Have students write a D.E.A.R. acrostic poem that tells their own reading story—about a favorite book, place to read, or reader—such as:
Dad
Every night he reads to me
Actually it’s
Really fun
Parent notification of book drive
o “Swap” opportunity for students- “book talk”
o All donations will be given to El Segundo Public Library at the end of the day Friday- Flier sent out Friday April 8, 2011
Students may bring a comfy blanket or stuffed animal to use while reading
Parents will be invited to join classrooms to read out loud to younger students
PE sweats
Day of Event
8th graders/ Prayer parents will pick up lower grades immediately following recess and bring them to their assigned classrooms
1st activity- reading share/ discussion- Why read? Where do you read? What books do you love?
Older students may read to younger students OR all students may read independently
After Event
Keep being amazing teachers who encourage their students to get lost in books! J
Preparation
DEAR Acrostic poems- done by end of day Monday
o Bulletin Board
o D.E.A.R. stands for Drop Everything and Read—but what else do the letters D, E, A, and R inspire? Have students write a D.E.A.R. acrostic poem that tells their own reading story—about a favorite book, place to read, or reader—such as:
Dad
Every night he reads to me
Actually it’s
Really fun
Parent notification of book drive
o “Swap” opportunity for students- “book talk”
o All donations will be given to El Segundo Public Library at the end of the day Friday- Flier sent out Friday April 8, 2011
Students may bring a comfy blanket or stuffed animal to use while reading
Parents will be invited to join classrooms to read out loud to younger students
PE sweats
Day of Event
8th graders/ Prayer parents will pick up lower grades immediately following recess and bring them to their assigned classrooms
1st activity- reading share/ discussion- Why read? Where do you read? What books do you love?
Older students may read to younger students OR all students may read independently
After Event
Keep being amazing teachers who encourage their students to get lost in books! J