Day 1: Introductions, Syllabus, and Ice Breakers including Starburst Activity

Common Core State Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.3
Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-
chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.11-12.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to
task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1-3
above.)

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.11-12.1
Initiate and participate effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and
teacher-led) with diverse partners on grades 11-12 topics, texts, and issues, building on others' ideas
and expressing their own clearly and persuasively.


Purpose of Activity: The purpose of this lesson is, of course, to take care of the mundane introduction
and syllabus housekeeping matters that are important on the first day of school. The assorted ice
breakers will be used to start building the vulnerable community of the classroom. The Starburst activity
is purposeful in being one of the community building ice breakers, but it is also an opportunity for me to
see what students writing looks like.
Materials:
Teacher:
o Syllabus copies
o Starbursts
o Starbursts Writing Prompts
o Pictures
o Blank paper
Student:
o Writing utensil
o Writing notebook
Procedures:
1. Welcome students to class as they arrive and begin passing out syllabi (6 minutes)
2. Conduct some general introduction about yourself, and what students can expect from your
class (10 minutes)
3. Briefly highlight on some important aspects of the syllabus AND MOVE ON (8 minutes)
4. Transition into fun ice breakers, and break students up into pairs (4 minutes)
5. Have students pick someone to be Partner A and one student to be Partner B
6. Partner A is given a picture to describe without giving it away to Partner B
7. Partner B is not allowed to speak; they must sit with their back to Partner As back and draw
what Partner A is describing
8. After 3 minutes, have partners turn toward one another and reveal their pictures. Have
students volunteer to share their results, good or bad (4 minutes)
9. Transition to Two Truths and a Lie Ice Breaker (Have paired up students join up with two
other pairs of partners, creating groups of six) (2 minutes)
10. Give students a few minutes to think of two truths and a lie they could tell about themselves
to their group members (2 minutes)
11. Have students share these with their group members, one by one. After each person has
shared, the group members are supposed to determine which statements were truths and
which one was the lie (12 minutes)
12. After you finish step 11, try having students stay in the same groups and create human
knots. The first group to successfully untie their knot wins! (30 seconds-10 minutes)
13. Have students get back into seats, and hand out starbursts while students are getting out
writing notebooks and writing utensils (3 minutes)
14. In remainder of time, have students answer the prompt that connects with the color of
starburst they received.
-Red: Tell me about a time when you were angry. Why were you angry? Who or what
were you angry with?
-Yellow: Tell me about the happiest moment in your life. Who was there? What sounds,
tastes, smells were there?
-Pink: Tell me about someone or something you love. How are you related to this
person or thing? What are some characteristics about this person or thing you can
describe?
-Orange: Tell me about the most challenging obstacle in your life you have had to face.
What made this obstacle so challenging? How did you overcome this challenge?

Ongoing Assessment: Collect the written Starbursts activity before students leave. These will not be
graded formally, but rather looked at to see how my students write and where they are at as far as
writing levels go.
References: Starbursts activity taken from Danielle Fillipiak; all other activities adapted from every first
day of class ever.