As you greet students, prompt students to find their seat and read the announcement message to themselves quietly while considering the questions. 

Welcome to the first day of Advisory!

As your teacher, I am looking forward to having this time during the school day to get to know each of you and to grow and learn together. Advisory has many goals, but today we are going to highlight one of them; Building relationships. As your teacher, I will be your advocate and your classmates will be a support system to ensure that we all have a successful year.

Take some time to consider: What do you already know about Advisory? What have your experiences been? What have you heard about it?

Students pair up with a classmate or small group. After greeting their partner by name, students share their response to the announcement prompt. Invite volunteers to share their responses with the larger group. 

Note: Be sure to affirm student experiences and reframe former difficulties with advisory into priorities for your time together. (Example; “My advisory last year was so boring.” Example Response: “I am sorry to hear that, it sounds like it will be important for us to have some fun together in this class. If it ever feels boring, we can work together to improve our time together.”)

This is Me! (Four Corners)

Directions:

1. Choose one of the four example statements that is the most true for you.
2. Walk to the corner of the room that represents the answer you chose.
3. Once you get to your corner, introduce yourself and  talk with the group about why your answer is the best one!

Example Statements:

1. What do you feel is the best season of the year? Spring, Summer, Fall & Winter
2. What is your favorite core class subject? Math, Science, English, History
3. If you could go on a trip today, would you go… to the beach, to go hiking/camping, To another country, To visit family
4. My favorite thing to do with my free time is…? Play video games, Talk with friends, Play sports, Be creative
5. Would you rather be a….? entertainer,  athlete, game designer, Chef 

Note: teachers should participate in this activity with their students.

Reflection: What similarities did you notice in the group? How did it feel to connect with others during this game?

Stand at the door and greet students as they enter the classroom. Remind students to read the announcement message. 

Welcome back to Advisory! 

We hope everyone had a great first (insert time frame) of school and you are feeling more comfortable with your schedule. If you are feeling stressed about adjusting back to school, that is normal! Take a breath, ask questions and give yourself time to learn and adjust. We are all in this together.

Be prepared to share that word with a partner.

Students pair up with a classmate. After greeting their partner by name, students share their response to the announcement prompt. Allow students to share with the larger group voluntarily. 

Note: if there is an odd number of students, teachers should participate.

To tell the truth! (Two Truths and a Fib)

Students write down three statements about themselves. Two will be factual (true) and one will be fictional (false). For example: “1. I moved here from Chicago [T]. 2. My favorite ice cream is cookies and cream [T]. 3. I play basketball [F].” One student will read their statements aloud. The other students then vote using their fingers on which statement they think is false (one, two, or three). The student who read their three statements then reveals the false statement.

Note: You may spread this activity over several Advisory meetings if needed to ensure all students have a chance to participate. Teachers should participate in this activity with their students. 

Reflection: Was it difficult to come up with your three statements? What is one surprising fact you learned about another classmate?

Say hello to students by name as they enter the classroom.

Hello, learners, 

Last time we met, we discussed the purpose of expectations at home and in our communities. Today, we are going to consider the purpose of expectations here at school. 

Think about it: What would school be like if there were no rules? Imagine a school where students weren’t expected to respect themselves, other students or their teachers. What would happen?

Add any additional school/class information that needs to be shared.

Students should turn to a student close to them to discuss their response to the question in the announcement. Invite volunteers to share with the larger group.

What Do You Expect?

Students should be separated into three groups. Assign each group one of the questions below. Once they have had time to respond to their question in the table below, ask each group to share out. 

A safe and positive school community…

• What does it look like?
  What would you see in classrooms, the hallways, on the bus and in the cafeteria?
• What does it sound like?
  What would you hear in classrooms, the hallways, on the bus and in the cafeteria?
• What does it feel like?
  How would it feel to be in a school community that is safe and positive?  

Reflect: As you read these responses, consider whether or not our school currently looks, feels and sounds like the descriptions we create together. What are we doing well and what could we do better with?

Greet each student by name as they enter. Consider adding in a high five, fist bump, or some other non verbal greeting that you have established as a class.

Hello students, 

Last time we met, we participated in an activity that helped us to imagine what it would look, sound and feel like for our school to be safe and positive for all students. Today, we are going to talk about how to make that happen in this class. 

Think about a class that you have had in the past that felt safe and positive. How did the teacher and students treat each other in that class?

Add any additional school/class information that needs to be shared.

Instruct students to find a partner who is wearing a similar color to them today. Once paired, students should introduce themselves and discuss their responses to the prompt in the announcement. 

Stick to It

SAY: “Now, our class is going to work together to create expectations for our Advisory class. As we have discussed, agreed upon class expectations set us up for what we want to occur, how we ultimately want to develop as a class unit, and how we want to see growth in ourselves this year. This includes me, as your teacher.”

Instructions: 

• Count off students to form groups of 3-5
• Give students 2 min to individually consider what expectations need to be in place in order for students to feel safe participating in Advisory
• Groups should take five minutes to discuss their ideas and work together to create 3-5 classroom expectations. Groups should write each expectation on a sticky note and place it on the board. *You know your class best, therefore you can decide if you need to provide your students with the Secondary Word Bank for Classroom Expectations RAM .  
• Once each group places their expectations on the board, the teacher will group the sticky notes into common themes. 
• If there are more than seven themes, the teacher will then ask students what expectations to keep or toss.
  • Students can vote by thumbs up or down if they want to keep the expectation or toss it out. Allow for discussion before voting.
• Once 7 or less themes have been identified, assign each theme to a group of students. Allow them to create the wording for that expectation. 
• Once the expectations are finalized, these will be your shared classroom expectations!

Reflection: As you leave today, think about what expectations will be the easiest for you to uphold. Are there any that will be more difficult?

Greet each student by name. Consider adding in a handshake or other non verbal greeting. 

Hello students, 

Wow, we are already three weeks into the school year! Last week, we worked hard to create classroom expectations. We also talked about the importance of a safe and welcoming school community. One way we can accomplish this is by creating positive relationships with one another. 

Consider: Why is it important to be yourself when meeting new people and making friends? 

Add any additional school/class information that needs to be shared. 

Students should turn to a student close to them to discuss their response to the question in the announcement. Invite volunteers to share with the larger group.

Note: if there is an odd number of students, teachers should participate.

I Can’t Imagine Life Without:

Instructions: 

1. Print or make a google slide of the I Can’t Imagine Life Without Template for each student.
2. SAY: “In the blank spaces of your paper, write some of the most important things in your life, things you can’t imagine living without. They can be as meaningful as “family” or as simple as “coffee”. They just have to be important to you! Once you’ve filled in all of the spaces, you can color them in with different colors. Once we have finished, we’ll share them with each other and hang them in our classroom. 

Note: Consider reminding students about appropriate vs. inappropriate responses if necessary.

Reflection: This activity helped us to learn more about ourselves and each other. Did you notice any similarities in the things we value? How does this connect with building relationships with others?

As students enter the room, greet them each by name. Display an image with emojis on the board. Ask students which emoji best represents their mood today. Alternatively, they can share their favorite emoji or the one they use most often.

If you have cause for concern based on a student’s answer, or you notice a pattern of challenging feelings, please reach out to a school based mental health staff member for support. 

Hello, connectors!

Today we are going to continue to get to know each other by identifying things we have in common with one another. As you meet new students this year, finding things that you have in common with them is a great way to build connections.

Think of one person you are close with, what is something you have in common with them that you talk about often? Be prepared to share your answer with a partner. 

Add any additional school/class information that needs to be shared. 

Instruct students to find a partner whose birthday is in the same season as theirs (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter). Once paired, students should introduce themselves and discuss their responses to the prompt in the announcement. 

Common Characteristics:

Have students break into groups of about 4-5 students per group. Let students know that each team is competing to see which group can find 10 things that every member of the group has in common. You will want to set some boundaries by not allowing teams to use anything that they have in common physically so that students have to talk more about their likes/dislikes, interests, etc. To add a more competitive aspect to this activity, you could allow for 3-5 minutes, and challenge groups to list as many commonalities as they can.

Say hello to students by name as they enter the classroom.

Hello students, 

This week we have discussed different ways to begin to build relationships with others. Another way to make a connection with someone new is to offer a compliment. Compliments make us feel good — both giving and receiving them! The best compliments are honest and specific. 

Consider: What is the best compliment you have received from or given to another person? How did that make you feel?

Add any additional school/class information that needs to be shared.

Students should pair with a partner and share their response to the prompt in the announcements.

Optional Pairing Structure: Ask students to get in line based on how hot they like their food from mild to extra spicy. Once the line is complete, pair students with their neighbor in line. 

Inside Out: 

Inside - Outside Circle Directions:

• Count students off by twos
• 1s create an inner circle
• 2s create an outer circle 
• Answer the question with your partner
• After everyone shares, 2s rotate to the right
• The 1s will stay in place

Example Questions: 

1. What is your favorite show or movie to watch on TV?
2. What was your dream job when you were younger?
3. If you could have anything for dinner tonight, what would you choose?
4. What is your favorite school subject? What do you like about it?
5. If someone gave you $20 right now, what would you buy first? Why?

Note: Teachers should participate in this activity with their students.

Reflection:  How did this activity help you to get to know your classmates? What are some other questions we could use if we did this activity again?

Say hello to students by name as they enter the classroom. Instruct students to review the question on the board and be prepared to respond to the prompt. 

Display this quote: 

“A great relationship is about two things. First, appreciating the similarities, and second, respecting the differences.”

Consider, what does it mean to respect differences in others? Why would having a friend who is different from you be a good thing? Be prepared to share. 

Add any additional school/class information that needs to be shared.

Students pair up with a classmate. After greeting their partner by name, students share their response to the announcement prompt. Invite volunteers to share with the larger group. 

Uniquely Me!: 

This activity is a twist on one we have done before!

Have students break into groups of about 3-4 students per group. Let students know that each team is competing to see which group can find 10 things that are UNIQUE to someone in their group. For example, if only one person in your group speaks Spanish, you can include that on your list. Teachers should set boundaries by not allowing teams to use anything that is physically unique so that students have to talk more about their likes/dislikes, interests, etc. To add a more competitive aspect to this activity, you could allow for 3-5 minutes, and challenge groups to list as many unique facts as they can. 

Reflection: How did this version of the activity, where we found unique characteristics, compare to the last time we did this activity, where we looked for similarities? What is one interesting thing you learned about a classmate?

Say hello to students by name as they enter the classroom.

Good morning, scholars!

Over the next week, we are going to discuss different habits for success. Who is one person that you think of when you think of success? The person could be a friend, family member, or even someone you have never met. What makes this person successful? Be prepared to share.  

Add any additional school/class information that needs to be shared.

Students should pair up and share their responses to the announcement prompt. 

Optional Pairing Structure: Use any kind of soft, tossable item (ex: stress ball). Invite students to stand at their desk. The teacher should say their name and their response to the question in the announcements before tossing it to a student who will do the same.When they have finished sharing, they should toss it to the next student. Instruct students to sit down once they have shared so it is clear who is available for the next toss. 

Note: Remind students that this is a toss, not a throw so be mindful of your strength and uplift the person even if they do not catch the ball.

Beat the clock! ⏲:

Separate students into groups of three or four.
Each group will need a piece of paper and someone willing to be the note-taker. 
Your group will have 30 seconds to come up with as many answers in response to a prompt. 
The group with the most different answers at the end of 30 seconds, wins!

Example Activity Prompts:

• Round 1: Write down as many ANIMALS as you can. 
• Round 2: Write down as many COLORS as you can. 
• Round 3: Write down as many COUNTRIES as you can.
• Round 4: Write down as many BREAKFAST FOODS as you can. 
• Round 5: Write down as many US STATES as you can. 
• Round 6: Write down as many TYPES OF CANDY as you can. 

Reflection: How did it feel to have to work against the clock? What strategy did your team use to be successful with this activity?

Greet each student by name as they enter. Remind students to read the announcement message. 

Welcome back to advisory,

Congratulations on completing your first month of school! Let’s do a quick check in with ourselves. There is no need to share out loud, just take some time to consider how this school year has gone so far for you. 

• 1 - Not well at all 😟
• 3 - It has been okay 😏
• 5 - It's been great! 😁

Consider: If you are not at a 5, what could help you to get to the next highest number? Remember, you have so many adults that care about you and can help. Reach out to a trusted adult if you need support.

Add any additional school/class information that needs to be shared.

SAY: “Now that we are a month into the school year, we are going to shift our focus in Advisory to helping each of you build skills and habits that will help you to be successful. First, we are going to talk about sleep! Turn to a partner and discuss what time you usually go to sleep at night and what time you wake up in the morning. How many hours of sleep do you usually get?”

Note: teachers should participate if there are an odd number of students.

Get Your Zzzzs:

Continuing to work in partners, students should use their computers to find answers to the following questions:

• How much sleep should a teenager get each night?
• Why is sleep important?
• What is one tip for getting better sleep that students will find useful?

Students should use printer paper to create a mini poster with advice for students on the importance of sleep, and/or tips for sleeping better!

Reflection: How did your viewpoint on sleep for teens change or remain the same based upon your research on sleep today?

Say hello to students by name as they enter the classroom.

Hello motivated students,

Last time we met we talked about the importance of sleep. Today, we are going to talk about the connection between sleep and how it sets us all up for success in our daily lives. This includes attending school.

Think about it:  How do you think a good night's sleep supports your successful attendance at school? What or who inspires you to attend school? Be ready to share. 

Add any additional school/class information that needs to be shared.

Students should share their responses to the question in the announcement with a partner. Invite volunteers to share out with the larger group. 

Optional Partnering Structure: Ask students to line themselves up in order based on what time they went to sleep the night before (teacher should line up with their students). Pair the person at the beginning of the line with the end of the line and repeat until all students have a partner. 

Note: Teachers should share their response to: Why is attendance important to you as a teacher? How does it impact your class when a student is absent?

Are you Ready?:

SAY: “Students often report that the morning is a stressful time for them and this impacts their ability to get to school on time. Creating a nighttime and morning routine can help to relieve some of that stress. Create your own morning or bedtime routine checklist. While creating your own checklist, think about what works for YOU. For example, if you are not a morning person and you tend to stay up late, it makes sense that you would do as much preparation as possible the night before (shower, set out clothes, pack book bag etc.). Consider where you could place your checklist as a visual reminder.  

Students can use blank paper, post it notes or the editable Nighttime and Morning Checklist document to create their own lists. 

Note: Teachers should share their own experience with building these skills and any tips they may have for students. 

Reflection: Is the morning difficult for you? What is one strategy you identified that can help make your nighttime and morning routine more successful?

Say hello to students by name as they enter the classroom. Remind them to read the announcement message. Consider having quiet music playing in the background as students enter. 

Welcome, hard working students!

Organization is an important skill to have when you have so many classes and different responsibilities. You can organize your bookbag, your time, your assignments and your email. 

On a scale from 1-5, how organized are you? How does this impact your success at school? Be prepared to share. 

• 1 - Not organized at all 😟
• 3 - Somewhat Organized 😏
• 5 - Very Organized 😀

Add any additional school/class information that needs to be shared.

Have students group together based on the organization rating they gave themselves. (For example, 1’s stand together, 2’s stand together, etc.). Prompt students to share their answers to the second question in the announcement with their group.

Note: Invite students who rated themselves as a 4 or 5 to share some of their own organization tips and tricks with the larger group. Teachers should share ideas that they use or have noticed other students using successfully. 

Squeaky Clean:

SAY: “For the rest of our time today, we are going to give you the opportunity to get organized. You can choose to organize your bookbag, email, and/or Google drive. Remember: organizing does not equal mass deleting! Be sure you review papers/emails and documents before throwing them away or deleting them.”

Note: Teachers should walk the room to check for on task behavior and offer ideas/support. Consider whether you can invite some of your students who are highly organized to support others. 

Reflection: How did it feel to be given time to get organized during the school day? Would it be helpful if we kept doing this in the future?

Be ready at your door to greet each student by name as they enter. Consider also giving a fist bump or a high five. 

Note: The RAM examples from this week should be used alongside a lesson on creating SMART goals. Consider using this SMART Goal Planner.

Welcome back everyone! 

It’s so wonderful to have you here. Now that we are about a month into the school year and you’re starting to settle in, we will start thinking about things you’d like to do to feel successful this year. Some people use music to help motivate them to finish a task.

Add any additional school/class information that needs to be shared. 

Students should share their responses to the question in the announcement message with a partner. Allow volunteers the opportunity to share with the larger group. 

Note: Consider making a playlist of school appropriate songs from your group to use in the future.

Moving on Up!:

Write or project this quote on the board and ask students to consider: 
“If you knew you wouldn’t fail, what would you set your sights on?”

SAY: “What are some goals a student your age might have? The goals can be personal or academic.”

Record student responses. You might ask for two volunteers to record responses. 

Possible Examples: 

• Improve your grade in a certain subject
• Try speaking in English with friends
• Improve school attendance or behavior
• Eat healthier
• Get more sleep
• Improve relationship with your friend or family member
• Make new friends
• Learn a new skill
• Tryout for a sports team 

SAY: “Now it’s your turn! Take a few minutes to brainstorm goals that you have for yourself this school year. They may be personal, academic, or extracurricular goals. Write down as many as you can and then take some time to choose  the one that means the most to you.”

Reflection: Was it difficult to choose  just one goal that means the most to you? Why is the goal you chose important to you?

Say hello to students by name as they enter the classroom.

Welcome, team!

We are now over half way through the first quarter and you all have done an amazing job getting to learn more about each other and identifying ways of increasing your success in school. Today we will start our time together by reflecting on the purpose of this class and our time together so far. 

What is one word that describes this class? Why did you choose that word? Think about it and be prepared to share. 

Add any additional school/class information that needs to be shared.

Students should share their word with a partner. Consider creating a word splash with the words from your group. 

Optional Pairing Structure: Students should get in line by height, from tallest to shortest. Pair each student with the one next to them in line to share their word. 

Level Up:

SAY: “Now we are going to reflect on our Advisory class. We will think about what is going well, what could be improved, and I look forward to hearing your ideas about how we can make this experience even better. As your teacher, I am here to support you and your feedback helps me to learn how to do that.”

Students get into groups of 3-4. After greeting their classmates by name, students share their response to the announcement prompt. As a group, instruct students to fill out the table below. Collect their work for future review. 

• What is going well?
• What could be improved?
• What ideas do you have for making it better?  

Reflection: How did it feel to stop and reflect on how this class is going? Do you think it will be helpful to check in like this throughout the year? Discuss your plan for reviewing and taking action on their feedback with the class.