Getting To Know You

(From Koch, J (2010). Science Stories: Science Methods for Elementary and Middle School Teachers.
Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, p. 321)

Goals:
their classmates are.
Main Ideas:

Students will gain an understanding of who I am and who

Students will become more comfortable with me as their

teacher. This will create a safe classroom environment effective
for learning

Procedures:
Engage
my three facts is a lie.

I will be the example and have students vote on which of

Explore

Students will play Two Truths and a Lie. This will transition to a
snowball version of Who Done It to learn more about each other.

Explain

Students will explore new facts and ideas about their fellow
classmates and myself as the teacher.

Elaborate

Students will be comfortable with their classmates and getting

to know others while having fun doing it.

Evaluate

Students will hand in their papers with their names on the paper
at the end of the activity as an exit slip.

Grade: 6

Activity: Two Truths and a Lie

Goals/Key questions

(remove the italics with the required

information)
Goals: Students will have fun while revealing less known facts about themselves.
Objective (connected to PofS): Students will know their teacher and their fellow
classmates.

Pre lesson Considerations

Lesson overview of main ideas to be learned and prelearning required:
Difference between a truth and a lie
The classroom is a safe place to be yourself and allow others to do the same
Materials needed/preset up required/logistical considerations needed
(seating arrangement):
Smart Board
Paper and Pencil for each student

Content:
What are the students doing?

Time
estimation:
5 min.
Transition
considerat
ions
Time Est: 3
min.

What is the teacher

doing?
Include Key questions,
logistics, key concepts that
will be addressed, methods
of formative assessment
Teacher explains how to
play Two Truths and a Lie.
Teacher will present his
example of how the activity
will work. Teacher will allow
students time to predict
which of the threepresented facts is a lie.
Teacher will allow students
time to develop their two
truths and a lie reminding
them not to write their
names on the paper.

Activity 1

Teacher will facilitate

activity. Teacher will observe

Students will pair up and compare

their two truths and a lie. Once each

Introduct
ion

Students will analyze the teachers

example and make a judgement of
which of the three-presented facts is a
lie and which two are facts. Students
will begin to think of their own two
truths and a lie.

Students will write their two truths and

a lie on a piece of paper.

Time est:
10 min.

Transition
considerat
ions
Time Est: 3
min.
Activity 2

Time Est: 7
min.

Conclusio
n
-

How will
you know
if students
learned
what you
hoped?
Connectio
ns to next
lesson

Time Est: 2
min.

students while keeping a

safe classroom
environment. As the activity
ends teacher will instruct
students to circle their lie
and write 4 more true facts
about themselves reminding
them once again not to
write their names on their
paper, then go to the edge
of the classroom.
Teacher will provide
examples of their own facts.

student has made a decision they will

reveal their lie. Students will repeat
two more times with two new
classmates.

Teacher will instruct

students to crumple their
paper into a ball like a
snowball and throw their
paper across the room. Help
students to find a different
paper ball than their own to
then find whom it belongs
to.

Students will crumple their paper into

a ball like a snowball and throw it
across the room. Students will find a
paper ball and read what is written.
Students will go around the room and
find who wrote these facts and return
the paper ball to the original owner
until everyone has received their ball
back. Students are welcome to help
each other.
Students will write their names on
their paper balls and anything else
they would like the teacher to know.
Students will hand in their paper balls
to the teacher.

Teacher will allow students

to ask questions about his
facts or how reveal how
they felt about the activity.
Teacher will have students
write their names and
anything else theyd like the
teacher to know on their
own paper ball and hand
them in to the teacher.
Teacher will use these facts
to get to know his students
better for future learning.

Students will circle their lie and write 4

more true facts about themselves on
their paper then go to the edge of the
classroom.

Assessment: Paper ball with facts and lie will be handed in to the teacher with
students name on it as an exit slip. Teacher will use the exit slip to know more about
the students.
Accommodations/Modifications: Snowball activity could turn into a Who Done It
activity where each student reads aloud the paper ball they picked up to the whole
class and tries to guess whose it is.
Extension and extra time activity: Students will be invited to share a cool or
interesting talent to share with the class. Teacher may also participate if students
are being shy.
Reflection on how the lesson went.
I really liked the idea behind this lesson. It gave me a wonderful opportunity
to share some facts about me with my students. They had some awesome
questions for me and wanted to share things that we had in common. The fact that I
had them hand in their sheets made it really nice to go back and read some of their
facts about themselves. What they found interesting and what was important to
them. There are two grade 6 classes and the nature of my practicum allows me to
teach each lesson I prepare twice.
After the first go around I felt like it didnt go as well as I had hoped but after
reading their sheets I was uplifted to find that the activity went the way I wanted it.
I knew my students better and I hope to continue to know them. The second group
went even better than I had expected. Without really thinking about it I adjusted the
activity and the instructions to develop an even more fulfilling experience. The
students really enjoyed the activity and their sheets were funny but also very
informative.
The students really enjoyed the snowball fight. They were very engaged in
seeing if they could stump their fellow classmates and quite a few wanted to see if
they could stump me. I dont mean to brag but I got the ones that asked me right.
Its helping create this illusion that I known everything that the students are starting
to believe.
I used the smart board to have the instructions ready right away so the
lesson could move right along. It worked really well and Im glad I had it but I dont
feel that it is entirely necessary. If I were to do this lesson again I would still use the
smart board though.
I feel like I have a natural ability to be patient and successfully wait when
asking questions. I feel like I do a very good job at getting around the room and
seeing how each and every student is doing, they know that I am there and if they
need any help theyll ask. I feel like I can keep the class on point most of the time
but some things that I feel like I need to work on is dealing with outbursts and those

off task. My initial reaction is just to ignore it and that usually works but a couple
times it halted the lesson a bit, which then made it hard to bring the group back
again. One thing my TA told me to watch out for is to not be to friendly, remember
that I am their teacher not another friend. Im very grateful that I got placed in such
a wonderful environment and Im very happy that I get to teach each lesson twice
so I can see how to modify the lesson plans that I create.