Grade Levels: 3-5, 6-8, 9-12

NOTE TO EDUCATORS:  

This lesson accompanies the BrainPOP topic, Back-to-School 2021, and supports students’ in identifying and practicing skills to effectively transition back to school after a year of remote and hybrid learning. Students demonstrate understanding through a variety of creative projects.

Step 1: ACTIVATE PRIOR KNOWLEDGE

Ask students:

  • How are you feeling about coming back to school this year? Or, if you are already back at school, how is it going?
  • How is coming back to school this year different than it has been in the past? 

Step 2: BUILD BACKGROUND

  • Read aloud the description below the Movie player.
  • Play the Movie, pausing to check for understanding. 
  • Have students read one of the three Related Reading articles. Partner them with someone who read a different article to share what they learned with each other.

Step 3: APPLY
Students synthesize their ideas and express them through one or more of the following creative projects. They can work individually or collaborate.  

  • Make-a-Movie: Create a back-to-school tutorial video, guiding kids through strategies for a positive transition to the new school year. 
  • Make-a-Map: Make a concept map outlining potential challenges kids may face this school year, and identify strategies to deal with each. 
  • Creative Coding: Code a meme that shares words of wisdom for other kids about going back to school this school year. 

Step 4: REFLECT & ASSESS 

Reflect: After sharing creative projects with each other, students reflect on what they’ve learned about going back to school this year.  Prompt them by asking questions such as: 

  • How will you practice self-care this year? 
  • What new strategies will you try to overcome challenges this year? 

Assess: Wrap up the lesson with the Back-to-School 2021 Quiz

Step 5:  EXTEND LEARNING

Continue to support students’ social emotional learning with BrainPOP’s Mindfulness and Stress topics. 

Explore more resources to support the start of the school year, including pacing guides, essential skills review, and a CASEL-aligned curriculum, with BrainPOP’s Back to School essentials collection

Lesson Plan Common Core State Standards Alignments