4 Ways To Make This First Assignment Last All Year

August is when teachers everywhere begin to think about lesson ideas for those first days of school. We plan our rules, procedures, and first assignments.

SURPRISE… this year I have planned your first assignment for you with few rules or restrictions!

This first assignment allows students to be creative. There is no rubric or specific guidelines. Simply, assign each student a person on the #perseverance list. Instruct students to design a poster (any size) and a (2-minute) presentation that demonstrates how the individual persevered through adversity. For many students, this is an excellent opportunity to introduce or review what “adversity” and “perseverance” mean. Once students have an understanding of the expectations, allow them to go forth and be creative!

This assignment serves many purposes.

First, you may have noticed the hashtag #PERSEVERANCE is on the assignment. You can allow students to create a #hashtag about their individual. It could be something that represents the person, what he or she would say, or a way to remember the person today. Direct students to include their #hashtags on their poster. Once all students have presented, the class can vote for their favorite #hashtags. This could be your class motto for the year and help create your classroom culture and community.

Second, this is an excellent formative assessment to understand student research, writing, and communication skills at the beginning of the year. It will encourage creativity and enable students to demonstrate their knowledge, skills, and understandings. Also, you can examine how students conduct research, their communication and presentation skills, as well as their proficiency with technology, etc.

This first assignment will help you assess each child’s proficiencies and areas of improvement.

Third, this is a great character lesson for students at the beginning of the year. It’s an excellent method of teaching students how they can overcome difficulties and be successful. It’s possible that students may have faced tremendous hardships over the summer. This assignment could be what they need to give them hope. Students also need to understand that assignments and tasks this upcoming year will be challenging. There will be days that may test their patience and dedication. At times they may feel like giving up. During these moments, students can remember the lessons of bravery, courage, and strength from this assignment and apply them to their own lives, despite their circumstances. They can persevere through difficult assignments, challenging situations, and the circumstances that life may bring them.

Fourth, use this assignment to encourage yourself, students, and the class as a whole throughout the year. Come back to the #hashtags and life lessons these individuals have taught us. Keep the students’ posters around the room throughout the year. When students face difficulties, use the teachable moments of #perseverance as encouragement.

I have another surprise for you, but you will have to wait. At the end of this year, I’ll share the follow-up with you on my blog!

If you try this assignment in your class, please share it with me. Send me pictures of the posters, #hashtags and the class mottos. If students are age appropriate, have them share it on social media using their #hashtags. Can we start a #perseverance movement in classrooms?

I think students and teachers could all use a little more encouragement right now!