Launch
🗺️ Mission Map Meetup
Content Expertise
Academic Mindset
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
Collaboration
Effective Communication
VA:Cr2.3
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.9-10.1
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.SL.11-12.1
VA:Cn10.1.8a
Product
Core Content
Project Launch
Essential Question
Submission Required
Students examine short excerpts from the GDS mission, origin-story artifacts, and photos of school spaces, then add words, sketches, and symbols to a shared belonging mural. Teachers model how to connect school values to inclusion using sentence stems, visuals, and think-alouds. Mixed-age partners identify at least one mission idea and one belonging need they want to investigate further.
Plan day
Day 1
Duration
45 min
Grouping
Whole Class
Steps
6 steps
Lesson plan
6 steps · 45 min| # | What teachers do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Welcome students to the circle and point to the Essential Question with a hand-on-heart gesture for belonging and open-hands gesture for listening. Briefly show the mural paper and say that today everyone will help build a big map of what makes school feel welcoming. (5 min) |
| 2 | Model with one short mission excerpt, one origin-story artifact, and one photo of a school space. Think aloud using simple stems such as "I notice...," "This value means...," and "This could help students feel...," while sketching one symbol and writing one word on the mural. (7 min) |
| 3 | Lead a quick movement transition by asking students to stand, stretch, and walk to posted images and excerpts around the room. In mixed-age pairs or trios, students look closely, point to details, and say one thing they notice and one thing that could help someone feel seen, heard, or comfortable. (8 min) |
| 4 | Bring students to tables with sticky notes, markers, picture cards, and sentence stems. In mixed-age teams, students choose at least one mission idea and one belonging need, then draw, label, or symbol-mark what they want to add to the shared mural while older students help ask follow-up questions and record shared ideas. (10 min) |
| 5 | Invite teams to walk to the mural and place their words, sketches, or symbols in a spot they choose. Each team gives a very short share-out using the frame "We chose...," "It connects to...," and "It helps by..." while classmates show agreement with a silent thumbs-up or hand wave. (10 min) |
| 6 | Close with a quick reflection and reset. Students point to one mural contribution they want to learn more about, then say or record one mission idea and one belonging need to investigate next; end with a calm transition to the next activity. (5 min) |
Preparation (10 items)
- Print and enlarge 3-5 short, student-friendly excerpts from the school mission and origin story; add icons or simple picture supports next to key words.
- Prepare a large mural surface titled with a welcoming prompt and divide it into simple visual sections such as values, spaces, feelings, and ideas for support.
- Gather 4-6 photos of school spaces and 3-4 origin-story artifacts or reproductions that students can safely view and discuss.
- Create sentence-stem cards such as "I notice...," "This matters because...," "This helps people feel...," and "We want to learn more about..." with visual cues.
- Set out markers, sticky notes, crayons, glue sticks, pre-cut symbol shapes, and optional communication supports such as picture cards, clipboards, and voice-recording tools.
- Pre-plan mixed-age pairs or trios so older students can support discussion without taking over; identify students who may benefit from choice boards, reduced writing, or a quieter workspace.
- Make a simple anchor chart showing discussion norms with pictures: look, listen, take turns, point to evidence, and build on an idea.
- Prepare a brief facilitator model using one excerpt, one artifact, and one photo so students can see exactly how to connect school values to belonging.
- Design clear traffic flow for gallery viewing and mural placement, including a calm corner or alternate seating option for students who need lower stimulation.
- Have exit slips or audio reflection prompts ready so students can name one mission idea and one belonging need at the end of the session.
Student-facing instructions
You will look at short school mission words, history items, and pictures of school spaces. With your partner or team, you will talk about what you notice, choose one school value and one belonging need, and add a word, drawing, or symbol to the class mural. You can use markers, sticky notes, picture cards, and sentence stems to help you share your thinking. Your goal is to help build a big map of what a welcoming neurodiverse community at school could look like.