Lesson Planning Fundamentals
All About Me Lesson Plan: Safe Sharing, Choice, and Belonging
Privacy and voluntary-sharing warning
An “All About Me” activity should not require a student to disclose family structure, possessions, identity information, home circumstances, private preferences, or a personal story. Sharing is voluntary. Provide an opt-out and a private alternative before inviting public responses.
Use the activity for instruction, not entertainment
Choose an instructional goal such as asking and answering questions, using descriptive language, creating a labeled self-portrait, or practicing a participation routine. Do not grade how much a student reveals or how positive or personal the response is. Use responses only to inform legitimate planning needs such as interests, language supports, preferred participation routes, and questions to follow up privately.
Teacher-approved prompt choices
- One thing that helps me learn is ___.
- A skill I want to practice this year is ___.
- A topic, book, game, or activity I enjoy is ___.
- When I need help, a teacher can ___.
- One question I have about this class is ___.
Offer a “none of these today” choice. Avoid prompts that assume a particular family, home, income, cultural background, body, religion, or access to possessions.
Participation options
| Need or preference | Alternative |
|---|---|
| Does not want to share publicly | Submit a private response, share with the teacher only, or complete a class-related fictional example. |
| Not ready for speaking | Draw, point, sort prompt cards, write, type, use a communication device, or rehearse with a partner. |
| Multilingual participation | Respond in a home language, use labeled drawings, bilingual tools, a partner, or a translated prompt. |
| Does not have a personal object | Use a classroom object, an imagined object, a book character, or a learning preference. |
Examples by grade band
Kindergarten
Students choose one of three picture prompts, draw a response, and practice saying or showing it to a partner. The teacher models asking permission before responding.
Upper elementary
Students complete a “How I learn” card about supports that help them begin, focus, or ask for help. Each student chooses whether to share one detail that would be useful in class.
Middle school
Students select a class routine they want to understand, a question about the course, or a goal for participation. They can submit privately or discuss in a small group.
Copyable planning sheet
Today’s class goal:
Prompt choices offered:
Private/opt-out route explained? Yes / No
Ways students may respond:
Materials or language supports:
What I will observe for learning:
What I will not grade or require students to disclose:
Follow-up needed privately:Assessment and follow-up
Assess the stated instructional skill, such as using descriptive words, asking a question, or following a response routine, rather than personal disclosure. If a response raises a safety or welfare concern, follow school safeguarding procedures instead of turning the public activity into an investigation.
Sources and further reading
- CASEL: Fundamentals of Social and Emotional Learning
- Learning for Justice classroom resources
- U.S. Department of Education: FERPA
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