This document contains descriptions of two group activities - "Just Like Me" and "Sparkle" - and templates for morning message boards. The "Just Like Me" activity involves a leader stating facts about themselves that other group members can confirm by standing up and saying "Just Like Me". The "Sparkle" activity has students take turns spelling a word by each providing one letter, with the goal of correctly spelling the word as a group. The document also provides partial prompts for morning messages, presumably for teachers to fill in, such as noting an upcoming presentation by Dr. Carol Ann on differentiated instruction.

1. 1A: Group Activity Just Like Me Either the teacher or a student can lead this activity. Everyone is seated and the leader stands or sits in the center of the circle. The leader says a statement such as “I have a cat” and everyone to whom the statement applies, stands up and says “Just like me!” then sits down again. The leader reads another statement and group members again respond. The activity continues with a series of statements. I have a dog. [If so, stand and say, “Just like me”.] I am from Asheville, JLM I am from North Carolina, JLM I like to read, JLM I play soccer, JLM I go fishing, JLM I attended Mountain Heritage Day, JLM I want to teach fifth grade, JLM I want to teach first grade, JLM I want a teaching job in any grade, JLM

2. 1B: News and Announcements Teacher shows the chart of the morning message that students saw when they came in the room. She asks a student to read the message to the group and the students may add to the message or it may generate a breif discussion or questions Greetings, Fellow Teachers! Please make sure that you find and wear your nametag as we will need them for our group activities later today. If you don’t have a nametag, please make one. We need nametags because:_______________________________________________________________________________________________

3. 2A: Group Activity Sparkle Students are seated in the circle when the activity begins. One child draws a spelling word out of a basket and says the word. The next child repeats the word. The next child in the circle uses the word in a sentence. The following students spell the word, one letter per student. When the word has been correctly spelled, the next student stands up and says “Sparkle!” Another student gets to choose a word and the activity follows the same sequence. If a student makes a mistake in spelling, the teacher will step in and say “check.” The student who made the mistake can then either correct the mistake or ask for help (a “lifeline”) from a friend in the circle.

4. 2B: News and Announcements Teacher shows the chart of the morning message that students saw when they came in the room. She asks a student to read the message to the group and the students may add to the message or it may generate a breif discussion or questions Hello, Professionals! Remember that this ________________, we will have the opportunity to hear Dr. Carol Ann _______________ talk about differentiated instruction. Her presentation will be at _____ pm in the Fine and ______ Arts Center. Attending this presentation may be part of our ______________ assignment.