Orientation ‐ Getting Started

School Administration Introduction (30 Minutes)

School leadership welcomes students to the Brooklyn STEAM Center and provides overview of:

• Center mission and vision
• Administrative expectations and procedures
• Academic calendar and key dates
• Support services available to students

Students receive program handbooks and complete initial paperwork requirements.

Agent Adjective Icebreaker (10 Minutes)

Students stand in a large circle for this memory-building introduction activity:

• Each student creates an identity using an adjective that begins with the same letter as their first name (Example: “Democratic Damiano”)
• Students must remember and repeat all previous introductions before adding their own
• Activity builds sequentially around the circle, challenging memory and attention
• Conclude with celebratory “round of applause” to establish positive community norm

Assessment Checkpoint: Instructor observes student comfort level with public speaking and memory retention strategies.

Schoology Platform Orientation (10 Minutes)

Instructor provides guided demonstration of essential Schoology features:

• Login procedures using school credentials
• Navigation of course homepage and materials section
• Location of assignments and discussion boards
• Submission procedures for digital work
• Mobile app accessibility options

Students follow along on their devices, completing practice navigation tasks.

Schoology Discussion Board Introduction (10 Minutes)

Students complete their first digital assignment: “Introducing Ourselves”

Assignment Parameters:

• Minimum components to include: Name, Age, Astrological Sign, Home High School, Pathway selection reasoning, Outside interests, Background information, Childhood fact, Favorite memory
• Multiple submission formats accepted: Written text, short video recording, audio recording, image uploads, or multimedia combination
• Professional tone expected while allowing personality to show

Grading Criteria:

• Complete response addressing most suggested prompts (3 points)
• Professional yet personal tone appropriate for academic setting (2 points)
• Creative use of multimedia elements (1 point)
• Timely submission (1 point)

Break (10 Minutes)

Switch Places Icebreaker (15 Minutes)

Students form large circle with Post-It notes at their feet (one fewer than total participants):

• Person in center states “Switch places if…” completing with statement that applies to them and others
• Applicable students move to new positions, cannot return to same spot
• Person left without spot becomes new center person
• Statements encourage discovery of shared experiences and interests
• Activity concludes with round of applause

Assessment Checkpoint: Monitor student engagement and willingness to share personal information appropriately.

Classroom Norms and Expectations (20 Minutes)

Collaborative Community Building Session

Instructor facilitates discussion covering:

Academic Expectations:

• Pathway overview and learning objectives for the year
• Project-based learning approach and assessment methods
• Collaboration expectations and individual accountability

Professional Behavior Standards:

• STEAM workplace behavior alignment
• Communication protocols with instructors and peers
• Respect for diverse backgrounds and learning styles

Policy Review:

• Lateness policy and make-up procedures
• Technology and cellphone usage guidelines
• Safety protocols for labs and project work

Community Agreement Development: Students contribute to establishing classroom norms through guided discussion:

• What behaviors help you learn best?
• How should we handle disagreements or conflicts?
• What does respect look like in our learning space?

Body Charades Team Challenge (35 Minutes)

Teams collaborate to physically represent assigned objects using only their bodies and provided props:

Challenge Objects:

• Race Car, Grandfather Clock, Adidas, Traffic Light, Orchestra, Propeller Plane, Hourglass, Theatre, Dog Walker

Activity Structure:

• 5 minutes planning time per team
• 2 minutes maximum presentation time
• Audience guessing and feedback
• Celebration of all teams’ efforts

Clean Up and Dismissal (10 Minutes)

• Students organize classroom materials
• Digital portfolio access verification
• Preview of tomorrow’s activities
• Final community appreciation circle