Lesson Plans and Activities

“First-year students can be taught the strategies and skills they need to fulfill their educational goals. Institutions must promote first-year student success by teaching them what and how to learn, providing them with opportunities to grow and develop, and teaching them the skills necessary to become responsible citizens.”(Nash et al., 2005). From rubbing Jonathan's nose to building teams and showcasing campus resources and offices, we have the opportunity to show incoming FYE students what it means to be a Husky!

The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) data have shown the more that students are involved on campus, the more likely they will stay enrolled at the institution and earn better grades (Kuh, Cruce, Shoup, Kinizie, & Gonyea, 2008). An involved student is “one who devotes considerable energy to academics, spends much time on campus, participates actively in student organizations and activities, and interacts often with faculty” (Astin, 1984, p. 292).

FYE Challenge Group assignment

Getting Out There: Friendships & Bucket List

Involvement Fair - Getting Involved assignment

Involvement Fair Scavenger Hunt

UConn Involvement Plan

Research Connections Scavenger Hunt

Mapping Your UConn Journey Lesson Plan

Getting to Know Your Resources on Campus

Challenge Assignment

Working with FYE Mentors

"October will connect you to the opportunities you seek in enrichment, research, innovation, and creativity at events designed to offer the most impactful and informative experiences. If you participate in the Month of Discovery, you will find out how you can enhance your college journey in a research opportunity, passion project, classes, at additional events, through a grant, with a professor, and more" ("Month of Discovery," 2021).

Month of Discovery in October Activity.

Month of Discovery Assignment.

FYE UConn Discovery Assignment.

Research Connections Scavenger Hunt.

Pair and Share Connection.

Month of Discovery Flyer.

Getting Involved Assignment

How do you define diversity? How do your students define diversity? As your students become members of our University, these types of discussions become important to their experience in our community. It is important that our students join us in promoting and nurturing different perspectives that are enabled through differences in culture, experience, and values. This is a core value of FYP&LC as well as the University of Connecticut as a whole, which is why you are strongly encouraged to incorporate additional cultural competency lessons into your course beyond the required Critical Reflection Assignment.

Ways to Introduce Conversations About Diversity and Privilege

Watch YouTube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I3wJ7pJUjg
- Activity adaptation: A Step Above
Activity: How Diverse is Your Universe
Activity: Diversity and Inclusion BINGO
University of Michigan

Diving Deeper

Additional Instructor Resources

Diversity and Inclusion Lesson - Silent Interviewing

Land Acknowledgement and Sharing History

Sharing Historical Facts

U.S. Culture Lesson Plan Document - for international students

U.S. Culture Powerpoint Presentation

Understanding White Privilege and Social Identities Lesson Plan

Collect a Passport Stamp Activity

My Identity Tree Activity

Syllabi Comprehension

The class syllabus is a vital tool to supplement students' understanding of course expectations, materials, topics, and scheduling. Ensuring that students both understand the weight syllabi hold and the importance of reading them thoroughly is key to fostering early success in time management and course comprehension. Use this activity to help students learn and retain the information in their own syllabi.

The College Syllabi Assignment

Information Literacy

“...students think they know more about accessing information and conducting library research than they are able to demonstrate when put to the test” (Maughan, 2001). We can’t make the assumption that students are able to navigate the UConn Libraries and other resources on their own. Let’s lend a helping hand to our students to enrich their academic experience with all of the available resources UConn has to offer.

Information Literacy Scavenger Hunt

Student Enrichment Panel

Strategic Planning

Strategic Learning is more than textbook reading strategies. Many high school scholars enter their college career as “passive learners who possess rote-level strategies for learning” that may have worked in high school, but make learning and studying much more difficult at the college level" (Simpson, 2000).

Reading Speed Activity with Reading Speed Packet and Reading Rate Handout (from Jamison Judd)

What Type of Learner Are You assessment

The Five-Day Study Plan

Being a healthy college student is no longer only focused on not gaining the dreaded Freshman-15. Student’s health, wellness and safety focuses on all aspects of the student: from physical to emotional to even mental health.

Catching All the Balls

One Week Wellness Log

Sugary Drinks

Stress Management Lesson Plan with Stress Management PPT

How to Make Stress Your Friend video with related lesson plan ideas on stress

Health and Wellness Presentation

Assessing Your Life Balance - Wellness Wheel Activity

Balancing Your Realms of Responsibility Presentation

The objective of this component is to help student recognize the ways in which critical and creative thinking, often considered to be daunting elements of academic inquiry, are actually vital life skills. You are encouraged to incorporate critical and creative thinking throughout your course, encouraging students to look at their college experience and the world from many angles, utilizing the best resources at their disposal. Ideally, this practice should be introduced early and assessed through an assignment you choose.

Defining Critical & Creative Thinking

Narratives through Diverse Perspectives

Weekly Reflections

Understanding White Privilege and Social Identities Lesson Plan

“Students suffer from a lack of financial literacy that leaves them unable to navigate the complex maze of financial aid applications and loan options, further adding to their money troubles even after they leave school.” Fiscal literacy isn’t just how to pay off student loans when students are out of college. Managing their finances throughout college is just as important and many student need help navigating that path, which will establish a successful financial management foundation for post-graduation.

The Cost of Missing Class

UConn Fee Bill Literacy

Individual Analysis

Financial Literacy

Scholarship Search Activity

As students transition into the University setting and begin their college experience, many of them struggle with self-awareness because it is not something they have had to deal with in the past. Self-awareness has been shown to have a huge impact on students learning processes and outcomes. Learning about one’s own personal needs, strengths and weakness is just the start to becoming self-aware. (Steiner, 2014)

True Colors curriculum -

Soundtrack of My Life

Envisioning Self Love

Daily Writing

W-Curve Handout, Initiation activity, and Project with Rubric by Molly Woods

Values Clarification Carousel activity

Understanding White Privilege and Social Identities Lesson Plan

Conflict Style Assessment

Weekly Check-Ins using Flipgrid

Students usually have a long list of beliefs about majors and many of them are wrong. Deciding on a major and planning for a future career can be very stressful for students who feel as if they have to go at it alone and are unsure of how to work with their advisor. More than half of our students will most likely change their major, so we should give them the tools they need to make that decision.

Elevator Pitch Lesson Plan

Toll Booth Worker

Values Card Sort

Your Passion Your Life

UConn Majors List

Career Modules from the Center for Career Development:

Professional Development and LinkedIn