The J-Factor: Fun and Games
Theme of the lesson: “Find and promote the joy of learning to achieve a happy and high-
achieving classroom (Lemov D, 2010. Pg. 9).
Grade: Second Grade
Class: Social Emotional Learning
Teacher: Jessen Carley
PRE- OBJECTIVE
PLANNING What will your students be able to
do?
 Students will be able to
untangle themselves from
human knots made by
forming a circle and grabbing
people’s hands in the circle.
They are not allowed to let go
of each other’s hands.
PREREQUISITE SKILLS
What will your students need to
know to master the grade-level
objective?
Students must be able to hold hands
with a class mate of either gender
Students will need to know
directional words (left, right, over,
under, through, etc).
They will need to have shown they
can use their bodies safely.
CONNECTION TO
ACHIEVEMENT GOAL
How does the objective
connect to your achievement
goal?
 Students will be able to
work out a problem
without walking away
 Students will see that
being loud, isn’t always
helpful
 Students will depend on
each other to get out of
the knot
 Students will be
resourceful (going over,
under, through, etc.)
DIAGNOSTIC
How will you assess students’
mastery of these foundational
skills?
Before we begin, I will say:
Close your eyes. Now hold up
your left hand. Now hold up
your right hand. Hands down
eyes open. If I have students
who did this incorrectly, I will
ask for tips: Alara, how do you
remember your left from your
right? Nice! Anyone else have
a trick they use?
Now, who can name something
you go over? Who can name
something you can go under?
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 I will address the body safety
issue in my opener.

END OF LESSON ASSESSMENT

How will you know whether your students have made progress toward
the objective?

Students will be able to untangle their knot

Students will reflect in their journals after with questions like: What
worked? What didn’t work? How would you have been able to go faster?

KEY POINTS
What three to five key points will you emphasize?

 Everyone is responsible for themselves and each other during the

activity
 Participating is required – “A sequence that begins with a student
unwilling or unable to answer a question ends with that student
giving the right answer as often as possible even if they only
repeat it (Lemov, Doug. 2010. Pg. 3).”
 No one’s voice is more important than anyone else's
 Our classroom is a safe space
 The only way to get through this is by working together

LESSON OPENING ( 4 min.) MATERIALS

CYCLE (Consider: How will you
communicate what is about to
happen?
How will you communicate how it
will happen?
How will you communicate its
importance?
How will you communicate
connections to previous lessons?
How will you engage students and
capture their interest?)

Seated in our reading area in a circle. Anchor chart with the title:
Me: By a show of hands: Who has Tips for Tricky Knot Situations
ever had to tie a knot? Maybe your
shoe laces? Maybe while making a Markers for the chart
bracelet?
Now, show me with your hands, who
has ever had to untie a knot? Those
can be very tricky! I know I have had

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to help a few of you untie your PE
shoes when they have been double to
ever triple knotted! Those can be so
frustrating!
What are some tricks for untying
those tough knots?
Looking for: be calm, think ahead,
don’t pull to hard, etc. – Write these
down on the anchor chart as kids say
them.
Thank you for all of those great
suggestions! Well, today we are
going to work on untying knots, but
probably not the knots you are used
to. We are going to untie a HUMAN
KNOT! We are going to grab hands
with people who are not next to us,
and then try to untangle ourselves.
BUT before we get to the DOING,
lets talk a little bit about safety: We
have to control our bodies or
someone could get hurt. What does
controlling your body look like in
this situation? (call on kids and then
call on the kids you know may have
trouble with this to repeat what the
other students said. Make sure to
address holding hands to tight, the
fact that they can/should let go if
anything hurts, etc. – do not address
loud voices, kids all talking at once,
etc.).

Formative Assessment: Make sure

to call on all students for the anchor
chart writing – this will give you an
idea of who is making a connection.
This also builds confidence in
student who may already feel like

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this activity is pushing them
(Lemov, Doug. 2010. Pg. 3).

GUIDED PRACTICE ( 15 min.)

(Consider: How will you clearly
state and model behavioral
expectations?
How will you ensure that all
students have multiple opportunities
to practice?
How will you scaffold practice
exercises from easy to hard? How
will you monitor and correct
student performance? Why will
students be engaged/interested?)

Before we get started, I would like

to try this with just 5 of you (use
sticks of fairness to pick 5 kids – try
to pick one kid you know will
struggle with this).
Everyone put your hands in the
middle. You can gently grab
another person’s hand, but be sure
you haven’t grabbed someone next
to you!
Now, without letting go, try to
untangle yourselves. For those of
you watching, think of something
they are doing well, and another
thing that they could work on.
Remember, we have already come
up with a great list of advice for
untangling knots!

Formative Assessment for this

portion of the lesson: After the 5
students have untangled
themselves, ask each student –
including those who were in the
knot – what worked well and what
could have gone better. EVERY
students must answer, but it is okay
if they repeat an answer or use the
anchor chart. Push students to name

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 the fact that everyone was talking at
once. When someone DOES bring
this up, ask them how this can be
avoided. “A sequence of learning
does not end with the right answer;
reward right answers with follow up
questions that extend knowledge
and test for reliability (Lemov,
Doug. 2010. Pg. 3).”

INDEPENDENT PRACTICE ( 20
min.)
(Consider: How will you clearly
state and model behavioral
expectations?
In what ways will students attempt
to demonstrate independent mastery
of the objective? How will you
provide opportunities for
extension? Why will students be
engaged/interested?)

Once again, review the anchor chart Large empty spaces. This can be
they came up with! done outside, in a meeting area of
Split kids up into 3 or 4 groups a classroom, a gym or even a
depending on the size of the class. wide hallway.
Have them go through the motions
and untangle themselves. Once a
group finishes, have them talk about
what they could do better, then try
again. Go until each group has
finished. Ask each group to quickly
explain what worked. Then blend
two groups into one (total of two
groups now). Have them untangle
again. Finally, have them all make a
huge knot together.

Extension for one or all groups:

Ask students: What is happening?
What isn’t working? Now, by sticks
of fairness, pick one person in each
group.
Me: I have randomly picked one
person in each group. This is going
to be the only person who is allowed

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to talk during the next knot. They are
the leader. Keep in mind that if
someone is holding your hand too
tightly, you should still tell them, but
otherwise, you are silent.
This extension can also work well
for groups that cant seem to work out
for themselves, whose role is what.

Formative Assessment for this

portion of the lesson:
While students are trying to
untangle their knots, the teacher is
going around, observing, and taking
notes. Who is leading? Who is
getting frustrated? Who is just
following along? Who is giving up?
Who is being very loud?
While making observations, give
help to the groups and people who
need it. “It looks like
____________ seems to have a
great idea, let’s hear from her.”
“Wow! How can any of you hear
each other? It is so loud! Try to take
turns talking. That way everyone’s
great ideas are listened to. “Gather
data constantly on what students
can do while you’re teaching and
act immediately on that knowledge
to inform what you do next and

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how you do it (Lemov, Doug. 2010.
Pg. 5).”

CLOSING (10 min.)

(Consider: How will students
summarize what they learned?
How will students be asked to state
the significance of what they
learned?
How will you provide all students
with opportunities to demonstrate
mastery of (or progress toward) the
objective?
Why will students be
engaged/interested?)

As students finish up, have the Enough handouts for each

quick finishers watch the other student and a teacher
teams, and think about what they Pencils
are doing differently than their Writing journals or lined paper
groups.
When all groups finish, circle back
up and give a round of applause to
everyone.
Me: That was amazing. I saw
people working out problems,
listening to each other, being leader
and being followers. I saw people
being resourceful, respectful, and
curious. People were using their
direction words and speaking
calmly. (All of this talking is giving
ideas for their reflections). Call on
students (ones who may struggle
with the reflection) to give
anecdotes about how their team
worked well together.
Me: While we are still thinking

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about what worked and what we
will do differently next time, we are
going to use our reflection skills
and answer some questions about
how it went. Show them the sheet.
Read the directions out loud. Then,
pass out the sheets to each student.
As their ticket to grab their journals
and go to their seats, each student
must tell you one of the questions
they will be answering. This should
go quickly. Call on students who
have their hands up. At the end, you
may have few students who still
don’t know, this could be a small
group that you help get going or
students who just needed an extra
minute for transitions.

In the coming days: Read over

their journal responses and redo the
knot activity. Show students you
have taken some of their
suggestions into account by
changing the rules a little and by
referencing their responses in the
pre-lesson. This will build trust that
they are being help responsible, that
you follow up, and that they are a
part of this community, while also
continuing to build joy and trust
within the classroom.

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Resources:
Lemov, Doug. (2010) Teach Like a Champion: 49 Techniques that put students on the path to
college. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
[Members Playing Human Knot Game]. (n.d.). Retrieved April 10, 2017, from
https://www.avemariapress.com/dynamicmedia/files/3dac70866b91bcd41eedaecfff1681b0/3
0_MembersPlayingHumanKnotGame_000.jpg