If you’ve been following along in this series, you know we have been focusing on intentional ways to move from the First Five into the day’s learning without losing momentum. Each strategy we share is about honoring the connection you’ve already built while seamlessly guiding students toward what comes next.
Today’s transition does exactly that by turning part of the First Five into a natural launch point for learning.
Sometimes the stars align and the First Five fits perfectly with your lesson. Other times, you have to make it work for you. That’s where Connection to Content comes in. This strategy allows educators to take a component of the First Five and use it to springboard into the learning happening in your classroom.
For example, if one of the day’s questions asks students which decade they would choose to time travel to, you might say:
“Speaking of the decade you chose, if you picked the 1950s, you’re in luck. That’s where we’re headed today as we begin learning about the Civil Rights Movement. Let’s start by examining what life was like in the 1950s.”
If that day’s edition of the First Five is using an Emotional Weather Check-In, try something along these lines:
“Earlier, we shared what weather best represented how we’re feeling today. Some chose sunny, some are windy, and some of us picked cloudy. Today, we’ll be learning about weather patterns and how weather changes over time. As we start our lesson, let’s think about how weather and our emotions change as we go through a day.”
These types of transition honor the time you spent connecting without abruptly shutting it down. They redirect your students’ attention toward academic curiosity and help them see the First Five as part of the learning process, not a separate activity.
We know that not every daily edition of the First Five will line up perfectly with your lesson’s learning objective. Have no fear! This is actually a great time to remind you about our free, searchable database found on our website (https://www.edtomorrow.com). Once you register and sign in, you can explore every piece of First Five content we’ve ever created, all in one place.
Quickly search and sort using categories, components, keywords, and/or tags. You can easily find content to complement your lessons and support a smooth transition into learning. Think of it as an extra layer of flexibility, giving you more options to meet the moment and keep connection working for your content.
Try this approach the next time. Sometimes a small pivot and intentional connection are all it takes to carry student engagement straight into your lesson.
And as always, if you’ve found a creative way to shift into instruction, we’d love to hear it. When teachers share what’s working, everyone benefits, and that’s what this community is all about.
-Edtomorrow Team