LAUNCH GRADE 9: CLEAN SLATE collaborative activity: high school graduation chain of events (10 minutes) oBJective: StUDEntS WILL BRAInStoRM EvEntS thAt CAn LEAD to hIGh SChooL GRADUAtIon AnD SoME thAt CAn LEAD to DRoPPInG oUt. Divide the class into small groups of three or four students and challenge them with the following question: * Why don't more kids in our high school graduate? DIFFERENTIATION SUGGESTION Instruct each student to take notes in the high school Graduation chain of events chart in the handout. this chart lists two potential outcomes: * outcome A: Dropping out of high school * outcome B: Graduating from high school In the spaces provided, students should list all of the possible events that they can think of that might lead to each outcome. As students identify barriers to college, encourage them to think particularly about the barriers that English Language Learners and students with special needs face and strategies they can employ to overcome them. Each group should select a reporter who will report the entire group's answers back to the class. If the students have a difficult time getting started, you might facilitate this as a whole group discussion, brainstorming barriers and opportunities alltogether. for the outcome B, encourage students to think about other barriers they have overcome: Who was there to support them? What skills did they develop? whole group discussion: share-out (10-15 minutes) oBJective: StUDEntS WILL IDEntIfY GEnERAL BARRIERS to hIGh SChooL GRADUAtIon AnD LISt oPPoRtUnItIES foR ovERCoMInG thESE BARRIERS. Ask each group to share out their chain of events. As they do, list all of the barriers and opportunities they identified in your t-chart at the front of the room. Students can add to their charts in their handouts as necessary. Students can discuss the similarities and differences that exist in their brainstormed list of opportunity events and Barrier events that lead to the outcomes. You may want to ask students to: * Compare the similarities/differences among them. * Why do they have different lists? * how can they support their peers in overcoming barriers? * What are the opportunities in the group for improved academic success? * What is missing and where can you find the resources? independent practice: reflection (10 minutes) oBJective: StUDEntS WILL IDEntIfY SPECIfIC BARRIERS AnD oPPoRtUnItIES thAt thEY PERSonALLY fACE. have students respond to this lesson's prompt: * Which of the barriers we talked about today might directly affect you? What will you do to overcome them? 34 LESSon 4: ovERCoMInG BARRIERS