Learn how to use and customize your camp's Daily Agenda as your daily operational hub. Reference this guide to understand the agenda structure, see examples of strong planning, and learn best practices for keeping your team aligned throughout camp.
Daily Agenda Structure
Your Daily Agenda (found in the Camp HQ) is your team's operational hub. Each day has its own dedicated tab, organized into three segments.
At The Top: The Schedule Table
This table is for high-level logistics. It answers: What is happening and when?
- Instructors should update this table daily to reflect actual pacing and assigned leads.
- Ensure Brain Breaks are clearly marked so IAs know when to pivot.
In The Middle: Collapsible Session Sections
Below the table, you will find expandable sections for each camp session.
- This is where the lead for that session links slides, details IA roles, and outlines specific logistical needs for the team.
- Keep these sections collapsed when not in use to keep the document easy to navigate during live instruction.
At The Bottom: Microfeedback Review & Afternoon Team Huddle
At the bottom of every daily tab is space for reviewing microfeedback and taking notes during the Afternoon Team Huddle.
- The camp team records "Glows/Grows" and specific scholar support needs here after reviewing microfeedback at the end of the camp day.
- This section contains the checklist for your Afternoon Team Huddle, ensuring you use microfeedback to drive the next day's plan.
How to Use Your Daily Agenda
The Daily Agenda outlines the plan for the day and specific IL responsibilities for every moment of the camp day. A thorough Daily Agenda includes an updated schedule, links to key resources, and action items for each session. Follow the steps below to ensure that your Daily Agenda includes all of the details for the teaching team each day!
Before Camp Day
Step 1: Schedule Adjustments & Assignments
Update the mainframe slides link
Update actual timing based on previous day's pacing
Assign leads to all moments of the day
Identify specific brain break and/or community-building activities
Add or remove brain breaks as needed
Note any special events or integrations (Speaker Series, mentor visits, etc.)
Step 2: Technical Lesson Planning
The lead Instructor for each lesson should document team member roles and expectations. At a minimum, the Lead Instructor should:
Link to curriculum lessons and answer keys
Include any supplemental resources the team needs
Detail how IAs should support during practice time, especially breakouts
Optional Steps
There are a few additional elements that camp teams have found helpful in the past. The Lead Instructor may optionally:
Add time stamps for the exercises in a lesson to support with pacing
Draft questions to check for scholar understanding along with exemplar responses
Plan for scholar misconceptions and how you will respond
Assign specific ILs to support designated scholars or scholar groups
Draft Slack messages to send during the day
Your Daily Agenda is only as good as the detail you add to it. The more specific you are about team roles, timing, and coordination, the smoother your camp days will run. Treat it as a living document: update it daily, use it to communicate with your team, and adjust as you learn what works for your scholars.
After Each Camp Day
At the end of each camp day, update the afternoon huddle notes with your reflections based on your review of scholar microfeedback surveys.
Time Management Strategies
Running behind schedule is common. Adjusting your agenda is a normal part of effective instruction. Use the guidance below to decide where and how to make time back when your day runs long.
✅ DO
- Trim 5-10 minutes from multiple lessons rather than skipping one entirely
- Focus on foundations: Protect core concepts scholars need for continued learning
- Communicate transparently: Tell scholars what's optional and where to find it
❌ DON’T
- Teach faster by speaking faster (this reduces comprehension!)
- Remove entire lessons (this creates knowledge caps that compound later)
- Show stress or panic (scholars will be able to pick up on this!)
You can also maintain engagement, but streamline interactions by swapping time-intensive instructional activities with quicker alternatives. Below, you’ll find some examples of ways to make some quick swaps for time based on your modality.
💻 Virtual Camps
- Conduct Try-It activities in the Cloud instead of breakout rooms
- Drop answer keys for 1-2 minute silent self-review instead of group discussion
- Minimize transitions between the Cloud and Houses
- Use 1-minute chat drops/blasts instead of a 5-minute share-out
📍 In-Person Camps
- Replace "Think, Pair, Share" (8-10 min) with "Turn and Talk" (3-4 min)
- Use strategic sampling instead of hearing from every group
- Focus on essential examples rather than multiple demonstrations
- Have scholars vote with sticky notes or hand signals instead of full-group discussion
Need help? Don’t hesitate to reach out to
@curriculum-instruction on Slack if you need a thought partner. Our team is here and would be happy to help! Remember: falling behind isn’t a reflection of your instructional skills. Timing is more of an art than a science!Examples of Strong Daily Planning
Example 1: Well-Coordinated Practice Session
Example 2: Adjusting for Time
Original Plan: Lesson 7 (45 min) + Practice (30 min) + Brain Break (15 min)
Reality: Lesson 7 ran long - now it's 2:30pm and you haven't started practice
Adjust the Daily Agenda Live:
- Skip the Brain Break and add a quick stretch in the Cloud
- Shorten practice to 20 min, focus on mild challenge only
- Encourage scholars to complete spicier challenges after camp
Communicate:
"We're running a bit behind, which shows how engaged you all were in that lesson! 💚 We'll do a quick practice now, and you have the lesson link if you want to keep exploring after hours."
Example 3: Scholar-Specific Support
From Microfeedback: 3 scholars in House B are in Alarm Zone
Next Day Action Items:
- IA 1 (House B): During practice, create breakout room for scholars needing extra support
- IA 2 (House B): Lead differentiated code-along for those 3 scholars
- Instructor A: Check in with House B during practice to see if they need additional time
- Follow up: Send scholars resources for async review + encourage them to attend the After Party
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What if we finish a lesson early?
A: Build in extra brain breaks, extend practice time, or start the next lesson early. Update your agenda to reflect actual timing.
Q: Should we follow the agenda exactly?
A: No! There are a few moments that are immovable like camp integrations, Pitch Party, and Demo Day, but the timing in agenda for other sessions is a guide. You can adjust based on your scholars' needs, your team's pacing, and what's working. Just keep your team informed of changes.
Q: What if we disagree on timing as a team?
A: Instructors make the final call, but should listen to IA input. Use afternoon huddles to discuss and align on next day's plan.
Q: Can we add our own activities?
A: Yes! Just make sure core learning objectives are still met. Add brain breaks, integrations, or review sessions as needed.