May
I Can Depend on Myself
Self-Reliance
Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday1
meetings / 2 / 3
6
Bullying / 7
Character ED. / 8
meetings / 9 / 10
13 / 14
Character ED. / 15
meetings / 16 / 17
20 / 21
Character ED. / 22
meetings / 23 / 24
27
No School / 28
Character ED. / 29
meetings / 30 / 31
3 / 4
Character ED. / 5 / 6
End of Quarter / 7
Bullying Activity
Who’s Who
This worksheet will have students use situations to identify the different roles (bully, victim, defender, bystander) seen in a bullying situation. Have each student silently/individually mark the scenarios in which they have seen or participated. Then, have them go back and identify which role is being described.
Character Education Activities
Psychologist
Quick Draw
My Personal Best
Persistent Drop of Water
Don’t Give Up
NAME-CALLING IN OUR SCHOOL
OVERVIEW: Students are provided with the opportunity to objectively observe the way in which
name-calling and other types of disrespectful language are used in school over a three-day period.
Students are asked to reflect on their observations, to look for patterns of behavior, and to begin to
consider ways in which the problem of name-calling might be addressed in their school.
OBJECTIVES:
• To increase students’ awareness of the extent and nature of name-calling and verbal
bullying in school
• To encourage student reflection about the problem of name-calling and ways to address it
• To develop students’ ability to observe and record behavior in their school
AGE/EXPERIENCE LEVEL: Grades 5 and up; this activity requires some discretion and independence
on the part of students
TIME: 30-40 minutes or one class period to introduce the activity; 3 days of observations; 45 minutes
or one class period to debrief
MATERIALS: Pens; notebooks; student handouts: Name-Calling in Our School and Name-Calling Log
PROCEDURE:
PART 1—INTRODUCING THE ACTIVITY (15-20 MINUTES)
Ask students to raise their hands or stand if they have never been called a name or talked to in a
mean or disrespectful way. Most likely there will be very few or no students standing. Note the pervasiveness
of name-calling in their lives and how it is often taken for granted as natural or normal.
Write one or more of the following phrases on the board:
• Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me.
• Boys will be boys.
• Teasing is just a natural part of growing up.
• It’s just a joke—everyone says it
Ask students if they agree with the above sentiments, all of which are commonly used to explain or
respond to name-calling. Ask if they think name-calling is a problem in their lives or just a natural
part of growing up that everyone must endure. Allow some time for discussion. Inform students that
they will be participating in some observation over the course of three days to objectively examine the
extent and nature of name-calling in their schools, and to further consider whether it is inevitable or a
problem they can do something about.
PART 2—OBSERVING AND RECORDING NAME-CALLING IN SCHOOL (15-20 MINUTES)
Give each student a copy of the Student Handouts, Name-Calling in Our School and Name-Calling
Log. Review the following steps, which are included in their handout:
Step 1: Prepare
Make a few copies of the attached chart or get a notebook that you can use to record your observations.
Keep your charts or notebook with you at all times while you are at school or on your
way to/from school over the next three days.
Step 2: Plan
Think about the most appropriate times and places to observe. In addition to writing down what
you see and hear as you go about your regular day, you may want to spend extra time in the gym,
cafeteria, hallways or other locations. Check with your teacher to make sure your plan is okay.
Step 3: Observe
Keep your ears open and your mouth zipped. As a researcher, your job is to watch, listen, and write
down all examples of name-calling, verbal bullying or other examples of disrespectful language. Try
to observe only and to stay out of name-calling situations that you encounter. If a student looks like
s/he needs support, ask an adult for help.
Step 4: Write
You will be trying to record the information below for each incident. Try to keep your notes brief
so that it doesn’t take too long to capture each incident.
• WHO: Record information about the name-caller and the person on the receiving end, but no
names please! Write down your best guess about the age/grade of the people involved, their
gender (boy, girl), and other important characteristics.
• WHEN AND WHERE: The time of the incident and the location (classroom, cafeteria,
hallway, yard, gym, bus, etc.)
• WHAT: The exact words that are said
• HOW: The tone in which the comment is made (angry, joking, upset, etc.)
• RESPONSE: The response of the person(s) being targeted, if any
• RESPONSE: The response of bystanders to the incident, if any
PART 3—DEBRIEFING AND NEXT STEPS (30-45 MINUTES)
At the end of the three days of observation, ask students to reflect upon their observations and answer
the following questions. This can be done as a homework assignment, in-class writing assignment, or
small group discussion:
• What types of name-calling are most common (names about looks, behavior, intelligence, physical
ability, friends, family, race, ethnicity, sexual comments, curses or other cruel words, etc.)?
• Who is most likely to get bullied and to do the bullying? (No names—just characteristics)
• Where/when did most incidents of name-calling take place? Were adults or other students
around?
• What was the intent of the name-calling in most cases (to tease, joke, hurt, get revenge, etc.)?
• How did the targets of name-calling respond?
• Did an adult or other student get involved? If so, how?
• How do you think the problem of name-calling should be addressed in your school?
Revisit the question with which you began this lesson—is name-calling inevitable or a problem we
can do something about? As a follow-up, students may be asked to write a report that summarizes
their observations and what they have learned about name-calling in their school. They should
include their ideas for ways to reduce or end name-calling in their school community. Their reports
can be presented to the school principal, guidance staff, or others in a position to help implement
change. As a class, select one or more ideas that you will work on collaboratively to put into action.
NAME-CALLING IN OUR SCHOOL
What wasthe response
of others?
What was
the target’s
response?
What was the
tone? (angry,
joking, upset,
etc.)
What
was said?
Who was the
target? (age,
gender etc.
—no names).
Who did the
name calling?
(age, gender
etc.
—no names).
Location
of incident
Date &
Time
Psychologist
Materials
None
How to Play
Players sit in a circle. One player is selected at the psychologist and that player must leave the room. While psychologist is gone, facilitator asks group to come up with one problem they all have.
Examples include:
- Everyone is afraid of walls
- Everyone thinks they are on the moon
- Everyone believes they are 3 years old
- Everyone is late for a class
The psychologist outside the room can come in whenever the facilitator says. The rest of the players then must subtly act out or have conversations that give hints about what the problem is. The psychologist gets 3 guesses to identify what the problem is.
Quick Draw
Learning Objective: time and stress management
Activity Category: Energizer
Time Available: 10 minutes
Space: large classroom, fits 45 students
Explanatory Notes: an energizer activity right after a short break.
It is for approx. 45 students already divided up into six groups.
Activity:
1. Provide your students each with the attached “Quick Draw! page 1” face down.
2. On your signal, all students turn over their pages and attempt to circle the
numbers is numerical order, i.e., 1,2,3,4,5…. They will have 30 seconds to do
so, and they must do so in silence. Any questions? Ready, set, go!
3. At 30 seconds, tell the students to stop but keep their pages face up. Ask the
students to add up and tally their combined scores within their small groups. Poll
each small group as to how many numbers total each group was able to circle
within the given time frame. Now ask them to study their pages, and discuss
within their teams how they might improve their scores. After a minute or so, ask
the teams to share their strategies with the larger group. The key item that they
need to realize here (or that you should point out, if they fail to voice it) is that
there is a pattern to the layout of the numbers. 1What might that be? So how
might you improve your performance in these kinds of tasks?
4. Provide your students with the attached “Quick Draw! Page Two” also face down.
Instructions are the same as in the first round. Any questions? Ready, set, go!
5. After 30 seconds, have students stop, tally and total their scores in small groups,
and compare their first and second attempts. What you should see is that, even
though the layout of the numbers on “Page Two” was in a different pattern,
students performance should have improved because they invested the time,
even when the clock was ticking, to look for patterns and to come up with a plan2.
6. If the second round didn’t work as you expected, i.e., scores did NOT improve
over the first round, then don’t start the discussion here. Ask them to study their
sheets silently to discover the pattern. Conduct a third round using the same
“Quick Draw, page Two” sheet so that they are dealing with a known pattern, but
this time ask them to mark an “X” over each number. Performance will definitely
improve, and you can then make the case about investing time up front in looking
for patterns and planning ahead.
1 If they don’t see the patterns, tip them that they might want to draw lines between sequential numbers,
as in “connect the dots.” The patterns should be readily apparent.
2 For clarity sake, let me note that I am referring to each student coming up with his own individual and
internal plan, not group strategizing within the 30 second time limit.
Quick Draw, page One
8 22 36 49 35 21 7
6 20 34 48 37 23 9
10 24 38 47 33 19 5
4 18 32 46 39 25 11
12 26 40 45 31 17 3
2 16 30 44 41 27 13
14 28 42 43 29 15 1
Quick Draw, Page Two
1 5 9 13 17 21 3
24 25 29 33 37 27 7
20 40 41 45 43 31 11
16 36 48 49 47 35 15
12 32 44 46 42 39 19
8 28 38 34 30 26 23
4 22 18 14 10 6 2
My Personal Best
Purpose:
Students discuss what it means to do their personal best. They find, through a simple physical activity, that they can do a good job in something, but they still have more talent and drive to do better if they persevere. They recognize that perseverance can help them do their personal best.
Duration:
One 20-minute lesson
Objectives:
The learner will:
- state the benefits of doing personal best.
- define perseverance and relate to personal best.
- do his or her personal best to play a catch-and-throw game with a partner.
Materials:
- tennis balls (one for every two students, perhaps borrowed from the PE department) If tennis balls are not available, the students may make balls for the activity out of wadded up paper, but this is not ideal.
Instructional Procedure(s):
Anticipatory Set
Toss a tennis ball to a student a few feet away. After tossing the ball, act like you are really proud of your throw, as if it was your personal best throw. Say, "Wasn't that the best throw? I'm so proud of that. Did you see that?" If the students are laughing, ask them what is funny about that. Lead them to confirm that it isn't such an amazing feat for you.
- Ask, "How do you feel when you actually do your personal best [your best effort based on your ability and opportunity] on something? Why do you feel that way?"
- Tell the students to stand up and reach for the ceiling as high as they can. As they are reaching, say, "Now reach three inches farther." As students push themselves to reach higher, say, "I thought you were already reaching as high as you could. Where did you get the extra three inches?"
- Have the students sit down and respond to you about the following question. "What is the difference between doing a good job and doing your personal best?"
- Challenge the students to reflect on when they make the effort to do their personal best. Can they do their personal best in all areas? They may work hardest in sports, homework, being a good friend, or giving and serving in the community. Discuss what motivates them to do their personal best.
- Pair up students and give each team a tennis ball. Tell them they will start close together and toss the ball back and forth with their non-dominant hand without dropping it, each moving a step apart each time they catch and throw successfully. If they drop the ball, they must move close together and start over. Before they start, have them set a goal of how far apart they can get without dropping. (This may be easier in the hall or outside.) They may communicate to improve their strategy and encourage each other. Tell them to do their personal best.
- When students sit down again, ask them to define perseverance [sticking with something even when it is difficult]. Then ask the learners how perseverance is related to personal best. They may note that when throwing the ball, they made some mistakes at first, but they kept at it and got better and more careful the more they stuck with it.
- Discuss what makes perseverance a good character trait. Encourage them to share some examples of people who have persevered in sports and science. Ask, "How are their acts of perseverance good for society?
Persistent Drop of Water
Purpose:
Students analyze the meaning of personal best and recognize the value of persistence in doing their best.
Duration:
One 20-minute lesson
Objectives:
The learner will:
- discuss the gentle persistence of water in creating the Grand Canyon.
- work in small groups to complete a chart of the Frayer Model that defines personal best.
- read the charts of the other groups.
Materials:
- picture of the Grand Canyon (see Bibliographical References)
- one sheet of chart paper for each group of four students
- markers
- one copy of Attachment One: Frayer Model for each group
Instructional Procedure(s):
Anticipatory Set
Show a picture of the Grand Canyon. Ask students to raise their hands if they have been to the Grand Canyon. Talk about their impressions of its beauty and attributes. Ask the students if they know what mighty force carved that deep rocky gorge that is over one mile deep, up to 18 miles across and nearly 300 miles long. Tell them that it was mostly the persistence [continuing without change for a long period] of water eroding away the rock for millions of years that slowly carved the Grand Canyon. Read the following quote by Lucretius: "The drops of rain make a hole in the stone not by violence but by oft falling." Ask the students, "What can we learn from water about how to get things done?"
- Ask students to reflect on what is the Grand Canyon (a big accomplishment) in their lives. Remind them when they meet obstacles and difficulties to think like the water by doing their personal best persistently (without giving up).
- Tell the students that you want them to analyze what it means to do their personal best. Put the students into groups of four and give each team a copy of Attachment One: Frayer Model and a piece of chart paper and some markers. As a team, they will analyze and define personal best. They will create an attractive model of the Frayer model on the chart paper and fill in the parts with appropriate ideas: characteristics of personal best, examples, non-examples, and a definition of personal best.
- Give the students ten minutes to complete the chart.
- Post the charts and have the groups walk by all the charts and read one another's models. Discuss observations.
Frayer Model
Write the word to be defined in the center circle. Write a definition of the word. Write some characteristics of the word. Give some examples and non-examples of the concept.
Don’t Give Up
Purpose:
Students will define perseverance and identify the need to persevere in completing tasks. They will explore obstacles and excuses that deter perseverance.