Tolerance

February

7th Grade

Tolerance: To respect the individual differences, views, and beliefs of other people

Purpose: To teach students to understand the position of another person, appreciation of the similarities and differences of others

Materials: strips of colored paper

Tape – ask supervising teacher

Copy of “The Wright Family”

Copy of “A Lesson for Life”

Procedure:

Activity 1 – “The Wright Family”

  1. Ask each student to get out a pen or pencil. Break students up into two groups and put each group in a circle (that would be two circles). Students should be comfortably standing shoulder to shoulder with in the groups with their pen or pencil.
  1. Explain to the students that they are about to do an activity relating to tolerance. Each student should be holding a pen or pencil and be in a circle. The mentor will read “The Wright Family.” Tell the students that whenever they hear the word “LEFT,” they will pass the pen/pencil that they are holding to the left. Whenever they hear the word “RIGHT,” they will pass the pen/pencil to the right.
  1. After the story is over, students should go back to their desks. Encourage students to raise hands for class discussion. Ask them the following questions:

What did you like about the activity? Why?

Did the activity require some teamwork and cooperation? Explain your answer.

Do you think some people were more tolerant than others? Why is this so?

Does tolerance elicit a positive or negative thought? Why?

What terms present a more positive attitude? Examples: appreciation, respect, acceptance

What terms present a more negative attitude? Examples: Discrimination, prejudice, racism, lack of cooperation, lack of respect

Where do we set boundaries on what is and is not tolerable? What are examples of intolerable behaviors?

Activity 2 – “A Lesson for Life”

  1. Next, give each student a copy of the story “A Lesson for Life.” Explain to the students that they are about to hear a story about tolerance. Ask for student volunteers to read. Consider having one student a paragraph. Assign the readers ahead of time so there is no disruption during the reading.
  1. After reading the story, generate a short discussion with the following questions:

How does this story show tolerance?

How was the conflict resolved?

What is the significance of the title?

What situations might we have to show tolerance?

End the discussion asking this question: Why do we need to be tolerant of one another?

Students should return the copies of the stories.

Activity 3 – “Making Links”

  1. Lastly, give each student a strip of paper. These strips of paper are called “links.” Tell each student to write on the link something that they could do to improve their tolerance/interactions with people. Tell them to be specific, such as waiting in line at lunch, being patient with someone who is walking slowly in front of you, etc…
  1. Students should then link their strips of paper together to form one long chain. The chains could be linked with other chains from other classes or simply stay in the classroom pinned to the bulletin board. The chain will serve as a reminder to be tolerant of others. Being tolerant of one another helps us to stay connected, just like the links are connected. Ask for 2-3 student volunteers to help tape the links together.

Back Up:

  1. Ask students to share their ideas from the links.

THE WRIGHT FAMILY

There once was a family the Wrights... Father Wright, Mother Wright, Johnny Wright, and Mary Wright.

One day during the summer, Father Wright said to Mother Wright, "The other day I realized there is only one week left of summer vacation and we have not taken our annual family vacation." Mother Wright agreed, "I will gather up the kids right away so we can leave first thing tomorrow morning after breakfast."

The next morning, Father Wright wanted to be sure they left on time right after breakfast. Everyone was anxious to leave on the family vacation. Mother Wright was hurrying about making sure everything was packed right and ready to go. Father Wright asked Mother Wright, "Did you pack some leftovers for today's lunch?" Mother Wright replied, "We ate everything last night for dinner. There isn't anything left. We will have to stop and get lunch on the way right about noon."

As Father Wright loaded the car, he hollered upstairs to Johnny Wright and Mary Wright, "Hurry up kids, or you will be left behind at home."

Father Wright, Mother Wright, and Mary Wright were already in the car while Johnny Wright was rushing out of the house, slamming the door right behind him. Father Wright backed the car out of the driveway, turned left, headed down the street to the corner, made a left turn, then a right to the gas station. He got out of the left side of the car and walked over to the right gas pump to pump his gas. He reached into his back left pocket and realized he had left his wallet at home. He got right back into the car, left the gas station, turned left, right at the corner, then left into the driveway.

Father Wright instructed Johnny Wright, "Son please go to the house and fetch my wallet. I left it on the table in the hallway, right next to the telephone." Johnny Wright ran up to the front door, used his spare house key which he always left under the doormat and entered the house. His father's wallet was exactly where he said he had left it, in the hallway, right next to the telephone. Johnny Wright picked up the wallet and returned to the car. The Wright Family was off once again.

Father Wright backed the car out of the driveway, turned left, headed down the street to the corner, made a left turn, then right to the gas station.

As Father Wright was pumping gas from the right, Mary Wright said to Mother Wright, "I don't feel well. I'm dizzy. I think I am going to vomit right here." Mother Wright replied, "Oh Mary, not in the car, please. Quick! Stick your head out the left window and then do it!" Mary complied.

Father Wright returned to the car. Mother Wright said, "We need to go right back home. In our haste this morning, I believe I left the stove on after breakfast."

Father Wright left the gas station, turned left, right at the corner, then left into the driveway. Mother Wright dashed into the house to check on the stove, which she believed she had left on that morning. When Mother Wright returned to the car, Father Wright Johnny Wright, and Mary Wright were standing on the driveway. Father Wright said,” I think it is not the right time for the Wright family to go on vacation. There will be time left later in the year."

A Lesson for Life

The turning point in the process of growing up is when you discover the core strength within you that survives all hurt. Max Lerner

"Look at fatso!"

Freshmen in high school can be cruel and we certainly were to a young man named Matt who was in my class. We mimicked him, teased him and taunted him about his size. He was at least fifty pounds overweight. He felt the pain of being the last one picked to play basketball, baseball or football. Matt will always remember the endless pranks that were played on him- trashing his hall locker, piling library books on his desk at lunchtime and spraying him with icy streams of water in the shower after gym class.

One day he sat near me in gym class. Someone pushed him and he fell on me and banged my foot quite badly. The kid who pushed him said Matt did it. With the whole class watching, I was put on the spot to either shrug it off or pick a fight with Matt. I chose to fight in order to keep my image intact.

I shouted, "C'mon, Matt, let's fight!" He said he didn't want to. But peer pressure forced him into conflict whether he liked it not. He came toward me with his fists in the air. He was no George Foreman. With one punch I bloodied his nose and the class went wild. Just then the gym teacher walked into the room. He saw that we were fighting and he sent us out to the oval running track.

He followed us with a smile on his face and said, "I want you two guys to go out there and run that mile holding each other's hands." The room erupted into a roar of laughter. The two of us were embarrassed beyond belief, but Matt and I went out to the track and ran our mile- hand-in-hand.

At some point during the course of our run, I remember looking over at him, with blood still trickling from his nose and his weight slowing him down. It struck me that here was a person, not all that different from myself. We both looked at each other and began to laugh. In time we became good friends.

Going around that track, hand-in-hand, I no longer saw Matt as fat or dumb. He was a human being who had intrinsic value and worth far beyond any externals. It was amazing what I learned when I was forced to go hand-in-hand with someone for only one mile.

For the rest of my life I have never so much as raised a hand at another person.

Medard Laz

Lesson Plan Evaluation

Character Word______Grade Level______

Objective / Yes / Somewhat / No
Was the lesson easy to read and understand by the teachers?
Was the sequence of the lesson correct?
Were the activities easy to understand?
Were the students engaged throughout the lesson?
Did the students enjoy the activities?
Were the materials easy to use?
Were the visuals appropriate for the learners?
Were there adequate activities planned?
Was the lesson relevant to the learners?

Comments:

Please return form to Mr. Richardson or Dr. Carsillo