Learning to Give, Philanthropy education resources that teach giving and civic engagement
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Purpose:
Through role playing a scenario, students with different perspectives will make decisions about responsibility.
Duration:
One 20-minute lesson
Objectives:
The learner will:
- identify with a role in the situation.
- argue for a decision, based upon his or her perspective.
- examine the role of irresponsibility in this situation.
Service Experience:
Learn more about the stages of service-learning.
This character education mini-lesson is not intended to be a service learning lesson or to meet the K-12 Service-Learning Standards for Quality Practice. The character education units will be most effective when taught in conjunction with a student-designed service project that provides a real world setting in which students can develop and practice good character and leadership skills. For ideas and suggestions for organizing service events go to www.generationon.org.
Materials:
- A copy of Attachment One: Responsibility Situation for each learner (except three students who are taking the role of the teacher)
Instructional Procedure(s):
Anticipatory Set:
Say, "Two people are at the same place, eating or doing the same thing, yet, when I ask them what they are eating or doing, I often get two different answers. Why is that?" Allow 1 minute of discussion about seeing situations from different perspectives.
- Tell the students that today they will have an opportunity to examine a situation of responsibility (following through on a task) from three different viewpoints, or perspectives. Tell them that three people will take the role of a science teacher and will have separate instructions. Ask three people to stand aside (this is your teacher group).
- Have the remaining students move into two groups. They will all read the same scenario on Attachment One: Responsibility Situation. Each group will read the scenario and then discuss it from the point of view of one of the characters: one group will discuss and respond to the questions from Betty's point of view, and the other group will discuss and respond to the questions from Angela's point of view. Allow 7 minutes for the groups to read, answer the questions, and select a representative to speak to the teacher as Betty or Angela.
- While the students are meeting in their respective groups, the teacher meets with the three students designated as the teacher. Explain to the students that they will be hearing from Betty and Angela. Tell the teacher characters the basics: "Betty has a D in science and you, the teacher, have told Betty that if she gets a C or better on her final exam, then you will grade her with a C for the class. You, the teacher, have suggested that Betty study with Angela in preparation for the final exam. Your role as teacher will be to listen to the perspective of both students. You three, as teacher, must make the final decision on the grade for Betty.
- Invite the representatives for Betty and Angela and the teacher (3 students) to the front of the room.
- Allow Betty to be first in sharing her story and suggesting what the teacher should do. Angela will then share her perspective. Allow 3 minutes for each student's presentation.
- Then give the three teachers one minute to huddle and make the final decision.
- Teacher: So, teacher(s) what will the grade be, and what's your reasoning for the grade?
- After the teachers share their decision, reflect on the decision as a whole class. Does it seem fair? Discuss each person's responsibility to self and others. Discuss personal responsibility to the common good.
Cross-Curriculum Extensions:
To provide more time in examining the scenarios and considering the common good, this lesson may be extended over two days. Should you choose this method, then day one would feature the reading, analyzing and drawing conclusions on the scenarios. Day 2 would feature the presentations to the "teachers' with more time for their deliberation and more time for sharing their thinking. Day 2 would also feature students examining their perspectives and the difficulty of accepting "their" position if they disagreed with the decision made by their respective person. Day 2 could also examine how the scenario could play out if each person accepted responsibility as agreed. What might Betty have done prior to this scenario? Did Angela want to help Betty or was she saying yes to please the teacher? Was the teacher fair in making the agreement with Betty in the first place?
Lesson Developed By:
Jan DalmanCurriculum Consultant
Learning to Give
Handouts:
Handout 1Print Handout 1
Responsibility Situation
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Betty’s current grade in science is a D. She must have a C in order to stay on the basketball team. She loves basketball, so she is determined to get a C! Betty and the science teacher have made an agreement that if Betty studies for the final exam and receives a C or better on the exam, the teacher will reward her with a C for the semester. To assist Betty with her studying, the teacher has suggested that she study with Angela, an excellent student in science who is currently carrying an A. The teacher is counting on Betty. Betty is counting on Betty.
Unit Contents:
Overview:Character Education: Responsibility (Grade 7) Summary
Lessons:
- 1.
- What Choice Do You Have?
- 2.
- Let's Get it Done
- 3.
- James Stephen Hogg
- 4.
- A New Perspective
- 5.
- Responsibility in the Final Analysis
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