ERC Learning & Evaluation Situation:

KIDS CARE
Be the change you want to see in the world. - Ghandi
DEVELOPED BY JULIE POTHIER

KIDS CARE: LES Facts & Rationale

Grade Level Duration Subject Broad Area of Learning Focus of Development Elementary Cycle 3, Year 1 (Most of the lessons in this LES can be adapted for younger grades) Five 50-Minute Periods Ethics and Religious Culture Citizenship and Community Life Involvement in action or in spirit or cooperation and solidarity

ERC Themes & Related Contents Individuals as members of society - Young people as members of society - Differences as sources of enrichment and conflict in life in society Demands of life in society - The distinction between what is acceptable and unacceptable in society - Values, norms, and responsibilities that guide life in societies QEP Subject Competencies (1) Reflects on ethical questions: - Identifies a situation from an ethical point of view - Examines several cultural, moral, religious, scientific or social references - Evaluates options or possible actions (3) Engages in dialogue: - Organizes his/her thinking - Interacts with others - Develops a point of view QEP Evaluation Criteria (1) Reflects on ethical questions: - Detailed study of a situation from an ethical point of view - Consideration of several references present in the point of view - Evaluation of options or possible actions in order to determine which ones contribute to community life (3) Engages in dialogue: - Relevance of how students show that they have organized their thinking - Adequate use of related content involving interactions with others - Presentation of a point of view developed using relevant elements Abridged Rationale

WHAT CAN WE DO TO CHANGE OUR WORLD?

As a child, it is easy to feel small and powerless; it is easy to feel like making a difference in this great wide world is impossible, or that the acts that we might pose do not have any significant effects. The goal of this LES is to empower students and to bring them to realize that they do, in fact, have a lot to contribute to society, whether it be in their family, their school, their community, or in the world at large.

KIDS CARE: LES Rationale

Early in my last semester at McGill, I found out that I would be teaching grade 5 in an innercity school during my final field experience. Consequently, I decided to design an Ethics and Religious Culture Learning and Evaluation Situation that I would actually be able to use with my students. On the night I took a look at the ERC themes explored in cycle three, I watched the movie Pay It Forward for the first time. I thought that it was very inspiring concept that could potentially be turned into an LES. It was totally connected with the individuals as members of society and demands of life in society themes found in the QEP and that it was also easy to connect to the first (ethics) and third (dialogue) ERC competencies established in the program. Moreover, it perfectly fell under the community life and citizenship broad area of learning as well as the focus for development that promoted involvement in action or in spirit or cooperation and solidarity. With all of these facts in mind, I created the present LES. I have always believed that empowering students should be a priority in schools. As a child, it is easy to feel small and powerless; it is easy to feel like making a difference in this great wide world is impossible, or that the acts that we might pose do not have any significant effects. Therefore, I decided that the goal of the LES I would design would be to empower students and to bring them to realize that they do, in fact, have a lot to contribute to society, whether it be in their family, their school, their community, or in the world at large. Can children make a difference in the world? I believe so, and I would like my students to realize that as well. Hopefully, this unit will allow them to see that they do have the power to be the change they want to see in the world.

KIDS CARE: LES Structure and Teacher Questions

Lesson 1: Introduction
The goal of this introductory lesson is to get students to think about their role in society. Can children make a difference in the world? How big does an action have to be to have an impact, to matter? What is part of your world?

Lesson 2: Filling Buckets

The goal of this lesson is to encourage students to come up with ways to brighten the days of the people around them and to put them into action. What does it mean to be a bucket filler/dipper? How can you be a bucket-filler/dipper at home?

How can you be a bucket-filler/dipper at school?

Could we implement a bucket filling project in our classroom? What would it entail?

What do you expect of the world?

What does the world expect of you? What does it mean to be a global thinker?

WHAT CAN WE DO TO CHANGE OUR WORLD? Lesson 3: What Would You Do?
The goal of this lesson is to invite students to look at ethical behaviours and values that help foster a healthy community. What values help in fostering a healthy community? How did the characters in the stories put or could have put these values into action? What could you do to show these values?

Lesson 4: Awareness Posters

The goal of this lesson is to encourage students to promote caring and difference-making throughout the school so as to empower and inform other students. What do you care about? How can you show that you care about these things? How could you raise awareness and encourage people to take care of what means something to them?

Lesson 5: Performance Task ACTION PLANS

The goal of this lesson is to invite students to make a commitment to do their best to make a difference in their world by choosing and setting up a project that they will undertake.

What are you going to do to make a difference in your world? How are you going to do it?

Lesson 1: Introduction & Discussion

Subject: ERC Grade Level: Elementary Cycle 3, Year 1 Duration: 50 minutes Driving Question(s): Do you think that children can make a difference in the world? Broad Area of Learning: Rationale: The goal of this introductory lesson is to get students to think about their role in society. Cross-curricular Competency:

Focus for Development:

Citizenship and Community Life

Involvement in action or in spirit or cooperation and solidarity

To communicate appropriately

Subject Competencies: (1) Reflects on ethical questions: Evaluates options or possible actions (3) Engages in dialogue: Organizes his/her thinking - Interacts with others

ERC Themes & Related Contents: Individuals as members of society - Young people as members of society Demands of life in society - Values, norms, and responsibilities that guide life in societies

Learning Intentions & Objectives: In this lesson, students will: Work with others and discuss respectfully while working in teams to answer high-order thinking skills questions. Reflect on what it means to make a difference in the world. Consider the role and of children in society as well as the impact that their actions can have. Materials: Evaluation: Starting Point Assessment: Observe and assess the students dialogue skills. This will help you figure out how to approach the unit and the dialogue competency by helping you see if students need to review elements of effective dialogues. In order to keep track of their abilities, use a class list and write the three QEP evaluation criteria for competency 3 (relevance of how students show that they have organized their thinking, adequate use of related content involving interactions with others, presentation of a point of view developed using relevant elements) at the top of three columns. Put a checkmark next to each students name in the appropriate column if he or she seems comfortable with each competency.

SMARTboard and computer with access to internet; Pay It Forward clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKpieWec_7w &feature=related.

Multiple Intelligences Linguistic Visual-Spatial Logical Musical Kinesthetic Interpersonal Intrapersonal Naturalistic

Cognitive Levels Remembering Understanding Applying Analyzing Evaluating Creating

Differentiation: Most students will probably be able to participate in the lesson. All children can be high-order thinkers if they are offered support and believe that they are in a safe place. However, students with shorter attention spans or students with ADD/ADHD might not be able to focus for 30 minutes, and there is at least one or two in most classrooms. If possible and if these students get to fidgety, ask them to start writing the questions on the board or let them walk around the classroom for a few minutes. Teacher Notes & Reflections: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Lesson 1: Introduction & Discussion

10 minutes

Learning Activity
Introduction Ask students to come sit in front of the SMARTboard. Let them know that they are about to begin a new unit in ERC; a unit that is all about them and their place in the world.

Tell students that you are about to show them a five-minute clip from a movie called Pay It Forward. Ask them to pay attention to what the teacher says to the students as well as to what the students answer when he asks them questions. Play the video (see link in MATERIALS).
Development Engage in a dialogue. Use this first lesson as an opportunity to assess the students dialogue skills. Ask the students to share their thoughts about the clip. Discuss. To guide the dialogue, you may ask the high-order thinking skills questions below (spend more or less 5 minutes per question). Remind the students to put up their hands before speaking. Encourage them to respond to each others comments. Discussion is at the heart of this lesson, which is going to launch the entire LES. The clip that the students are going to watch should be engaging enough to get interesting reactions out of them. Still, show a lot of enthusiasm so that the students are motivated to participate in the dialogue.

Do you think that children can make a difference in the world? In the movie, is what the teacher asking of the students impossible? How can children change the world, or why cant they? How big does an action have to be to have an impact, to matter? What examples can you think of? (Students might have very different opinions on this, do not miss out on this great dialogue opportunity!) What is part of your world? When the teacher talks about getting out into the world and make a difference, what world might he be talking about? (Make a reference to the student who answered the mall to that question. She was being sarcastic, but was her answer totally wrong? Try to get students to realize that the concept of world may have different meanings: MY world = me, my family, OUR world = our school, our community..., THE world = the environment, the fauna, global population...) What does the world expect of you? The teacher asked that question too in the clip. To that, the main character answered nothing. What do you think of that? Does your family expect anything of you? What about teachers? What about your friends? What do you expect of the world? What does it mean to be a global thinker?

30 minutes

Encourage the students to raise questions as well. Record these student questions and try to incorporate them into the LES. 10 minutes
Conclusion Ask the students to get their journals and to write an answer to one of the questions discussed in class (write them on the board). If they do not finish during the period, they will be asked to complete the reflection as homework. If there is enough time, invite some students to share their answers.

Lesson 2: Filling Buckets

Subject: ERC Grade Level: Elementary Cycle 3, Year 1 Duration: 50 minutes Driving Question(s): How can you make in difference in the lives of the people around you? Broad Area of Learning: Rationale: The goal of this lesson is to encourage students to come up with ways to brighten the days of the people around them and to put them into action. Cross-curricular Competency:

Focus for Development:

Citizenship and Community Life

Subject Competencies:

Involvement in action or in spirit or cooperation and solidarity

To use creativity

ERC Themes & Related Contents:

(1) Reflects on ethical questions: - Examines several cultural, moral, religious, scientific or social references - Evaluates options or possible actions (3) Engages in dialogue: - Organizes his/her thinking - Interacts with others
Learning Intentions & Objectives:

Individuals as members of society - Young people as members of society - Differences as sources of enrichment and conflict in life in society Demands of life in society - Values, norms, and responsibilities that guide life in societies

In this lesson, students will: Familiarize themselves with the bucket filling idea. Come up with ways to fill the buckets of the people in their classroom. Set-up a bucket-filling/dipping journal.
Materials: Evaluation:

Blackboard/SMARTboard/Whiteboard; APPENDIX 2.1 (http://bucketfillers101.com/pdfs/paper-bucket.pdf) APPENDIX 2.2 (http://bucketfillers101.com/pdfs/JournalQues.pdf) Green and red paper strips, art supplies; Book: Have You Filled a Bucket Today?, by Carol McLoud; Book: Growing Up with a Bucket Full of Happiness, by Carol McLoud.

STUDENT Formative Assessment: The students journal entries will serve as a way to assess their grasp on the bucket-filling idea. Consult with students if you are concerned and encourage students who are doing good work to keep it up.

Multiple Intelligences Linguistic Visual-Spatial Logical Musical Kinaesthetic Interpersonal Intrapersonal Naturalist

Cognitive Levels Remembering Differentiation: Understanding Applying Analyzing Evaluating Creating

Writing is not for everyone. The thought of having to write is terrifying for some students and it would be unfair to assess their grasp on a topic by looking at their writing. Therefore, offer students alternatives to journal writing such as (a) responding to the questions and reflecting orally while using a recorder to save their thoughts, (b) using art as a form of expression by drawing and labelling their responses and reflections.
Teacher Notes & Reflections: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Lesson 2: Filling Buckets

Learning Activity
Introduction Ask students what they remember from their last ERC lesson. Tell them that, while the previous lesson was meant for them to realize that they as children have the power to make a significant difference in the world around them. The goal of todays lesson will be to find ways to improve the students close community: their classroom.

15 minutes 20 minutes 10 minutes

Gather the students in the reading corner (unless they are used to listening to stories while sitting at their desk). Present the two books mentioned in the MATERIALS section. Have You Filled a Bucket Today? is meant for a younger audience. Some students might know it. Read it to them, it will only take a few minutes. Discuss. Ask students what it means to be a bucket filler/dipper. Ask students to go to their desks and give them strips of green and red paper. On the green strips, ask them to write bucket-filling ideas. On red strip, they should write bucket-dipping ideas. After a few minutes, gather the students again and ask them to stick their strips on the board. With them analyze patterns that can be observed (ex. are there more bucket-filling ideas or bucket-dipping ideas, is a specific ideas mentioned many times, what could this mean...). Development Present another book to the student (Growing Up with a Bucket Full of Happiness). It was written by the same other as the other bucket book, but it is meant for older children. Present the different chapters of the book (Group Bucket Filling, How To Avoid Dipping, Accidental Dipping, Thoughtless Dipping, Selective Dipping, Group Dipping, Dipping on Television, Long-Handled Dipping, Use Your Lid, Use Your Lid for Others, Advanced Bucket Fillers , When A Lid Doesn't Work). Explain a few terms to the students, but only after you have asked them to make inferences about them. For instance: - What could a bucket lid be? How could you use it for yourself/others? - What is group dipping? Can you think of a synonym (bullying)? - What could the difference between accidental, thoughtless, and selective dipping be? Do not read the book; simply let the students know that it will be in the class if they want to refer to it at some point. Tell students that they will implement a bucket-filling system in the classroom. Tell them that the end of the period will be devoted to the fabrication of paper buckets that will be put on one of the walls in class. Each student will have access to materials to create and decorate their buckets. Students may be creative and design their own model, or customize the model found in APPENDIX 2.1. Every day, the students will be asked to go place drops in their friends buckets. On the drops will written be something that will make the person happy (a compliment, a nice action they will do/have done...). Every day after lunch will be bucket time; the students will get to take a look at what people have written to them. This will give you the opportunity to quickly go through the drops at lunch and (a) make sure that the comments are nice and appropriate, and (b) write notes to the students who did not get any comments. This will also be a good way for you to keep track of the student dynamics in your class. Encourage students to write notes to people that they might not know very well and not to only write messages to their best friends. Conclusion 10 minutes before the end of class, ask students to clean up and go back to their desks. Those who finished their buckets can go put them up on the wall. The others will be given time to finish them later. Tell the students that they will have to write a bucket-filling journal three times a week. Show them how to set them up and give them a list of questions that might guide their reflections (APPENDIX 2.2). Explain how it will be used as formative assessment. Offer the alternatives mentioned in the DIFFERENTIATION section above.

Lesson 3: What Would You Do?

Subject: ERC Grade Level: Elementary Cycle 3, Year 1 Duration: 50 minutes Driving Question(s): What would a socially responsible bucket-filler do in front of various ethical dilemmas? Broad Area of Learning: Rationale: The goal of this lesson is to invite students to look at ethical behaviours and values that help foster a healthy community. Cross-curricular Competency:

Focus for Development:

Citizenship and Community Life

Subject Competencies:

Involvement in action or in spirit or cooperation and solidarity

To cooperate with others

ERC Themes & Related Contents:

(1) Reflects on ethical questions: - Identifies a situation from an ethical point of view - Examines several cultural, moral, religious, scientific or social references - Evaluates options or possible actions (3) Engages in dialogue: - Organizes his/her thinking - Interacts with others
Learning Intentions & Objectives:

Individuals as members of society - Young people as members of society - Differences as sources of enrichment and conflict in life in society Demands of life in society - The distinction between what is acceptable and unacceptable in society - Values, norms, and responsibilities that guide life in societies

In this lesson, students will: Read and analyze short stories with an ethical purpose. Respond to the stories in pairs. Present their responses and engage in a dialogue with their peers.
Materials: Evaluation:

Book: E is for Ethics, by Ian James Corlett; Photocopies and handouts for each pair of students (and a few extras) (SAMPLE IN APPENDIX 3.1*). * In order to respect copyright laws, only one sample will be included in this lesson plan. Teaching the lesson would require the purchase of the book.

TEACHER Assessment: By looking at the students work, you should be able to see if they have grasped the ideas and concepts discussed since the beginning of the unit. Depending on your students responses, you should be in measure to evaluate your own teaching of the LES so far. Adjust if necessary.

Multiple Intelligences Linguistic Visual-Spatial Logical Musical Kinaesthetic Interpersonal Intrapersonal Naturalist

Cognitive Levels Remembering Differentiation: Understanding Applying Analyzing Evaluating Creating

Prior to the lesson, already create pairs using ability-groupings and pre-assign stories to each team. Make sure that all students are challenged, but not discouraged by the task. Students who have more difficulty with reading and writing should be placed with good mentor students.
Teacher Notes & Reflections: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Lesson 3: What Would You Do?

10 minutes

Learning Activity
Introduction Congratulate students on their fantastic bucket-filling abilities. Let them know that you are very proud of them and encourage them to continue being kind to one another. Ask if anyone would like to share something that someone did for them that made them very happy, or if someone is very proud of what he or she has done for someone else and would like to talk about it.

Ask students what they think that social responsibility is. Discuss. Explain that socially responsible people take decisions based on what will benefit a large number of people and respect everyones fundamental rights. Ask if students can think of social/ethical values that are socially responsible and irresponsible.
Development Explain todays activity to the students. In pair, the students will have to analyze short stories originally found in the book E for Ethics, by Ian James Corlett. These stories promote the following values: honesty, understanding, forgiveness, courage, tact, perseverance, politeness, loyalty, gratitude, truthfulness, fairness, acceptance, sincerity, citizenship, integrity, kindness, responsibility, effort, empathy, charity, helpfulness, generosity, willingness, trust, and respect.

35 minutes 15 minutes

With a partner (you will have decided on the teams prior to the lesson), the students will read a story and answer the questions that go with it. They will hand in their work at the end of the period. Give an example by reading a story to the class and quickly going through the questions, then send students off with their partners and give them a story. Those who will finish quickly can do a second one.
Conclusion Invite the groups to present their stories and questions. Encourage dialogue.

APPENDIX 3.1 WHAT WOULD YOU DO?

Names: CITIZENSHIP
(From E is for Ethics, written by Ian James Corlett)

After a great weekend visit with Grandma and Grandpa, Elliott and Lucy took the train home with Gramps. At one of the stops, they looked out the window and noticed a rotten, broke-down, deserted lot full of garbage. But they saw something else too. People in red T-shirts were hauling trash, digging holes, and planting trees. Look at those citizens, said Gramps. What a great example! What on earth are citizens? asked Lucy. Sounds like the army or something! Elliott added, I think its all of us who live in a country. Gramps smiled and explained that Elliott was right, but what he was talking about was citizenship, which involves actually doing something. Like those good-hearted folks in the red T-shirts. Theyre doing something for the community. Like volunteers? asked Lucy. Precisely! agreed Gramps. Being a good citizen means pitchin in, helpin out! Im going to be a good citizen when I grow up, proclaimed Lucy. Gramps suggested that she didnt need to wait till she grew up she could start showing citizenship now. How? both Elliot and Lucy asked. Gramps suggested all sorts of things, such as following the rules at crosswalks, treating others with respect, being a good neighbour, and even looking out for the environment. Like those people in the junk lot! said Elliott. Lucy was deep in thought and then blurted out, Hey, how about picking up litter after the festival at the park across from our house this summer? Would that show citizenship? Gramps grabbed both of them and hugged them hard. You got it, kiddos! I hereby make you official Good Citizens of the World!

With your partner, answer the following questions on a piece of paper. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. In your own words, define citizenship. How many different ways can you think of to be a good citizen? What could you do tomorrow to show your citizenship? Can you think of anyone who is a great example of being a good citizen? Who, and why? How will Lucys gesture be an example of citizenship? What aspect(s) of the world would it affect? Explain. 6. Can you think of behaviours and attitudes that hinder citizenship? Which ones? 7. In class, we said that children can make a difference in the world, and we looked at different aspects of the world (you, your family, your school, your community, the world, the environment...). What aspects can citizenship apply to? Give examples.

Lesson 4: Awareness Posters

Subject: ERC Grade Level: Elementary Cycle 3, Year 1 Duration: 50 minutes Driving Question(s): How could you inspire others to make a difference and inform them about the kind of actions they can do to help? Broad Area of Learning: Rationale: The goal of this lesson is to encourage students to promote caring and difference-making throughout the school so as to empower and inform other students. Cross-curricular Competency:

Focus for Development:

Citizenship and Community Life

Subject Competencies:

Involvement in action or in spirit or cooperation and solidarity

To use creativity

ERC Themes & Related Contents:

(1) Reflects on ethical questions: - Examines several cultural, moral, religious, scientific or social references - Evaluates options or possible actions (3) Engages in dialogue: - Organizes his/her thinking - Interacts with others

Individuals as members of society - Young people as members of society - Differences as sources of enrichment and conflict in life in society Demands of life in society - The distinction between what is acceptable and unacceptable in society - Values, norms, and responsibilities that guide life in societies

Learning Intentions & Objectives:

In this lesson, students will: Reflect on the different actions that people can take in order to make a difference and show that they care about the environment, animals, people, things... Create posters to encourage fellow students to do actions that help make a difference and change the world.
Materials: Evaluation:

Book: What Can I Do Today? by Allison Stoutland; Book: Kids Care by Rebecca Olien; SMARTboard/blackboard/whiteboard; Self-assessment checklist (APPENDIX 4.1); Art supplies and poster boards.

Student Self-Assessment: The students will be given a self-assessment checklist. They must ensure that all of their posters meet all of the requirements.

Multiple Intelligences Linguistic Visual-Spatial Logical Musical Kinaesthetic Interpersonal Intrapersonal Naturalist

Cognitive Levels Remembering Differentiation: Understanding Applying Analyzing Evaluating Creating

This lesson is pretty inclusive. It is accessible to everyone and students can approach the task in a way that is comfortable for them. Students will be in groups so that they can get ideas and inspiration from each other.
Teacher Notes & Reflections: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Lesson 4: Awareness Posters

5 minutes

Learning Activity
Introduction Gather students and read What Can You Do Today? to them. At the end, ask students if they noticed a pattern in the book (a good action performed by someone kept leading to another action done by someone else). Remind students of that clip from Pay It Forward that they saw at the beginning of the LES. Does anyone have an idea as to what paying it forward might be? Explain the concept. Ask students to establish links between the book and the idea presented in the movie. Development Present another book to the students (Kids Care). Tell them that this book will also be available for consultation in the class. It contains 75 ways for children to show that they care about (a) people, (b) pets, (c) wildlife, (d) the environment.

Write those 4 categories on the board and ask students to brainstorm actions that would fall under each category. Examples from the book include: People: helping others feel more comfortable in new surroundings, helping older people with day-to-day chores, learning to listen, making cards and small gifts to bring good cheer, helping kids who miss a lot of school, how to hold fundraisers, food and blanket drives... Pets: making cat and dog toys, and growing their own catnip or baking (and selling) dog biscuits, creating a home pet care service, making 'welcome' toys for humane shelters, learning games to play with cats and dogs for their exercise and companionship... Wildlife: helping animals in their own neighbourhoods or backyards, making removable stick-on window art to protect birds, building birdhouses for birds whose habitat is threatened, growing sunflowers for wildlife... Environment: recycling tips, energy-saving tips...

40 minutes

Next, tell students that they will be working in groups of 3 (maximum) to create posters that will be put up around the school to raise awareness and encourage other students to make a difference. Present the self evaluation rubric and materials, answer questions, and send the students off to their groups. When the students are working circulate to give them feedback and to guide them. If students are done early enough and have met all the requirements, they may present their posters to the class. 5 minutes
Conclusion Ask students to clean up, and to line up by the door with their posters. Ask them to think about where they want to put them, and walk around the school with them, stopping when a group wants to stick their poster.

APPENDIX 4.1 SELF-EVALUATION

Names: ________________________________________________________________________________________________

Before you submit your poster, make sure that it meets the following requirements:

o My poster clearly shows what I care about (or what I could like people to care about). o My poster empowers students by telling them that they can make a difference.

o My poster invites people to take action. o My poster tells people how to take action by giving them at least 3 suggestions. o My poster looks nice and will probably get peoples attention. o I have asked for feedback from at least two other people or groups before handing in my poster.

Lesson 5: Performance Task ACTION PLANS

Subject: ERC Grade Level: Elementary Cycle 3, Year 1 Duration: 50 minutes Driving Question(s): What are you going to do to change your world and how are you going to do it? Rationale: The goal of this lesson is to invite students to make a commitment to do their best to make a difference in their world by choosing and setting up a project that they will undertake. Cross-curricular Competency:

Broad Area of Learning:

Focus for Development:

Citizenship and Community Life

Subject Competencies:

Involvement in action or in spirit or cooperation and solidarity

To use effective work methods

ERC Themes & Related Contents:

(1) Reflects on ethical questions: - Examines several cultural, moral, religious, scientific or social references - Evaluates options or possible actions (3) Engages in dialogue: - Organizes his/her thinking - Interacts with others
Learning Intentions & Objectives:

Individuals as members of society - Young people as members of society - Differences as sources of enrichment and conflict in life in society Demands of life in society - Values, norms, and responsibilities that guide life in societies

In this lesson, students will: Choose a project to undertake in order to make a difference in their world. Fill out an action plan that will explain how they are planning on setting up and participating in this project.
Materials: Evaluation:

Any of the books previously mentioned; Internet; Action plans for every group (APPENDIX 5.1) Rubrics for everyone (APPENDIX 5.2)

Summative Assessment: The students will be given a rubric explaining how their project will be graded. Let them know that you remain available for support and feedback.

Multiple Intelligences Linguistic Visual-Spatial Logical Musical Kinaesthetic Interpersonal Intrapersonal Naturalist

Cognitive Levels Remembering Differentiation: Understanding Applying Analyzing Evaluating Creating

This lesson was designed so that the evaluation would take into account all learning styles and offer a lot of opportunities for students to make choices.
Teacher Notes & Reflections: _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Lesson 5: Performance Task ACTION PLANS

5 minutes

Learning Activity
Introduction Tell students that the LES is coming to an end. At this point, they should have quite a few ideas about how to make a difference in their world!

Inform students that they will have to create a plan of action during the period. In this plan of action, they will describe a project that they want to undertake in order to make a positive change around them and reinforce their place in society. They will have to realize their project and keep a log of their actions.
Development Give students plenty of examples of what they could choose as a project. They might use one of the ideas you mention or come up with their own project (which must first be approved). The students will be allowed to work on their own or in groups of two, three, or four.

Implementing a bucket-filling project in kindergarten: Going into various kindergarten class and reading Have You Filled a Bucket Today?, helping them make paper buckets, explaining how to use them, monitoring the project... Mentoring younger students: Either at lunch time or after school... Volunteering: At a retirement home to keep older people company, at a pet store... Helping your parents do the dishes every night: recycling tips, energy-saving tips... Implementing a recycling program at school and monitoring it Going into grade 1 classes to read a book everyday Making birdhouses and putting them around your community Organizing a charity bake sale Implementing a Pay It Forward concept in the school Any other (approved) ideas you may have!

40 minutes -

Students need to be reminded to keep their project manageable and to document everything they do. The commitment that they make will be up to them. A minimum of 4 hours will have to be completed over a fiveweek period. At the end of the project, the students will have to hand in artefacts (pictures) and proof of commitment (adult signature) and make a presentation to their peers. Show students the action plan and evaluation rubric (SEE APPENDICES). Explain very clearly. Talk abuth the presentations. Answer students questions and let them start working! Conclusion Ask if some students want to share their projects with the others.

5 minutes

Invite those who are not done with their action plans to finish them as homework.

APPENDIX 5.1 ACTION PLAN

NAMES: ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________

WHO or WHAT are you going to work with (ex. your parents, kindergartners, the environment, animals...)? ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ WHEN are you going to do your project or HOW LONG is it going to last (ex. every day for 10 minutes, a total of five hours, during lunchtime for two weeks)? ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ WHERE is your project going to take place? ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Describe WHAT you are going to do: ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ WHY have you chosen that project? ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________

ACTION PLAN
HOW are you going to keep track of what you do? What types of artefacts can you collect during your project? ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Will you need any materials? If so, list them here. ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Can you anticipate any problems with your projects? How could you deal with them? ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ Questions/Comments: ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________

APPENDIX 5.2 PERFORMANCE TASK RUBRIC

5 3 ACTION PLAN The student has completely and thoroughly filled out the action plan. He/she has answered every question in a clear and detailed way. The student has completely filled out the action plan. He/she has answered all of the questions. Most of his/her answers are clear; however some are a little vague. The student has not completely filled out the action plan. He/she has left one or two questions out, and the answers provided are either clear or vague. The student has not completely filled out the action plan and left many questions unanswered. 1 0

PROJECT The student clearly explained why he/she decided to undertake that specific project. His/her justification takes into account social responsibility and the desire to make a change. The student kept a clear record of his/her actions throughout the duration of his/her project. He/she has collected artefacts, as required. The student went through with his/her project. He/she may have run into problems, but he/she was able to seek help or think of solutions. The student was able to explain why he/she decided to undertake that specific project. The student attempted to explain why he/she decided to undertake that specific project. However, his/her answer lacks depth. The student did not clearly explain why he/she decided to undertake that project or didnt answer the question.

The student kept a clear record of his/her actions throughout the duration of his/her project.

The student kept track of most of his/her actions throughout the duration of his/her project.

The student did not keep track of his/her actions in a satisfactory way or didnt keep any record of his/her actions. The student did not go complete with his/her project. He/she may have run into problems, and did not take any active steps to get help or find solutions.

N/A

The student completed most of his/her project. He/she may have run into problems, but ignored them and continued without making adjustments. PRESENTATION

The student presented his/her project to the class and mentioned the following points: first 7 questions of the action plan + description of what actually happened during the project (obstacles, outcomes...) + visuals + reflection on his/her experience.

The student presented his/her project to the class and mentioned most the following points: first 7 questions of the action plan + description of what actually happened during the project (obstacles, outcomes...) + visuals + reflection on his/her experience.

The student presented his/her project to the class but forgot to mention many of the following points: first 7 questions of the action plan + description of what actually happened during the project (obstacles, outcomes...) + visuals + reflection on his/her experience.

The student presented his/her project to the class but did not follow the outline (mention the first 7 questions of the action plan + description of what actually happened during the project (obstacles, outcomes...) + visuals + reflection on his/her experience).

NOTES: The term the student used in this rubric may also refer to a group of students. If difficulties with writing keep certain student to express their thoughts effectively, they may be allowed to not write an action plan, and to tell you their answers orally instead.