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Teacher pacing will vary depending upon the students’ ability to grasp the material. Repeat, rephrase, and review material to ensure student comprehension. Teachers must be motivating and enthusiastic. Students respond well to verbal praise and your enthusiasm. Teachers must use firm and consistent behavior management techniques. Make sure that students are seated in their assigned seats. Group C seating chart is posted on the wall as you enter the door. (right hand side of the door) Students explored interpersonal relationships in their 7th grade Health class (developing and maintaining).
Currently in their Language Arts class, students are exploring the topics of loss and interpersonal relationships. During this exploration they have read/ viewed/discussed: the novels Tuck Everlasting, by Natalie Bait and Bridge to Terrestrial, by Katherine Paterson, several short stories from the text Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul, by Jack Canfield, and the film The Last Lecture, by Randy Bausch. Today’s lesson will be an interdisciplinary presentation that will encompass the material that they have studied in their Language Arts class.
Therefore, students will build upon prior knowledge of loss and interpersonal relationships that they aimed in their 7th grade Health class and current 8th grade Language Arts class. In their Language Arts class, several of the students discussed their experience with the death off relative, friend, or pet, and the impact of this loss on their life. Those students who have not personally experienced the death of a person have exposure based upon the impact of a death in a movie or book, or of a TV character.
Today’s lesson will require them to examine other types of losses they have experienced which were not related to death, as well as the impact of these losses upon their relationships and lives. The students will examine the concept of loss of the assumptive world today and share emotions that are associated with loss. This lesson lays the foundation for an in-depth week of the examination of loss and leads into the suicide prevention and bullying units.
As such, teachers must be prepared to address sensitive personal issues, as well as make the appropriate referrals to the guidance department regarding potential or current student concerns/ apprehensions. Observe students closely while you are presenting the lesson and allow students that appear overwhelmed due to a recent death, to leave the room. These students may report to the guidance office. The guidance counselors are aware of this possible situation and are available to assist students.
The class consists of 25 students and reflect the following demographics: 15 girls ( 5 girls have PEPS) 10 boys (3 boys have Peps) 2 students with Autism (Mary and Jack) Mary and Jack may need you to re-explain information and directions. They both have limited comprehension but are capable of completing exercises with assistance. Ask them to repeat the directions and summarize the material after you review it with them. Check to make sure that they are completing the exercises correctly. 2 students with ADD (Tom and Jim) Make sure these students are seated in their assigned seats at the front of the room.
Give each student a stress ball to hold during the class lecture and activities. (They should not play with the ball and they will return it before leaving. ) Also, allow them to pass out or collect papers and materials when possible. Being a helper is an affective incentive for helping them to stay focused on the lesson. This also gives them an opportunity to move around in an orderly fashion. However, they will do well even if that don’t have many opportunities to move. Just make sure that they are seated in their assigned seats and have their stress balls. Student who is a diabetic can) Jan may request to visit the health room. Please allow her to leave immediately. Upon returning to the class, Jan should work on the current class work. Missed assignments can be made up before the period ends or during the next class period. Remind Jan that she may also complete work in the Special Education office during her lunch period or after school. 1 student with limited writing ability (Alice) Allow Alice to type BPCS, Ecru, and essays on the computer. Make sure that he receives the modified worksheet and class notes that are labeled with her name for other class assignments. For some assignments, such as group work, Alice will not require a modified worksheet. She will not be the designated writer for the group activity. She is an excellent speaker, and will serve as the group presenter. Check to make sure that she performs this role in the group, when appropriate. 1 student who has a Behavior Intervention Plan(Blip) (Sam) Sam will often become bored and/or non-compliant and throw items on the floor. Give him a verbal warning if he exhibits this behavior. He is a very intelligent young ND is capable of performing the assignments without exhibiting this kind man of behavior.
In accordance with his BPI, if he continues to exhibit inappropriate behavior or is non- complaint after the verbal warning, send him to the main office immediately. Also, make sure that he is handling the art supplies appropriately. Review the accommodations folders. Give students the opportunity to access accommodations noted on their Peps. If the student does not want to utilize their accommodation, allow them to complete the assignment in class. Please document this information. Goals, Objectives, Key Focus Questions Goal(s): MASC. 1. : Students will demonstrate the ability to use mental and emotional health knowledge, skills, and strategies to enhance wellness. FPS HE. 800. 10: Students will gain knowledge and skills that lead to an understanding of self and one’s relationships with others. FPS HE 800. 10. 01: Students will explore ways to express emotions. Objective(s): Students will be able to (SWABS): Describe how feelings and behavior affect and are affected by interpersonal relationships. Discuss the impact of rejection, separation , or loss of friends or family members, Discuss the impact of the loss of personal belongings and dreams.
Identify appropriate methods for self-expression Key Focus Question(s): (Reflect the objective (s). 1. Why do feelings and behaviors affect your relationships with other people? 2. What kinds of losses do teenagers experience? 3. How does the loss make you feel? How do you act? 4 What happens as a result of these losses? (How does your life change? ) 5. How do teenagers cope with the losses that they experience? (What do you do or don’t do? ) 6. Do adults recognize and understand the impact of teenage losses? 7. How can you express your emotions appropriately and comfortably?
Materials and Resources (Should be high quality, scientifically-based; meaningful technology use) Materials/ Resources: I Wish I Could Work Sheet Health and Loss Packet: Assumptive World Graphic Organizer (Completed Handout) Tuck Everlasting Graphic Organizers (2) Teenagers and Loss Graphic Organizer Teens Talk: Letter to the Editor (Group Activity) Teens Talk : Suggestion/Note Sheet (Independent) Teen Time Enrichment Activities Teen Time: Last Words to My Best Friend (Homework Assignment) Teen Loss Exit Pass Life and Loss: a guide to help grieving children by Linda Goldman (Teacher Resource)
Living through loss; Interventions across the life span by R. Homonym and B. J. Kramer (Teacher Resource) Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Bait Bridge to Terrestrial by Katherine Patterson Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul by Jack Canfield The Last Lecture (movie) by Randy Bausch Art Supplies (Poster paper, construction paper, markers, colored pencils, scissors, rulers, and glue) Technology: Computer/Screen (Teacher) Computers (Enrichment Activities) 1 Lap Top Computer (for Alice) LESSON ACTIVITY Instructional Delivery Notes regarding “Groupings” (Group C- 5 separate Group CSS, numbered 1-5) 1.
Group C- Cooperative Learning Groups Students are evenly dispersed based upon their abilities. They enjoy working in their assigned groups. Students are cooperative, supporting of each group member, and usually on task during each activity. At the end of the activities, the class will vote to select group awards that are based upon cooperation, participation, voice control (volume), task completion, and respect. Teachers will also participate in the voting process. Each group receives a prize (first through fifth). Students enjoy this incentive and work hard to receive 1st place.
Prizes are raying amounts of free computer time for each group member or one homework pass for each group member. This selection will be made at the end of this weeks lessons. 2. We use this grouping frequently and students are aware of their assigned seats. 3. A seating chart is posted on the side wall (as you enter the room) which includes each student’s picture above their name. Also, students have a list of groupings. 4. With the exception of Jan and Jack, our students with autism, the six students listed in the class demographic notes (Mary, Jack, Tom, Jim, Alice, and different groups. Sam), are in 5.
Both Jan and Jack, our students with autism, are in the same group. Prior to this activity, they worked with the speech pathologist and gained an understanding of the concepts of death and loss. Continue to monitor their understanding, but they should be able to participate in today’s exercises with minimal assistance. Therefore, please do not enable them. Warm-up/Engagement: The teacher will greet the students as they enter the room, and hand them the “l Wish I Could Worksheet”. The teacher will instruct the students to complete this worksheet independently and to seat in their Group C assigned seats. These erections are also written on the front board. ) “l Wish I Could” (Worksheet) Complete prompt 1 or prompt 2. You can state your true feelings. You will not be required to share your answer with the class. Prompt #1: The alarm clock Just went off. Oh no, it’s good old Monday morning, back to school. I wish I could Prompt #2: I keep trying to explain to everyone what’s going on, but no one is listening. They Just keep telling me what they think, what they feel, and what I should do. Does anyone even care what I think, how I feel, or what I want to do? After 5 minutes, collect the warm-ups.
One of the teachers should review the warm-ups. When appropriate, make student referrals to Guidance/Special Education Departments or parent contacts. Instructional Delivery: Direct Instruction 1. Introduce today’s lesson: Inform the students that: Today we will examine the affect of loss on our behaviors, interpersonal relationships, dreams, and life. We will also discuss ways that we can express our feelings about loss that is both comfortable and appropriate for teenagers. If you begin to feel overwhelmed as we continue our discussions, please tell one of your teachers.
Now, I know that you have discussed the topic of loss that is related to death in your Language Arts classes, but there are other types of losses that you experience and I believe that we don’t usually take the time to examine these losses. Each of you read short stories from the book, Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul, and those stories talked about real life situations that teenagers cope with. Is that a correct statement? (Wait for a response, ex. Yes, nod, and then continue. ) Well, I want to introduce a new term to you, which is the assumptive world. (Write the term on the board. Does anyone have any idea of what this means? And please think about the root word assume. Wait for a response and acknowledge answers. ) Introduce Concept of Loss of the Assumptive World. (Complete a graphic organizer with the class as you explain the concept. ) Well, first the assumptive world is every hope, dream, desire, and belief that you have for your life. It is simply how you believe your life should be now and in the future. It is the heart of what we believe those beliefs that keep us stable and working toward our goals. Now of course, these beliefs are influenced by what you learn and what you experience.
For example, we assume each morning everyone will: Wake up. Take a shower. Get dressed. Eat breakfast. Go to school or work. But we never assume that we won’t wake up. We never assume that we won’t be able to get dressed by ourselves. We never assume that we won’t be able to continue our daily routines. So, we assume that our assumptive world will not change. However, when our assumptive world does change, we use the term Loss of the Assumptive World to express these changes in how we think our world should be. Check for understanding. K. Please give me a thumbs-up if you understand the term Loss of the Assumptive World. Re-explain the term if you don’t have a 100% of the students wowing of thumbs-up. ) Wonderful! (Be sure to praise students, get them motivated, and engaged by stating expressions of positive reinforcement. They respond well to your enthusiasm. ) Guided Practice/Modeling 2. Introduce the Health and Loss Packet (Mr.. Jones, the co-teacher will walk around and monitor student progress and the assistance as needed. During the 3rd class session, Mr.. Jones will lead students in their independent research on teenage losses. ) Now, today you will complete a group activity that deals with teenage losses. Mr..
Jones is giving you your Health and Loss Packet for today. Oh, I believe that everyone now has their packet. Wonderful! Now, turn to page 1 of your packets and you will see the Assumptive World Graphic Organizer that I Just completed with you. Next, turn to page 2, which has the Tuck Everlasting Organizer. Let’s review this together. After reviewing the organizer, tell the student to turn to page 4 in their packet, which is entitled Teenagers and Loss. Tell the students, “We will now complete this graphic organizer together. Fill in your organizer as I write the answers down. ” (Use the computer to type the answers.
Zoom in at 200 to enlarge the print for the students. Using the model provided, scaffold responses and record short answers for the students to copy. Print a copy of the completed graphic organizer for Alice. Make sure that you remind her to Just focus on the lesson and you her will give a typed copy later. ) Ask the students, “What other losses do teenagers experience today? Think about your personal lives, your friends, the characters in the Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul short stories, the characters in Bridge to Terrestrial novel, and Randy Pouch’s story from his move The Last Lecture”.
Call on students and list their responses on the graphic organizer. Student responses could include friends, home, parents, relatives, relationships, pets, safety, summer Jobs, favorite or special object, self-respect, self-esteem, and physical abilities). Encourage responses by relating a personal experience such as, “um… In 6th grade I remember one of my teachers telling me that I would always be a poor reader. From that day on I believed this until my 7th grade teacher told me the she was very proud of my reading progress and to keep up the good work. Has anything like this ever happened to you? (Wait for students to respond. ) Compliment the students on their responses… Ex . Great ideas!! Now, how do you feel when you experience a loss? For example, when my 6th grade teacher told me that I would always be a poor reader, I felt angry and sad. I wanted to just hide somewhere, but I was also mad because she destroyed my dream of going to college. So, tell me, what you felt or how you felt when you experienced a loss? Give the student a chance to respond. Type the emotions on the computer and display the answers for everyone to see. Possible answers might be: angry, sad, mad, hurt, lonely, afraid, scared, confused, depressed, and helpless. ) Encourage the students: These are very honest responses. I know that sometimes it is difficult to talk about loss, but thank you for doing such a fantastic Job. It is very important for each of us to express what we feel and how we feel. Today, you have been emotional champions, and I am very proud of you. Hopefully this experience has given you a way to express your emotions by calmly and truthfully saying how you feel and what you are thinking.
Give me thumbs up how loss can impact you and why you need to express those feelings. Nice! (Be sure to check for a response from every student and validate their acknowledgement. ) Now we will begin our last activity, which is a roof activity. This activity is another way that you can express your feelings calmly and truthfully. Since you are already seated in your Group C areas, please turn your desk to form a circle. Also, we will vote on group awards at the end of this week. As a class, tell me what the awards are based on? (Students responses should be cooperation, participation, voice control (volume), task completion, and respect.
And what are the prizes? (Students response should be free computer time or home work pass for each person). Wonderful! I am sure that this will be another challenging awards selection! Mr.. Jones, I believe that they are ready for their independent activity. Mrs.. Whey, I think they are burning with anticipation! Well, we have an exciting activity planned, so let’s get started! It’s time for Teen Talk! Independent Practice 3. Draft Letter to the editor (Glasswork). Last words to your best friend (Homework). Briefly review the direction with the students.
Now let’s review your Homework assignment first. Turn to page 11 and I will read the prompt and directions to you. Read the prompt: You and one of your parents are flying to Africa for a vacation. You have been dreaming about the trip for weeks. Suddenly, you hear the pilot’s voice, “… The plane is very low on fuel and we are making a crash landing… ” You stop listening and begin to wonder if you will die in the crash. You thoughts are racing and you frantically try to write a few lines to your best friend. In these final moments, what final words would you leave your best friend?
What losses would run through your mind (dreams, plans, family, etc)? What words of wisdom or thoughts would you leave behind? How could your encourage your best friend to enjoy life without you? (Think about how Jess felt when Leslie died in Bridge to Terrestrial. What suggestion (s) would you give your friend to make sure that they express their feelings and emotions? Write a letter to your friend. Be sure to include answers to the questions stated above. You may write or type your letter. Now, the homework assignment is very similar to your group activity.
Are there any questions about the homework? (Answer questions. ) Nice listening! You will need to take the Homework Sheet home to complete the assignment, so place this sheet in your backpack now. Please remember that the homework is an independent activity and this assignment is posted on our school web site. Alright teens, let’s get move ND groove!… On to the Groovy Group Work! Now, please turn to page 5 in your packet entitled Teens Talk: Loss, Relationships, and Life. Using the forms provided, you will write an informal letter to the editor about teen loss.
You may use the graphic organizers that we completed today for this assignment. This is a group project and Recorder Number 3 will write the letter for the group. Other group members may use their packet to record notes or comments about the group discussion. As usual, each person must have at least one suggestion on their sheet that they presented to the group. Remember that this is Just a draft of your letter. You will have time to make changes/ corrections, and additions during our next class. Don’t worry if you do not finish your letter today.
You will have time to finish your draft and/or write your final copy tomorrow. Listen while I read the directions for this exercise. Write a letter to the editor about a loss, difficulty, or a crisis situation that teens experience today. Be sure to include how the teens feel and possible ways that others could help teens with these concerns. Use the key focus questions stated below to help you formulate or think of a response. Also, refer to your graphic organizers for Teen Loss and Tuck Everlasting. Remember, this is simply your opinion. They are no incorrect answers.
This is your opportunity to state how you feel, what you think, and what you believe. Key Focus Question(s): (Reflect the objective (s). 1. Why do feelings and behaviors affect your relationships with other people? 2. What kinds of losses do teenagers experience? 3. How does the loss make you feel? How do you act? Losses? (How does your life change? ) 4 What happens as a result of these 5. How do teenagers cope with the losses that they experience? (What do you do or don’t do? ) 6. Do adults recognize and understand the impact of teenage losses? 7. How can you express your emotions appropriately and comfortably?
Now, let the talking and writing begin!! Check for Understanding: Ask the students if they have any questions. Answer questions. Instruct the students to begin the draft letter. Walk around the room and make sure that the students are on task and participating in the group activity. Closure: 1. Instruct the students to complete the Teenage Loss exit card that is in their packet. Question: What loss of your assumptive world has affected you the most and why? 2. Students will place the exit card and their packet in their Class EXIT Basket as they leave Time 5 min. The classroom.