2010 GHS Community Wide Lesson Plans

8/3/2019 2010 GHS Community Wide Lesson Plans

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Dear Staff,

Thank you for delivering these important lessons regarding REAL, our community-wide

expectations. We cannot overstate the importance of our staff communicating a clear and consisten

message. The intent is that clearly defined behavioral expectations and predictable responses for

student and faculty behavior will improve our school’s climate. We want to be proactive in shaping

how we interact with one another. In addition, we hope that these lessons open up interesting and

valuable conversations as you get to know your students this week.

Please take time to review the lessons prior to teaching. The lessons require a bit

of prep and access to technology. If you teach in a setting that does not have

access to the needed technology, please feel free to adapt lessons as needed. Keep

in mind that the most critical component is the conversations we have with

students regarding our expectations.

General Objectives:

-Access students’ prior knowledge of Respect, Excellence, Accountability, and Leadership.

-Build on students’ understanding of these concepts.-Explain the specific expectations in REAL.

-Model and set goals for appropriate behaviors within the community.

If you have questions please call or email Tori Maehara at ext. 5305.

All materials will be delivered to you during the first week of school.

Teaching Schedule:

Monday

9/13

Tuesday

9/14

Wednesday

9/15

Thursday

9/16

Period 6 Period 2 Period 7 Period 3

School-Wide Respect

What does excellence

look like?

(Seinfled film clip)

Blind Puzzle

Activity

School-wide Leadership

Survey



Monday, 9/13

PERIOD 6

Activity Title: School-Wide RespectMaterials Needed: Instructions, List of Situations in the School, Butcher Paper (optional)

Time needed: 10-15 minutes

Before Class:

1. List or project the attributes of Respect on the board so that all students can refer to them during the lesson--treat yourself and other

with dignity, use appropriate language, be an active listener, take care of public spaces, use technology appropriately.

2. Write the following 6 situations on the board or on sheets of butcher paper .

Athletic Event, Taking a Test, Lunch in the Cafeteria, Performance in the Auditorium, Our Classroom, During Student Presentations

Opening:

Start class by talking with students about the concept of respect. Respect is often the cornerstone of classroom expectations, therefore

it is important for us to think critically about this concept. What does it mean to be respectful in different situations? Can whatconstitutes respectful actions differ based on the setting? In small groups, you will work together to define what it means to be

respectful in situations we experience here at GHS.

Activity:

1. Divide the class into 6 groups.

Assign each group one of the situations and ask them to write down at least 5 specific ways they can show respect in the given

situation. Encourage students to refer directly to the attributes of respect on the board. Prompt them with statements like, what is the

appropriate use of technology when you are at a performance?

2. Ask each group to report out to the rest of the class.

Facilitate conversation around each group's ideas and look for common themes among groups. Take opportunities to illustrate the

impact of student actions whenever possible—such as, being an active listener makes the speaker feel valued. Also look for

opportunities to extend these concepts beyond the classroom—for example, students can think about how taking care of public spacescan create strong community in their neighborhoods and city.

Closing:

Ask students to think about why respect seems to always be included in behavioral expectations? Why does this concept carry so

much weight in our school culture? How might our school benefit from us all having respectful interactions with one another?

Refer back to the school-wide expectations for Respect that you listed on the board and remind students of their importance in

maintaining a positive culture at GHS.

• Treat yourself and others with dignity

• Use appropriate language

• Be an active listener

• Take care of public spaces

• Use technology appropriately

Notes for Staff:

Change up the discussion format, i.e., feel free to lead whole class discussion, think-pair-share, small group, etc.



Tuesday, 9/14

PERIOD 2

Activity Title: What Does Excellence Look Like—A Parody☺ Materials Needed: Instructions, Computer and projector to view video of Seinfeld Teaches History via internet or server.


Before Class:1. Set up and test video. http://cooperativelearning.nuvvo.com/lesson/9592-seinfeld-teaches-history

2. If you were not at the staff inservice on Thursday, preview the video so that you are familiar with the humor. If you have seen thi

video, you know that it is a humorous snapshot of mediocrity in a high school classroom. We hope that it will offer a lighthearted

entry point for our conversations.

3. List or project the attributes of Excellence on the board so that all students can refer to them during the lesson—challenge yourself

to do your best, keep a positive attitude, demonstrate responsibility for learning, be involved and engaged, think critically and ask

questions.

Opening:

Tell students that today we want to think about the actions that build excellence in our school. We’re going to start by watching ashort video that will give us a glimpse into a high school classroom and will get us thinking about what excellence looks like.

Activity:1. View the video.

2. Afterwards, talk to students about what they saw in this clip. Inform them that this sketch is funny because we all have

experienced similar moments in class. Ask students how this sketch would be different if it were portraying excellence. What

might the students have done differently? What might the teacher have done differently?

3. Refer to and share the school-wide expectations for Excellence that you listed on the board—how well did the sketch meet these

standards? Students might note that students seemed involved and engaged, but weren’t really thinking critically.

• Challenge yourself to do your best

• Keep a positive attitude• Demonstrate responsibility for learning

• Be involved and engaged

• Think critically and ask questions

3. While talking about the expectations consider the following questions/prompts about excellence:

1. How might doing your best in class be different from doing the best in class? Why is it important to do your best?

2. How does your attitude affect your ability to do your best? Why is it important to maintain a positive attitude when it comes

to reaching your goals?

3. What does it mean to be responsible for your own learning? In what ways do you take responsibility for your own learning?

How is thinking critically and asking questions related to taking responsibility for your own learning?

4. What causes you to shut down or disengage when you’re in class? How can you overcome those challenges and stay

involved and engaged in class? What is gained if you’re able to do so?

Closing/Extension:

Ask students to set a school-related personal goal that will challenge them to demonstrate excellence as defined by school-wide

expectations. After writing their goal, list three specific steps they will take to meet that goal. Have them write their goal and actions

in a class notebook or student handbook (somewhere that they can access the information again this semester), you might have them

turn their goal/action in to you\or consider posting the goals in the room. At the 9-week mark and at the end of the semester, have

students revisit their goal/actions and consider their progress toward reaching their goal. Have them share their self-assessment of

progress with a partner in class or write a brief reflection if they are not comfortable in a think-pair-share.

Special Notes for Staff:Change up the discussion format, i.e., feel free to lead whole class discussion, think-pair-share, small group, etc.

If you are having trouble with video, simply use discussion questions 1-4 and facilitate discussion with students. I bet a few of us wil

be referring to the Seinfeld classroom throughout the year ☺

http://cooperativelearning.nuvvo.com/lesson/9592-seinfeld-teaches-history





Wednesday, 9/15

PERIOD 7

Activity: Blind Puzzle Materials Needed: Instructions, Puzzle Pieces (will be in boxes or delivered prior to lesson)

Time Needed: 20 minutes

Preface: Everyone in our class (including the teacher) will face obstacles—and even hardships—throughout the year. Achieving

goals like success, health and happiness do not always come easy; they must be worked toward and earned. Fulfilling our goals and

overcoming setbacks require certain skills. For some people, these abilities come naturally; for others, they must be practiced.

Everyone has the ability to improve his or her skill in facing adversity and being accountable to others. This exercise is designed to

show students how determination and dedication helps us thrive during difficult situations.

Before Class: List or project the attributes of Accountability on the board so that all students can refer to them during the lesson—be

a team player and keep commitments, follow the rules, attend class everyday and on time, be prepared, meet established deadlines.

Opening: Inform students that accountability is very closely related to responsibility. When students are accountable they recognize

the impact of their actions on both themselves and others. In this activity, students will be asked to demonstrate important life skillslike problem solving, communication, cooperation, and trust.

Activity: This activity is just like it sounds: large-size jigsaw puzzle pieces are spread around the floor and the team members with

eyes closed are timed and told to solve the puzzle. This is a great exercise that demonstrates how important communication is on a

team and shows how leadership evolves under difficult conditions.

1. Assign student roles. Count the number of puzzle pieces in your puzzle-this will determine how many students you assign a

“blind” role. 20 puzzle pieces=20 students with eyes closed who will be responsible for putting the puzzle pieces into their correct

place. The remaining students will have eyes open and will use only verbal cues to help their classmates complete the puzzle. If

you have a small class, consider a version where all students have eyes closed. If accommodations are needed, allow students to

have eyes open, but limited speech.

2. Give the class 5-10 minutes to try to complete the task. Set the ground rules and then let students attempt to work it out. At times

the facilitator can prompt students based on what they see: a voice not being heard, a need for students to more actively listen to on

another, or a redirection of unsafe or disrespectful behavior. Refrain from solving it for them. Group failures or team member

distractions can be used as a point of discussion later. Flip the negative into a positive. Taking notes during the event can help the

facilitator lead the debriefing after the event. Monitor the space by reminding students of aspects of REAL.

RESPECT: “Thank you for respecting your classmate by using appropriate language when you were frustrated.”

EXCELLENCE: “This is hard, but you are keeping a very positive attitude. Keep it up.”

ACCOUNTABILITY: “Remember that following the rules makes this challenge a better experience.” “Five minutes left.

Tight deadline, pull together as a team and get this done.” “Work together to meet this goal.”

LEADERSHIP: “Notice how someone spoke up with that idea. That was the catalyst that allowed you to finish the task.”

Debrief the activity by identifying success and solidifying skills.

As a mediator, you can choose which moments you want to focus on after the activity. You can observe who steps up with vocal

leadership, who is a good listener and who is good at explaining details. Watch for the moments that exhibit accountability in group

dynamics as well: are all team members participating; how does the group react when it seems impossible; what does success feel like

for the individuals within the group (perhaps it is not in actually completing the task but rather they feel successful at another element

of the challenge.) Use these to capitalize on the experience and help your students gain insight as they develop their REAL skills.

Questions that can guide discussion

• What brought them closer to their goal? What thwarted their efforts?

• How does this activity reflect the aspects of accountability identified in REAL?

• What can we take from this experience to help us have a better year together?

Consider using these methods to structure the conversation.

• The Go Around: Everyone in the group contributes a descriptive word or sentence about the challenge

• Definitions: Ask the students for definitions of teamwork, communication, leadership, respect, etc.



Thursday, 9/16

PERIOD 3

Activity Title: School-Wide Leadership Survey

Materials Needed: Access to a computer and projector with internet access

*If you are in a space without access to this technology, please print a paper copy for you to conduct a “low-tech

version with students. (located in internal folder)


Before Class:1. Set up technology and preview survey.

http://spreadsheets.google.com/ccc?key=0AvcK3q0GstVJdGttNGFkVVByV043RDk4VHFNSXpYUXc&hl=en&authkey=CMvvxnI

• Open the survey link provided in the internal folder. (You will not need to sign into gmail to take the survey.)

• Use the "Form" pull down menu, click on "go to live form". This is where you take the survey with your group.

• If you want to view the survey results you will need to sign in to a gmail account (upper right corner).

• Once you are signed in, to view the school-wide results use the "form" pull down menu, and click on "show summary of responses".

2. List or project the attributes of Leadership on the board so that all students can refer to them during the lesson—influence others to

do the right thing, role model good behavior, take initiative, be a catalyst for positive change, build relationships and help others.

Opening:Start class by informing students that we are going to finish up our REAL lessons by talking about leadership. When we think about

leadership, we often think of students in our school like ASB president, captain of the soccer team, or lead in the drama production.

Although these are important leadership roles within our school, each of us is given multiple opportunities everyday to exhibit

leadership and build a positive community at GHS. Today we want you to think about the qualities of leadership and how you might

use them to enrich yourself and our school.

Activity:Conduct the leadership survey using the directions described above. To make the activity more student-centered, you might have a

student facilitate discussion and input the data into the survey.

As students work to develop consensus around their answers, foster a discussion regarding leadership. Help students articulate the

qualities and actions that make the people they chose effective leaders. The qualities selected in the survey are taken from Dale

Carnegie’s book, Leadership Mastery. Take the opportunity to talk students through the ways in which exhibiting leadership can be

both easy and difficult. Sometimes leadership is as simple as helping out by picking up the room, complimenting a peer, or

volunteering to go first; other times it can be really difficult like speaking up against gossip or accepting responsibility for one’s

actions.

The last survey item asks the class to commit to working on one of the leadership qualities. If needed, help students choose a quality

that is applicable in your class. For example, a social studies class may choose “solve problems” because it is a class in which

students often disagree on political issues. After you submit your survey, see the instructions above to view the school-wide results.Students may find it interesting to see how their answers compare with other classes.

Closing:

Refer back to the school-wide expectations for Leadership that were shared earlier. Remind students that these qualities will not only

enrich our school, but will also help them develop skills they can apply throughout their lives.

Special Notes for Staff:Change up the lesson to fit the needs of your class setting. Although the use of Google docs is a great opportunity for us all to becom

familiar with this tool, we are providing a low tech option because we know not every classroom has the standard projection cart. Th

important thing is that we take the time to have meaningful conversations with students around the value and application of leadership

in their lives.



Documents

2010 GHS Community Wide Lesson Plans