ATTENTIVENESS. Train Full-Time Private Investigators!

Transcription

1 Character Education Free Lesson Plans Attentiveness ATTENTIVENESS Train Full-Time Private Investigators! Copyright October 2005 by Elizabeth L. Hamilton Best-selling author of the Character-in-Action books Retired teacher / principal Character Coach A large version of this picture at the end of the lesson plan is yours to print and use as you encourage students to be attentive. Attentiveness is the knowledge of who or what deserves your attention, coupled with the action of focusing undividedly on that person or object, even at personal sacrifice, accepting the consequences of your action.

2 Subject: Grade levels: Summary: Interdisciplinary Link(s): Objectives: Time Required: Materials needed: Character Education Attentiveness Preschool / Kindergarten Elementary Middle Secondary Students become attentive private investigators, reading, solving, and writing mysteries as a means of learning and embracing the character trait. Arts and drama English Language Arts Literature Students will, according to age: Learn definition of attentiveness Become attentive in every class Learn basic elements of mystery writing Work together to follow the plot of a mystery Create personal PI badges Create take-home attentiveness reminder Write and perform mystery skits 4 weeks Camera Detective s hat (style above, or brimmed hat) Journal or small notepad Magnifying glass Mystery books, or books with whodunit type plots Note cards 3 x 5 Sunglasses Trench coat Mystery Stories: Jeremy Rabbit s Honesty Pie (ages 3 to 8) Surprise at Pearl Harbor (ages 9 to 12) Passport to Courage (ages 12 and up) Other appropriate mystery stories that bring out the focus of attentiveness Also useful: Nursery rhyme books Cater the following plans to your age group. INTRODUCTION: 1. Enter the classroom wearing a trench coat, detective s hat, and sunglasses. Carry a notepad and magnifying glass in one hand, a camera in the other. Take on the stereotypical persona of a private investigator to gain attention quickly. 2. Without a word, write on the chalk board in large letters: Who did it?

3 3. Without commenting on what you wrote, create interest for every age group by reading aloud the following nursery rhyme. Hey, diddle, diddle, The cat and the fiddle, The cow jumped over the moon. The little dog laughed To see such sport, And the dish ran away with the spoon. 4. Taking notes in your notepad, and peering through your camera or magnifying glass now and then, begin asking students PI questions. Vary according to the age of your students. Why were all those animals out at night? Where was the farmer when this happened? Where did the cat learn to play the fiddle? What color was the cat? What color was the cow? How big was the cow? Who taught the cow to do a high jump? How long had the cow practiced the high jump? Was it a full moon that night? How far was it from the cow s farm to the moon? What kind of dog laughed? Describe the dog for me. Did the dish kidnap the spoon, or did it go willingly? Where did the dish and spoon go? 5. Tell students, Imagine how exciting it would be to live the life of a detective a private investigator. You would ask questions like those, but about more serious things. 6. Discuss briefly what a PI does, and the importance to such a person of attentiveness. Define attentiveness as it relates to the work of a PI: If you were a PI, you would need to decide who or what deserves your attention, and then you would carefully watch that person or object, no matter what. You would want to use attentiveness. 7. Change the definition to the one at the top of this lesson plan. Write it on the board or hang up a definition poster you have prepared. Discuss attentiveness in their lives. It requires: Listening without distracting others Looking at a person when he or she is speaking Asking questions when you don t understand Sitting or standing straight at attention 8. Introduce the book you have chosen to use. Be sure it has an element of mystery, even if it is technically not classified as such. Work into your introduction the following points about a good mystery book: has well developed characters, settings, and plots is usually realistic has something to be solved includes hidden clues, and distractions to throw you off 9. Read a portion of the book, and assign further reading for older students. Plan to complete the book during the 4 weeks, emphasizing attentiveness.

4 Other activities to reinforce the meaning of attentiveness for various learning styles among your students. 1. Personal PI badges. Teenagers enjoy the challenge of making a distinctive badge, unlike any other, while P and K children will be less creative. The important part is to provide a tactile experience tying the work to attentiveness as a character trait. Printable patterns are included at the end of this lesson plan. 2. Story plotting. Require older students to take notes on their own as they read. Younger children may draw pictures of clues. Teach older students to plot the mystery as they read. Some may want to plot it diagram style, while others will learn better by summarizing the story. Demonstrate the technique with the nursery rhyme. 3. Mystery writing. Every age can construct a short mystery. Youngest children will do it as a group with supervision, while older students will deftly create amazing mysteries. Stress the need for attentiveness to detail as they work. Teach students the value of using note cards to organize their stories before they write. Write a clue on a card. On another card, write a brief description of an occurrence to be included. When your basic facts are on cards, you can rearrange the cards until your mystery flows the way you want. 4. Mystery performance. Turn a student mystery story into a skit. Performers must exercise attentiveness to detail, to learning their lines, and to avoiding distraction during performance. When the skit is presented, be sure listeners are attentive. 5. Take-home attentiveness reminder. The attached attentiveness reminder can be used with most preschool through elementary students. Some middle school students also will enjoy it, and can be expected to turn out rich versions with added décor at the corners. 6. Attentiveness Display. Whether on bulletin board or classroom door, an attentiveness display can challenge every student, regardless of age. Such a display can be composed around the Private Investigator theme. It can include individual pictures and brief paragraphs, or it can be a collage that integrates a number of thoughts. Urge students to portray situations in which attentiveness makes a huge difference. Examples include: Various learning situations such as class, sports, religious instruction, drivers education, home, etc. Various danger situations such as abduction, fights, drunkenness, drug use, tripping on things, etc. Challenge all students to use their PI skills every time someone is speaking to them. Looking for clues as to exactly what is being said will help them do better in every subject. Being alert to what is going on in class will help them improve academic performance. With younger students, you may want to keep your magnifying glass handy to hold up when you need greater attentiveness in class.

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6 PI Badges Use the circles below as templates for your badges. Use heavy cardboard, and give students full creativity rights. Each badge should have two layers the size of the two large circles. If students want to insert a photo or other interesting picture, use the small circle template to cut out a portion of one large circle. When the badges are done, attach a safety pin to the back with glue or tape.

7 ATTENTIVENESS REMINDER to take home Finished size x Copyright 2004 by Elizabeth L Hamilton What you need: Jumbo craft sticks - 6 x 3/4 Photo for frame - 7 x 8.25 (Hint: enlarge on copy machine and save the original photo) Page 4 printed on clear label paper (or white) Paint markers Construction paper - 9 x 12 Glue Scissors Small adhesive picture hanger I will not try to draw attention to myself I will keep my eyes, ears, hands, feet, and mouth from distractions. ATTENTIVENESS I will sit or stand up straight when listening. I will ask questions if I don t understand. I will look at people when they speak to me. What you do: Print page 4 of these instructions on clear, sticky label paper (makes 4 sets). Carefully ut out each set of strips, leaving them attached to backing. Paint 6 craft sticks for each frame, using bright colors. Let dry. Cut photo, using blue hexagon pattern on page 2. Cut construction paper, using pink hexagon pattern on page 3. Center and glue photo on the construction paper hexagon. Position the 6 craft sticks with inside edges slightly over the photo edges. Glue the craft sticks to the construction paper, and to one another at their corners, maintaining the shape. Peel one label of ATTENTIVENESS and five reminders from label paper, and carefully press each onto a stick as shown above. If desired, cardboard may be added to back for added strength. Attach small adhesive picture hanger to back of top craft stick.

8 Blue Hexagon Pattern

9 Pink Hexagon Pattern Since printers will not print to the edge of the paper, you will need to extend the pattern on the left and right to achieve the necessary 8 width.

10 ATTENTIVENESS I will look at people when they speak to me. I will ask questions if I don t understand. I will sit or stand up straight when listening. I will not try to draw attention to myself yself. I will kee eep my eyes es, ears, hands, feet, and mouth from distractions actions. ATTENTIVENESS I will look at people when they speak to me. I will ask questions if I don t understand. I will sit or stand up straight when listening. I will not try to draw attention to myself yself. I will kee eep my eyes es, ears, hands, feet, and mouth from distractions actions. ATTENTIVENESS I will look at people when they speak to me. I will ask questions if I don t understand. I will sit or stand up straight when listening. I will not try to draw attention to myself yself. I will kee eep my eyes es, ears, hands, feet, and mouth from distractions actions. ATTENTIVENESS I will look at people when they speak to me. I will ask questions if I don t understand. I will sit or stand up straight when listening. I will not try to draw attention to myself yself. I will kee eep my eyes es, ears, hands, feet, and mouth from distractions actions.