Lesson
1: Classroom Rules
Children
need guidelines which define appropriate and inappropriate
behavior and are based on themes of respect, cooperation,
and responsibility. The rules should be developed with students
under the teacher's guidance. Developing classroom rules
with students empower them with creating a positive classroom
environment where all can learn and grow. For this lesson
the teacher will decide consequences for breaking classroom
rules.
Objective:
Students will collaborate with class members while developing
a list of classroom rules.
Materials:
The Kingdom
with No Rules, No Laws, and No King
This
humorous short story depicts the chaos that is created when
there are no rules governing acceptable/unacceptable behavior.
The text and unique illustrations by Arnie Levin are the
anticipatory set that lead to a discussion of the importance
of having classroom rules.
Procedure:
1.
Read story aloud with class discussing impact of a no-rules
community on the characters in the story.
2. Connect the story to what it would be like in a school
without rules.
3. Discuss importance
of establishing classroom rules stressing themes of respect,
cooperation, and responsibility.
2. Working collaboratively in groups of two to four, students
will produce a list of rules (Classroom
Rules Activity) and explain reasons each rule was chosen.
3.Groups will present rules to the class. These will be
discussed and evaluated to decide which are most important
and why. As a class, generate list of classroom rules.
4. Classroom rules (and consequences**) will be recorded
and posted on bulletin board. Clasroom rules will be discussed
during the first few weeks of school year as part of daily
Morning
Meeting .
**NOTE:
For this lesson, the teacher will decide, with input from
the students, on the consequences for breaking the rules.
Students
often need guidance with this as they may tend to choose
penalties that are too harsh or are unsuitable for the infraction.
Evaluation:
Rules Rubric
Teacher observation
during classroom discussion of story
| Framework:
Comprehensive Health |
Communication
7.5 Apply attentive listening, feedback, and assertiveness
skills to enhance positive interpersonal communication. |
| Strand:
Social and Emotional Health |
| Grade
Span: 6-8 |
| Standard:
Interpersonal Relationships |
| Framework:
Comprehensive Health |
Decision
Making
5.5 Explain and practice a model for decision-making
that includes gathering information, predicting outcomes,
listing advantages and disadvantages, identifying moral
implications, and evaluating decisions. |
| Strand:
Social and Emotional Health |
| Grade
Span: PK-5 |
| Standard:
Mental Health |
| Framework:
English Language Arts |
12.3
Identify and analyze the elements of setting, characterization,
and plot (including conflict). |
| Strand:
Reading and Literature |
| Grade
Span: 5-6 |
Standard:
Fiction
Students will identify, analyze, and apply knowledge
of the structure and elements of fiction and provide
evidence from the text to support their understanding. |
|
