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1. Do you think fear can bring something positive to your life? Can dealing with fear?
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2. How do you feel about revenge? Does seeking revenge make sense?
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3. If you could reorder or redo the life you lead, what would it be like?
The short stories we will read and discuss will follow the plan detailed in the unit. There will be a variety of activities, however, all stressing the values clarification approach.
Lesson Plan # 1
YOU ARE THE DETECTIVE
Sharpening their powers of observation and selecting something they own to represent themselves, students play detective to establish the identity of someone in class through material possessions.
One student volunteers to be the detective; he or she leaves the room.
All the other students, except one, select one recognizable item from their person, desk, or bookbag to represent them. The objects are placed in a central location.
The conceit of the game is that an alleged crime has been committed by the student who didn’t leave a clue. The detective must carefully examine each of the clues, using his/her knowledge of classmates to match up belongings with owners.
As he/she returns items, he/she should explain why a specific item is being returned to a specific person.
All items should be returned to their rightful owners, thus determining the student who didn’t leave a clue.
Once a mistake is made, the detective is “out.” The game begins again with a new detective and new clues.
This inventorying activity stresses choosing and prizing values and careful listening.
Lesson Plan # 2
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
The class is divided into small groups (three or four students). Each group is given a list of clues (items to find). Students are to name something they
all
like and
all
dislike under each category. One point is given for each consensus reached.
In the second half of the activity, detectives search for experiences they
all
have had in common. Three points are given for each common experience listed.
A “secretary” in each group will record likes and dislikes.
Some items for the first part of the activity might include:
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game (outdoor)
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game (indoor)
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TV show
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food
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chore at home
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school subject
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animal
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day of the week
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For the second part of the activity, some suggestions are:
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something they’ve done on their own about which they’re proud;
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a time when they felt left out;
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a time when they were uncomfortable in
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school;
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a time when their parents made them very happy;
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a time when they made their parents very happy.
When students write mysteries, they’re testing their reasoning power to some degree. They enjoy seeking out information, controlling dramatic situations, drawing conclusions, and making critical decisions.
Lesson Plan # 3
CRIMEBUSTER
You enter a room (Where? What room? Why are you there?) just in time to see an unidentified person fleeing.
In the room you find indications of a crime (What is it?)
Suddenly you notice something that the criminal may have left behind. You know who the owner of the object is. You think you know who the criminal is! (What is the object? To whom does it belong, and how do you know? If he/she is the criminal, what might his/her motive be?)
You may decide to give your information to the police or you may decide to confront him/her with the clue.
Write a dialogue between you and him/her. (What story are you told?)