Cynthia H. Roberts
Learning Objectives:
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1) help students increase their thinking skills and decision making process.
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2) apply questions to decision-making process.
In this lesson plan, students will be presented with two true stories about two young people who were taken to juvenile courts in New York and California. Students will read each person’s story. Then try to decide what they think state and local government agencies should do about such young people.
STORY #1
Sonny boy grew up in New York. Here is his own account of a day when he and his friends got into trouble.
Turk, Bucky, and I went down to the backyard to steal some sheets and some bedspreads. We could sell them for about three or four dollars and buy a bag of reefers. We’d roll up and get high and then go do something crazy.
We went in the backyard and got some bedspreads. Then we sent Bucky to sell them to one of our customers. Turk and I went to get some more spreads. Turk tied a rock to the end of a rope and threw the rock up over the spreads to pull them down…then he stopped all of a sudden and said, “Run, Run, Sonny! Run!”
Turk started running, then I heard a shot, one shot. Blam! I saw some fire from a gun, and I started running. When I got about midway on the stairs leading up from the backyard, it seemed to just dawn on me. I thought, “somebody’s shootin at us.”
Then, after I had gotten out of the backyard, I don’t know what happened. But suddenly I knew I was shot. I didn’t feel any blood right away. I didn’t feel any pain. I didn’t feel anything. All I felt was that I was slowing down. It was like something had a hold on me, and I knew it was a bullet.
Discussion Question:
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1). Would you Sonny boy a delinquent?
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2). Would you send him to prison with adults?
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3). Would you lock him up with young lawbreakers?
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4). Would you let him go free?
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5). What would you have done differently?
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Why?
