Course Profile   Individual and Family Living, Grade 9 or 10 open, Public

 

Unit 1

 

Course Profiles are professional development materials designed to help teachers implement the new Grade 9 secondary school curriculum. These materials were created by writing partnerships of school boards and subject associations. The development of these resources was funded by the Ontario Ministry of Education and Training. This document reflects the views of the developers and not necessarily those of the Ministry. Permission is given to reproduce these materials for any purpose except profit. Teachers are also encouraged to amend, revise, edit, cut, paste, and otherwise adapt this material for educational purposes.

 

Any references in this document to particular commercial resources, learning materials, equipment, or technology reflect only the opinions of the writers of this sample Course Profile, and do not reflect any official endorsement by the Ministry of Education and Training or by the Partnership of School Boards that supported the production of the document

 

©Queen’s Printer for Ontario

 

Acknowledgements

 

Public District School Board Writing Team - Individual and Family Living

 

Lead Board

                Waterloo Region District School Board

                Beverley J. Murray, Project Manager

 

Course Profile Writing Team

                Carolyn Barfoot, Waterloo Region District School Board

                Carole Booth, Peel District School Board

                Shirley Jones, retired teacher

                Beverley J. Murray, Educational Consultant

                Michelyn Putignano, Hamilton–Wentworth District School Board

                Grier Rennie, Waterloo Region District School Board

                Marcia Smellie, Waterloo Region District School Board

                Jane Witte, Thames Valley District School Board

 

Instructional Technology Support

                Jane Dowdall, Waterloo Region District School Board

 

 

Unit #1: Enhancing Personal Skills

 

Activity 1 | Activity 2 | Activity 3 | Activity 4 | Activity 5 | Activity 6 | Activity 7

 

Time:       19 Hours

Unit Developer(s):

            Carolyn Barfoot, Waterloo Region District School Board

            Carole Booth, Peel District School Board

            Grier Rennie, Waterloo Region District School Board

            Jane Witte, Thames Valley District School Board

 

Development Date:      February, 1999

 

Unit Description

In this unit students will analyse various aspects of self and interpersonal skills in terms of human growth and development in adolescence. Students will demonstrate effective interpersonal skills using a variety of problem solving and decision making tools. Team work and collaborative group processes will be emphasized throughout.

 

Strand(s) & Expectations

Strand(s):    Self and Others; Personal and Social Responsibilities; Social Challenges; Social Science Skills

 

Overall Expectations:     SOV.01X, PRV.02X, O3X, SCV.02X, SSV.02X, 03X

 

Specific Expectations:     SO1.01X, 02X, PR1.02X, PR2.01X, 02X, SC2.02X, SS3.01X, 02X, 03X, 04X         

 

Activity Titles (Time and Sequence)

 

Activity 1

Personal Communication Skills

240 min

Activity 2

Group Communication Skills

120 min

Activity 3

Me Project

120 min

Activity 4

The Role of Communication in Team Building

150 min

Activity 5

Exploring Collaborative Problem Solving Skills

150 min

Activity 6

Taking Charge

120 min

Activity 7

Class Celebration

240 min

 

Unit Planning Notes

 

Teachers will:

•  be aware of methods of dealing with sensitive issues in a culturally diverse community.

•  familiarize themselves with basic concepts of communication, decision making.

•  preview all videos, computer software and information technology.

•  familiarize themselves with teaching/learning strategies such as concept maps, journals, portfolios, co-operative learning.

•  familiarize themselves with assessment tools such as rubrics.

 

 

Prior Knowledge Required

 

Based on elementary school experience, all students should have basic writing, reading, numeracy and computer skills. Some knowledge of group work skills is expected.

 

 

Teaching/Learning Strategies

 

The following strategies are described in greater detail within each activity:

•  questionnaire

•  journal

•  concept map

•  communication/group skills games

•  case study

•  co-operative learning processes

•  role play

•  portfolios

 

 

Assessment/Evaluation

 

Tool

Purpose

Evaluator

Activity

Participation Rubric

Formative

Teacher, Student

All individual activities

Group Work Rubric

Formative

Teacher, Student

All group work

Journal Rubric

Formative

Teacher

All activities

Portfolio Rubric

Formative

Teacher, Student

Activity 3

Communication

Checklist

Formative

Students

Activity 5

Schedule Rubric

Diagnostic

Students

Activity 6

Celebration

Questionnaire

Summative

Teacher

Activity 7

Unit Test

Summative

Teacher

The whole unit

Diagnostic:      assessing what has been learned

Formative:       assessing how well the student is presently learning so that appropriate changes can be made

Summative:     assessing how well the student has learned the material for purpose of accountability

 

 

Resources

Print

 

1.     Assessment for Learning in the Transition Years and the Specialization Years. Waterloo County Board of Education, 1993.

2.     Board of Education for the City of Etobicoke, Making The Grade: Evaluating Students' Progress. Prentice Hall Canada Inc., 1987, ISBN 0-13-547191-5.

3.     Boyden, J. Families Celebration and Hope in a World of Change. UNESCO, Double Day Canada Ltd., 1993, ISBN 0-385-25430-X.

4.     Challenging Ourselves Towards Gender Equity and Violence. Pembroke Publishers, 1996,

        ISBN 1-55138-068-4.

5.     Changing Perspectives: A Resource Guide for Antiracist and Ethnocultural Education. Ministry of Education, Toronto, 1992.

6.     Clarke, J., et al. Co-operative Small Group Learning: Together We Learn. Glencoe Publishers, 1990, ISBN 0-13-924556-1.

7.     Family Studies (Group of Assessments). Peel Board of Education, 1998.

8.     Gibbs, J., Tribes: A New Way of Learning and Being Together. Centre Source Systems, California, 1995, ISBN 0-932762-09-3.

9.     Kelly-Plate, J. and Eubanks, E., Today's Teen, 5th edition. Glencoe McGraw-Hill, 1997.

10.   Midland, D., et al. Assess for Success: Assessment, Evaluation for Reporting For Successful Learning. Desktop Publishing, ISBN 0-920930-60-3.

11.   Odawa Child Care Manual. Native Friendship Centre, 1995.

12.   OSSTF, Managing Conflict. Toronto, ISBN 0920930-54-9.

 

Video

 

13.   Body Language: An Introduction to Non-Verbal Communication. McIntyre Media Ltd.,

        Product # 200037-61G9.

14.   Communication: The Person-To-Person Skill. Sunburst Communications, Order # 2267-XA.

 

Computer Software

 

15.   Basic Family Communication

16.   The Path To Effective Communication

 

 

 

 

Activity #1: Personal Communication Skills

 

Time: (minutes):    240 minutes

 

Description

 

Personal communication is an essential skill. By using a variety of teaching and learning strategies, students will examine the concepts of communication. They will gain an understanding of what it means to communicate effectively at a personal level in a variety of situations.

 

 

Strand(s) and Expectations

 

                Strands:  Personal and Social Responsibilities

 

                Overall Expectations

 

                By the end of this course, students will:

(PRV.02X)    •   demonstrate communication and conflict-resolution skills in the context of family and social relationships

 

 

                Specific Expectations

 

                By the end of this course, students will:

(PR1.02X)    •  demonstrate appropriate speaking and listening skills for a variety of situations, (e.g., active listening, classroom discussion, job interview)

 

 

Planning Notes

 

Teacher should:

•  be aware of methods for dealing with issues of a sensitive nature.

•  be sensitive to practices and beliefs rooted in ethnocultural and religious heritage.

•  familiarize themselves with the basic concepts of communication including elements of verbal communication (e.g., I messages, tone of voice), elements of non verbal communication (e.g., body language, personal space, clothing, symbols), the communication process, effective speaking and listening skills, and roadblocks to communication.

 

Teachers:

•  Preview any video(s) and/or computer resources to be used and develop worksheet(s) to accompany the resource.

•  Refer to activity resources for examples of “How Well Do I Communicate?”. Teachers may develop their own or use one from the resources.

•  Arrange small group sizes from 3 to 5 students in accordance with the activity and class size.

•  Develop case studies showing the different filters in communication (see details in strategy #8).

•  Review guidelines for effective and collaborative role playing before assigning students to role play.

•  Develop assessment tools to accompany evaluation of activities (see template Appendix 1B).

 

Prior Knowledge Required

 

•  Students should have a basic understanding, from their elementary school experience, of how to use concept maps, journals and role play techniques.

 

 

Teaching/Learning Strategies

 

1.     Students will complete questionnaire “How Well Do I Communicate?”. Students will choose one or two communication skills to improve upon over the next two weeks. Students will reflect on their progress in their journals.

2.     In small groups, students will create concept maps of various ways in which we communicate. Maps will be posted to be referred to in a later strategy.

3.     The teacher will present and explain the following concepts to the class: verbal communication and non-verbal communication. A video or computer resource may be utilized to further illustrate these concepts. Teacher will lead the students through a series of communication games/activities in order to demonstrate the above concepts to the students.

4.     Students will refer to their concept maps, and with different coloured markers, circle all examples of verbal communication and non verbal communication.

5.     Examples of effective speaking skills and effective listening skills generated from a class brainstorming session will be recorded. Teacher will add any skills that students omit, e.g., active listening, I messages, tone of voice.

6.     Students will refer to their concept maps, and with different coloured markers draw a box around examples to show effective speaking and effective listening skills.

7.     Students will record in their journals a brief summary of their understanding of the effective communication skills presented, and how these skills will enable them to improve their communication skills as outlined in strategy #1.

8.     Teacher will present and explain the process of communication.

        e.g., speaker (sender) ----------  filters (interference) ----------- receiver (listener)

        Teacher will ensure that the discussion of filters encompasses the following concepts: bias, prejudice, stereotypes, economic status, social status, gender and age. Teacher may wish to show a video to illustrate these concepts.

9.     Divide the class into small groups and distribute case studies showing the various types of filters. Students will determine which filter their case study represents, and suggest a solution to the communication problems presented. Students will present their findings to the class.

10.   Teacher will present and explain the different types of roadblocks to good communication.

11.   Small groups of students will be assigned a roadblock to communication. Students will prepare two skits (role plays) one to demonstrate their roadblock to communication, and one to demonstrate how to use effective communication skills to overcome the roadblock. Students will present their skits to the class. Classmates will attempt to determine which roadblock is being presented.

12.   Students will record in their journals a brief summary of their understanding of the communication process, and communication roadblocks presented, and explain how this information will enable them to improve their communication skills as outlined in strategy #1.

 

Assessment/Evaluation

 

•  Students will assess their communication skills using journals as a means of self evaluation and reflection.

•  Journals will be checked for completion, but not assessed by teacher.

•  Group and class participation will be assessed by teacher. (concept mapping)

•  Case study presentations and group work will be assessed by self and peers.

•  Role playing activity will be assessed by teacher and peers, using a rubric developed by the teacher.

 

Resources

Print

1.     Challenging Ourselves Towards Gender Equity and Violence. Pembroke Publishers, 1996, ISBN

        1-55138-068-4.

2.     Changing Perspectives: A Resource Guide for Antiracist and Ethnocultural Education. Ministry of Education, Toronto, 1992.

3.     Clarke, J., et al. Co-operative Small Group Learning: Together We Learn. Glencoe Publishers, 1990, ISBN 0-12-924556-1.

4.     Kelly-Plate, J. and Eubanks, E. Today's Teen. 5th edition. Glencoe McGraw-Hill, 1997.

        chapters 8 & 9.

5.     Odawa Child Care Manual. Native Friendship Centre, 1995.

6.     OSSTF Managing Conflict. Toronto, ISBN: 0920930-54-9.

 

Computer

7.     Basic Family Communication

8.     The Path to Effective Communication

 

Video

9.     Body Language: An Introduction To Non-Verbal Communication. McIntyre Media Ltd., Product # 200037-61G9.

10.   Communication: The Person-To-Person Skill. Sunburst Communications, Order # 2267-XA.

 

 

Appendices

 

Appendix 1A: Rubric Template

 

 

Accommodations

 

•  Teacher will modify group structure to ensure that the needs of all students are met.

•  Teacher will prepare an outline to assist students with note taking.

•  Extension 1: Students could prepare a poster to display in the classroom outlining the aspects of positive personal communication, verbal communication, non-verbal communication, effective speaking and listening skills, the communication process.

•  Extension 2: Students could develop rubrics to evaluate role playing activities.

 

Appendix 1A: Rubric Template

 

Rubric Template

 

 

                                                                                           Name:

 

 

Expectation: The student will                                                                Level 1__ 2__ 3__ 4__

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Categories

50–59%

Level 1

60–69%

Level 2

70–79%

Level 3

80–100%

Level 4

Knowledge and

Understanding

– indicators

– indicators

– indicators

– indicators

Thinking/

Inquiry

– indicators

– indicators

– indicators

– indicators

Communication

– indicators

– indicators

– indicators

– indicators

Application

– indicators

– indicators

– indicators

– indicators

Mark

0 1 2 3 4 5

 

  6

 

7

 

8

 

 

9                     10

 

Note:    Refer to “Achievement Chart – Grades 9–10 Social Science” for suggested wording of indicators.

 

 

Activity #2: Group Communication Skills

 

Time: (minutes):    120 minutes

 

Description

 

Critical to the student’s success in this course are effective communication skills relating to groups. Through reflection on past experiences, students will examine the factors involved in group dynamics. They will use the knowledge gained to improve their own effective communication skills in small groups. Students will continue to build on these skills throughout the course.

 

 

Strand(s) and Expectations

 

                Strands:  Personal and Social Responsibilities; Social Science Research Skills

 

                Overall Expectations

 

                By the end of this course, students will:

(PRV.02X)    •   demonstrate communication and conflict-resolution skills in the context of family and social relationships

(SSV.03X)     •   demonstrate effective collaborative group skills

 

                Specific Expectations

 

                By the end of this course, students will:

(SS3.01X)     •   demonstrate effective speaking and listening skills in a small group

 

 

Planning Notes

 

•  The goal of this activity is to get students involved in group communication that will lead them to accept, help, respect and enjoy each other.

•  Small group sizes should vary from 3 to 5 students in accordance with the strategy and class size.

 

Teachers need to:

•  be aware of the methods for dealing with issues of a sensitive nature.

•  identify the structure and guidelines for student expectations in group work.

•  acquire sample rubrics and assessment tools to be used in strategy #6.

•  create a ‘group task’ for each group to complete.

 

 

Prior Knowledge Required

 

•  Effective personal communication skills acquired in previous activity

•  Previous participation in small groups

 

Teaching/Learning Strategies

 

1.   In small groups, students will reflect on past experience to generate a chart describing the positive and negative factors contributing to group work. As a class, a master list will be created.

2.   In small groups, students will examine the negative factors to determine what roadblocks and filters are interfering with the group process. Students will examine the positive factors to determine which aspects of good communication are represented. Students will present their findings to the class.

3.   Together with the teacher, students will determine the roles that are played by different members of a group. Teacher may wish to provide examples from activity resources.

4.   Groups will be assigned a group task. Each member of the group will be assigned a role from the list in strategy #3. A class discussion of the results will follow.

5.   After the class discussion, students will develop a rubric to be used to evaluate present and all future group experiences.

6.   Students will record in their journals a summary of their understanding of the skills required for effective group communication and how this will enable them to be more effective members of a group.

 

 

Assessment/Evaluation

 

•  Students will assess their group work skills using journals as a means of self evaluation and self reflection.

•  Using the student generated rubric, group effectiveness will be evaluated.

 

 

Resources

 

Print

1.   Assessment for Learning in the Transition Years and the Specialization Years. Waterloo County Board of Education, 1993.

2.   Clarke, J., et al. Co-operative Small Group Learning: Together We Learn. Glencoe Publishers, 1990, ISBN 0-12-924556-1.

3.   Gibbs, J. Tribes: A New Way of Learning and Being Together. Center Source Systems, California, 1995, ISBN 0-932762-09-3.

4.   Kelly-Plate, J. and Eubanks, E. Today's Teen. 5th edition. Glencoe McGraw-Hill, 1997,

      chapters 8 & 9.

5.   Making the Grade: Evaluating Student Progress. Prentice Hall Canada Inc., Board of Education for the City of Etobicoke, 1987, ISBN 0-13-547191-5.

6.   Midland, E. et al. Assess for Success: Assessment, Evaluation for Reporting for Successful Learning. Desktop Publishing, ISBN 0-920930-60-3.

7.   Family Studies (Group of Assessments). Peel Board of Education, 1998.

 

 

Accommodations

 

•  Teacher will ensure physical accommodation in delivery of program and assessment/evaluation and accommodation to curriculum where required.

•  Teacher will prepare an outline to assist students with note taking.

•  Extension 1: students may create posters on the following topics: group roles, guidelines for positive groups dynamics.

 

 

Activity #3: Me Project

 

Time: (minutes):    120 minutes (in class) and individual efforts (out of class)

 

Description

 

For the rest of Unit #1 “Enhancing Personal Skills”, each student will prepare a “Me Project” which is a brief portfolio of their life. Students will gain an understanding of their life history while collecting photographs, having discussions with family members, and writing reflectively about themselves. When they are finished, the students will be asked to share their portfolios with their peers and discuss similarities and differences. Students may choose ten topics from a suggested list of many provided. The topics range from “In the Beginning” to “School Days” to “I am Unique” and “Feelings”. Some possible summary type topics might include “I Wonder What I’ll Be”, “Around the World” and “The Happiest Time in My Life.”.

 

 

Strand(s) and Expectations

 

                Strands:  Self and Others; Personal and Social Responsibilities; Social Science Skills

 

                Overall Expectations

 

                By the end of this course, students will:

(SOV.01X)    •   describe the characteristics of human growth and development in adolescence, and explain their influence on behaviour and needs of young people

(SSV.02X)     •   effectively communicate the results of their inquiries

(SSV.03X)     •   demonstrate effective collaborative group skills

 

 

                Specific Expectations

 

                By the end of this course, students will:

(SO1-01X)    •  outline key aspects of physical, social, emotional, and moral development in adolescence (e.g., intellectually, adolescents are developing the ability for abstract reasoning)

(SO1.02X)    •   summarize the connection between developmental stages and individual behaviour (e.g., socially, the development of identity in adolescence may result in the need to belong to a group)

 

 

Planning Notes

 

•  Locate examples of previously completed projects, if possible. If this is not possible, prepare examples for demonstration as exemplars.

•  Teacher organizes/creates a list of possible topics for the project (15–20).

•  Consideration of alternatives for students with limited access to background information, (e.g., accessing information through relatives, friends, current “family” members ...)

•  Teacher reviews and selects an appropriate rubric for assessment.

•  Teacher shares the assessment of the portfolios with the students.

•  Where possible, use checkpoints to encourage organization and time management over a lengthy period of time.

 

Prior Knowledge Required

 

•  Communication skills and small group processes, learned in previous activities, may need a brief review prior to small group discussion

 

Teaching/Learning Strategies

 

1.   Teacher reviews/outlines parameters of large and small group processes.

2.   Class discussion of individuality, uniqueness, and the importance of acknowledging our personal histories.

3.   Students will discuss the following:

•  Classification of individual characteristics in class: hair colour, height, eye colour, foot size, etc.

•  How do we become the individuals we are: heredity vs. environment. What makes us unique?

•  How can we study our personal history?

•  Why is keeping a record of personal/family history important?

4.   In a small group format, students identify/describe their uniqueness: talents, strengths, and weaknesses. Review of communication skills from previous activities may be necessary.

5.   Teacher distributes outline of the assignment and clarifies expectations.

6.   Once a week students will briefly summarize the progress they have made and identify the topics they have completed.

7.   When projects are completed students will divide into small groups to share/discuss projects. Students should be able to identify any of the following information: close family connections, ages and stages of growth, highlights of examples shown, different personal/family values, individual/family lifestyles, changes in personal/family life over time.

8.   Each student will use a simple evaluation tool to assess two of their peers’ projects.

9.   Each student will compare results of projects and form conclusions about individuality, uniqueness, and personal history.

 

Assessment/Evaluation

 

•  Participation in small and large group discussions

•  Regular progress checks throughout the portfolio project

•. Peer assessment of portfolio projects, using a simple evaluation tool

•  Reflective summaries of topics checked for completion, but not assessed

 

Resources

 

1.   Collection of rubrics, suitable for assessing portfolios in a variety of ways, depending upon overall philosophy and guidelines of assignment (e.g., Family Studies (Group of Assessments), Peel Board of Education, 1997–98 by Christine Shain).

2.   Family members: parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, guardians, significant others.

3.   Gibbs, J. Tribes: A New Way of Learning and Being Together. Centre Source Systems, California, 1995.

4.   Personal and family photo collections.

 

Accommodations

 

•  Provide alternatives for students having limited access to background information or materials. (e.g., new Canadians, foster/adopted children, etc.) See Planning Notes.

 

 

Activity #4: The Role of Communication in Team Building

 

Time: (minutes):    150 minutes

 

Description

 

Through experiencing the need for effective communication in solving several different problems, students will come to understand the skills required to make a group effective. Students will develop the ability to communicate clearly by acquiring both listening and speaking skills tied to group projects.

 

 

Strand(s) and Expectations

 

                Strands:  Personal and Social Responsibilities; Social Science Skills

 

                Overall Expectations

 

                By the end of this course, students will:

(PRV.02X)    •  demonstrate communication and conflict resolution skills in the context of family and social expectations

(SSV.03X)     •   demonstrate effective collaborative group skills

 

                Specific Expectations

 

                By the end of this course, students will:

(PR2.02X)    •   demonstrate individual and collaborative problem solving skills for home, school and peer situations

(SS3.01X )    •   demonstrate effective speaking and listening skills in a small group

(SS3.03X)     •   demonstrate collaborative problem-solving, conflict management, and planning skills

(SS3.04X)     •   demonstrate the ability to set achievable group goals and for each group member to make an equal contribution

 

Planning Notes

 

•  Organize materials needed for activities. For sticks, you can use meter sticks, rulers or pencils, depending on available area and materials. You can create any shape(s) you like.

•  Be sure safety issues are addressed for the blindfold strategy.

 

Prior Knowledge Required

 

•  Speaking and listening skills (Activity #1)

•  Some skills in small group work (Activity #2)

 

Teaching/Learning Strategies

 

1.   The students will be divided into small groups of 4 to 6 students. Each group will be required to accomplish the following challenges:

•  Stick Forms: Each group is provided with enough sticks and blindfolds to recreate the shape designed by the facilitator. The facilitator creates a shape on the ground which is not seen by any group. One person from each group is selected to be the “eyes”. All others are blindfolded. The “eyes” then instructs the group to recreate the shape which has been revealed to them. Groups can be assessed for both time and accuracy.

•  Blindfolded Scavenger Hunt: Students are divided into pairs. One is blind folded. The other must stay in one spot. The blind folded partner must be directed to retrieve items (that have been placed in several places) and bring them back to the partner.

•  Penny, Nickel, Quarter listening exercise: One student from each group is taken through the exercise out of the hearing range of the others. They then return to deliver the exercise to their own group. The leader says “ Johnny’s mother has three children. One of them is called Penny. (Here he/she puts a penny on the table). One of them is called Nicky. (Here he/she puts a nickel on the table). What is the name of the third child? (Here he/she puts a quarter on the table – which has absolutely no relevance, since the third child is obviously Johnny).

•  Senders and Receivers: Divide the class into partners. One person is the sender, one is the receiver. The senders are all given a simple diagram which the receivers are not allowed to see. The pair sit back to back so neither can see the other’s drawing. The sender describes the pattern while the receiver tries to reproduce it. On the first time through, the receiver cannot talk at all. Once he/she has drawn it once, the drawing is labeled as Drawing #1. The sender does not get to see it. For the second attempt at doing the same thing, the receiver can ask all the questions he/she wants, although he/she still can not see the original pattern. Once the second drawing is complete, the two compare the three patterns.

2.   Students, collaboratively, create a checklist for assessing their communication skills incorporating the questions listed in strategy #3.

3.   After each exercise, students return to their original groups. A chairperson, an assessor, a timer, a recorder and a materials person are chosen. The materials person gets markers and big sheets of paper for the recorder to write on. The chair keeps the group on task for the agenda. The timer tells the group when 5 minutes are up. The assessor records the speaker each time someone speaks. At the end of 5 minutes, the group looks to see if all are speaking equally. If not, those who have spoken the least are to speak more in the second part. The following questions are discussed and written down. Then the groups come together as a class to compare their answers on:

•  How successful were you at accomplishing the tasks? What made things better or worse?

•  Did the size of the group impact on your ability to do a good job?

•  How did the person giving the instructions feel?

•  What’s difficult or frustrating about trying to send clear messages? Why?

•  How did the person(s) receiving the instructions feel?

•  What’s difficult about listening accurately? What gets in the way?

•  What parts of communication were deliberately missing from each exercise?

•  How would you be sending the information in normal life where these same parts might be missing (e.g., e-mail, over the telephone, a memo etc.) What things would you have to think about if you chose one of these media both as a sender and as a receiver?

•  What skills do you need to build a team in order to have the best communication with the least frustration and misunderstanding? Complete a list of the skills and give two examples of each.  

 

Assessment/Evaluation

 

•  The success of their efforts in each exercise will also be noted both for completion and for quality of product. The smoothness with which they were able to designate the positions and share the floor for the final part of the exercise are also important.

 

 

Resources

 

Print

1.   Clarke, J. et al. Co-operative Small Group Learning: Together We Learn. Glencoe Publishers, 1990, ISBN 0-13-924556-1.

 

 

Accommodations

 

•  Pairing/grouping of students so that those requiring physical assistance will receive help from other students.

•  Students not able to participate in Blindfolded Scavenger Hunt could be given roles as observers/reporters.

 

 

Activity #5: Exploring Collaborative Problem Solving Skills

 

Time: (minutes):    150 minutes

 

Description

 

Through experiencing the need to use collaborative efforts to solve several different problems, students will come to understand the skills required to make a group be effective. From this understanding, students will develop the ability to form groups capable of defining their own tasks and carrying them out effectively while demonstrating mutual respect.

 

 

Strand(s) and Expectations

 

                Strands:  Personal and Social Responsibilities; Social Science Skills

 

                Overall Expectations

 

                By the end of this course, students will:

 (PRV.02X)   •   demonstrate communication and conflict resolution skills in the context of family and social expectations

(SSV.03X)     •   demonstrate effective collaborative group skills

 

                Specific Expectations

 

                By the end of this course, students will:

(PR2.02X)    •   demonstrate individual and collaborative problem solving skills for home, school and peer situations     

(SS3.02X)     •   analyse and demonstrate effective roles in small groups

(SS3.03X)     •   demonstrate collaborative problem-solving, conflict management, and planning skills

(SS3.04X)     •   demonstrate the ability to set achievable group goals and for each group member to make an equal contribution

 

 

Planning Notes

 

•  Collect and organize materials needed.

•  Prepare for additional modifications special students may require.

•  Strategies are arranged from simple to more complex tasks, requiring better and better teamwork skills. It is best to do them in the order shown.

•  Appendix 5B shows possible roles that could be considered for #2, arranged from simple to more complex tasks, requiring better and better teamwork skills.

•  The students are organized into the same groups as they were for Activity #4.

 

 

Prior Knowledge Required

 

•  Building on effective team communication skills experienced in Activity #4

 

Teaching/Learning Strategies

 

1.   The students will be divided into small groups of 4 to 6 students. Each group will be required to accomplish the following challenges:

•  Cord Twist: Use three pieces of string (half as many pieces as there are participants in the group) about half a meter long. Twist the pieces of string, leaving the ends available for holding on to. Each person takes hold of an end of string. The group must then try to untangle themselves without letting go of the string.

•  Shrinking Circle: A rope or string about 5 meters in length. Make a circle on the floor with the rope. The whole group must get inside the circle. Make the circle progressively smaller in several stages until only three or four feet will fit into it. Success is balancing the group for 5 seconds in the smallest area.

•  Tower building: Each group will be given two strong elastic bands, one piece of string three meters long for each person in the group and five plastic containers. (The second elastic is to replace the first if the first breaks during their attempts.) One end of each string is tied evenly around the elastic. Each person holds the other end of their string. By working together, they must pick up the plastic containers using the elastic and stack them to create the tower.

•  Marshmallow Inventions: Each team is given a batch of mini marshmallows, a bunch of toothpicks or coffee stirrers, some yarn and a pair of scissors. The students are given 5 minutes to discuss an invention that would help make our country a better place to live. They are to decide on the type of the invention, how it works, and how the group can build a model using the materials provided. They may look at the materials provided, but may not touch them at this time. At the end of the 5 minutes, they will start building their invention. However, once they start building, they may NOT talk at all.

2.   After each activity, the teacher will discuss the following points with the students:

•  What are some of the new things you learned about others in your group?

•  What role(s) did you play in the group? (see Appendix 5B for ideas)

•  What role(s) did others think people were playing?

•  How did you feel about playing the role you did?

•  What are the most helpful/least helpful roles for people in groups?

•  What conflicts occurred? How were they resolved?

 

Assessment/Evaluation

 

•  The groups will collaboratively assess themselves using the given rubric.

•  The teacher will assess the group, using the same rubric. Discrepancies will be discussed.

 

Resources

 

1.   Clarke, J. et al. Co-operative Small Group Learning: Together We Learn. Glencoe Publishers, 1990, ISBN 0-13-924556-1.

2.   Gibbs, J. Tribes: A New Way of Learning and Being Together. Centre Source Systems, California, 1995, ISBN 0-932762-09-3.

3.   Managing Conflict. OSSFT, Toronto, ISBN 0920930-54-9.

 

Appendices

 

Appendix 5A: Rubric for Assessing Teamwork Skills

            Appendix 5B: Roles: Types of Group Behaviour

 

Accommodations

 

•  These activities could be done by a student in a wheel chair as part of a group but other physical accommodations may be required.

•  Modify group structure to ensure needs of all students are met.

 

 

Appendix 5A: Rubric for Assessing Teamwork

 

Rubric for Assessing Teamwork

 

ISSUE

LEVEL I

LEVEL 2

LEVEL 3

LEVEL 4

 

Achievement of goals

 

•    rarely were able to complete the assigned task within the time limit

•    final product was poorly or incompletely done

 

•    sometimes were able to complete the assigned task within the time limit

•    the final product was close to acceptable

 

•    usually were able to complete the assigned task within the time limit

•    the final product was acceptable

 

•    consistently were able to complete the assigned task before the time limit was up

•    the final product was well done

 

Effectiveness of roles

 

•    roles were unclear, disorganized or conflicting

•    had difficulty organizing well enough to get the job done

 

•    roles were some-what unclear and disorganized

•    had some difficulty getting organized well enough to get the job done

 

•    roles were fairly clear and workable for the group

•    usually got organized well enough to get the job done

 

•    roles were clear and workable for the group, there was a minimum of difficulties

•    consistently got organized quickly to get the job done right

 

Sharing of work load

 

•    some people did very little

•    some people took over and pushed others out

 

•    sometimes, a few people did very little

•    sometimes the task was mainly taken over by one or two people

 

•    usually the work load was fairly evenly shared

•    each person was involved in creating the solution most of the time

 

•    consistently the work load was reasonably evenly shared

•    each person had input into creating the solution most of the time

 

Communication Skills

 

•    rarely did members know what was going on

•    members acted without consultation with the group

 

•    sometimes members didn’t understand the plan

•    some members acted without discussing their plans

 

•    usually most members knew the group’s plan and were prepared (where allowed) to discuss issues or changes as they occurred

 

•    members acted upon an agreed upon plan

•    they kept each other informed consistently where allowed

•    no one acted independently

 

Summary:     Briefly summarize your teams efforts. Outline what you did well, what you did less well and what you learned from the experience.

 

Appendix 5B: Roles: Types of Group Behaviour

 

Roles People Play In Groups

 

 

Commander In Chief

wants to be in charge, tells others what to do, shows irritation if they

fail to do as he/she directs. Wants the lead role, regardless of whose

idea is used

Peacemaker

tries to maintain harmony within the group, seeks to please everyone

Investigator

asks questions, clarifies, interprets, adds constructive criticism

 

Wet Blanket

insists that nothing will work, rejects everyone’s ideas, states that

the activity is stupid

Space Cadet

withdraws from the group by daydreaming; distracts others by

talking off topic about other things such as their social life

The Right Person

his or her way is the only way, dominates and interrupts others

Sunshine

tries to help others to relax through adding humour, keeping the

atmosphere light

Manager

tries to keep the group members on the task at hand, encourages

and supports others, bringing them back on track

Analyser

give ideas, suggests alternatives, detects problem areas, plans

ahead to the next steps

 

 

 

Activity #6: Taking Charge

 

Time: (minutes):    120 minutes

 

Description

 

This activity introduces and promotes the idea of time management and decision making through the organization and following of a daily schedule, over a period of time. Students are introduced to the assignment after assessing an example of their own and a parent’s/guardian’s daily schedule. Students discuss essential daily tasks versus optional activities. It is important for adolescents to learn ways to manage their time in order to fit everything they want into their schedule. After completing these activities, each student should have a three week study plan to help them prepare for exams.

 

 

Strand(s) and Expectations

 

                Strands:  Personal and Social Responsibilities; Social Challenges

 

                Overall Expectations

 

                By the end of this course, students will:

(PRV.03X)    •   understand and apply a variety of problem-solving and decision-making skills, grounded in sociological studies, to family and social problems

(SCV.02X)    •   describe strategies by which individuals and family members manage resources in a changing environment

 

 

                Specific Expectations

 

                By the end of this course, students will:

(PR2.01X)    •   apply appropriate decision-making models, grounded in research, to choices related to individual and family well-being and quality of life (e.g., use of time, clothing purchase, course selection) and suggest strategies for making difficult choices (e.g., contacting the Children’s Aid Society in cases of suspected abuse)

(PR2.02X)    •   demonstrate individual and collaborative problem-solving skills for home, school, and peer situations (e.g., organizing a group project, passing a difficult subject, responding to peer pressure)

(SC2.02X)     •   apply strategies for managing time to achieve individual, family, and group goals

 

 

Planning Notes

 

•  Review/assess the current Agenda Books/Student Planners promoted for student use in the school. Identify appropriateness for use in this activity, or locate a calendar type outline that includes at least three weeks, where days may be divided into time increments. (a current wall calendar is the obvious choice).

•  Prepare “My Study Plan” assignment outline.

•  Write a brief note to parents/guardians outlining the assignment and requesting their help with the monitoring.

•  Prepare a simple evaluation tool, for student use, to assess small group organization of one day schedule.

•  Prepare a unit test to be administered upon completion of this activity, to cover material presented in all previous activities (i.e.: #1 through #6).

 

Prior Knowledge Required

 

•  Familiarity with parent/guardian schedules is necessary to design a realistic one day schedule. If this were done as a small group task, all students would not necessarily have to know this information.

 

Teaching/Learning Strategies

 

As a class ...

1.   Teacher initiates a discussion involving students ...

•  What did you do last night between 6 and 10 p.m.?

•  What did you think about your evening when you went to bed?

•  How many students have all their homework for each course completed and up to date?

•  Have you ever been doing something and felt really rushed to complete it? e.g., eat breakfast, do chores or an errand, finish homework, ...

•  Why do we feel rushed in our activities?

•  What can we do to stop feeling rushed?

2.   Brainstorm a list of activities that we have to do every day, and then brainstorm a second list of activities that we would like to do every day or often.

3.   Teacher initiates discussion... When we are feeling rushed or short of time, how do we decide which activities to delay or skip? What alternatives do we have, other than skipping activities?

4.   Class is asked to name ways in which society helps people get everything done that needs doing (for individuals and families) ... e.g., bill payment, recreation schedules, medical appointments, date deadlines, extended business hours, yearly/monthly planning, bonus/reward systems, etc.

 

In small group format ...

1.   Class divides into groups of 3–4 students each. Each group must try to design a one-day schedule for a teenager, and a one-day schedule for a parent/guardian/family member.

2.   As a group, students will share/compare their schedules with those of other groups and vote for the best (most realistic) ones in the class. Using a simple evaluation scheme, each group assesses the work of two other groups.

3.   Students identify through discussion ...

•  What activities MUST be included in your daily schedules?

•  What activities MAY be added by choice, as time permits.

•  How might a daily schedule change for a monthly/yearly plan?

•  How and why is a teenager’s schedule different from a parent’s/guardian’s schedule?

 

Assignment Format ...

1.   Teacher distributes assignment, “My Study Plan”, where students use principles of decision-making and time management to create a three week study plan in preparation for midterm or semester-end exams. Expectations and assessment are clarified.

2.   Each student works with a partner to begin identifying the essential daily activities for their plan.

3.   Students proceed to add flexible daily and weekly activities to their schedules.

4.   Three week plans are drawn up with approximate times for each day. Students must decide what time increments they will plan for. Students enter information on calendar or Student Planner, whichever one is being used.

5.   For the purposes of this assignment students are required to complete a minimum of five hours/week of studying. A specific time of day must be planned.

6.   Students will follow their time plan for three weeks. Each individual keeps a journal of daily activities and times, and has a parent/guardian and the teacher sign after one, two and three weeks.

7.   At the end of three weeks students will submit their original study plan and their journal of activities that have been monitored by parents/teacher/guardians.

8.   Students will also submit a one page reflective summary about their time management skills, how they’ve changed, and any other changes they recognize as a result of their Study Plan.

 

Upon completion of this activity, students will complete a unit test covering information presented in Activities #1 through #6.

 

 

Assessment/Evaluation

 

•  A simple evaluation of teenager and parent/guardian schedules will be used. Schedules are traded among groups and each group assesses the work of two other groups

•  The original individual Study Plans will be evaluated

•  Assessment for completion only will be used for their

   i)    daily journal, complete with initials;

   ii)   reflective summaries

•  Test covering Activities #1 to #6

 

 

Resources

 

Print

1.   Kelly-Plate, J. and Eubanks, E. Today's Teen. 5th edition. Glencoe McGraw-Hill, 1997.

2.   A variety of Student Planners/calendars.

3.   Parents/guardians of students as support monitors for student plans.

 

 

Accommodations

 

•  Teacher will monitor small group structure to ensure the needs of all students are met, especially with respect to student knowledge of family member’s daily activities.

 

 

Activity #7: Class Celebration

 

Time: (minutes):    240 minutes

 

Description

 

By applying the skills acquired from the team building and communication exercises, the class will create an event that utilizes these skills to produce a celebration that recognizes individual differences and strengths and celebrates them. The aim is to have each student contribute in ways that best uses each person’s gifts and to do so in an atmosphere of mutual respect and admiration.

 

 

Strand(s) and Expectations

 

                Strands:  Personal and Social Responsibilities; Social Science Skills

 

                Overall Expectations

 

                By the end of this course, students will:

(PRV.03X) •   understand and apply a variety of problem-solving and decision-making skills, grounded in psychological and sociological studies, to family and social problems

(SSV.03X)     •   demonstrate effective collaborative group skills

 

 

 

                Specific Expectations

 

                By the end of this course, students will:

(PR2.02X)    •   Demonstrate individual and collaborative problem solving skills for home, school and peer situations

                     

(SS3.03X)     •   Demonstrate collaborative problem-solving, conflict management, and planning skills

(SS3.04X)     •   Demonstrate the ability to set achievable group goals and for each group member to make an equal contribution

 

Planning Notes

 

•  The actual form the celebration takes will be dependent on the skills, interests, ethnocultural and religious heritage of the students. The purpose, is to create a celebration, not to follow a given format. The celebration must utilize whatever skills the students have. The teacher is basically only a facilitator at this point.

•  If food is part of this celebration and the students will be producing it in class, then lessons on kitchen safety must be taught at this point in the course before they begin cooking.

•  Regardless of the type of celebration, all safety issues tied to their choices must be identified and discussed prior to the celebration.

•  A mark is assigned to each question so that students know how much information they should give for each question.

 

Prior Knowledge Required

 

The skills acquired in all previous activities.

 

Teaching/Learning Strategies

 

1.   As a class, the students must decide on an appropriate format for this celebration. Suggestions include a sit down meal created by the students, a field trip or a class project. The possibilities must be discussed until group consensus occurs.

2.   Once the form of the activity has been chosen, a list of tasks must be decided. Suggestions here include: (the possibilities should correspond to students’ skills)

•  food preparation,

•  create decorations,

•  setting up and taking down decorations,

•  recording the event (e.g., pictures, videotape, keep a planning journal).

•  adding a surprise feature (e.g., thank you notes for each student or naming their gifts)

•  providing entertainment for the event, etc.

3.   Once the tasks are all clearly outlined, each task will be assigned by personal preference and negotiation.

4.   Once the tasks are assigned, each individual creates her/his own task list complete with timelines in keeping with the broad overall timelines. The teacher will check these timelines to be sure they are reasonable and achievable.

5.   If food preparation in a lab facility is part of the celebration, teacher must provide instruction on safety and sanitary procedures.

6.   Each person carries out, alone or in their assigned groups, the tasks they have chosen.

7.   After the event, the following questions will be considered individually and in groups:

      Be very specific in your answers.

•  What did you like about this event?

•  What did you learn about yourself and others in your group?

•  What role(s) did you play in the group? How did you personally contribute to the success of this event?

•  How did you feel about playing the role you played?

•  What things did others do that you are not good at doing yourself?

•  Do you feel everyone pulled their weight? How did you feel about that?

•  If you were to do a similar activity, what changes would you make? Why?

•  Do you have any other concerns or thoughts?

 

Assessment/Evaluation

 

•  Summative evaluation of the above questions.

 

Resources

 

•  The resources required will depend on the chosen activity. Part of the value of the activity is having the students discover the resources they need to carry out their part of the event.

•  Boyden, J. Families Celebration and Hope in a World of Change. UNESCO, Double Day Canada Ltd., 1993, ISBN 0-385-25430-X.

 

Accommodations

 

•  Students with physical restrictions will need to be assigned roles which do not require activities outside of their abilities.

•  Teacher will modify group structure to ensure that the needs of all students are met.

 

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