Included is an example of a learning activity that is used to help facilitate teaching of the concept of choices.
Teachers talk to their students about the concept of choice. Choice is defined for them. Students are asked if they can think of a time when they have had to make a choice. Choices mentioned with the class are discussed and summarized on a bulletin board of choices that the students can identify with. At the end of the term, the list of choices is organized by where (school, home or community) the choice situation occurs. Further choice-type classifications could include the person one is with, or the time of day. A reward scheme to recognize the largest student contributors to the list is advised. This can be used as a group or class exercise.
By the end of the term, 100 choices is an expected number to have on the choice board. Reviewing this list on a regular basis serves well to reinforce the large number of choices the child is faced with everyday.
Curriculum 1a4 - Choice
"Perseverance: The Rabbit and the Turtle"
Overview
This lesson will help students begin to understand the concept of choice and choice context while exploring the idea of "perseverance".
Objectives
- The students will discuss and learn what it means to make a choice.
- The students will begin to comprehend that everyone has choices as demonstrated by the characters in this story.
- The students will become aware that hard work pays off in the end.
Materials
Manila paper
Crayons/art supplies
Procedure - (A) Group Discussion
1. Ask the following questions: "Can you think of a time when you may have made a not-so-good choice? What happened? What do you think would have been a better choice? Why?"
2. Read Lesson story 1a4 "The Rabbit and the Turtle" to the class. Ask the children to listen very closely to what happens.
(An adaptation of Aesop's Fables as translated by George Fyler
Townsend) It was a bright, sunny summer day in the forest. The birds were
singing and happy. The grass was green and the trees were blowing in
the wind. The animals were out enjoying the summer day. Up on the hill
was a mother Fox, watching her children play. Prancing happily down a path was a Rabbit. Coming very slowly along
the same path, from the other direction, was a Turtle. When they met, the Rabbit laughed at the Turtle. The Rabbit made fun
of the short feet and slow pace of the Turtle. The Turtle said, "I'm in no hurry, I'm just enjoying the day." The Rabbit said, "It can't be any fun going that slow, you can't get
anywhere at that slow speed." The Turtle replied, "Though you may be swift as the wind, I will
beat you in a race." The Rabbit laughed out loud, believing losing a
race to the Turtle was impossible. The Rabbit asked, "Are you serious about this race?" "Yes," said the Turtle, "And, would you like to race for something,
say, a bunch of carrots?" "Sure" replied the Rabbit. He couldn't believe his luck! It would be
easy to beat the Turtle, he thought, and he would be given fresh
carrots to eat after his victory. "Okay," said the Turtle, "I will meet you tomorrow and I will beat
you in a race." The Rabbit and the Turtle agreed that the mother Fox would choose
the course for their race and determine the finish line. They agreed to
both bring a bunch of carrots and meet the next morning to race. That evening, both the Turtle and the Rabbit gathered up a big bunch
of carrots to bring to the race. The Rabbit knew he would not need his,
because he was certain to win, but he promised, so he collected them
anyway. That evening, the Rabbit looked at the big bunch of carrots he
collected, and began nibbling on them. He ate and ate, until they were
all gone. As they had agreed, the next morning both the Turtle and the Rabbit
were ready to race. The mother Fox had marked a long racecourse, over
three miles long. The Turtle brought his carrots, but the Rabbit did
not, for he had eaten them all the night before. The Rabbit promised
the mother Fox, that if he lost, he would go get a bunch of carrots for
the Turtle the next day. They agreed, and the mother Fox started the
race. The Turtle started at his slow, steady pace. The Rabbit pranced down
the path, showing off, ever increasing his speed, and laughing at how
slow the Turtle was moving. The Rabbit ran ahead, but the more he ran,
the sicker he became. The carrots he had eaten most of the night had
made him sick. The Rabbit decided to lie down and rest a minute until
he felt better. While lying down, he closed his eyes and fell asleep. At last waking up, the Rabbit raced to the finish line, to find that
the slow Turtle, who had never stopped, had won the race. And the Fox
reminded all those who had watched, that "slow and steady wins the
race."The Rabbit and the Turtle
3. Ask if the children understand what this story is about. Additional questions might be as follows: "Who can tell me what happened to the Rabbit?" Raise your hand if you think the Rabbit was wise to race that day. How about the Turtle? Why? How many think it was a not-so-good choice for the Rabbit to take a nap? Why?
4. Discuss choices and what it means to make a choice. (Write on the board in large letters - CHOICES. On the left under the word CHOICES write THIS and on the right under the word CHOICES write THAT.) The Rabbit and the Turtle each had choices to make. Should they race each other or not race? Should they eat the carrots before the race or save the carrots? Should they rest during the race or keep moving?
Procedure - (B) Situation Card: "Perseverance: The Rabbit and the Turtle"
Divide the class into three cooperative learning groups. Or, choose one activity for the entire class to participate in.
Group 1: Role Playing Situation Card "Perseverance: The Rabbit
and the Turtle"
Discuss and role play this scenario, including the
results of each character's choice.
Group 2: Illustration Activity - "Slow and Steady Wins the
Race" Course.
Explain
to the students that they will make a class "Slow and Steady Wins the
Race!" Course. Display a racecourse on a bulletin board and label with
the header "Slow and Steady Wins the Race!" Be sure to include a Rabbit
napping on the side of the course. Hand out drawing paper cut out in
the form of a Turtle. Ask students to illustrate a time when they were
in a situation where they worked hard and chose to stick to it. How did
the situation end? Did they make a good choice? Attach children's
illustrations to the course. Label each student's illustration with the
choice they made; i.e., learned to count to ten.
Group 3: Story Web/GOOD Model Mapping
Lead this group to
discuss the story using a web:
Reminder: The goal is to help children understand choice options, not what choice option to make.
Ask students if they've ever made bad choices. Why did they make those choices? Do they know what would have been a better choice?
Read the story "The Rabbit and the Turtle" aloud to the students.
Ask the students if they understood what the story was about.
Discuss the choices made by the rabbit and the turtle.
- The turtle's choice to race
- The rabbit's choice to stop and take a nap
- The turtle's choice to keep on running the race
Discuss with students whether these were good or not-so-good choices. If they were not-so-good choices, ask students to come up with other choices that would have been better.
For example:
- Should the rabbit have stopped and taken a nap?
- Should the rabbit have taken the race more seriously?