Title: Dilemma Activity & Sizing People Up Discussion Description: These two short activities will provide a way
to tie into our IB unit question, How do I find my way to do the right thing? Instruction Time: 30 minutes Iowa Standards: SL.7.1. Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in
groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 7 topics, texts, and issues, building on others ideas and expressing their own clearly. Come to discussions prepared, having read or researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to probe and reflect on ideas under discussion. Pose questions that elicit elaboration and respond to others questions and comments with relevant observations and ideas that bring the discussion back on topic as needed.
Resources: Dilemma prompts, Sizing Up prompts Learning Objectives: Students will engage in collaborative discussion and contribute their opinions on dilemma situations/ Sizing Up prompts within the context of The Outsiders. Essential Question: How do I find my way to do the right thing? Purpose/Reasoning: These prompts are based of similar situations that we have read within The Outsiders. They will also be prompted to think about qualities they look for in friends and how this relates to our essential question for the unit. Procedures: 1. Students will be given instructions. There will be 5 numbers in the classroom. We will read a handful of qualities that someone might look for in a friend. The students will have to determine by importance (one being low and five being high) where the fall on the scale. After each reading, I will request that students share out their reasoning. 2. We will continue to do this until it appears that students are losing their concentration. I will highlight my favorite/most important characteristics ahead of time and make sure to accomplish those. 3. After this activity, students will return to their seats for a journal check in. In order to hold students accountable for this activity, I will have a journal prompt that will enable them to reflect on their choices. Questions: Which of the qualities above are the most superficial? Which tell you something of true significance about the person? Two of Each: o Superficial o Significant
Which one of these qualities would you want to be judged by? Which would you not want to be judged by?
This will also flow into our next activity that involves different real life dilemmas that they may face. 4. For these dilemmas, we will do a think/pair/share. I will give each student a different colored dilemma (at random). Before they meet with their groups, they will journal about this dilemma in their spirals. When they are finished, they will be instructed to go find their group color. The group will be given a list of questions (see attached) to help move their discussion. After they discuss their dilemma, we will have a share time. What the students will not know is that some of their groups will have the same dilemma. We will compare and contrast the different reactions to the dilemmas. What was different? What was the same? 5. For closure, again students will have two or three minutes to answer a final question in their spiral. (see attached).
Dilemmas
Group 1:
Group 2:
A teenager with a knife approaches you and The group you hang around has been demands you give him or her your new bullying a boy at school. The boy is hurtingiPhone. What are you going to do? and you can tell. Your group expects you to go along with it. What do you do? Group 3: Group 4:
A teenager with a knife approaches you and The group you hang around has been demands you give him or her your new bullying a boy at school. The boy is hurtingiPhone. What are you going to do? and you can tell. Your group expects you to go along with it. What do you do? Group 1: Group 2:
A teenager with a knife approaches you and The group you hang around has been demands you give him or her your new bullying a boy at school. The boy is hurtingiPhone. What are you going to do? and you can tell. Your group expects you to go along with it. What do you do? Group 3: Group 4:
A teenager with a knife approaches you and The group you hang around has been demands you give him or her your new bullying a boy at school. The boy is hurtingiPhone. What are you going to do? and you can tell. Your group expects you to go along with it. What do you do?
Group Dilemma Questions: 1. Share your response with your group. 2. Are your responses similar? What is different? What is the same? 3. What are the pros/cons of your different responses? 4. Pick a response that the entire group is okay with. Come to a general consensus to share with the class. Remember, you can only share ONE response.
Ticket Out: Please respond to the following in your spiral: Was it difficult to choose one response to your dilemma with your group? Why or why not? After speaking with your classmates and listening in the group discussion, did your original response change at all? Why or why not?
