We recently received some feedback that teachers are finding our lesson plans useful.
We can send you these in a word document which is easier to use.
Just write to rosemarypattison@yahoo.com.au for a copy :)))
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Tag Archives: lesson plan
Taking Action
Lesson plan for teachers
Book “George went to see the Prime Minister”
Concept:
Being aware of others less fortunate, demonstrates the development of our emotional intelligence and sense of social justice through empathy. Sometimes we are aware of situations that, though they are very upsetting, we cannot do anything about them. It is also important to be aware of current issues that affect our planet and the people on it.
In the book George went to see the Prime Minister, George is ‘taking action’, she is ‘doing something about’, the issue of ethical buying. In our real world (not the children’s story) we don’t have someone in charge of the whole world who can make changes. We can, however make some small changes ourselves or we can alert others in power, about issues. For the sake of the learning, we will assume there is a Prime Minister of the World.
Lesson plan
As a group, read “George went to see the Prime Minister”
Go back to the page where George is telling her father that she is going to see the Prime Minister of the World.
Class discussion:
Teachers, select some issues to discuss (select issues which don’t take away from your students’ childhood innocence but that will help them develop a social conscience). You can probably think of many but if not, here are some random suggestions (or you might select some as a class by having an initial discussion):
- Give them a scenario of someone in their local neighbourhood that doesn’t look after their dog. The owner doesn’t feed it enough and it is cold at night. What could be done?
- Turtles main food is jelly fish. They often get confused when they see a plastic bag and eat it which makes them sick
- Weed spraying – in our local park or school. What are the benefits? What are could be done instead?
As a class discuss some of these issues.
Group task:
Divide into small groups or pairs. Ask each group or pair to write a one page letter, to the Prime Minister of the World about the issue following these headings:
What is the issue?
Why is it a problem?
What might the solution be?
(Don’t worry too much about inaccuracies. It is more important to get them thinking about the fact that they can actually take some action about an issue that is worrying them.)
Parents – this is a family activity
Book “George went to see the Prime Minister”
Concept:
Being aware of others less fortunate, demonstrates the development of our emotional intelligence and sense of social justice through empathy. Sometimes we are aware of situations that, though they are very upsetting, we cannot do anything about them. It is also important to be aware of current issues that affect our planet and the people on it.
In the book George went to see the Prime Minister, George is ‘taking action’, she is ‘doing something about’, the issue of ethical buying. In our real world (not the children’s story) we don’t have someone in charge of the whole world who can make changes. We can, however make some small changes ourselves or we can alert others in power, about issues. For the sake of the learning, we will assume there is a Prime Minister of the World.
Family activity
As a family, read “George went to see the Prime Minister”
Go back to the page where George is telling her father that she is going to see the Prime Minister of the World.
Family discussion:
Parents or grandparents, select some issues to discuss (select issues which don’t take away from your children’s childhood innocence but that will help them develop a social conscience). You can probably think of many but if not, here are some random suggestions (or you might select some as a family by having an initial discussion):
- Give them a scenario of someone in their local neighbourhood that doesn’t look after their dog. The owner doesn’t feed it enough and it is cold at night. What could be done?
- Turtles main food is jelly fish. They often get confused when they see a plastic bag and eat it which makes them sick
- Weed spraying – in our local park or school. What are the benefits? What are could be done instead?
As a family discuss some of these issues.
Task:
Develop a one page letter as a family, to the Prime Minister of the World (if you actually know who might have some influence about this then write to that person, or Council etc – if not you could use the scenario that there is a Prime Minister of the World) about the issue following these headings:
What is the issue?
Why is it a problem?
What might the solution be?
(Don’t worry too much about inaccuracies. It is more important to get them thinking about the fact that they can actually take some action about an issue that is worrying them.)
Making informed decisions
Lesson
Book “George and the problem of food”
Concept:
Thinking about how we make decisions. As we live in this fast world, with so many options we need to develop our young people’s critical thinking.
In the story, “George and the problem of food”, George is alerted to the problem of food. The problem is so large that she takes some time to sit in the old oak tree to think about where to start. She eventually decides that the problem is too big for one person so she calls for help from her friends. That was the right decision for her.
Lesson plan
As a group, read “George and the problem of food”
Go back to the page where George is sitting in the old oak tree and give the students time to absorb the concept.
Class discussion:
Why did George go to sit in the old oak tree?
What can we imagine she is thinking?
Ask your students to think about what they would do if the Prime Minister asked them to solve such a big problem. Get them to share, prompt them with the following (there are no right or wrong answers, it’s about your students getting to know how to make decisions in a way that is best for them).
Are they someone who would prefer
- To sit in a tree?
- To sit at their desk and write notes or draw diagrams?
- To talk to other people?
- To lie on their bed?
- To try out a few models with leggo or something like leggo?
Individual task:
Ask your students to create a drawing of themselves making a decision if they were in a situation like the one George was faced with.
At the end of the class ask the students to describe the drawing as they pin them up around the room.
(This concept can be revisited whenever students are asked to make decisions. Keep in mind that some will change their strategy to try out different ways).
Family activity
Book “George and the problem of food”
Concept:
Thinking about how we make decisions. As we live in this fast world, with so many options we need to develop our young people’s critical thinking.
In the story, “George and the problem of food”, George is alerted to the problem of food. The problem is so large that she takes some time to sit in the old oak tree to think about where to start. She eventually decides that the problem is too big for one person so she calls for help from her friends. That was the right decision for her.
Family activity
As a family, read “George and the problem of food”
Go back to the page where George is sitting in the old oak tree and give the students time to absorb the concept.
Family discussion:
Why did George go to sit in the old oak tree?
What can we imagine she is thinking?
Ask your young people to think about what they would do if the Prime Minister asked them to solve such a big problem. Get them to share, prompt them with the following (there are no right or wrong answers, it’s about your young people getting to know how to make decisions in a way that is best for them).
Are they someone who would prefer
- To sit in a tree?
- To sit at their desk and write notes or draw diagrams?
- To talk to other people?
- To lie on their bed?
- To try out a few models with leggo or something like leggo?
Next time your young person needs to make a decision (eg do they go to a friend’s house to play or do they watch their sibling perform in a concert? Do they begin music lessons, or do they take up a sport?)
Suggest some of the strategies above to support them in making the decision.
Looking after our planet – lesson plan
Hey teachers, here’s a great way to engage your students to care about our planet:
Concept:
Focusing on the need to be continually looking after our planet and thinking about the future.
In our story, “George and the problem of food” the friends worked for many long hours and for days and nights to fix the problem of food. It was such an effort that they decided to work on the problem of food more often.
Lesson plan
As a group, read George and the problem of food.
If you don’t have a vegetable garden for your class, it is a good idea to create one. Just creating a vegetable patch applies the learning. Your students will be able to plant vegetables and watch them grow. If you already have vegetables growing, then to apply the learning follow these steps:
- Do an audit of the vegetables growing
- What is currently growing in the patch?
- When will each of the different varieties be ready to eat?
- Create a class calendar and write in (or draw) the vegetables that will be ready to eat on each month
- Select a month when nothing will be ready to eat
- Select and plant a vegetable that will be ready to eat in that month
If a vegetable garden is not an option for you, then you could think of planting herbs in pots, or alfalfa sprouts!
