Determining Attributes You Would Want in Friends
created by Richard Nelson
Grade: 4
Critical Challenge:
To determine and describe attributes you would want in your friends.
Overview:
Students may have a limited view of their responsibilities with regard to their interactions with others. They may not have considered how their personal attributes are valued by the people they associate with, or how they benefit from the strengths that their friends and family share with them. This critical challenge is aimed at increasing self awareness and an appreciative awareness of others.
Requisite tools:
Background Knowledge:
From reading, role play, discussion, and reflection students will develop a vocabulary and an awareness of the variety of personal attributes different people have.
Criteria for Judgement:
What personal attributes benefit others.
What behaviours can people engage in to help others.
Thinking Strategies:
Students will identify and rank their interests, skills, and strengths by:
- interviewing and being interviewed by a friend
- writing about their strengths, interests, skills, and abilities
- illustrating their personal vision through collage art
Students will demonstrate an awareness and appreciation of other's skills, abilities and strengths by:
- writing about someone whose skills or abilities they appreciate
- creating Venn diagrams to illustrate similarities and differences between people in terms of skills and abilities.
- role playing imaginary interpersonal situations
- use a T-chart to compare what I did well to what could I improve on?
Habits of Mind:
- students will be expected to willingly engage the process
- share interests, skill, strengths, and abilities with classmates
- demonstrate an appreciation for the abilities and strengths they appreciate in others
Suggested Activities:
Students will be invited to analyse examples of interpersonal relationships drawn from story through discussion, brainstorming, T-charts, and Venn diagrams. Role play activities will involve the students in imaginary situations where they will have a chance to experience situations and try strategies for negotiating interpersonal relationships in a safe setting (i.e. use Second Step materials). Once the students have been exposed to a set of behaviour models and a vocabulary of relationship terms they will be equipped to identify their own roles and responsibilities in family and community. Students will be encouraged to explore ways that they behave with thought and care toward others. Students will be given the opportunity to assess their personal attributes and also to recognize attributes that they value in others.
Assessment/ Evaluation:
Students can be assessed by observation on their participation in the class activities such as interviewing and role playing. Evidence of their engagement of the self inventories of interests, skills, and abilities can be collected through written, diagrammatic, and artistic expression.
Extension:
Students could be encouraged to write a description of their ideal friend. They could be challenged to do some goal setting aimed at improving their interpersonal skills or expanding their interests. The class could set up a program to recognize people in the class, school, or community who they see as exhibiting special strengths. Each student in the class could be recognized by the whole for their greatest strength, skill, or ability.