ACTIVITY ONE

This activity is a nice activity to use at the start of the school year. It can be drawn out over several days.

Purpose

Students sometimes do not understand why we have a rule and therefore do not respect the rule. If students take part in making their own rules, they may find them easier to follow.

Materials

paper, pencils, blank overhead sheets, overhead markers, poster boards, markers, poster paint and many types of art supplies, sets of stencil letters, a list of rules from various public places (popular children's restaurants, skating rink, public swimming pool, the mall, an arcade, a public park, etc.), The Allen Parker Slave Narrative (Chapter 2 excerpt)

Procedures

1. Read the book The Nitty-Gritty of Family Life by Joy Wilt aloud to the students. Stop often to check for understanding and to probe students about upcoming events in the book.

2. Have each student take about five or ten minutes to write down some rules they have at home.

3. Split the class into groups of three or four students. Each group needs a piece of paper and a pencil.

4. In each group, assign a speaker, a time-keeper, a recorder, and (in groups of four) a materials person.

5. Give the groups about ten minutes to compare and contrast their rules at home with their group members.

6. Write this question on the board: "Why do we need rules?"

7. Give the groups fifteen minutes or so to discuss this question.

8. The recorder in each group should write on a piece of paper about five reasons.

9. Give each speaker of the group a few minutes to discuss their groupıs reasons and with the teacherıs leadership, narrow these down to just a few general reasons for the class.

10. Lead a discussion about other places where rules are established and must be followed. Refer back to the book for examples.

11. Then read an excerpt from The Allen Parker Slave Narrative (Chapter 2).

(A bit of background information on slavery may need to be given before actually reading this excerpt so the students will be able to comprehend the text.)

"Sam would go again and find Sue and they would spend the evening together and from that time would be considered as man and wife. But each would continue a slave and must do his or her masterıs bidding no matter how much it might conflict with their own ideas of right and wrong. In due time the cabin would be built and would be considered as the home of Sue, and also of Sam, whenever he could get permission of his master to leave the plantation or whenever he could manage to steal away without leave. It should be remembered that no slave was allowed to be off the plantation after sunset, without a written pass from either his master or mistress."

12. Discuss with the students the lives families who were slaves led and the rules they had to obey. Compare the lives of the slave families and their rules to the lives of the studentsı families and rules.

13. Each group needs an overhead sheet and an overhead marker.

14. Within the groups, have students come up with 10-12 classroom rules that they have had in the past or think are necessary for a classroom. (Remind students to take this seriously because it will affect their lives for the rest of the year.)

15. The recorder should record these on the overhead sheet.

16. The teacher should go to the chalkboard. The speaker of each group will take turns putting their sheet on the overhead and discussing each with the class. The teacher should write each new rule on the board.

17. Discuss the rules on the board with the entire class. With the help of the class, narrow down the rules by combining them. (Some of them may fall under the same categories.) Try to end up with about 4 to 6 general rules. Try not to end up with negative words in the rules such as "don't" or "no."

18. Have each student write down the narrowed down rules.

19. Students take home their list and think about what the rules mean and how they can make the class run smoothly using the rules. The next day, allow for discussion of any clarification questions or comments on the rules the class created. The final step is letting the class vote to accept or reject their rules.

20. Before class the next day, the teacher types the rules in a contract form that the students can sign. Have a copy for each student and keep the signed copy on file.

21. With poster boards and various art supplies, each group of student needs to make an attractive sign for the room stating these rules.

22. Within each group, have students come up with lunchroom and playground rules using what theyıve learned. Next to each rule, students should give a two to three sentence explanation on their reasoning for each rule.

23. After creating rules, the next step could be to discuss and establish fair consequences that will follow if such rules are broken.

24. After deciding on which rules and consequences were fair for school, begin to discuss rules and consequences for other places. Give each group copies of lists of rules from public places.

25. Discuss the rules and consequences described in the Allen Parker Slave Narrative. How are they different than rules that we live by today?

26. Within their groups, they should discuss these rules and decide why they think the rules are important.

27. Discussion: Write this question on the board: "Why are these rules important?" "Is it ever ok to break a rule?" As a class, discuss how they would answer these questions.

Possible Journal Topics

What is a rule you have at home that you have a problem following? Why do you think you have this problem? What do you think each rule means? How should you go about following these rules? Where is some place you hang out? What are the rules there and why do you think they are important to that place?