Building A Classroom Community Through Character Education

Unit Overview

Context:

In this unit, students explore through a variety of drama strategies Character Education traits such as Kindness, Empathy and Respect. Using a familiar tale, students will have opportunities to make personal connections and build comprehension in response to the story. As they explore these traits the students will share personal experiences and make connections to the classroom community and the world.

Summary:

In this unit, students will participate in a variety of drama activities that explore the Character Education traits of Kindness, Respect, and Empathy. Students will tell personal stories and use tableau and movement to represent these stories and examples of these traits. Students and teacher will engage in whole group role play to problem solve and explore the perspectives of other characters to deepen their understanding of kindness, friendship and helping others.

Overall Expectations

B1. Creating and Presenting: apply the creative process to dramatic play and process drama, using the elements and conventions of drama to communicate feelings, ideas, and stories

B2. Reflecting, Responding, and Analysing: apply the critical analysis process to communicate feelings, ideas, and understandings in response to a variety of drama works and experiences

Unit Guiding Questions

Why is it important to be kind to others?

How can I be kind and empathetic and respectful in my own life?

How does working in drama help me to better understand these traits?

How or to whom do I ask for help and support and kindness?

Lesson Guiding Questions

Lesson 1: Kindness

In what ways are we kind to others?

How might we demonstrate kindness?

Lesson 2: Kindness and Respect

How can we help others solve problems?

How does role playing help us to better understand kindness and respect?

Lesson 3: Empathy

How does role playing help us to solve problems when someone asks for help?

How do I better understand someone by empathizing with their situation?

Lesson 4: Dramatizing a story about Kindness and Respect

Why is co-operating with others important when dramatizing a story?

How can I be respectful of my friends?

Lesson 5: Co-operation and Responsibility

What can I learn about the real world from doing drama?

How do we feel when we help others?

How do we encourage or convince others to be helpful?

Assessment and Evaluation: How will students demonstrate their learning?
Assessment for Learning	Observation of students in discussion, both in whole group and pairs, to determine prior knowledge and understanding of concepts. Examine representation of ideas through art.
Assessment as Learning	Check Point #1/Lesson 1 Anecdotal Observation and Side Coaching Tableau Rubric Check Point #2/Lesson 2 Anecdotal Observation and Side Coaching Role-play rubric Check Point #3/Lesson 3 Anecdotal Observation and Side Coaching Role Play Rubric Check Point #4 /Lesson 4 Anecdotal Observation and Side Coaching Tableau Rubric Check Point #5 /Lesson 5 Anecdotal Observation and Side Coaching Participation Checklist Role-play Rubric
Assessment of learning	Culminating Performance Activity Students will be assessed at the end of each lesson using a variety of Rubrics and Checklists. Students will be assessed at the end of the unit using the Checklist for Participation.

Unit Lessons: How will assessment and instruction be organized for learning?		Approx. Duration 1 class=_55__ minutes
Lesson 1	Kindness Students explore the Character Education trait of Kindness and relate it to their personal experiences, classroom community and world. Students explore the convention of tableau, creating an imaginary setting where examples of Kindness are shared. In tableau, students will focus on being able to freeze on a signal, express ideas and feelings and use levels.	1 class
Lesson 2	Kindness and Respect Students continue to explore Kindness and relate it to their personal experiences, classroom community and world. They will demonstrate how to be respectful participants and audience members through listening and responding to a story. The students will go into role to solve a problem.	1 class
Lesson 3	Empathy Students explore the Character Education trait of Empathy and relate it to their personal experiences, classroom community and world. The students will explore the concept by playing a cooperative game and engaging in a whole group role play. Out of role, students will brainstorm answers to key questions and apply their ideas in role.	1 class
Lesson 4	Dramatizing a Story about Kindness and Respect Students explore the Character Education trait of Responsibility and relate it to their personal experiences, classroom community and world. The students will engage in tableau work, illustrating chores that they can be responsible for in the classroom. Students will discuss their participation in drama by completing a Star and a Wish activity.	1 class
Lesson 5	Co-operation and Responsibility Students explore the Character Education trait of Perseverance and relate it to their personal experiences, classroom community and world. Students will work through the creative process by creating a structure from limited materials. They will discuss how they had to persevere to complete the task. Finally they will create a "Helping Hands Mural" to express their learning about kindness, respect, co-operation and empathy.	1 class
	Total Classes	5 classes

Lesson 1 - Kindness

Critical Learning	Guiding Questions
In this lesson, students will explore the Character Education trait of Kindness and relate it to their personal experiences, classroom community and world. Students will explore the convention of tableau by creating an imaginary setting where incidents of Kindness are shared.	In what ways are we kind to others? How might we demonstrate Kindness? Do you know any stories of people being kind?
Curriculum Expectations	Learning Goals
B1.1 engage in dramatic play and role play, with a focus on exploring a variety of sources from diverse communities, times, and places B1.2 demonstrate an understanding of the element of character by adopting thoughts, feelings, and gestures relevant to the role being played B1.3 plan and shape dramatic play by building on the ideas of others, both in and out of role B2.1 express feelings and ideas about a drama experience or performance in a variety of ways, making personal connections to the characters and themes in the story B2.2 demonstrate an understanding of how the element of character/role is used in shared classroom drama experiences and theatre to communicate meaning	At the end of the lesson, students will be able to: Demonstrate and recognize acts of kindness Freeze and use levels in tableau Demonstrate the qualities of a respectful performer and audience member
Instructional Components
Readiness Students need to have a positive classroom climate with pre-established classroom routines, and should be familiar with demonstrating attentive listening, cooperation, collaboration, problem solving, and questioning skills. They should have an understanding of community and know that they belong to the school community. Terminology Character Kindness Community of Learners Tableau Levels Frozen Statues Group Sculpture	Materials Any board sponsored material that depicts its unique approach to Character Education (e.g. Character Matters) Visual arts materials (paper, paints, crayons, construction paper) BLM#2 Tableau Rubric

Approximately 15 minutes Minds On	Pause and Ponder
Whole Class > Review of Learning Goal Post on chart paper the word Kindness. Prompt: Today we are going to explore what it means to be kind. When/how are we kind to others? When/how are others kind to us? Whole Class > Brainstorm Display T chart with the following two headings: I am kind when... / Someone is kind to me when...Invite students to share their response to each of the sentence stems. Record ideas on the chart. Pairs > Personal Storytelling Model the activity by telling a personal story of kindness (e.g. the time that I shovelled an elderly neighbour's walk). Encourage students to share their stories of kindness with their partners. Invite volunteers to share their stories with the whole class.	Assessment for Learning (AfL) Observe student engagement and understanding during the discussion of kindness. Use the tableau rubric (BLM #2) to assess understanding of tableau. Assessment as Learning (AaL) Use the class discussion and visual art activity to encourage students to make connections between the concept of courage and their lives, community and world. Differentiation DI Flexible groupings throughout the lesson. Opportunities for students to use kinaesthetic and verbal modes of expression are within the lesson. Quick Tip To activate prior experience, encourage students to consider stories of kindness between friends, in families and with teachers. Remind students to share stories that they are comfortable sharing in public and will not make them sad. Link and Layer Create a word wall of vocabulary related to kindness to consolidate learning and as an anchor chart for future lessons.
Approximately 20 minutes Action!
Whole Class > Images of Kindness Invite students to walk about the room independently. Inform students that you will call out different acts of kindness from the list. Tell students to make a frozen statue depicting each act of kindness. Examples: walking the dog, cleaning your room, helping in the kitchen, playing with your baby brother, etc. Whole Class > Tableau > Wiggle Freeze Explain the concept of tableau as a frozen picture that can be used to depict a story. Explain the concept of low, medium and high levels when creating frozen pictures. Introduce the game Wiggle Freeze. Invite students to walk around in a circle. On a signal, the students must freeze in position. Next, have the children walk about the room again and, on signal, call out the following directions: Freeze and plant a seed (low level) Freeze and smells the roses (medium level) Freeze and reach for an apple from the tree (high level) Small Group > Tableau of Stories of Kindness Working in groups of three or four, students create a tableau to portray a kindness story. Remind students to include everyone in the frozen picture. Remind students to use different levels. Invite volunteers to show their tableaux to others. This activity can be repeated with partners switching places in the tableau. Invite one half of the class to share the tableaux and statues with the other half and switch. Whole Class > Reflecting through Discussion Following the sharing of the tableaux, students discuss the tableaux. Key Questions for Discussion What did you see in the picture? Who was being kind? What did you like about the tableaux? What is kindness? How do we know when someone is kind? Why is it important to be kind?
Approximately 20 minutes Consolidation
Individual > Pictures of Kindness Have students create illustrations that tell stories of kindness. They may use ideas from the chart or the tableaux they created for their pictures. Instruct students to create a title for the piece. Whole Class > Sharing Post student artwork on the classroom wall and gather as a class community to share work. Consider brainstorming words related to kindness (e.g. generous, helping, caring,etc.) and posting them near the artwork for future reference.

Lesson 2 - Kindness and Respect

Critical Learning	Guiding Questions
Students will continue to explore the Character Education trait of Kindness by listening and responding to a story. Students will deepen their understanding of caring, helping and friendship and work towards exploring other character education traits such as respect and empathy.	In what ways can we show friendship? How do you show kindness to a friend? How/who do we ask for help?
Curriculum Expectations	Learning Goals
B1.1 engage in dramatic play and role play, with a focus on exploring a variety of sources from diverse communities, times, and places B1.2 demonstrate an understanding of the element of character by adopting thoughts, feelings, and gestures relevant to the role being played B1.3 plan and shape dramatic play by building on the ideas of others, both in and out of role B2.1 express feelings and ideas about a drama experience or performance in a variety of ways, making personal connections to the characters and themes in the story B2.2 demonstrate an understanding of how the element of character/role is used in shared classroom drama experiences and theatre to communicate meaning B2.3 identify and give examples of their strengths, interests, and areas for improvement as drama participants and audience members	At the end of this lesson, students will be able to: Demonstrate and appropriately acknowledge respectful behaviour Role play to solve a problem Interpret a story using movement and sound
Instructional Components
Readiness Students need to have a positive classroom climate with pre-established classroom routines, and should be familiar with demonstrating attentive listening, cooperation, collaboration, problem solving, and questioning skills. They should have an understanding of community and know that they belong to the school community. Terminology Character Education Respect Gesture	Materials Any board sponsored material that depicts its unique approach to Character Education (e.g. Character Matters) CD Player Instrumental Music Chart paper and markers BLM #1 Little Red Hen BLM #3 Role Play Rubric

Approximately 20 minutes Minds On	Pause and Ponder
Whole Class > Brainstorming Tell students that they are going to listen to a story about helping others. Brainstorm a list of people that they could go to in the school and/or community if they needed help. Prompt: In what ways could each of these people help? Whole Class > Role Playing to Problem Solve Tell the children that together we are going to work to solve problems. Teacher in role explains that her kitten has climbed up the tree and can't get down. Encourage students to give advice about who she should go to for help. What kind of help can they expect from each person? Small group > Improvisation Divide students into small groups to create a short improvisation illustrating how they could save the kitten.	Assessment for Learning (AfL) Observe students role playing and problem solving, side coach small groups creating improvisations. Assessment as Learning (AaL) Use the class discussion and brainstorming to encourage students to think about kindness and respect in their own lives and how kindness and respect are important in the school and the community. Differentiation (DI) Use various size groupings to include all students. Allow students to respond orally. Have students present their improvisations, or have students create a tableau that comes to life on a signal from the teacher. Use a tambourine or music to enhance the movement. Quick Tip Review the concept of whole group role play and teacher in role with the class. Together, create a checklist of what a successful role play looks like and use this list as an anchor chart throughout the lesson. Children may readily volunteer to help the hen or not. Encourage children to justify their position. Link and Layer Incorporate math by displaying survey results in a graph.
Approximately 20 minutes Action!
Whole Class > Making Predictions Tell the children that you are going to read a story about friends helping or not helping each other. The main character in the story is a hen. Ask students what kind of help a hen might need and who might she ask to give her help. Whole Class > Teacher Read Aloud Read the beginning of the story Little Red Hen (BLM #1) and pause at the description of the wheat. Invite the students to discuss the characters and the main problem in the story at this point. Whole class > Exploring Movement and Sound Invite students to move to a space on the floor. Instruct students on a signal to grow from a very tiny seed into wheat in 10 seconds and then back to a seed in 10 seconds. Repeat in a 5 second time limit. Instruct the students to move as wheat in the summer breeze, in a spring rainstorm, in the autumn wind. Invite students to add sound as they move i.e, add the sound of the wind and the breeze and the sounds of the rain and storm as they continue to move. Whole Class > Transformations Invite the students to become one of the Friends of the Red Hen (e.g. cat, dog or goose). On a clapping signal, tell students they are to transform into their selected animal. Instruct the students to move through the space as the animal in silence and freeze on a signal. Repeat and instruct students to find their family (other dogs, etc.) through sound. Teacher in Role > Problem solving: Will you help the Hen? In the role of the farmer, approach each group and ask: What is your job on the farm? Are you going to help the hen? How will you help the hen? Why not? If you could help the hen, what would you do?
Approximately 15 minutes Consolidation
Whole Group > Survey Ask the students who are willing to help the hen to cut the wheat to raise their hands. Record the number on a T chart. Ask the students who are not willing to help the hen to raise their hands. Record the number on the T chart. Draw the students' attention to the most popular vote. Key Questions for Discussion Given the results how should the Little Red Hen proceed? How could she convince her friends to be kind to her and help with the wheat?

Lesson 3 - Empathy

Critical Learning	Guiding Questions
Students will explore the concept of empathy by engaging in a whole group role play. Out of role, they will brainstorm answers to key questions related to the role play. They will debate and share their opinions. They will express their opinions verbally in role and through a visual arts depiction .	How does role playing help us to solve problems when someone asks for help? How do I better understand someone to empathize with their situation?
Curriculum Expectations	Learning Goals
B1.1 engage in dramatic play and role play, with a focus on exploring a variety of sources from diverse communities, times, and places B1.2 demonstrate an understanding of the element of character by adopting thoughts, feelings, and gestures relevant to the role being played B1.3 plan and shape dramatic play by building on the ideas of others, both in and out of role B2.1 express feelings and ideas about a drama experience or performance in a variety of ways, making personal connections to the characters and themes in the story B2.2 demonstrate an understanding of how the element of character/role is used in shared classroom drama experiences and theatre to communicate meaning	At the end of this lesson, students will be able to: Step into role and problem solve Develop a character and participate in dramatic role play to make a decision Consider the feelings of another character and express their understanding through role play and art Articulate what it means to empathize with a character or person
Instructional Components
Readiness Students need to have a positive classroom climate with pre-established classroom routines, and should be familiar with demonstrating attentive listening, cooperation, collaboration, problem solving, and questioning skills. They should have an understanding of community and know that they belong to the school community. Terminology Empathy Whole Group Role Play Teacher in Role	Materials Any board sponsored material that depicts their unique approach to Character Education. (e.g. Character Matters) Newspapers Visual arts materials (paper, paints, crayons, construction paper) Chart paper and markers BLM #1 Little Red Hen BLM #3 Role Play Rubric

Approximately 10 minutes Minds On	Pause and Ponder
Whole Class > Island Game Distribute sheets of newspaper throughout the open playing space. Explain the rules of the game to the students. Have each student start by standing on the newspaper "island." Tell students, they are to hop from island to island avoiding the shark infested waters. They can only stay on one island for a few seconds but mainly they must continue to move. Each time there is an empty island, take one island away. Eventually there will be many students on only one or two pieces of paper. Encourage the students to help each other and fit as many students as possible on an island. Remind students of previous discussions about respect. Remind them to be respectful of body contact when standing close together and emphasize the importance of cooperation. Play the game until there are only two islands left or students are not able to all fit on the remaining paper. Stop the game as the stage is set for the role play. Whole Class > Discussion Gather students together to discuss the game. Key Questions for Discussion What did you like about the game? What didn't you like? How did you help others? How did someone help you? How does it feel to take care of our friends? What might happen if we weren't respectful of each other when playing this game?	Assessment for Learning (AfL) Uses teacher observation and side coaching during this activity. Assessment as Learning (AaL) Use the class discussion and reflection activities in the Consolidation portion of the lesson to gauge student understanding of the concept of empathy. Help students in making connections between the role play and real life situations in which people are confronted with difficult situations. Assessment of Learning Use the Role Play Rubric (BLM #3) to assess students' ability to focus and sustain a role. Differentiation (DI) Encourage inclusiveness, ensuring that children are conscious of all class members' need to belong and be accepted. Quick Tip In the whole group role-play as the Little Red Hen challenge the students to give reasons for their opinions and consider a variety of possibilities i.e. sharing of the bread with conditions for next time etc. Teacher can display students' art work and give students an opportunity to discuss their interpretations and response.
Approximately 30 minutes Action!
Whole Class > Teacher Read Aloud and Discussion Read the story of The Little Red Hen (BLM#1) up to the moment where she decides whether or not to share the bread with her friends. Invite the students to discuss the pattern in the story. Ask the students: What problems did Hen have? Why didn't her friends seem to want to help her? Why did they change their minds at the end of the story? Small Group > Choral Reading Arrange the students into three groups (i.e., dog, cat and goose). Display the words "Not I" on a chart. Reread the story to the children. This time, however, groups join in to recite the line "Not I!" each time their character says this. Instruct the students to change the line of dialogue and the way they say it in unison. (Example: loudly, softly, in an angry voice, in a happy voice etc.) Whole Class > Discussion Draw the students attention to the end of the story when Hen asks, "Who will eat this lovely piece of bread?" and each of the animals respond by saying "I will!" Students can discuss why they think the animals changed their mind and agreed to help the Little Red Hen. Ask the students: Should Hen let her friends eat the bread? Why or why not? Whole Class > Teacher in Role In role as The Little Red Hen, instruct the students to play the role of other animals on the farm. Ask them for advice about what to do about sharing bread. Ask the students: Why do you think they didn't want to help me? What would you do if you were me? Should I be kind to them if they weren't kind to me? Should I share the bread with them or keep it for my chicks? Students can work in role to share their opinions and to offer advice to Little Red Hen.
Approximately 15 minutes Consolidation
Whole Class > Survey Survey the students to determine whether they think Hen should a) share the bread or b) not share the bread. Record answers on a chart. Encourage the students to give reasons for their choices. Independent > Illustrating the story Students create a drawing that would show the end of the story. Teacher Prompts: Will Hen share her bread with everyone? What will the animals do if Hen does not share the bread? Alternatively, some students may wish to create a drawing that shows the animals now being kind to Little Red Hen. What could they do to show their understanding of how she might feel?

Lesson 4 - Dramatizing a Story About Kindness and Respect

Critical Learning

Guiding Questions

In this lesson, students explore the Character Education traits of respect and co-operation and responsibility to each other and the work as they build a play together. The students engage in a co-operative learning/respect activity and deepen their understanding of respect through the discussion. The students synthesize the story to create tableau images following the dramatization.

Why is it important to co-operate with others when dramatizing a story?

How can I show respect to others when working in drama and in the classroom and in my life?

How can I show respect for the performers when I am in the audience?

Curriculum Expectations

Learning Goals

B1.1 engage in dramatic play and role play, with a focus on exploring a variety of sources from diverse communities, times, and places

B1.2 demonstrate an understanding of the element of character by adopting thoughts, feelings, and gestures relevant to the role being played

B1.3 plan and shape dramatic play by building on the ideas of others, both in and out of role

B2.1 express feelings and ideas about a drama experience or performance in a variety of ways, making personal connections to the characters and themes in the story

B2.2 demonstrate an understanding of how the element of character/role is used in shared classroom drama experiences and theatre to communicate meaning

B2.3 identify and give examples of their strengths, interests, and areas for improvement as drama participants and audience members

At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

Retell a story
Communicate various criteria and examples of respect and responsibility
Plan and perform a dramatization of a story
Express the main idea of a story through tableau

Instructional Components

Readiness

Students need to have a positive classroom climate with pre-established classroom routines, and should be familiar with demonstrating attentive listening, cooperation, collaboration, problem solving, and questioning skills. They should have an understanding of community and know that they belong to the school community.

Terminology

Responsibility

Respect

Materials

Any board sponsored material that depicts its unique approach to Character Education (e.g. Character Matters)

A ball of yarn or string

Instrumental Music

CD Player

Chart paper and Markers

BLM #1 Little Red Hen

BLM #2 Tableau Rubric

BLM#4 Participation Rubric

Approximately 15 minutes Minds On	Pause and Ponder
Whole Group > Cooperative Learning Activity Invite the class to sit in a large circle. Stand in the centre, holding a big ball of yarn. Model by saying a student's name and ". . .I like how you help your friends with their Math" and then, holding the end of the yarn, roll the ball of yarn to the student until he or she catches it. The student in turn holds on to their piece of yarn and says "I like how you. . ." to another classmate and rolls the ball again to another student. This repeats until there is a huge spider web of respect and everyone has received and given the yarn at least once. Whole Group > Discussion Facilitate a discussion of how we demonstrate respect to our peers everyday. Key Questions for Discussion: What is respect? How do we show respect in our classroom? School? Community? Why is it important to show respect when we watch others do drama? Does respect look different in different cultures? Can you think of specific gestures that show respect (e.g. shaking hands, making eye contact, bowing, removing your shoes when entering one's home, etc.) What can we do if someone is not being respectful of others?	Assessment for Learning (AfL) Circulate during activities and gather anecdotal observations based on the students' contribution during the various phases of the activity. Encourage self and peer evaluation through the Star and a Wish strategy. Help students make connections between the concept of responsibility and their own lives. Assessment as Learning (AaL) Observe students' cooperative skills as they prepare their dramatization. Who is contributing ideas to the work? How do the students help each other? Use Participation Checklist (BLM#4). Assessment of Learning (AoL) Use BLM #2 to assess students understanding of tableau. Differentiation (DI) By limiting students to one sentence, each should be able to contribute one part of the story. Students, however can have the right to pass. Some students may need assistance with retelling in sequential order. Students can write a reflection sentence or draw a response to the sentence stem. In dramatizing the story, invite students to use objects and materials in the room as props and costumes. Quick Tip To prepare for this activity, the class can brainstorm ways that we can show kindness and respect to our friends. The concept of a compliment can be reinforced by providing models and / or examples. Remind students about the features of a good tableau. How do levels help make a tableaux more interesting?
Approximately 25 minutes Action!
Whole Group > Revisiting the Story Review the story of The Little Red Hen (BLM #1). What was the pattern in the story? What were some different problems that the Hen had? How did the problem get solved? How did we choose to solve the problem in our drama? Whole Group > Retelling the Story Students sit in a circle. Invite students to retell the story with each child contributing one or two sentences in sequential order. Begin by saying "Once there was a Little Red Hen who lived with her chicks and friends cat, dog and goose." The student on the right continues the story, until the story is complete. Small group > Dramatizing the Story Students work in groups of four or five to dramatize the story of The Little Red Hen. To prepare for this activity, the students should decide on the role that they will take i.e. Hen, Dog, Cat, Goose. Some groups may wish to add a narrator to help tell the story. Invite students to create a short play that retells the story of the Little Red Hen. Teacher Prompts: What will each of the characters do? What will each of the characters say? Where will the story take place. Allow time for the students to rehearse the story. Whole class > Sharing the Dramatization One or more groups can volunteer to show their play to the rest of the class. Remind the students of their role as audience members to be respectful of other's work. After each presentation ask the students to tell the performing group what they like about their presentation. Small group > Tableaux Stories Invite each group to tell the story of The Little Red Hen in three frozen pictures. One picture should show the beginning of the story, one the middle and one the end of the story. Remind the students that they won't be speaking or moving in their tableaux scenes. Allow time for the students to prepare their tableaux stories. If ready, groups can share their work with others in the class.
Approximately 15 minutes Consolidation
Whole Class > Reflection The students can discuss what they enjoyed about the activity. Teacher Prompts: Do you think you worked well with your friends as you prepared your play? Did you help others as you dramatized the story together? When did you show kindness and respect to others? Whole Class > Wish and A Star Invite the class to sit in a circle. Going around the circle, have each student share a Star or a Wish for the drama lesson. A Star is something they enjoyed and a Wish is a suggestion for the future, such as a change or improvement. Let students know they also have the right to pass. Independent > Writing a reflection Students can complete the prompt "I showed respect today when..."

Lesson 5 - Co-operation and Responsibility

Critical Learning	Guiding Questions
In this lesson, students explore the Character Education traits of Co-operation and Perseverance and relate it to their personal experiences, classroom community and world. Students work through an activity that demonstrates perseverance. Students respond to each others' work and express their understanding of the unit through the Helping Hands Mural.	What can I learn about the world from participating in drama? What can I do in my life at home, at school, in the community to be helpful? How do we feel when we help others? How do we encourage or convince others to be helpful?
Curriculum Expectations	Learning Goals
B1.1 engage in dramatic play and role play, with a focus on exploring a variety of sources from diverse communities, times, and places B1.2 demonstrate an understanding of the element of character by adopting thoughts, feelings, and gestures relevant to the role being played B1.3 plan and shape dramatic play by building on the ideas of others, both in and out of role B2.1 express feelings and ideas about a drama experience or performance in a variety of ways, making personal connections to the characters and themes in the story B2.2 demonstrate an understanding of how the element of character/role is used in shared classroom drama experiences and theatre to communicate meaning B2.3 identify and give examples of their strengths, interests, and areas for improvement as drama participants and audience members	At the end of this lesson, students will be able to: Explain the qualities of a respectful audience member Collaborate, solve a problem, and test out the solution Respond appropriately to others work Consider how they are responsible and caring people
Instructional Components
Readiness Lessons 1-4. Terminology Lessons 1-4. Perseverance	Materials Any board sponsored material that depicts its unique approach to Character Education (e.g. Character Matters) Construction materials such as paper, straws, scissors, tape, etc. Materials for book making (paper, crayons, etc.) Story about friends and friendship Appendix #1 Character Education Bibliography BLM #5 Helping Hand Outline

Approximately 15 minutes Minds On	Pause and Ponder
Whole Class > Gesture Circle Students stand in a large circle with the teacher and play "follow the leader." Model a gesture (e.g. touching your nose) and freeze it. Invite the student on the right to imitate the gesture. One by one, each student to the right imitates the same gesture, and freezes it so when the circle comes round to the teacher every one is in a frozen position. This repeats with the next child to the right and continues until every child has been the leader. Once students are familiar with this process, repeat the activity, adding the component of music and low, medium and high levels learned in the previous lesson. Remind students of respect for others by ensuring that the movement is seamless and cooperating when someone takes over the lead. Whole Class > Being an Audience As a class, create a list of the qualities of respectful audience behaviour (e.g. facing the performers, direct eye contact, attentive listening, applauding at the end, etc.) Teacher Prompts: Why is it important to show respect when people perform for one another? How can we show our respect when we perform for each other in class? Split the class in half and have one group perform a gesture circle while the other half of the class models respectful audience behaviour. Then, switch so that both groups get to perform and watch.	Assessment for Learning (AfL) Use modelling, observation and side coaching to assist students when creating their gesture circle. Use observation and side coaching to check student engagement and understanding during discussions Assessment as Learning (AaL) Observe students co-operative skills and ability to collaborate as they build the bridge. Side coach to assist them and challenge them in the activity. Differentiation (DI) Allow students to work in various size groups as needed. Quick Tips This lesson could be done in conjunction with older students e.g. Learning Buddies. Giving the student a time limit adds tension to the perseverance activity. This initiative could take place over a three or four week period. Ensure that each student in the class receives a 'helping hand' as the project unfolds. Decide with the class whether it is the teacher only who observes kind behaviour, or can someone report a kind deed that was done to them by someone in the class. Have students decorate their "helping hand."
Approximately 30 minutes Action!
Whole Class > Reading and Discussion Read a story book about friendship and friends (see Appendix #1 Character Education Bibliography for suggestions). As a class discuss how the characters in this story were kind and respectful of one another. Teacher Prompts: How do we know that they were friends? In what ways did these friends cooperate? How does this story compare to The Little Red Hen? Small Group > Building a Bridge Form students into mixed ability groups of 3 or 4. Give each group a variety of construction materials (e.g. straws, paper clips, construction paper, tape, scissors etc.). Students, in role as bridge builders, are to construct a bridge. Their goal is to have a toy car roll across the bridge. Members of the group are to work collaboratively to construct the bridge in ten minutes. Whole Class > Role Play with Teacher in Role Assume the teacher in role as the manager of a company coming to inspect the bridges. Pose questions to the students about the bridge and the construction. After ten minutes, have students try out their bridges to see if they in fact can roll the car across them. Whole Class > Debrief Out of role, discuss the experience with the class. Key Questions for Discussion: Did you work well with your friends? How successful were you at respecting the ideas of others? Did you have a chance to help your friends build parts of the bridge? What character education traits did you demonstrate? (e.g. respect, responsibility, etc.)
Approximately 15 minutes Consolidation
Whole class > Helping Hands Mural Inform students that together the class is going to create a "Helping Hands" mural over a period of time. Tell students that they are each going to be awarded a Helping Hand (BLM#5) when you see them doing an act of kindness or respect. Students can review some things that they can do or say to their friends that would show kindness or respect. When awarded a 'helping hand', students can write or draw what they did to receive the award. For the helping hands give students a written prompt such as: I was kind when...

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