Lesson Overview
Estimated Time: 60 minutes
This lesson continues the exploration begun in lessons one and two. In this lesson, students will further develop their understanding of how they are influenced by money. They will also explore the power and responsibilities for the individual and community that accompany money.
Connections to Financial Literacy
Drama
B1. Creating and Presenting
Grade 7:
- B1.1: engage actively in drama exploration and role play, with a focus on examining multiple perspectives related to current issues, themes, and relationships from a wide variety of sources and diverse communities
Grade 8:
- B1.1: engage actively in drama exploration and role play, with a focus on examining multiple perspectives and possible outcomes related to complex issues, themes, and relationships from a wide variety of sources and diverse communities
B3. Exploring Forms and Cultural Contexts
Grade 7:
- B3.2: identify and describe several ways in which drama and theatre contribute to contemporary social, economic, and cultural life
Grade 8:
- B3.2: identify and describe a wide variety of ways in which drama and theatre make or have made contributions to social, cultural, and economic life in a variety of times and places
Curriculum Expectations
Drama
B2. Reflecting, Responding, and Analysing
Grade 7:
- B2.1: construct personal interpretations of drama works, connecting drama issues and themes to their own and others’ ideas, feelings, and experiences
Grade 8:
- B2.1: construct personal interpretations of drama works, connecting drama issues and themes to social concerns at both the local and global level
Learning Goals
At the end of this lesson, students will
- compare and contrast their perspective with that of their peers, the community and the world
- consider the positive and negative aspects of financial freedom both for themselves, others and the greater community
- articulate skills developed through dramatic role play
Instructional Components and Context
Readiness
Students will have experience in working collaboratively in a safe and supportive classroom environment. Anchor charts created in lessons 1 and 2 should be visible for all students. Prior experiences working in role with the teacher in role, hot seating would be helpful. Students will need some background on gambling laws in Ontario including positive and negative effects of gambling and the probability of winning. This lesson may be used as part of a larger unit on persuasive writing, letter writing, debating and media literacy.
Terminology
Spectrum of difference
Planned improvisation
30-60-90 second improvisation
Drama
Role play
Teacher in role
Hot seating
Prepared improvisation
Two stars and a wish
Writing in role
Inner and outer circle
Materials
BLM #3 Consolidation Activity Rubric
Lesson Plan
Minds On
Whole Class > Spectrum of Difference
Invite students to consider this question: Should youth have control of their own money? Instruct students who feel strongly that the answer is yes to form a line beginning on one side of the room, while students who are opposed form a line on the other side of the room. Essentially there is a single line now, with a gap in the middle. Students who are undecided may find a place in the middle of the line.
Instruct students to divide the line in half. Ask the first half of the line to take two steps back and slide that line down behind the other half so that the lines are no parallel and students are facing a partner. Next, students can share their response to the question with a partner now in front of them. After each person has shared their response, ask students to reflect on the activity. Prompts: What did you learn from your partner? Would you change your position in line having heard your partner’s opinions? Would you like to hear from another person in the line?
This activity will develop listening, problem solving and decision making skills in students. As well they will begin to consider what it means to have control over their own money and the implications to others of adolescents having the power to control their own money.
Connections
Differentiation: Some students might need time to consider and think about the question. Allow opportunities for brainstorming with a partner before students place themselves on the line.
Assessment for learning: Circulate among students listening and observing to learn more about their thoughts on the issue. Incorporate this information to challenge their thinking in the Action! activity.
Action!
Whole Class > Teacher in Role/ Hot Seating
Invite students into a discussion about gambling laws in Ontario. Ask students to consider why the law states you must be 18 years of age or older to buy lottery tickets and collect money if you win. Ask students to share their opinions about financial responsibility with the class. Invite students to role play the following scenario regarding this issue.
As teacher in role, arrive in class as the Commissioner of the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation. Ask students their opinion of the laws and whether or not they feel people under the age of 18 would be responsible enough to handle large sums of money if they won. Invite students to hot seat you and ask questions. Challenge the students to find reasons to change or maintain the official position that you must be 18 years old to play the lottery.
Out of role, ask students to reconsider the original question about the age limit on purchasing lottery tickets and collecting the winnings. Prompts: Has questioning the Commissioner helped you understand the need for the age limit? Do you think this is fair? If you were able, would you purchase lottery tickets? Why can’t you win if someone else buys the ticket for you? Do you think you are responsible with money?
Small Groups > Problem Solving/ Prepared Improvisation
Continue the activity by asking students to further consider this question, "Should young people under the age of 18 be allowed to purchase lottery tickets?”
Arrange students in groups of 3 or 4. Invite students to petition a government committee to change the laws preventing kids under the age of 18 from playing the lottery, or argue to keep the current laws in place. Advise students that they will be arguing their points as themselves, and speaking on behalf of all grade 7 and 8 students in Ontario. Remind students to discuss other situations different than their own such as socio-economic or cultural for the young people they will be speaking for and representing.
Using a prepared improvisation approach, ask students to share their proposals/arguments with the class. Explain to the students that you will be assuming the role of Chair of the Government Committee, and students who are not presenting will assume the role of committee members. Encourage students in role of committee members to question the petitioners in role, to gather as much information and fully understand the group’s position on this issue. They will also challenge their own thinking on the topic. Prompts: Does this group have a convincing argument? Are they speaking for all young people? Have they altered your position on this topic? Do you think this group is responsible enough to handle a large sum of money? Did they have a plan for the money if they won? Was the argument to keep the laws in place realistic?
Invite the students to reflect on the presentations.
Key Questions for Discussion:
Which role did you prefer, the committee member or the petitioner? Why?
Which role did you find more challenging? Why?
How did you feel about being questioned by the committee and the Commissioner?
How did you feel about the teacher playing a role in the drama?
Connections
Connections: This lesson might also be used when teaching Probability. It may also be used to augment a unit on persuasion, professional letter writing and essay writing. Refer to posted anchor charts for pertinent terminology.
Differentiation: Arrange groups for the culminating debate to ensure mixed ability levels. Provide costumes and/or props to help students raise their status and assume their roles. Final arguments may also be submitted in the form of a letter to the Chair clearly stating the groups’ position.
Assessment for learning: Provide descriptive feedback during all the activities in the Action! section of this lesson. Follow-up discussion after each exercise will help consolidate learning or activate prior knowledge necessary for the remaining activity. Critical feedback from peers in the form of two stars and a wish will help build confidence and capacity within the group.
Assessment as learning: Students can complete the Self Assessment Checklist CODE resource after any or all of the activities. Each student should be accountable for giving two stars and a wish to their peers after the improvisation scenes and final presentation.
Assessment of learning: Students will be assessed on the final presentation using BLM #3 Consolidation Activity Rubric. Success criteria includes, focusing on their ability to deliver a convincing, supported argument about financial responsibility, and their ability to use drama techniques to explore an issue in real life.
Consolidation
Pairs > 30-60-90 Second Conversations
Invite students to decide if the age for buying lottery tickets should be lowered and why? Instruct the students to have a 30-second conversation with an elbow partner to describe what they learned, with a different elbow partner, have a 60 second conversation to discuss how they learned about the issue, and finally with a third partner, have a 90 second conversation to discuss how their feelings might have changed as a result of the drama. Instruct students to return to the drama circle for a whole class discussion. Prompts: Did your feelings change about this issue as a result of this activity? Is it more meaningful to explore the issue in this way? Which drama strategy helped you understand this issue the most? What were the most convincing arguments to support your case? Is your own relationship to money the same as when we started? What messages about money and society at large did you learn from this lesson?
Connections
Connections: Include this lesson in a unit on persuasive writing in Language, or as part of a larger Drama unit on role play and writing in role.
Differentiation: A journey entry could be written in place of the conversation and then shared with an elbow partner for feedback using the CODE resource Journal Writing Rubric to assess.
The final decision could be shared in an inner and outer circle or by milling to music and then sharing with three other students. Allow students to discuss the outcome with two or three partners, then ask them to assume the character of a court reporter. In role, invite students to complete a news article on the outcome of the debate, writing from their own point of view on this issue. This lesson could be consolidated in a filmed newscast segment using available technology.
Assessment for learning: Assess the 30-60-90 second conversations through observation and anecdotal notes. Provide students with descriptive feedback both verbally and written.
Assessment of learning: The individual performances in the debate can be assessed using BLM #3 Consolidation Activity Rubric. The newspaper article mentioned in Differentiation can be assessed using the CODE resource Writing in Role Rubric.
