Elementary Episode 4

BULLYING PREVENTION

KNOWING YOURSELF

FACING PEER PRESSURE

UNDERSTANDING BULLIESWritten by

Thomas Santo Ph.D., Barbara Gruener M.S., Mark J. Britzman Ph.D.C.K. Robertson Ph.D., Peter Samuelson Ph.D., Michelle Stemwedel M.S.

(See pages 44-46 for more information about these writer/educators andother key contributors to Film Clips for Character Education)`

for Character EducationFILMclips

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No inappropriate material is included in any of the individual Film Clips. All clips are under copyight and used with permis-sion from copyright holders.

Spanish/English OptionsOptions for Spanish or English audio and subtitles are avail-able in “Settings” on the man menu of the DVD. Spanish audio is available for most, but not all Film Clips.

www.FilmClipsOnline.com©Film Clips Spirit of America.

Episode 4Film Clips for Character Education

Elementary Edition

CONTENTS

Tips for Using Film Clips Objectives.............................................................................5 Lesson Plans........................................................................6 Quotations............................................................................7 Word Wall.............................................................................9 Making Good Choices........................................................10

Knowing Yourself Dead Poets Society.............................................................12 Teen Wolf............................................................................13 Back to the Future...............................................................14 A Walk to Remember..........................................................16

Facing Peer Pressure Drumline.............................................................................17 Sky High.............................................................................19 A Christmas Story...............................................................20 Mean Girls..........................................................................22

Understanding Bullies Cheaper by the Dozen........................................................23 Hoot....................................................................................24 The Ant Bully......................................................................25 The War..............................................................................27

Moving Students to Reflection and Action Activities.............................................................................28 Educational Standards.......................................................41

Writing Credits.......................................................................44

Special Thanks......................................................................47

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Welcome to Film Clips for Character Education

Elementary Collection!© Film Clips Spirit of America

The following pages contain an exciting new approach to character education that reaches students through a medium for which they have a natural affinity: Hollywood movies. Clips from these movies are used to assist teachers and students engage in reflection and discussion about character and moral action.

The 60 Film Clips in this five-DVD collection are drawn from the 89 clips in our eight-DVD master series. Straightforward and uncomplicated in its design, each clip in the collection exemplifies a positive character trait that has been chosen for its age and developmental appropriateness. Special suggestions are included for Primary (K-2) and for Upper Elementary (3-5) grade levels. For those teachers who prefer to use a clip recommended for “Upper Elementary” in primary grades we’ve included optional primary “Going Deeper,” and “Making Choices” suggestions.

Film Clips for Character Education provides students with situations that relate to ‘real life’ experiences and draw them into a natural engagement with the subject. This approach not only stimulates students’ thinking on moral action and character, but also enhances their engagement with the regular curriculum in the areas of Language Arts, Social Studies, and Fine Arts.

Twelve clips are listed for key character traits for the purpose of illustrating some positive or negative aspect of the given trait and stimulating creative reflection and discussion. This teacher’s study guide provides a great deal of flexibility for the teacher to use Film Clips most effectively. You will want to use your discretion regarding the appropriateness of both

the clips and the suggested activities to the age as well as the intellectual and emotional skill levels of your students. With this in mind, this study guide can help you take a fresh approach to character education, using the letters F-I-L-M to summarize the appropriate steps.

Fitting clips to objectives, lesson plans, and standards.

Objectives:Students will engage in meaningful instructor-led discussions and activities aimed at applying their knowledge of the character trait, exploring situational analyses presented in the Film Clips, and synthesizing the information to extend to personal relevant experiences.

Using group discussions and peer interactions students will collaborate to actively display their learning.

Through journaling, role-playing and debate the students will apply their learning to real-world experiences and may create skits and/or videos that can be shown to the greater community.

Technology will be used in the Character Word Wall activities through the use of online dictionaries and videoing of skit performances. Students may also participate in a blog about the clips. These objectives are used in H.E.A.T - Higher level thinking, Engagement, Authenticity, and Technology - lessons created by Barbara Gruener, counselor and character coach at Westwood Elementary, a National School of Character in Friendswood, TX

For more information go to: www.FilmClipsOnLine.com/teacher2teacher where Barbara has posted her lesson plans for Babe and Boundin’

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Creating a Lesson Plan:The teacher can choose to create one 45–50 minute class session, by showing all four clips under a key theme, pausing after each for reaction and discussion (25–30 minutes), and then doing one of the following exercises (15–20 minutes).

Alternatively, the teacher can create four 30 minute class sessions by showing one clip, pausing for reaction and discussion (10–15 minutes), and doing one of the following exercises (15–20 minutes).

State StandardsPages 41-44Based on the exercise you choose, you can link your character lesson to your state standards. Key education standards are also located at: www.FilmClipsOnLIne.com/standards

Introducing clips to students.Pages 12-28As you prepare to show a Film Clip, you can introduce it with a plot synopsis. This gives students who have not previously seen the movie from which the clip is taken some context for understanding the clip.

Pause the DVD after the on-screen teaser question following the clip.

Listening to students discuss the clips. Pages 12-28The on-screen teaser question following a Film Clip is designed to initiate thoughtful discussion. The follow-up Going Deeper questions should encourage further personal exploration. These questions can be addressed in the context of the whole class, or by splitting the class into small groups and then having the groups report to the larger class after they have explored their thoughts and opinions, or through a written

exercise to be handed in later. Making Choices features realistic simulations, which give students opportunities to consider a variety of possible responses.

Quotations:The quotations help students build higher order thinking skills, foster analysis of the quotation and relate the Film Clip to their own lives and the topics they are discovering in class.

9 Ways to utilize quotes and maximstaken from or related to Film Clips:

1. Build higher order thinking skills by encouraging students to analyze quotes and how they may relate to the associated Film Clips, their own lives, or a topic they are discovering in class.

2. Use quotes as journal starters and essay prompts.

3. Use quotes as tools to strengthen student writing. Quotes are especially effective in supporting a line of thought expressed by the writer.

4. Improve students test skills. Quotes found in Film Clips are character-based and comparative in nature which is common among state writing tests, the SAT, and many analytical writing prompts.

5. Use quotes to connect concepts across multiple curricula.

6. Students often like to use Film Clips quotes as homework discussion starters with their parents or guardians.

7. Encourage students to share with the class their own quote (one they have heard or read before, or have heard passed

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down as a family favorite saying) and reflect upon its meaning and context.

8. Students, teams, or collaborative pairs can develop their own personal Code of Character or team motto based on one of the quotes.

9. Language arts teachers may wish to have students share their own Maxims For Life or a favorite quote they have heard or read. Write that saying on the board just as the students wrote it in the assignment, and have the class interpret the quote for what it means to them.

Cross-Curriculum Applications

Language Arts:Scribe students’ favorite maxims or mottos on the board and have the class interpret their meanings. This can then lead to a grammatical analysis of the quote where the students can edit the student’s rendition of each quote for spelling, punctuation, tense and part of speech.

History and Social Studies:Have students research or discover who the author of the quote is, where the author came from and when and where the quote may have been said. Look for any special context or history behind the quote.

Select a classroom “Quote of the Week” that provides a theme for daily assignments, possibly taken from one of the suggestions above.

As students learn and analyze more quotes, they provide great material to use for extra credit questions and assignments. This is an excellent way to keep the quotes fresh and in the mind of the students.

Character “Word Wall” A Word Wall can help your students build their vocabulary in terms of meaning, context, and relevance. The words below come directly from the video clips themselves or the question prompt at the end of each clip. A Word Wall is a great way to introduce key vocabulary terms at the beginning of a unit or develop piece by piece as your class explores a unit of study.

Peer Pressure Responsibility Solidarity

Confident Clique Self-respect

Conformity Bully Courage

Individuality Friend Confront

Anger

Moving students to reflection & action. Pages 28-41Suggested activities to engage the students more deeply with the issues raised by the Film Clips such as individual behavior choices, service learning activities and other civic projects.

Pages 28-32Please see the exceptional article, “A Guide for Making an Activity Meaningful ‘We give children too many answers rather than the problem to solve,’” by Kay Augustine, National Trainer and Presenter for Character Education.

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Tips for Making Good Choices

The Four Way Test

Rotary is an organization of business, professional and community leaders united worldwide who provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and help build goodwill and peace in the world. In 1932 Herbert J. Taylor, president of Rotary International 1954-55, created a four-way test for ethical decision-making. Students of all ages can benefit from applying this simple test as a guide to making good choices.

“Is it the TRUTH?”Is what you think, say or do honest?

“Is it FAIR to all concerned?”Is what you think, say or do fair to everyone?

“Will it lead to GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?”Is what you think, say or do kind and caring?

“Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?”Is what you think, say or do helpful to others?

Stop, Think, Act , Reflect

Mark Britzman Ph.D., a national trainer for CHARACTER COUNTS! created these guidelines for making good decisions

Stop How will your choice affect others– including yourself?

Think of the right thing to do.

Act once you’ve made the choice that produces the best possible result.

Reflect on your goals and the consequences of your decisions!

How did my behavior affect others, including me?

What are the short term and long term consequences of my decision?

Is this what I really want?

What have I learned from my success/mistake?

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Knowing Yourself

Theme: Independent ThinkingFilm: Dead Poets Society(PG) 1:47Grade Level:Primary/Upper ElementaryAudio: English/SpanishSubtitles: English/Spanish

An unorthodox English teacher in a private prep school both challenges and inspires his young students to think for themselves and live life to the fullest. His motto for them is simple, yet life-changing: Carpe diem, or “Seize the day!”

This 1989 film from Touchstone Studios and Buena Vista Pictures is directed by Peter Weir, written by Tom Schulman and stars Robin Williams, Robert Sean Leonard, Norman Lloyd, and Ethan Hawke.

Teaser Question: What is your special walk?

Going Deeper: Primary: What are some of the best things you have learned from your teacher this year? What have you learned about yourself?

Upper Elementary: Why do we find ourselves conforming to others? How important is fitting in with the crowd? What do we think of someone who chooses not to participate at all?

Making Choices:Primary: What do you like most about yourself? What are some things you would like to improve?

Upper Elementary: Write a description of the person you are. Write a description of the person you would like to become.

“You must trust that your beliefs are unique, your own, even though others make think them odd or unpopular.”

—Dead Poets Society

“Two roads diverged in a wood and I, I took the one less traveled by and that has made all the difference.”

—Robert Frost

Theme: Feeling Weird Film: Teen Wolf(PG) 1:30Grade Level:Upper ElementaryAudio: EnglishSubtitles: English/Spanish

An ordinary teenager suddenly becomes an excellent basketball player and a popular student at school. The problem is that his new abilities are the result of becoming a werewolf! In this scene, His father urges him to use his power responsibly. It may mean that he has the girl of his dreams and all the friends he could want, but is it worth the price of being so different?

This 1985 film from MGM and United Artists is directed by Rod Daniel, written by Jeph Loeb and Matthew Weisman, and stars Michael J. Fox, James Hampton, Susan Ursitti, and Jerry Levine.

Teaser Question: Does everyone feel weird in some way? Why? Why not?

Going Deeper:Primary(optional): Make a list of the ways you are different

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from your friends. Make list of the ways you are the same.Upper Elementary: How many kids in your school are exactly alilke? Take a look at your friends. Are they the same or different? In what ways? Is this a good thing?

Making Choices:Primary(optional): If you were a parent and your child complained about being different how could you help?

Upper Elementary: Are you more alike or unlike other people? Give examples. Would you rather be more alike or more unlike other people? Why? “With great powers goes a greater responsibility.”

—Teen Wolf

“The price of greatness is responsibility.” —Winston Churchill

Theme: Standing Up to Power Film: Back to the Future(PG) 1:59Grade Level:Primary/Upper ElementaryAudio: EnglishSubtitles: English/Spanish

Marty McFly is a kid who is never on time for anything. Then, thanks to his scientist friend, Marty gets shot back in time to the days when his parents were in high school. In the local soda shop where the future mayor sweeps up, Marty meets the teenage version of his dad, who is about to have one of many run-ins with the local bully.

This 1985 film from Universal Studios is directed by Robert Zemeckis, written by Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, and stars Michael J. Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson,

Crispin Glover, and Thomas F. Wilson.Teaser Question: How could George stand up for himself?

Going Deeper:Primary: When you are bullied what can you do? Give examples.

Upper Elementary: When is it important to stand up for yourself? When is it better to just let it go?

Making Choices:Primary: You see someone being bullied. What should you do? Upper Elementary: An older kid steals the swing from you at recess. How can you stand up for yourself? Is this scary?

If your school had an anti-bullying meeting and you were asked to speak what would you say?

“Don’t you know if you let people walk over you now they’ll be walking over you for the rest of your life.”

—Back to the Future

Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.

—Ambrose Redmoon

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Theme: Who Are Your FriendsFilm: A Walk to Remember(PG) 1:18Grade Level:Upper ElementaryAudio: EnglishSubtitles: English/Spanish

Based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks, this is the story of a girl firmly grounded in her religious beliefs who finds herself attracted to a boy whose life and background are quite the opposite of hers. In this scene, a girl is challenged by one of the most popular boys in school. She tells him that she has no intention of changing to suit him.

This 2002 film from Warner Brothers is directed by Adam Shankman, written by Karen Janszen and stars Shane West, Mandy Moore, Peter Coyote, and Daryl Hannah.

Teaser Question: Does it matter what people think about you? Why? Why not?

Going Deeper:Primary(optional): Have you ever joined a group just so they won’t pick on you? Did it work?

Upper Elementary: What does it mean to be self-confident? Whose opinions matter to you? How many people really know you?

Making Choices:Primary(optional): You wear a new shirt to school. Someone makes fun of your shirt. What should you do? Ignore them? Argue with them? Joke with them? Something else?

Upper Elementary: There is a new kid who eats lunch alone every day. You decide to keep her company. The other kids are staring and talking about the two of you. What do you think about this? What do you do? Guy: You don’t care about what people think about you? Girl: No.

—A Walk to Remember

“Who has confidence in himself will gain the confidence of others.”

—Leib Lazarow

Facing Peer PressureTheme: Responsibility for OthersFilm: Drumline(PG-13) 1:59Grade Level:Upper ElementaryAudio: English/SpanishSubtitles: English/Spanish

A kid from Harlem is recruited into a southern university marching band. Thinking that he is the answer to all the band’s problems does not score him any points with the tough band professor. Everyone needs a lesson in what it means to work as a team, and what it means to be responsible for one another. In this scene, the band master states that each member is responsible for the welfare and behavior of the other members.

This 2002 film from 20th Century Fox is directed by Charles Stone III, written by Tina Gordon Chism and Shawn Schepps, and stars Nick Cannon, Zoe Saldana, Orlando Jones, Leonard Roberts, GQ, Jason Weaver, Earl Poitier, and Candace Carey.

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Teaser Question: What is the difference between good and bad peer pressure?

Going Deeper:Primary(optional): Do you belong to a team or a group? Are there rules? Why?Upper Elementary: Are you responsible for what your classmates do? Why or why not?

Making Choices:Primary(optional): You have one of the best players in the league, but he doesn’t play well with others. How do you approach him?

Upper Elementary: You are presenting a group project in class and one of your partners didn’t finish their part of the project. Your teacher marks down all the students in the group. Is this fair? Why?

“When one of us is late, we are all late. When one of us looks or sounds bad, we all look and sound bad.”

—Drumline

“People don’t understand that not only can they make a difference, but it’s their responsibility to do so.”

—Florence Robinson

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Theme: Using Popularity as a WeaponFilm: Sky High(PG) 1:51Grade Level:Upper ElementaryAudio: English/SpanishSubtitles: English/Spanish

It’s not easy to be the powerless son of the most famous superheroes on the planet. At least his best friend is always there for him. But when his powers finally emerge and the most popular girl in school suddenly notices him, will there still be room in his new life for the friend he has left behind? In this scene, a girl is told that her friend has rejected her for a member of the popular crowd.

This 2005 film from Walt Disney Studios is directed by Mike Mitchell, written by Paul Hernandez, Robert Schooley and Mark McCorkle and stars Michael Anarano, Kurt Russell, and Kelly Preston.

Teaser Question: How do you know if someone is telling you the truth?

Going Deeper:Primary(optional): What should you do when someone lies about your friend?

Upper Elementary: What should you do when you hear a bad rumor about a friend? What if you asked the person who started the rumor to retract it, but she says, “You’re taking this way too seriously, it’s just a joke.”

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Making Choices:Primary(optional): Your best friend starts hanging out with other kids and they don’t include you. How does this make you feel? What can you do about this?

Upper Elementary: You meet a person at lunch that you really like. Later on the playground one of your other friends tells you not to play with this person because she’s not part of your group of friends. The girl you just met at lunch runs up to you with a big smile. What do you do?

“Well you got new friends now, and I think you need to figure out whether you want to hang out with us or with those losers.”

—Sky High

“Honesty: The best of all the lost arts.” —Mark Twain

Theme: Standing Up to a DareFilm: A Christmas Story(PG) 1:58Grade Level:Primary/Upper ElementaryAudio: English/SpanishSubtitles: English/Spanish

This tale may be set in the 1940s, but the situations these kids face are very familiar today. For example, when a friend dares you to do something that you know is not a good idea, what will you choose to do?

This 1983 film from MGM and Warner Brothers is directed by Bob Clark, written by Jean Shepherd, Leigh Brown and Bob Clark, and stars Peter Billingsley, Darren McGavin, Melinda Dillon, and Ian Petrella.

Teaser Question: Do your friends influence what you say and do? How? Why?

Going Deeper:Primary: Have you ever been dared to do something? Did you do it? Why?

Upper Elementary: What makes a dare so powerful? What would happen if you said “no” to a dare?

Making Choices:Primary: Suppose you were the kid who got your tongue stuck to the flag pole. What could you have said or done that would have made things turn out better for you?

Upper Elementary: If you have to prove that you are willing to hurt someone in order to be accepted by your friends, would you do it? Why? Why not? Give an example.

Kid #1: Are you kidding? Stick my tongue to that stupid pole, that’s dumb. Kid #2: That’s cause you know it’ll stick.

—A Christmas Story

“To be the leader of the band, you’ve got to turn your back to the crowd.”

—Unknown

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Theme: Cliques as BulliesFilm: Mean Girls(PG-13) 1:42Grade Level:Upper ElementaryAudio: EnglishSubtitles: English/Spanish

When a girl who has always been home-schooled suddenly enters a public high school, she learns that it can be pretty hard to fit in. So, when some popular girls invite her to join their clique, it seems like a great idea…or is it?

This 2004 film from Paramount is directed by Mark Waters, written by Tina Fey, and stars Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Tim Meadows, and Tina Fey.

Teaser Question: What are the rules your friends expect you to follow?

Going Deeper:Primary(optional): Does anything like this happen in your school?

Upper Elementary: What is a clique? How can a clique be harmful? How can cliques control you?

Making Choices:Primary(optional) & Upper Elementary: Do you know some bullies? What are they like? What can you do to stop them? What if they are stronger and more popular than you are?

“The ‘girl world’ had a lot of rules.”—Mean Girls

“Do you want to be a power in the world? Be yourself.” —Ralph Waldo Trine

Understanding Bullies

Theme: InterventionFilm: Cheaper by the Dozen(PG) 0:38Grade Level:Primary/Upper ElementaryAudio: English/SpanishSubtitles: English/Spanish

This older brother did not want to move to a new city and a new school. He did not ask to be laughed at by the bullies at school. He is sick and tired of being on the receiving end of the taunting. What will keep him from making a very big mistake?

This 2003 film from 2oth Century Fox is directed by Shawn Levy, written by Sam Harper, Joel Cohen and Alec Sokolow, and stars Steve Martin, Bonnie Hunt, Tom Welling, and Hilary Duff.

Teaser Question: When is it better to walk away? When is it not?

Going Deeper:Primary: If you were the brother in this scene would you walk away? Why?

Upper Elementary: If you were a bystander in this scene what would you do?

Making Choices:Primary: A bully knocks your books to the ground. What are some things you can do? Make a list and discuss.

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Upper Elementary: Your friend is about to get into a fight. Should you stop him? Should you tell him to just walk away? Why?”

“Charlie, just stop, stop. Let it go.”—Cheaper by the dozen

“Take care, don’t fight, and remember: if you do not choose to lead, you will forever be led by others.”

—J. Michael Straczynski

Theme: CommunicationFilm: Hoot(PG) 0:59Grade Level:Upper ElementaryAudio: EnglishSubtitles: English/Spanish

When a new student arrives at his Florida school, he finds himself embroiled in a battle to save the environment from the plans of a greedy developer. But before he embarks on this quest, he first has to face the girl who has been bullying him from the moment he arrived.

This 2006 film from 20th Century Fox is directed by Wil Shriner, written by Wil Shriner, and stars Logan Lerman, Brie Larson, Cody Linley, Tim Blake Nelson, Luke Wilson, Neil Flynn, and Robert Wagner.

Teaser Question: Do you agree with the way he confronted Beatrice? Why?

Going Deeper:Primary(optional): If you were a bystander in this scene what would you do?

Upper Elementary: If you were the brother in this scene would you be upset with your sister or thank her?

Making Choices:Primary(optional): Suppose you are the boy in this scene. What would you say to Beatrice? Suppose you are Beatrice. What would you say to the boy?

Upper Elementary: Someone is bullying you on a consistent basis. Should you let it go on or stand up to the bully? What might happen? Is the problem solved? Could you talk to someone about this? Who?

“Next time you have a problem, just tell me, and we can sit down and talk about it like civilized human beings.”

—Hoot

“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”—Franklin Delano Roosevelt

Theme: ScapegoatingFilm: The Ant Bully(PG) 1:31Grade Level:Primary/Upper ElementaryAudio: English/SpanishSubtitles: English/Spanish

When a young boy is bullied, he finds it easier to blame the ants in the anthill below him than to face up to the bully.

This 2007 film from Warner Brothers is directed by John A. Davis, written by John A. Davis and John Nickle, and stars the voice talents of Julia Roberts, Nicholas Cage, Meryl Streep, Paul Giamatti, Zach Tyler, Regina King, Bruce Campbell, Lily Tomlin, Cheri Oteri, Larry Miller, Alison Mack, and Ricardo Montalban.

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Teaser Question: Why does Lucas turn on the ants instead of the bully?

Going Deeper:Primary: Have you ever taken your anger out on someone smaller than you? Why?

Upper Elementary: What is a scapegoat? How could you defend someone who is being treated as a scapegoat? Is it any of your business?

Making Choices:Primary: Suppose you were the bully in this scene. Why are you bullying the little kid? Is there a way you can stop being a bully?

Upper Elementary: There is a bully in your school that has targeted your class, but everyone is afraid to say anything about it. You have been elected to be your class representative to the student council. When the president of the student council asks if your class is facing any problems, what do you say?

“I’m big and you’re small.” —The Ant Bully

“When a man points a finger at someone else, he should remember that four of his fingers are pointing at himself.”

—Louis Nizer

Theme: Understanding Your EnemiesFilm: The War(PG-13) 2:20Grade Level:Primary/Upper ElementaryAudio: English/SpanishSubtitles: English/Spanish

It is no fun to be laughed at and beaten up. So when this happens to a young boy at the county fair, he watches very carefully to see what his father will do to the kids who humiliated and hurt him.

This 1994 film from Universal Studios is directed by Jon Avnet, written by Kathy McWorter, and stars Kevin Costner, Elijah Wood, Mare Winningham and Lexi Randall.

Teaser Question: Will kindness work with bullies?

Going Deeper:Primary: Do you think this man did the right thing? Why?

Upper Elementary: Is this scene realistic? Why?

Making Choices:Primary: Someone is being mean to your friend. What can you do or say?

Upper Elementary: Suppose you are the boy whose father gave your tormentors cotton candy. Suppose the next day you are beaten up by the same kids. What will you do? Whom can you talk to about this?

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Son: Then why did you just give them Mom’s and Lydia’s cotton candy? Father: ‘Cause they look like they haven’t been given nothing in a long time.

—The War

“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.”—Aesop

Moving students to reflection & action.Many of these activities are created as original exercises for this Film Clips curriculum. Others have been adapted from existing resources, including the superb National Middle School Association guide, Treasure Chest: A Teacher Advisory Source Book, edited by Cheryl Hoversten, Nancy Doda and John Lounsbury. We heartily commend this and similar resources from the NMSA and related education organizations.

A Guide for Making an Activity Meaningful“We give children too many answers rather than the problem to solve.” -Kay Augustine

Using activities and discussions with children is a powerful way to make connections between the concepts you want to emphasize (cognitive), the feelings you want your students to experience that helps “hook” the concept (affective) and their actions (behavior).

For an activity to be valuable to your purpose you must:

•Set up the activity•Monitor the activity •Process/Debrief the activity

Without these three elements, planned and executed with purpose and intention, the activity is just a game. Although it may be fun, it doesn’t help the participants grow from their experience. There are times when you may want to do a game--icebreakers and energizers can be a great way to build community, blow off steam or provoke some great laughter. It is important to know when to use games, but take care not to overshadow or diminish the educational potential of the main activity.

Setting up the Activity

As you are leading the youth into the activity, it is important to remember these key points:

1. Lead from the content that came before - What were you talking about? What were the participants experiencing? What were they feeling?

2. Grouping - Plan how you will organize your students so that putting them into groups doesn’t interrupt the flow of their thoughts and experiences.

3. Never give away what you want them to learn - For example, don’t tell your students that you are going to do an activity to show why they shouldn’t be disrespectful—you want them to feel the experience in a fresh and immediate way that helps “hook” the concept (affective learning), and then get them to tell you that is what they have learned (cognitive learning).

4. Be sure you give clear instructions before you start - Ask if everyone understands the instructions and reiterate them before they start the activity.

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5. Tell participants when to stop and what to do next - For example, when you blow the whistle, they are to stop, be quiet and look at you for the next instruction.

6. Be sure supplies are ready for the activity, if applicable.

7. Know the sequence and time needed for each part of the activity.

Monitoring the Activity

While the participants are involved in the activity, it is important that the teacher/facilitator and any assistants are equally engaged in monitoring what is happening. (This isn’t a time for teachers/facilitators to leave the room.)

1. Watch the time—be sure that the activity is progressing on schedule and that your students will have enough time to process and debrief the activity.

2. Watch the dynamics of the participants for:

a. Groups that are so confused about what they are supposed to do that they aren’t doing anything

b. Groups that need supplies c. Groups that may need a assistance managing domineering participants, or encouraging participants that are isolated by others, or isolating themselves.

d. During activities such as problem-solving frustration is part of the experience. Watch for participants who are about reach a “blow out.” Gently encourage them to step back and think of another way of looking at the problem or end the activity.

3. Stop the activity before participants’ interest starts to wane.

Processing/Debriefing the Activity

In this traditional processing/debriefing style, the participants are responsible for linking the meaning of the activity with their experience and then transferring that experience to real and relevant situations in their lives. This is not a time for you to tell them the point of the activity or what you wanted them to learn—true facilitation and processing relies on the knowledge, feelings and actions of the participants to shine a light on the content. The teacher/facilitator’s job is to ask the right questions.

There is a four-part sequence used for processing:

1. What? - In this phase, you ask your students about what happened while they were doing the activity. This phase is usually very short. If you are working with participants that might use the activity with their own students in the future (training trainers), this is a great way to secure the process of the activity in their minds).

2. So What? - In this phase, you ask questions that will provide the stimulus for participants to connect what they felt/experienced during the activity to your content/purpose. For example: How did you feel as you…?

3. Now What? - In this phase, craft your questions to lead the participants toward making a connection to relevant situations in their own lives—especially things that will lead to changes in their attitude or behavior.

4. Closing - This is your chance to pull together your students’ comments and your own observations that can give meaning to the experience and help you transition out of the discussion.

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Crafting Questions

Effective questioning that relies on open-end questions encourages participants to engage in creative interchange. Don’t use closed-end questions that can be answered with just one word.

Example: Open-end question: “How did you feel when you were doing that activity?”

Closed-end question: “Did you feel confused when you were doing that activity?”From “The Power of Youth-to-Youth Leadership”by Kay Augustine (Used with permission)

Moving Students Toward Awareness & Action

Cluster/Brainstorm:On an overhead projector or classroom board, cluster students’ responses to the following question. What are some things you would like to see changed in your family, school, community, or the world?

Discuss:Has anyone ever done anything for you which made a real difference in your life—something you couldn’t have done on your own?

Journal Entry/Writing Prompt:Name three realistic things you might be able to do about the issues you have listed. Choose one solution you would be willing to act upon and explain why you chose this particular solution. Share journal entries if time and lesson plan allow.

Idea Starters!1. Have students participate in a Random Acts of Kindness week for your class or school.

2. Explore Service Learning and have your students work in groups or as one whole class to come up with a service learning project that relates to anti-bullying or a monthly character trait at your school. See www.LearnAndServe.org

3. Write a letter to a “local” hero (fireman, policeman, janitor, cafeteria worker, nurse, teacher, soldier…) thanking them for the way they help you and your community.

4. Celebrate a Classmate activity: Have your students write one nice thing about someone in class who is not necessarily their best friend. Do this three days in a row (or once weekly for three weeks), each time having them write about someone different. Each time read out what was written.

5. Give each student a sheet of paper with the name of every classmate on it. Then next to each name, have your students write one positive word or adjective that describes each person. Once everyone is done collect and compile the list. Make individualized bookmarks for each student and under his/her name at the top of the book mark write down the list of words that were created for them.

6. Role play different scenarios from each Film Clip, where applicable. Students can demonstrate the right way and wrong way to handle various bullying situations.

7. Have students list 60 things they are thankful for: 20 people, 20 objects, and 20 experiences.

8. Have students list all the ways they are unique, and areas where they are “gifted” - identifying things they do well and/or know a lot about! (Does not have to be academic in nature.)

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9. Have each student identify a time they showed courage in their lives and what led them to this act of courage or standing up for themselves or doing the right thing despite the costs. Ask students to identify a fear they may have, why it is a fear, and how they might overcome this fear.

10. Have each student create a list of the things they are responsible for at home, school, on teams, and for themselves. Then ask who is helped by their responsible actions.

Keeping a Diary:Ask your students to keep a diary with 27 entries recording their favorite examples of the character trait they saw demonstrated in the clips and examples of how they have or have not shown this character trait in their own lives.

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Knowing Yourself

Keeping a Journal As a homework assignment or an in-class activity, the students will write entries in their journal under the heading of “Knowing Yourself” answering the following questions:

Of all the examples of knowing yourself demonstrated in the clips, which was your favorite? Why?

Write about what makes you different from your friends and family. Tell of a time when you felt uncomfortable around others. What made you feel uncomfortable? How did you resolve it?

Activity 1: Dead Poets SocietySpecial WalkPerformance Objective:To build awareness that there is something unique about each of us.

Materials Needed:Paper and pens/pencils

Teachers Instructions:Have students go into an open area and create their own “special walk.” Afterwards, ask them to explain what their “special walk” said about them. Was there a reason they walked or moved the way they did? Why is it important that we realize it is okay to have our own “special walk?” Ask students to describe in a journal three things that make them feel special. Ask them to share two of these things with the class.

-Barbara Gruener

Activity 2: Back to the FutureBullying Role Play Performance Objective:To bulid self confidence and awareness of possible response to bullying situations.

Materials Needed:Paper and pen/pencils

Teachers Instructions:Have all the students write down different bullying situations or draw pictures of these situations for younger students.

Then ask the students to discuss the different situations and come up with ways to resolve them without fighting. Once they’ve completed six different scenarios have the students act them out, demonstarting how they would work.

-Brad Geiszler

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Facing Peer Pressure

Activity 1: Sky High, Christmas StoryPerformance Objective:Reinforcing anger management skills.

Materials Needed:Audio recording of Addams Family theme song.Paper and pen/pencils.

Teachers Instructions:Here’s a snappy song (sung to the tune of the Addams Family) that you can use to reinforce Anger Management skills:

When I get mad (snap, snap), when I get mad (snap, snap),

Here’s what I do, to get me through

when I get mad (snap, snap).I practice taking deep breaths,I slowly count from one to ten.

I talk it out or exercise,‘til I am glad again.

-Barbara Gruener

Activity 2: DrumlinePerformance Objective:To help students recognize peer pressure.

Materials needed:Paper and pen/pencils

Teachers Instructions:Ask your students if they were ever pressured by their siblings into opening their Christmas gifts early and rewraping them.

How did this make the student feel once the special day came and they already knew what they were getting.

In small groups, create lists of when “friends” have encour-aged them to do something they normally would not do, (i.e. take something that did not belong to them, throw a rock at a lamp post, laugh at the new kid for no reason!) Then ask them to describe how that made them feel.

-Joe Arwood

Activity 3: Mean GirlsPerformance Objective:To encourage thoughtful action for peaceful classrooms.

Materials needed:Miranda Peabody and the Magnificent Friendship March,Paper and pen/pencils

Teachers Instructions:To celebrate peace and citizenship, consider hosting a class or Community Friendship March. First, read aloud the storyMiranda Peabody and the Magnificent Friendship March, written and illustrated by Dr. Susan DeBell. Rich with points to ponder about bullies, bystanders and friends, this tale is certain to ignite some interesting discussion about Maxie, the school bully, and Miranda, her victim and ultimate friendship mentor. Miranda tries different ways to problem solve when Maxie pushes her around at recess and in school. What will work to stop this mean little girl? And how does her story relate to what’s going on at your school?

At Westwood, each classroom is posted as a NO-TEASE ZONE. Find out if your students think that posting a sign helps cut down on teasing, put downs, and bullying. Why or why not? Discuss or journal what else needs to happen to make a

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classroom a peaceful place. Enjoy your students’ perspective; use the activity suggestions in the back of the book for enrichment; then bring Miranda’s story to life by making Peace Posters and going on a Friendship March of your own.

NOTE: This magnificent idea was passed along by Angie Morrison, a colleague in Tuscaloosa, AL. We’d love to hear how your Friendship March goes, so why not encourage your students to write to us and let us know!

-Barbara Gruener

Understanding Bullies

Activity 1: Ant Bully, Cheaper by the DozenChildren’s LiteraturePerformance Objective:To help better understand bullying situations.

Materials needed:3x5 cards, pen/pencils

Teachers Instructions:Use a children’s story book about bullying like the Recess Queen by Alexis O’Neill and Laura Huliska-Beith in conjunction with Film Clips like the “Ant Bully”.

Write one word per card: Target, Bully, Bystanders and discuss each of them in relationship to bullying situations.

Watch the clip and ask the children to identify the target, the bully and the bystanders and their roles—note, the target becomes a bully.

Read the book and as you read, ask the children to help you discover the bully, the target(s) and the bystanders. Ask them to compare the two situations. What is alike? What is

different? Ask them to rewrite the “Ant Bully” situation so that the bully stops bullying—they can do this in illustrations or text and illustrations depending on the age of the students.

As they share their versions of the story, help the listening students identify the strategies that were used and the subsequent feelings experienced when the consequence changed.

-Barbara Gruener

Activity 2: Hoot, The WarPerformance Objective:Understanding the roles of: bullies, buddies, and bystanders.

Materials needed:Paper and pen/pencils

Teachers Instructions:The lesson, entitled “Buddy, Bully or Bystander?” will start by asking the students to tell me about a time they’ve been a buddy, followed by a time they might have been a bully. We will then make a T-chart to visually categorize buddy behaviors and bullying behaviors. After hearing in their own words what students think constitutes bullying, we’ll also talk through the role of the bystander and role play what we might do differently the next time an opportunity to intervene and be a buddy rather than a bystander presents itself.

-Barbara Gruener

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Building Anger Management Skills

Often we don’t choose anger, it chooses us. Here are 10 ways parents can help students manage anger.

1. Explain that anger is normal and that it’s how we manage it that counts.

2. Help your students identify signs of anger from the obvi-ous like yelling or screaming to the subtle like upset tummy or headaches. Other physical cues include: warmth and redness in their faces, sweating, heart beat speeding up, fists clench-ing.

3. Show understanding. If you validate their anger with words like, “I can see that you’re angry because I won’t let you play until your homework’s done,” they may feel heard and less threatened or scared by their anger.

4. Teach proven “cool-down” methods. These include counting to 10 (or 20 or 100?), whatever it takes, and sometimes back down again, taking slow, deep breaths (breathe in through your nose, exhale out through your mouth), writing the angry thoughts on paper, then tearing up the paper, or even scream-ing into a pillow - in a room or area where it won’t disturb or scare anyone, of course!

5. Have your students write a list of ways to handle anger better next time. Role-playing is very helpful, once the student has settled down and is no longer in the midst of the angry feelings.

6. Encourage students to talk about feelings in order to find the root of the anger.

7. Encourage parents to keep thier children healthy, with enough rest and a variety of nutritious foods.

8. Encourage parents to limit their childrens’ viewing of violence in the media, including the nightly news! There are so many sad and violent stories on the news.

9. Help your students handle stress. Some stress reducers are soothing music, exercising, playing with a pet, or simply going outside for some fresh air.

10. Remind students to always respect the rights and feelings of others. Your school counselor is a trained mediator who will gladly sit down with students who are angry and try to help them resolve their conflicts whether it’s with a friend here at school, a sibling at home, or even a parent or guardian.

-Barbara Gruener

Fitting Clips to Educational Standards:In recent years, assessment of the academic progress of students has been standardized through the creation of a set of measurable and obtainable goals or standards. Listed here are sample standards that we believe are fulfilled by utilizing the Film Clips, teaser questions, and various exercises listed in this guide.

Language Arts Standards (Elementary)Topic: Listening/Speaking Standard: Recalls, interprets, and summarizes information presented orally.

Standard: Uses oral language for different purposes: to inform, to persuade, and entertain.

Standard: Responds to literal, inferential, and evaluative questions on orally presented material.

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Standard: Acquires new vocabulary in each content area and uses it correctly.

Standard: Participates in discussions related to curricular learning in all subject areas.

Standard: Determines the meaning of a word based on how it is used in an orally presented sentence.

Topic: WritingStandard: Uses a writing process that involves pre-writing, drafting, revising, editing (can involve peer editing), proofreading, and publishing.

Topic: LiteratureStandard: Experiences traditional and contemporary literature through a variety of media.

Social Studies Standards (Elementary)Topic: Information ProcessingStandard: Gathers information through reading, listening, observing and surveying.

Standard: Locates and utilizes information from a variety of sources, e.g., books, newspapers, atlases, glossaries, photographs, videos, computers, internet, software, & others.

Standard: Selects and discusses the main idea from a reading passage or listening activity.

Standard: Distinguishes between fiction and non-fiction stories.

Standard: Analyzes information from two or more sources for agreements, contradictions, facts, and opinions.

Topic: Problem SolvingStandard: Identifies and states a problem related to topic under study.

Standard: Chooses a solution to a problem after supplying the evidence.

Standard: Shows respect toward others.

Fine Arts Standards (Elementary)Topic: Artistic Skills and Knowledge: Creating, Performing, ProducingStandard: Identifies and applies dramatic elements of setting, character, plot, and dialogue.

Standard: Identifies implicit and explicit main ideas, details, sequences of events, and cause-effect relationships in dramatic presentations.

Standard: Describes and demonstrates the role and responsibility of the audience.

Standard: Demonstrates an awareness that drama comes from all cultures throughout time and compares and contrasts cultures through drama activities.

Character-Related StandardsStandard: Retells stories that illustrate positive character traits and will explain how the people in the stories show the qualities of honesty, patriotism, loyalty, courtesy, respect, truth, pride, self-control, moderation, and accomplishment.

Standard: Gives examples of how the historical figures under study demonstrate the positive citizenship traits of honesty, dependability, liberty, trustworthiness, honor, civility, good sportsmanship, patience, and compassion.

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Standard: Demonstrates an understanding of goodcitizenship.

We are very grateful to the many educators who have made essential contributions to the content of this guide including:

C.K. Robertson, Ph.D. is a distinguished professor at General Seminary, a former associate professor of education and popular culture at Georgia College and State University and writer of most of this guide.

Charlie Abourjilie, Ed.S. is Character Education Coordinator at Guilford County Schools in Greensboro/Winston-Salem, North Carolina Area, and national presenter, trainer and consultant to Film Clips for Character Education.

Thomas Santo, M.A. is Principal of Zane North Elementary, a National School of Character in Collingswood, New Jersey, popular speaker, mentor to many New Jersey elementary schools and consultant to Film Clips for Character Education.

Kay Augustine, Ed.S. is Project Coordinator at the University of Minnesota Institute on Community Integration, national presenter, trainer and consultant on leadership & character development for youth and a key advisor to Film Clips for Character Education.

Barbara Gruener, M.S. is lead Counselor and Character Coach at Westwood Elementary, a National School of Character, in Friendswood, TX, and a popular national trainer, presenter and consultant for character education.

Mark J. Britzman, Ed.D. is professor of Counseling and Human Resource Development at South Dakota State

University and a national presenter, trainer and consultant for character education.

Michelle Stemwedel, M.S. South Dakota State University, Counseling Specialist and a valued consultant to Film Clips for Character Education.

Peter Samuelson, Ph.D. is associate Professor of Educational psychology at Georgia State University. He conducted a scientific study of Film Clips for Character Education as a tool to increase higher moral order thinking. (see www.FilmClipsonLine.com/teacher2teacher).

Penny L. Elkins, Ph.D. is senior associate vice president at at Mercer University, associate dean and chair of educational leadership in the Tift College of Education and teacher education faculty representative on the Georgia Professional Standards Commission.

John Lounsbury, Ph.D. is the co-founder of the National Middle School Association, Dean Emeritus of the John Lounsbury School of Education, Georgia College and State University, and a key advisor to Film Clips for Character Education.

The American School Counselor Association including Executive Director Kwok-Sze Richard Wong, Ph.D., Jill Cook, Barbara Blackburn, Linda Eby, Louise Janelle, Janis Wallender, Pamela Gabbard, Brenda Melton.

The Calilfornia School Counselor Association including Paul Meyers, Bob Tyra, Dean Lesicko and Mary Maio.

Teri Dary is the Education Consultant for Service-Learning at the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and serves as co-chair of the State Education Agency K-12 Service-Learning Network. She has been an educator for 27 years and has

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extensive experience in curriculum and program development, effective instructional practices, and teacher professional development.

Joan Doyle, M.A. has served as an assistant elementary principal and teacher of grades 3,5,7 & 8 for many years. She has presented numerous workshops for parents and teachers and is a certified Media Literacy Educator.

Joe Arwood, M.Ed., Ed.S. teaches character education and math at Granard Middle School in Gaffney, SC and is certified in Middle School Language Arts, school administration, and music education (K-12). Joe has created a mentoring program that enables middle school students to teach character education to elementary students. Joe taught 3rd grade for several years where he began the school’s first newspaper completely created by students from all grade levels. He is a national presenter for character education and advisor to Film Clips for Character Education.

Special Thanks to:

Georgia Department of EducationNorth Carolina Department of Public Instruction

National Middle School AssociationAmerican School Counselor Association

Character Education PartnershipCharacter Plus

National Service Learning PartnershipCenter for Media LiteracyCenter for Civic EducationDirectors Guild of America

Screen Actors Guild of AmericaWriters Guild of America

American Federation of MusiciansOf the United States and Canada

Buena Vista PicturesDimension Films

DreamworksLions Gate Films

LucasfilmMetro-Goldwyn-Mayer Films

Miramax FilmsNew Line Cinema

Paramount PicturesPixar Animation

Touchstone StudiosTwentieth Century Fox

United ArtistsUniversal Pictures

Walden MediaWalt Disney Pictures

Warner Bros.The Weinstein Company

Visit us online atwww.FilmClipsOnline.com

for Character EducationFILMclips

Produced by Michael R. Rhodes www.FilmClipsOnline.com 4903 Island View Street Channel Islands Harbor

California 93035 Phone: (805) 984-5907

Fax: (805) 984-2397

E-mail: info@filmclipsonline.com

Study Guide design by Scott C. Gold • ScottCGold@gmail.com