Date: May 1994

Grade Level(s): 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Subject(s):

• Language Arts/Writing (composition)

Developing a rapport and trust with students at risk of dropping out of school is often difficult. These students are guarded in their openness with adults in general and school staff in particular. Yet providing an open atmosphere is fundamental to mending self-concepts and a prerequisite for skill development and the academic success necessary leading to graduation.

PURPOSE:

Getting to know students and getting them to know themselves through writing.

OBJECTIVE(s):

Beyond the stated purpose, students become more familiar with word usage; synonyms, the degrees(s) of emotion contained in words and the manipulation of language to impact meaning.

RESOURCES/MATERIALS:

This idea may further be explored through the Ferguson/Florisant Writing Project which is part of the National Diffusion Network offerings found in the EPTW (Educational Programs That Work) Directory.

ACTIVITIES AND PROCEDURES: Begin a discussion of what feelings and emotions are. Then have each student write down a word which describes how he or she feels today. Use this sentence:

Explain that it is possible to have more than one emotion or feeling at the same time, either similar or opposite.

Examples: Today I feel worried because we are having a test. Also, I feel happy because today is Friday.

To help students examine emotions more closely, use this exercise: After brainstorming a list of emotions, ask students to choose one and assign it a color. "Hate is black," or "Happiness is yellow." Use the following to further explore:

(Emotion) is (Color).	Fear is red.
It smells like_____.	It smells like fire.
It tastes like_____.	It tastes like rotten peaches.
It sounds like_____.	It sounds like car horns.
It feels like______.	It feels like being scared of dark.
It looks like______.	It looks like Freddy Krueger.
(Emotion) is_______.	Fear is falling into a hole.
(give a metaphoric statement)

Bio-poems

Line 1 Your first name only
Line 2 4 traits that describe you
Line 3 Sibling of...(or son/daughter of)
Line 4 Lover of...(three people or ideas>
Line 5 Who feels...(three items)
Line 6 Who needs...(three items)
Line 7 Who gives...(three items)
Line 8 Who fears...(three items)
Line 9 Who would like to see...(three items)
Line 10 Resident of (your city, street or state)
Line 11 Your last name only.

Example:

Kaitlan
Petite, bubbly, happy and energetic.
Daughter of Greg and Missy
Lover of gymnastics, roses and cheerleading.
Who feels happiness with friends, loneliness at night, and joy
at ball games.
Who needs friends, love and acceptance.
Who gives friendship, love and encouragement.
Who fears pain, death and losing friends.
Who would like to see the world, the future and neverending joy.
Resident of Stigler, Oklahoma
Kasbaum.

TYING IT ALL TOGETHER:

In content areas, students can synthesize key concepts or characters to extract meaning and gain understanding. This exercise can be used for analysis of literature characters. History events and characters work well, as do the characteristics of animals, plants, chemical elements, etc. with variations in lines 3-9 to suit the subject.

May 1994: These lesson plans are the result of the work of the teachers who have attended the Columbia Education Center's Summer Workshop. CEC is a consortium of teacher from 14 western states dedicated to improving the quality of education in the rural, western, United States, and particularly the quality of math and science Education. CEC uses Big Sky Telegraph as the hub of their telecommunications network that allows the participating teachers to stay in contact with their trainers and peers that they have met at the Workshops.