Lesson Plan #:AELP-GOV0041

To Be Or Not To Be Armed

An Educator's Reference Desk Lesson Plan

Submitted by: Mary Meritt
School or Affiliation: Stillwater High School, Stillwater, OK
Endorsed by: 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.

Date: May 1994

Grade Level(s): 11, 12

Subject(s):

Overview: Many students have little understanding, nor do they see the value of certain rules or practices in "running", a school or the government. (i.e. armed security guard in the parking lot). In introducing the lesson, the students will be requested to list what they believe exists around them that relates in some way to the law. Typically, they may criticize but seldom do they have an issue, follow through on addressing the issue, and finally, practice the skills necessary to resolve the issue.

Purpose: The purpose of this activity (to be used in a secondary governments class) is to begin the process of teaching students communication and thinking skills and the procedures necessary to resolve problems. The goal is to develop an inquiry relationship between the students and the administration, law enforcement, and/or government officials.

Objectives: As a result of this activity, the students will:

  1. Identify the specific objections (in the case) to the parking lot security guard being armed.

  2. Determine the students who will approach the administration after the class identifies the skills the representation need in order to net the desired results.

  3. Divide into small groups and collect their substantive remarks to be presented to the class and ultimately to be shared with the administration.

This activity or a similar activity should be planned at the beginning of the semester to achieve several secondary objectives. Students many times have difficulty seeing the relevance of laws at the congressional, state, or local level. Yet at the building level if the height of the water fountain is a problem for the handicapped or the armed officer is viewed as a problem, they need to learn how to impact decisions in a positive way. This activity sets the administration up as a resource person on even bigger issues and starts students on the study of "government" and "governance" with a trust building activity. The goal is to develop an inquiry relationship that will encourage young people to continue their interest in assessing the legal issues involved in a school setting and decision making that meets the expectations of society.

Resources/Materials: The cooperation of the administration, handbooks, etc. will ensure the success of the lesson but, more so, the course.

Activities and Procedure:

  1. Students examine the school handbook for the duties of the officer. In small groups, they determines what those duties are and after 5 - 10 minutes, the list from each group is shared making a single list by consensus.

  2. Students then examine the climate of the school via "paper" questionnaires or through teacher-student led discussion as it pertains to the "armed guard."

  3. Students are selected by the class to make an appointment with the administration to share student concerns. These students will be selected because of certain communication skills they believe will net the desired result - an appointment with the class.

  4. Divide the students into small groups to prepare a draft of concerns and rationale to be presented tot he administration.

  5. The teacher is to assist students in gathering information about security, editing the written comments, and working with the administration each spring in developing the course description to ensure that the government class is viewed positively as a "live lab."

Tying It All Together:

  1. The teacher and the administration's representative set the ground rules for the class discussion.

  2. The administration sets out the rationale from the security service and the school.

  3. The resolution of the identified problem will be determined by the position taken by the administration based on law, the security provider, and what is in the best interest of the "safety" of the student body.