|
The Project Wisdom Library (Series 1, 2 and 3) contains more than
600 timeless broadcast messages. In addition to the original collection
are more than 170 lesson plans with correlating broadcast messages.
You gain access to these with a one-year online subscription. These
highly-rated, thought-provoking materials address current and calendar
events as well as pressing issues such as bullying, cheating, and
academic performance. These resources integrate character education
and social-emotional learning into all grade levels (Elementary)
or academic areas (Secondary) and are made available for one year
to every registered user on your campus.
Want to preview the Educator Resource
Site 2.0?
You can do a Sneak Preview
without a Member Login.
(Some areas will be restricted.)
Go to Educator Resource
Site 2.0.
Sample Lesson Plan with its Correlating Broadcast Message
Education: Doorway to Success
Good morning, (name of school). This is (name of narrator) with
a few words of wisdom.
Did you know that there are children in other countries who want
to go to school, but there is no school to go to? Or they can't
go to school because it costs money and they can't afford it? It's
sad, isn't it? Many of these children may always struggle because
they can't get an education. Going to school provides people with
opportunities for a richer, better life. Aren't you lucky to be
sitting here at school where there are teachers who care about you
and want to see you succeed in life?
Now listen to this old proverb:
Teachers open the door, but you must enter yourself.
Every day, your teacher opens the door to learning and you must
keep stepping through that door. If you choose to do your best and
stick with school, you will have an opportunity to succeed that
many children in the world don't.
With something to think about, this is (name of narrator). Make
it a great day . . . or not. The choice is yours.
Copyright© 1992 - 2012 Project Wisdom. All Rights Reserved.
[ Back to Top ]
Correlating Lesson
Plan
Key Ideas: Love of learning - School pride - Choices - Teacher
appreciation
Character Traits: Responsibility - Gratitude
Concept: Students will be aware of their unique opportunity
and the value of an education.
Materials: Suggested activities for art classes may require
materials for creating a drawing, painting, or poster.
Directions: Read or ask a student to read aloud the Project
Wisdom message that accompanies this lesson plan. Ask for volunteers
to share responses to the following questions.
Discussion Generators
- What does this mean to you, "Teachers open the door, but you must enter yourself"? Can you put it into your own words?
- How do you feel when you hear that many children
around the world do not have a school to go to?
- What do you expect from the school, (a desk,
a teacher, a place to eat, materials, a place to learn, etc.)?
What qualities do you think a good school possesses? What do you
like about your school? What would you change if you could?
- What do you expect from your teachers? Tell
what you think a teacher's duties are.
- What should your school expect from you? What
is your job as a student?
- Have you ever felt like not coming to school?
Why or why not? Is there anything that the school could do to
improve your desire to come to school?
- Describe a teacher who made you look forward
to coming to school. What character traits did he or she possess
that made school a great place to be?
Closing Comments - Everyone here is fortunate to be able
to come to school each day. It's a great place to learn and to make
friends and to have fun. Teachers open the doors each day, but your
job is to step through the doors ready to do your best, whether
that means doing your best with your schoolwork or doing your best
with others. And it's important to remember that many children around
the world have no school, which makes coming to school each day
something to be thankful for.
[ Back to Top ]

Follow-up
Activities
K-2
- Have students discuss what they think is special
about their school while you make a list on the board. Ask what
role they play in helping to make school special. For example,
if recess is special, what is their role in keeping it special?
If the library is special, what is the students' role in making
it special? Ask the students to pick their favorite and draw a
picture and complete the sentence, "The _________ is
special at my school. I help make it special when I____________________."
These can be displayed on a bulletin board and/or compiled in
a class book.
- Read Thank You, Mr. Falker, by Patricia
Polacco. Mr. Falker was a special teacher in Ms. Polacco's life.
Create a discussion about the various ways that teachers help
students every day. Ask them to complete the sentence, "Thank
You ________ ," and have them draw (and if appropriate, write)
about something special they remember about a special teacher.
Have the older students write thank-you letters.
- Read David Goes to School, by David
Shannon. Ask students to discuss student responsibilities in school.
Student books can be made with the following as a guide: "____________
goes to School. At school I ___________." Have each page be a
different student responsibility (e.g., listen to teacher, clean
up my area, listen, do my work, etc.).
- Read a sampling of poems from If You're
Not Here, Please Raise Your Hand: Poems About School, by Kalli
Dakos. Ask students to make acrostic poems using either the word
"school" or the word "teacher." If "teacher" is used, have students
focus on the character traits that a good teacher possesses. Poems
can be displayed around the room.
- Read If You Take a Mouse to School, by
Laura Numeroff. Create a discussion on school, its purpose, and
what happens when you come to school.
Grades 3-5
- Have students research the history of the school.
The work can be divided as it would be among reporters for newspapers.
When was it founded? Who was it named after? How many students?
How many teachers? How many years of experience do the teachers
have altogether? Interview the teachers who have been at the school
the longest/shortest number of years. Ask what each has done or
wants to do to make the school a better place. Find students who
graduated from the school and ask what they remember as special
about it and what those students did to make the school better.
Interview a new student and have him compare this school and his
former school. Have students interview a teacher who has been
there longer than five years about how the school has changed
and what he or she has done to help with those changes. Write
articles based on the information and publish a classroom newspaper
or magazine about the school.
- Discuss what makes our school special. List
the following ideas on one side of a T-chart. On the other side
of the chart list the proof for this. Example:
| The
teachers are the best. |
Ms.
Smith stays after school to help me when I can't understand
my math.
|
| Music
and art are fun at my school. |
We
do plays and artwork to show our talents. |
| The
students are the best. |
We
are respectful of our teachers and study hard. |
Have students display the information on a bulletin board and
invite guests to come view it.
- Ask each student to write a letter of appreciation to someone who makes a
difference at the school. The letter should include specific reasons, and when possible, specific
events should be shared. Invite the people to your class to present them with the letters.
Have the authors read their letters aloud.
- Have students research schools in other parts of the world.
Ask them to compare the length of the school day, the number of days in a school year,
what's learned at the same grade, homework, fine arts, physical education, etc.
Let students decide how they could best share the information with everyone in the class.
Reading List
K-2
- Thank You, Mr. Falker, by P. Polacco
- David Goes to School, D. Shannon
- If You're Not Here, Please Raise Your Hand: Poems About School, K. Dakos
- If You Take a Mouse to School, L. Numeroff
Copyright© 1992 - 2012 Project Wisdom. All Rights Reserved.
[ Back to Top ]

Want to preview
the Educator Resource Site 2.0?
You can do a Sneak Preview
without a Member Login.
(Some areas will be restricted.)
Go to Educator Resource
Site 2.0.
|