Practice Thirteen – Lessons and Strategies for CHOICE

Lessons and Strategies for ”CHOICE”

G.E. Tenets and Key Ideas on Choice

Lesson Plan for Introducing Choice and Goal Setting - 2 lesson plans with extensive resources for introducing choice/goal setting at all grade levels and for use with discipline through setting behavior/academic goals. Includes specific examples for the educational setting and 6 Powerpoints.

Use any of the resources below to discuss making choices.

1. Introductory lesson to choices: Brainstorm choices learners make before school, at school, after school. See School Day Choice chart and School Day Example Choice Chart. Add to the example or start with blank chart. Adapt concept for middle and high school students.
2. Literature Lessons: (May also apply to everyday situations) Since Choice is an integral part of every story/situation, the decision-making process steps may be applied to analyze the choices being made along with the consequences. This gives endless opportunities for reinforcing decision-making skills. Selection of Potential Questions for Discussion:
   • What choice was most important to the story/situation ending?
   • What might be some other possible choices (options)?
   • What was the critical point in the story/situation where the choice made affected everything afterwards?
   • What effect did the choice have on the others in the story/situation?
   • Were there smaller choices made that affected the main one? If so, what were they?
3. What choice would you have made and why?
4. Reflection: (Select one.) Have learners draw or write about:I agreed/disagreed with the choice to……because…

   For my own life, the story made me think...

   The decision that stood out was…

   In the same situation I would have...

Videos:

• Marshmallow Test 3:27 min. Several kids wrestle with waiting to eat a marshmallow in hopes of a bigger prize - Good for showing choices by very young children.
  • Reflection question:
• The Three Questions - 6:13 min. Based on story by Leo Tolstoy adapted by Jon Muth
• The Three Questions Poster - Questions from book, The Three Questions by Jon Muth
• The Three Questions by Leo Tolstoy – simplified version - Printable
• Rocket - Making a Choice to overcome a challenge 30 sec. Fizzling Rocket provides opportunity for CHOICE. Great for 2-6th

Tools: The strategies below may be used with:

1. Any general decision-making as a class or with an individual learner
2. Problem-solving
3. Conflict resolution
4. Any situation/story to analyze choices made by character/s.

Printable documents:

• C.R.O.S.S.ROADS Decision-making process - This is the 5 step decision-making process that may be used for general decision-making, goal setting, problem-solving, and conflict resolution. (C.R.O.S.S.ROADS Process Poster)
• C.R.O.S.S.ROADS Simplified Decision-making Process Worksheet
• Choice C.R.O.S.S.ROADS Planning Worksheet - Use this document for detailed planning on the personal effort necessary to carry out a choice.
• Choice Chart - Use with any story or situation to guide learners in recognizing that choices are being made. Extend by analyzing the consequences of those choices.
• Choice Option Chart - Use with any story or situation to help learners recognize that there are always choice options.
• The Right Questions Poster - Use the three questions with any story analyzing if the character/s decisions.
• Choice C.R.O.S.S.ROADS Directory - Complete resources with forms, examples, posters, sign language, task cards, etc.

Music:

Suggest use as introductory songs for Choice

For Elementary:

• Stop, Think, Go Children’s song for helping make good decisions 2:28 min. Click on Show More and lyrics and motions may be viewed.
• Jammer and Pop sing "CHOICES" 2:15 min.
• Stop and Think song - Sesame Street 1:17 min.
• "Making Choices" song by Thornwood Elementary School 2:19 min.
• Making Choices song by Mr. Heath 2:35 min.
• The North Wind Doth Blow song 31 sec. A robin makes a choice during a snow storm. Short.
• The Ants Go Marching song 2:04 min Ants make decisions during a march which cause distractions and reduce the number of marchers
• Tiny Tim the Turtle song Song about a boy who put his turtle in the bathtub. Was that a good choice?

All Levels:

• Desert Pete song by the Kingston Trio - 2:43 min. - The song presents Desert Pete’s problem and his choices to solve it. Desert Pete Lyrics

  Option: Use the Desert Pete Goal setting Worksheet to work through his situation.

  Videos: Elementary

• Ernie Learns to Stop and Think - Sesame Street . 4:28 min. Shows Ernie going through choice process.
• Cookie Choosing - Sesame Street 1:37 min. Shows Ernie giving Cookie Monster choice between bag with one cookie and a bag with many cookies.
• Making Decisions: Making the Right Choices. Part 1 - Puppet Show 11:59 min.
• Decisions: Making the Right Choices Part 2 – Puppet Show 6:21 min.
• Decisions, Decisions, Decisions 3:57 min. Animated young people talking about making small and big decisions (British accent)

All Levels:

• Stories, T.V. Spots - Values - Select from any of these very short (1+ min.) video clips to analyze the choices being made and brainstorm option/consequences. EXCELLENT Resource!
• Example: Cafeteria - 1 min.