Teacher Page

Teacher Page

Are You the Weakest Link?

Preventing Violence at School

Project Description

The mix leading to violence in our schools has become predictable: volcanic anger, no skills to vent the anger or ease the pain, no trusted adult to turn to, and accessibility of firearms. Violence in our schools—whether it involves threats, fistfights, knives, or firearms—is unwarranted and intolerable. Children deserve a safe setting to learn in. Teachers and staff deserve a safe place to work in.

With heightened awareness to issues of school violence, it is important for elementary schools to take an active role in promoting constructive responses to conflict. Conflict is a natural and inevitable part of living; however, managing conflict is difficult for many students because they have not been taught how to resolve differences in cooperative, nonviolent ways.

Montefiore Special School will present “The Weakest Link” violence prevention game show to promote constructive responses to conflict among our students.

This activity first offers Internet resources so that students can (1) learn how to identify different conflict situations at school and (2) respond in alternative ways to avoid violence at school. Conflict situations presented are Bullying, Teasing/Namecalling, Taking Property, and Manipulative/Controlling Behaviors.

A Practice Quiz and Student Correction Answer Key is provided to measure the students’ progress in learning positive responses in conflict situations at school.

The project then requires students to learn and practice violence prevention behaviors through participation as contestants in a monthly “The Weakest Link” violence prevention game show.

Project Goals

Essential Question:

How do we prevent violence?

Specific Questions:

What conflict situations are students involved in at Montefiore?

What are situations that you get into at Montefiore that lead to violence?

What non-violent alternative behaviors are available to students at Montefiore?

How can these alternative behaviors be practiced on a daily basis at Montefiore?

How can we create a chain of strong links to prevent violence at Montefiore Special School?

Illinois and CPS Learning Standards

Illinois and CPS Learning Standards:

Health and Well Being

6^th Grade

STATE GOAL 24: CAS A CFS 1,2,3

CAS C CFS 1

Language Arts

6^th Grade

STATE GOAL 5: CFS 3

Unit Prerequisites

Students will be Internet literate (able to log on to world wide web, able to click on links for further information, able to return to original project).

Students will be able to understand concepts of conflict, conflict situations, self-control in behavior, alternative behaviors in dealing with conflict at school.

Performance Actions

Task:

You have been selected to be a contestant on Montefiore’s “The Weakest Link” violence prevention game show.

Three students in each division will be selected to be contestants for the “The Weakest Link” show to be held once each month during morning assembly at Montefiore.

Students selected to be contestants will be able to answer correctly questions about:

How to avoid fighting
How to respond to bullies
What to do if you have a “mad attack”
How to respond if another student calls you a name

What to do if someone takes your property at school

How to let someone know that you are sorry for your actions and will do better next time]

How to be a STRONG link in the chain of non-violence at Montefiore.

You will need to learn the correct answers to these questions by following links on the internet which provide you with the answers.

Access:

Access special links on the world wide web to learn about how to prevent violence at school.

Search for information to help you answer questions correctly and win. Review each website to make sure you have learned all that you can.

Interpret:

Check your behavior at school to see if you are following suggestions on how to behave without violence.

Compare what you do today to what you did yesterday when another student bothered you.

Decide if you are ready to be a contestant on “The Weakest Link” violence prevention game show at Montefiore.

Produce:

Practice to be a contestant on “The Weakest Link” at Montefiore by taking a practice quiz about preventing violence at school.

Print out the practice quiz, “Are You the Weakest Link in Preventing Violence at Montefiore?”

Write your response to each question on the violence prevention quiz.
Print out the Answer Key to the quiz (don't peek at the answers before you take the quiz!)
Check your responses on the Answer Key.

0–5 Correct Review your web links & try again!

6-10 Correct Good work! Go back to the web links & learn more about ways to prevent violence at school.

11-15 Correct Excellent work! You need only a little more practice.

16-20 Correct You ARE a strong link in the chain of non-violence at Montefiore!

YOU ARE READY TO BE A CONTESTANT ON "THE WEAKEST LINK" GAME AT MONTEFIORE!

Communicate:

Display your new violence prevention skills during “The Weakest Link” game show at Montefiore.

Teach other Montefiore students how to avoid violence at school by performing as a contestant on “The Weakest Link” game show.

Evaluate:

Evaluate your readiness to be a contestant on “The Weakest Link” violence prevention game show by looking at your results on the practice quiz.

Judge your growth in positive responses to problem situations at school.
Gauge your development in violence prevention skills by comparing your behavior today in problem situations with what you did yesterday.

Performance Assessment Plan

Performance Indicator	Assessment Tool
Health and Well Being 6^th Grade
STATE GOAL 24:
CAS A CFS 1,2,3	Content specific rubric, teacher observation
CAS C CFS 1	Anecdotal records, teacher observation
Language Arts 6^th Grade
STATE GOAL 5:
CAS A CFS 3	Violence Prevention Quiz

Teacher Resources

URL (Address)	Description
Internet Safety Site for Students	Internet Safety - Good Site to Review before Students Begin
Angries Out	Bully Guidelines for School
No Bully	Much Bully Info
Bully Advice	Bully Advice for Kids
Lesson Plans - Cruel Schools	Lesson Plan – Cruel Schools

Teachervision Lesson Plan - 2922	Lesson Plan – Conflict Resolution Activities
Teachervision Lesson Plan - 2919	Lesson Plan – Exploring the Nature of Conflict
Teachervision Lesson Plan - 2921	Survey – Conflict & Me
Teachervision Lesson Plan - 2984	Role Play – Tape Recorder Fight
Gun Pledge	Gun Prevention Pledge
Educators for Social Responsibility	50 Lesson Plans – Social Responsibility
Bully/Violence Statistics	Reality Matters – Cruel Schools Facts & Statistics
Conflict Resolution - Peer Mediation Research Project	Conflict Resolution Curriculum