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Making Peace

 
Project Description
 
Watching or listening to the news can be very disturbing to anyone of a peaceful nature or inclination.  We hear daily updates on the war in the Middle East.  We hear of terrorists’ attacks on innocent civilians and children.  We hear of multiple deaths as the result of a shooting in our schools as well as other nations’ schools around the world.  Daily, we read of injuries and deaths resulting from road rage.  While most of us can do little to stop any of this violence, we can do something to make peace more of a reality in our own world.  We can get in touch with the violence in ourselves and begin to learn how to deal with that violence.  In other words, while we may be powerless in stopping wars and terrorists, we can begin making peace.  We do this by first of all becoming sensitized to our own tendencies towards violence or getting “in touch” with ourselves, and then learning how to effectively change those tendencies.  One such activity to help us do this is the making of a Mandala, and that is what the students will do in this project.
 

 

Project Goals
 
Essential Question:
What can each of us do to help create peace in the world?
 
Specific Questions:

 

  • How does fear lead to violence?

  • What can I do when I feel afraid?

  • What can I do when I am tempted to react violently?

  • Why is it important to practice alternative behaviors?

  • How does my body speak?

 

 

Illinois and CPS Learning Standards

 

State Goal #

CAS Letter

CSF#

Language Arts STATE GOAL 2: 

A

3

Physical development and health STATE GOAL 24: 

A

3

Fine Arts State Goal 25:  Know the language of the Arts

A  Understand and demonstrate knowledge of the sensory elements, organizational principals and  expressive qualities of the arts.

Not yet identifies

 
 

 

Unit Prerequisites

 
  • Student must be able to read at 3.0 grade level or higher

  • Verbalize or express personal feelings

  • Student must be sighted and be able to hear

 

Performance Actions
 

Access:

Investigate Internet sites, books, magazines, newspapers to find symbols that tell something about themselves.  

 

Interview different individuals and have them tell how they created peace in their own lives.  

 

Observe art, music and literature that illustrate or tells stories about people gaining peace in their lives.

Interpret:

Analyze information gathered to identify specific activities individuals use (d) to create peace in their own life,

Determine one, two or three ways of attaining peace that best appeal to you.

Analyze art, literature and music to find pieces which illustrate the ways you have chosen as effective personal ways to create peace in your own life.

Interpret:

Analyze information gathered to identify specific activities individuals use (d) to create peace in their own life,

Determine one, two or three ways of attaining peace that best appeal to you.

Analyze art, literature and music to find pieces which illustrate the ways you have chosen as effective personal ways to create peace in your own life.

Communicate:

Publish your mandala along with other student mandalas on a class website and ask for feedback from people who visit the class Peace Site through email communication.

Dialogue with people who email you feedback by responding to their email.

Evaluate:

Critique and update your site based upon any valid criticism or suggestions from email.

Improve your own life by trying some of the suggestions you found regarding creating peace. See if they work for you. 

 

Performance Assessment Plan
 

Performance Indicator

Assessment Tool

State Goal:  2A3

Collage will demonstrate whether or not Describe the functions and impact of points of view in significant works of literature.

 

 

Teacher Resources

 

URL (Address)

Description

http://www.cln.org/themes_index.html

Community Learning Network – Articles on Youth Violence

http://www.nobully.org.nz

“No Bully” New Zealand Police with Telecom

http://www.teachervision.com/lesson-plans/lesson-2240.html

“What is a Peaceable Classroom?” lesson plan

http://www.teachervision.com/lesson-plans/lesson-2125.html

An Introductory Lesson Plan for getting to know each other the first day of school.

http://www.teachervision.com/lesson-plans/lesson-6041.html

Creating personal mandalas as a way of getting to know each other and getting in touch with ourselves.

http://www.quia.com/rr/29300.html

Quia quiz on “How to Handle a Bully”

http://teasingvictims.com/stop0.htm

“How to Handle a Bully” website

http://school.discovery.com/clipart

Clip Art

http://www.mandalaproject.org/education/Index.html

Mandala Project

http://mandalaproject.org/Index.html

Mandala Project

http://www.oa-dcmetro.org/serenity.htm

The Serenity Prayer

 

 

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