6.3 Lesson Two – Rules at home
Time required: 60 minutes
Materials required: chart paper, marker pens, art utensils, art paper
Teacher instructions:
In this lesson, the teacher invites the students to reflect on the rules that they are expected to observe at home. The students are invited to name any of the rules or guidelines for living that their parents have established in their homes or rules in the home that have been co-operatively established by parents and children.
Caution: The teacher needs to conduct the discussion in such a way as not to trigger conflict between home and school environments. Given the broad range of cultures, ethnicities, customs, mores, and religious beliefs within the student population in some schools, there can be a discrepancy between values taught in the home and values communicated in the school.
The teacher is encouraged to set the tone by encouraging students to be tolerant and to reserve judgment about the cultural, ethical, and religious beliefs and practices of other students.
The rules brainstormed by the students can be listed on chart paper under the title of “Rules at Home”. Some examples which may emerge:
- No T.V. after 10 p.m. on a school night
- Weekend curfew
- No going out on a school night
- Household chores completed before “free time”
- Bedtime curfew
- Restrictions on friends that I can have
- Restrictions on my allowance
- Restrictions on clothing
- Restrictions on computer use, and restrictions on access to content on the Internet
When the list is completed, the teacher continues to stimulate discussion about the list and its content.
Art activity
Each student is invited to create a poster that depicts him or her putting into practice rules that have been established in the home. Each student is provided with a sheet of paper (suggested size: 18 x 24 inches.) The student draws a large circle on the paper and then divides it into four equal sections (as in dividing a pie in four sections.)
In each section of the circle, the student draws a sketch of him/herself putting into practice an important rule in his/her household. Under each sketch, the student writes the wording of the rule which is depicted in that particular section. Accordingly, each student is responsible for drawing sketches of four rules that are being implemented.
Sample rules:
- Some of my allowance must be given to charity (in this scenario, the student could sketch him/herself making a financial donation to a local food bank.)
- You must keep your bedroom clean and organized (the student could accompany this rule with a sketch of him/herself cleaning his/her bedroom.)
- Each person in the household must take a turn walking the dog.
- Each person in the household must take turns washing and drying the dishes.
- Bedtime at 10 p.m., with lights out at 10:15 p.m.
- At family meetings, everyone must attend and everyone is given an opportunity to speak.
When the artwork is completed, some students volunteer to display and explain their sketches. The teacher encourages discussion.
Journal activity: Let’s write about it!
For journal questions to stimulate the students’ written reflections after or during class, see Appendix 2.