Lesson Plan on Creating Roles for Students and Adults to Improve School

FACILITATOR NOTES

Introduction: An inquiry-based lesson plan for 4-40 students and adult participants

Goal: When this session is complete, participants should be able to…

• Identify their goals for Student-Adult Partnerships
• Understand where Student-Adult Partnerships can benefit our society

Time: 40 minutes

Materials: Flip chart paper and markers

Space: Floors or tables with enough space for teams to spread out their paper and work

Considerations: We often talk about what an individual needs in order to work with students or adults. However, it is useful to get these ideas out in the open and down on paper. This helps people see what is really expected and evaluate what is realistic. This lesson plan engages people by showing their creative sides. It gives them the chance to symbolically represent the ideal characteristics and abilities of an ally.

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PROCEDURES

1. Break people up in two teams of 4-8, depending on the size of the group. Keep teams all students or all adults.
2. Tell each team that you will give them a large piece of paper on which they will draw the outline of a person. Tell them that after the outline is complete, they will illustrate it with the kind of characteristics or abilities that an ideal student or adult partner would have. For example, draw big ears on the person to indicate ability to listen.If you really want to get into it, give them a piece big enough to actually outline someone on it. Start with student teams drawing ideal adult partners and adult teams drawing ideal student partners. If you have time, have them do both.
3. Have teams present their drawings. Create a master list of characteristics as each team reports back.
4. If time allows, create an Ultimate Partner drawing all together.
5. Debrief by asking:
   • Which characteristics do you think are most important? Why?
   • Are these realistic? Why or Why not?
   • (If in a mixed group) How do you feel about the ideal partner the other teams came up with? Do you have any concerns? Would you add anything?

If the group is an on-going one, make sure the master drawings and/or a couple of the others stay hanging around to remind people what they’re striving for.

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