Below I am posting a lesson plan that I created as part of a 1st grade Health Education Unit. It is meant to be an introductory lesson for teaching young children about what child abuse looks like and to help them identify it if the need arises. As a pre-service teacher myself, any comments or feedback will be greatly appreciated.
Best wishes!
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Lesson Plan Title: Introduction to Child Abuse
Grade: 1st
Unit: Health - Child Abuse
Time period: One
45-minute to one-hour session
Size and type of class: Homogenous 16
Aim: Child abuse is a living reality of many school children. This lesson will focus on the role of families in children’s lives and the emotions that family members can make children feel.
Student Objectives:
Students will be able to identify their emotions towards
family members.
Students will be able to diagram the emotions their family
members make them feel.
Materials:
1.
PowerPoint Slide: Family.
2.
Drawing paper, crayons, markers, and pencils.
3.
Drawing Rubric (see
attached).
Procedures:
45-minute Lesson:
·
This lesson will be a whole-group discussion of
family roles and the emotions that family members can make children feel.
Teacher will use a PowerPoint presentation entitled Family, to engage students in a discussion about who possible
family members might be, what family members do for us to make us feel good
(ie, feed us, hug us, cloth us, provide a safe and happy home for us, help us
with our homework), and a positive discussion of negative emotions including
why children might feel upset, sad, anxious, or scared towards certain family
members. The discussion of these
negative emotions will be discussed using scenarios such as:
o Teacher
talk: “Sometimes our family members might get sick and that can cause you
to feel sad or upset. Other times our
parents, sisters, brothers, grandparents, or cousins might feel worried about
something and that can make you feel anxious or scared. It is okay to feel this way every now and
then but not all the time. We should not
feel upset, sad, anxious, or scared all the time.”
·
Student Project: At conclusion of the lesson,
the teacher will ask students to draw pictures of each family member they live
with and to redraw/recreate the discussed emotional graphics a particular
family member makes them feel, next to the picture of that family member. As students work on the assignment, teacher
will display the PowerPoint slide containing graphics of the emotions on the
SmartBoard screen. Teacher will assess
student learning of identifying emotions and associating them with family
members according to a Drawing Rubric
(see attached).
Assessment:
Teacher will assess student learning about the emotions they
feel towards their family members by asking students to draw a picture of each family
member they live with and to draw the emotions, by redrawing/recreating the
graphics displayed in the PowerPoint presentation, they feel towards a specific
family member.
Below are books that I am considering teaching as part of this Health Unit:
Physical abuse is not the only
thing that scars a child. Words hurt too, and children often have no way of
handling the harsh criticism of parents. In The Words Hurt, readers
follow the story of Greg, whose father's problems have caused him to lash out
at this son and fail to express the love he truly feels. Beautiful
illustrations and a moving story provide critical support for children
suffering from verbal abuse — reassuring them that they are good, not bad
people, and are not alone.
A Terrible Thing Happened: A Story for Children Who Have
Witnessed Violence or Trauma by Margaret M. Holmes
Sherman Smith saw the most
terrible thing happen. At first he tried to forget about it, but soon something
inside him started to bother him. He felt nervous for no reason. Sometimes his
stomach hurt. He had bad dreams. And he started to feel angry and do mean
things, which got him in trouble. Then he met Ms. Maple. She helped Sherman
talk about the terrible thing that he had tried to forget. Now Sherman is
feeling much better. This gently told and tenderly illustrated story is for
children who have witnessed any kind of violent or traumatic episode, including
physical abuse, school or gang violence, accidents, homicide, suicide, and
natural disasters such as floods or fire.
How can kids understand and cope
when their parents fight? Based on a true story, this 32-page book shows a
child seeking, and finally obtaining, help in a domestic violence situation.
Written so that it can be used with both the very young, and the school-age
child, Something Is Wrong at My House
provides brief text with illustrations on one page of each two-page spread, and
more detailed information on the facing page. The book is ideal for use by
school nurses, counselors, social workers and teachers, as well as therapists
and staff in shelters.
It seems to Orsa Bear that Papa
is angry all the time — especially after he's had a lot of jack-berry wine. If
Papa's not yelling at Mama about the weeds in their garden, he's roaring at
Orsa for being clumsy at his chores. Orsa
is scared and doesn't understand why his father acts this way. After a long
winter's sleep things get worse, but with the help of Dr. Owl, Mama and Orsa
bravely take steps to break the cycle of violence. Told in an easy-to-read
graphic narrative format, Hear My
Roar: A Story of Family
Violence provides a gentle, non-threatening approach to talking with
children about family violence. The foreword and afterword help parents,
teachers, and caregivers use the story with young readers.
Children learn that violence is
never okay, that they can manage their anger and other strong feelings, and
that they’re capable of positive, loving actions — like playing, making music,
learning, counting, helping, taking care, and much more. The book includes a
special section for adults with activities and discussion starters.
Everett Anderson doesn't know
what to do when his friend Greg comes to school with bruises, or when Greg
cries and can't explain what's wrong. Should Everett tell the teacher, or would
that only make things worse for Greg? Everett's sister thinks maybe it's none
of their business, but he can't stop worrying about his friend. Then, when
Everett Anderson tells his mother, he opens a window of possibility. This
tender story perfectly evokes the confusion, concern — and eventual hope — one
little boy feels in the face of a very difficult problem.
Mom doesn't understand why Collin
is reluctant to go to his best friend's house. Justin's dad lost his job and
can't find a new one. Unfortunately he is taking out his frustration on his
son. Once Collin's mom realizes that Justin is being abused, she and Collin
decide to help his friend.
The Boy Who Sat by the Window: Helping Children Cope with
Violence (Let's Talk)
In this touching story of a small
boy whose classmate is killed by random gunfire, Chris Loftis uses his
expertise as a counselor to heal the fragile psyches of children who have
witnessed violence and/or the death of a peer. He teaches coping skills and
restores hope by instilling a message of peace.
