 The Active Learning Foundation Update
Volume 4 Fall/Winter
Director - Tom Jackson
What Works In Prevention?
Everyone is asking
this question. Part of the answer is to teach kids life skills. A nationwide
study (High Risk Youth Demonstration Grant Program 1994-1995) by the Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found six components
that can help reduce substance abuse among "high-risk youth". The
components are teaching life skills, connecting youth to constructive peers and
adults, opportunity for self examination, clear programmatic purpose, intensive
participant contact and offering programs after school when many youth are
unsupervised. The Activities That Teach Series is an ideal vehicle to use
when teaching life skills and is definitely a winner when used in an after
school setting. After school program leaders are caught in a catch 22 situation.
They want to teach new skills but the kids have been in a classroom all day long
so they don’t want to spend anymore time doing worksheets or being lectured
to. The answer – active learning! Get kids involved in their own learning
process by using activities that are fun, yet educational. If you want more
information on this study, visit SAMHSA’s website Error! Bookmark not
defined. and click on CSAP
Why Hands-on Tasks
are Good by Dr. Kathie F. Nunley
Actually, tactile, or ‘hands-on’,
activities benefit everyone and should be plentiful and encouraged with all
students. The reason for this is simple. We have two different memory systems in
our heads. One is called the semantic memory and the other is the episodic
memory. They are actually in two different locations in the brain.
Semantic memory is composed of those
things we have specifically set out to learn and remember, such as "who was
the 1st president of the United State?" or "how many stars
are there on the flag?" Or, "what is 6 times 3?" All of us were
taught the answers to these questions and we intentionally set out to remember
them. We stored them in our semantic memory.
But if I ask you "what did you
have to eat last night?" or "where were you last Christmas?" Or
"what is your most memorable birthday?" You would also be able to
answer these questions. But why? Did you specifically set out to remember what
you had for dinner last night in anticipation that I would ask you today? Did
you go to bed repeating it over and over? No of course not, yet you remember it
easily. This is information that is stored in our episodic memory (think of it
as the ‘episodes’ of your life). It is our autobiography of everything that
has happened to us. It is unintentionally remembered.
These two systems are linked or
networked together and often one will help us with the other. We know that they
are completely separate in the brain however, because in some instances a person
will lose one but not the other. In Alzheimer’s disease,. People tend to lose
their episodic memory but not their semantic. So although they don’t know if
they have children, they do remember that there are 50 stars on the flag.
Now can you figure out the true
advantage to using "hands-on" activities in the classroom? It targets
both memory systems and you have a better chance for retention. When I tell
people I’m a biology teacher they usually reply…"Ughhh, all I remember
about biology is that we had to dissect frogs". I find it fascinating that
I get this response from so many people, even it it’s been 40 years since they
were in high school. Why do they remember the frogs? Probably because it was the
only thing they did all year that was a tactile activity.
Dr. Kathie Nunley is an expert in the
area of layered curriculum. You can read more about her at this website: www.brain.org
Websites you can use
for Substance Abuse & Youth Issues information
Community Toolbox: ctb.lsi.ukans.edu
Join Together Online: www.jointogether.org
Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of
American (CADCA) www.cadca.org
National Institute o Drug Abuse (NIDA): www.drugabuse.gov
Center for the Application on
Prevention Technologies: www.captus.org
Search Institute: www.search-institute.org
Safe and Drug Free Schools: www.ed.gov/offices/OESE/SDFS
Parenting is Prevention: www.parentingisprevention.org
Parents, the Anti-drug: www.theantidrug.com
Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP):
www.health.org
If you have any youth serving web sites
that you would like to share, send them to us and we will share them. E-mail
them to staff@activelearning.org
I love to hear from
you! Here is
part of a letter that was sent to me by Gwen Settle, a health teacher in
Georgia.
"I just had to say how much I’ve
enjoyed your books. I’ve worn out my copies to the point where I’ve had to
punch holes in them and keep them in notebooks. In addition, they are one of the
first resources I introduce to my student teachers. In fact, the supervising
professor from their department now recommends them to his blossoming
teachers-to-be since I introduced your books to him! Thank you for your ideas.
They have helped me help so many students and have saved me from constantly
having to re-invent the wheel so to speak." E-mail your activity comments
to staff@activelearning.org
If You Like Tom Jackson’s
Books, You’ll Love Hearing Him In Person! That’s right, wouldn’t it be great to have Tom come to your school,
community or conference and share with you his creative, yet practical hands-on
activities? Tom’s activities have been described by teachers and others who
work with children and youth as "Simply the best life skill activities I
have ever used! They teach life skills in such a way that kids not only learn,
but love doing them." Or you can broaden the topic by having Tom talk about
active learning as a teaching tool which can energize any classroom or program.
PTA, parent and community groups can also benefit from activities that help
build family values and successful kids. Tom uses his "learn by doing"
approach to walk you through a number of activities from his books. Here is a
chance to ask questions, get insider tips and learn first hand how to process
and discuss the activities with your kids. Hundreds of teachers, counselors,
youth workers, and parents have participated in Tom’s workshops and one of the
most common remarks is "I wish we had more time. This is the most useful
workshop I have ever attended."
All of Tom’s presentations use a
hands-on approach. You won’t find any of his presentations to be of the
"sit and soak" variety. He believes in involving the audience with an
entertaining and interactive delivery that has delighted audiences across the
county. The most common comment after one of Tom’s presentations is "We
want more, when can we have Tom back again? "Who should attend one of Tom’s
presentations? Everyone will benefit from his information about using active
learning to energize their own classrooms, lesson plans and any other time spent
with children and youth. Here is just a partial list of those who would benefit
from the information which specifically addresses life skills training:
elementary teachers, secondary teachers (especially those who work in the fields
of health, home economics, physical education, adult roles, psychology, advisory
period, careers, character education and others who teach life skills),
counselors, prevention workers, violence/gang workers, student assistance staff,
conflict mediation, nurses, Title I staff, at risk/high risk programs, after
school programs, enrichment programs, and others who address life skills.
Click on the page labeled "Have
Tom Speak" to get more information, then give Janet Jackson a call toll
free at (888) 588-7078 to schedule a presentation by Tom or to ask for a speaker’s
packet. Or, just give Janet a call and suggest to her a person in your district
or organization who would be interested in hearing more about Tom and she’ll
contact them directly. If your group is too small to bring Tom in for only you,
check out the "Host A Workshop" page and see if that program will meet
your needs.
Two New Activities For You To Try!!!
Send us feedback on what worked and what
didn't work for you! e-mail at: staff@activelearning.org
Title: Likes and Dislikes
Topic Area: Self Esteem, Team Building
Concept: Letting kids share their lives with one another is always a
great way to build community in your group. The better the kids know one
another, the easier it is for them to get along and work together. Giving kids a
chance to talk about their lives, lets them affirm that what they have to say is
important and worth having other people listen to them. Getting kids to talk
about their lives is not always easy. Whether it is a matter of being shy or not
wanting to brag by talking about yourself, this activity will ease their fears.
It is also an activity that can be done with kids who are not able to express
themselves by writing. Be sure to explain to your students that how well they
draw is not as important as what they draw`.
Method: Classroom activity
Time Needed: 20 minutes
plus discussion time
Materials Needed:
One 8½ x 11 piece of paper for each person
Writing or drawing materials for each person
Activity: Give each person a piece of paper. Have them fold the paper
into quarters so they end up with four spaces. Have them label each of the first
three spaces as "A’, "B" and "C". Now explain that
you want them to make three drawings. One drawing will be made in each of the
three labeled spaces. Two of pictures that they draw will represent things that
the person likes to do. The third picture should be of something the person does
not like to do. They should not put the pictures in any specific order, nor
should they tell anyone which of the two pictures represent things they like to
do or the one thing they don’t like to do. The drawings should be simple ones
since you do not want them to spend too much time creating them.
Once everyone has finished their three drawings, have them divide into groups
of four or five people in each group. In the fourth empty space, have them write
down the first name of every person in their group, excluding their own name.
Now have each person take a turn briefly describing their three pictures. After
each person’s explanation is complete, the rest of the group tries to guess
which of the three pictures represents the thing that they don’t like to do.
Next to where they have written the person’s name, they will put the letter (A,B,C)
of the picture they think is the drawing of what they think the person doesn’t
like to do. When everyone has completed making their choices, then each person
reveals the correct answer. For each answer you get correct you receive 1,000
points.
Discussion Ideas:
"What" Questions
How many points did you score?
Did anyone in your group like or dislike the same things you do?
What was one thing that someone liked to do that you found to be interesting?
What was one thing that someone disliked to do that you found to be
interesting?
How hard was it for you to decide what to draw?
When making your choice on the picture that represented what they don’t
like to do, what did you base your decision on?
"So What" Questions
What can this activity teach us about each other?
Do people like to talk about themselves? Why or why not?
How does this activity show that we have many things in common?
What would happen if everyone liked doing the same things?
What would happen if everyone disliked doing the same things?
What does being different from one another add to our school, community or
country?
"Now What" Questions
What are the advantages of knowing about one another?
How can knowing about one another help us work together?
Title: What's
Important?
Topic Areas:
Priorities, Time Management
Concept: We
all must manage our time effectively. Without good time management we
can't get things done, we can experience stress and may find ourselves not
accomplishing much even though we seem to be quite busy. Prioritizing is
an important aspect of time management. When you know what should be done
first, you have a better chance of getting it done. Too many of us waste a
lot of time on nonessential details and then wonder why we are always behind.
This is true in our school work and to even a greater degree on the job.
If the word priority is a new concept to your kids, then you will have to spend
time defining it before undertaking the activity.
Method: Classroom
activity
Time Needed: 8
minutes plus discussion time
Materials Needed:
A watch with a second
hand on it
Activity:
Have everyone get a partner. Explain that they will each have sixty
seconds to ask the other person questions. The object of the questions is
to allow you to get to know the person. They may not ask a general
question such as "Tell me all there is to know about you". The
first person asks a question and the other person answers. They continue
asking questions and having the person answer for the entire sixty
seconds. Then they switch roles and the other person asks questions and
listens to the answers for sixty seconds. In this round the total time for
each person to both ask and hear the answers to their questions is sixty
seconds. The round will take a total of 120 seconds. The teacher
will keep track of the time and tell them when to start and stop. If you
group does not know each other, then you can let them exchange names before the
timing period starts.
When both people have completed
their turn, they are to get new partners. They repeat the same process,
only this time they each have only 45 seconds. Repeat again with new
partners and a new time of 30 seconds. Repeat again with a new partner and
only 15 seconds. For the fifth and final round have each person once again
get a new partner. During this round, which will last only 10 seconds,
they may ask just one question.
Discussion Ideas:
"What"
Questions
Which role did you like
better, asking the questions or answering the questions? Why?
Did the activity become
easier or harder as the time was reduced?
How difficult was it
for you to determine what one question you wanted to ask in the last round?
"So What"
Questions
What can this activity
tell us about priorities?
What role did
priorities have in this activity?
How did you have to
prioritize as the time became shorter?
How can having
priorities help you with your school work?
How can having
priorities help you when you have a job?
When making a decision
how can priorities help you?
What do priorities and
goals have in common with each other?
Who sets the priorities
in a person's life?
"Now What"
Questions
How do priorities help
you manage your time?
How can having
priorities help reduce stress in your life?
Have you ordered my new
new book yet? "Conducting Group Discussions With Kids" has been
well received. Take a look at it on the activity
book page.
Copyright © September 2002 [Active Learning Foundation]. All rights reserved.
Revised
|
