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Assignment Samples

3 Credit Courses

Educating Students on Character - CTED 617
Teachers Understanding Student Poverty - CTED 686
Developing Character through Positive Teen Habits - CTED 912
Writing for Life - CTED 882
Developing Character in your Classroom and School - CTED 570

2 Credit Courses
Bullies Beware-CTED 878
Managing Your Classroom with Heart-CTED 829
Books, Writers, and Successful Students-CTED 5041

Developing Character in your Classroom and School CTED 570

Instructor: Sandy Opheim and Linda Card

Book Required: Character Matters  By Thomas Lickona

Assignments:
After reading each chapter or chapters, complete the written assignments. Please clearly label each assignment. Single spaced sized 12 Font typing is preferred. Please do not send three ring binders or document covers.

I am looking for concise answers/instructions of good quality. If you are in need of adding something to receive an "A" grade you will be contacted. If you have any questions, the email address is opheimst@msn.com and phone number is (218) 894-2976 after 4:00 pm.

Assignment One:

Complete this prior to reading the book Character Matters.

  1. In one paragraph, introduce yourself to me. Include information about you professional position (teacher, social worker, etc.) and your school's efforts in character education.
  2. Write a one to two sentence definition of character educations.
  3. What outcomes would you like to achieve by taking this course?

Introduction

Assignment Two:

  1. Write a reaction to the author's introduction. One paragraph is sufficient.
  2. Visitwww.cortland.edu/c4n5rs. Enter the site by hitting the ENTER sign at the bottom of the home page. Choose three articles to read. Write a one paragraph summary and a one paragraph review for these articles. 7 points.

PART I - Why Character Matters

Assignment Three:

  1. Name the tem virtues that Lickona discusses. For each virtue write a definition that is meaningful to you and /or you students.
  2. Choose one of the following -
    1. Activity: Write the ten virtues onto strips of paper. Place them in a paper bag. Ask your students to draw one. Ask them what they think the virtue means. Encourage discussion. After completing this activity, discuss the success of this activity.
    2. If you currently do not have access to a classroom of students, create a lesson plan of you own based on the virtues. Please include grade level, objectives, lesson instructions, closure and assessment.

Educating Students on Character - CTED 617

Instructor: Sandy Opheim

Book Required: Life's Greatest Lessons: 20 Things I Want My Kids to Know  By Hal Urban   (Formerly known as Life's Greatest Lessons: 20 Things I Want My Kids to Know).

Assignments:
After reading each chapter or chapters, complete the written assignment. Please clearly label each assignment and use size 12 Font when typing. I am looking for concise answers/instructions of good quality. If you are in need of adding something to receive an "A" grade you will be contacted. If you have questions, my e-mail address is opheimst@msn.com or phone number is (218) 894-2976 after 4:00 p.m.

Introduction
Assignment One:

  1. In one paragraph, please introduce yourself to me. Include your teaching position, education background, current school, and any personal information you would like to share.
  2. In one paragraph, please tell me about your school's current character education program. Be sure to include who teaches the lessons, what type of involvement you have, the strengths of the program, and its weaknesses. If you do not currently have a program, please create a list of four student or school wide outcomes you would like to see through the adoption of a new program.

Chapter One
Assignment Two:

This chapter focuses on the characteristics of successful people. On pages 5 and 6 he highlights who is successful. For this assignment you are asked to create two lesson plans with the objective of teaching the concept of success. You are encouraged to use the Internet as a source. Some examples of plan ideas include using picture books, skits, charting success vs. failure, role-playing, stories about famous people, small group team building activities, and making a classroom book success. Your lesson plans should follow the format on the next page.

Chapter Two
Assignment Three:

This chapter discusses fairness and hard work. In one paragraph, discuss the message the author is trying to teach. In a second paragraph, tell me how you will get this message to your students. It may be through a lesson plan, activity, journaling prompts, and stories from popular books, or any other appropriate idea you create.

Teachers Understanding Student Poverty - CTED 686

Instructor: Sandy Opheim

Book Required: A Framework for Understanding Poverty  By Ruby K. Payne, Ph.D.

Assignments:

Course Objectives:
Upon completion of this course, the teacher will be able to:

  1. Use appropriate interventions with students of poverty.
  2. Examine current teaching situation and address the needs of the student.
  3. Define resources as it relates to poverty.
  4. Demonstrate an understanding of the chapters read through written response.

After reading each chapter, complete the written assignment. I am looking for concise answers of good quality. If you are in need of adding something to receive and "A" grade you will be contacted. If you have questions, my e-mail address is opheimst@msn.com and my phone number is (218) 894-2976 after 4:00 p.m.

Introduction

Assignment One:

  1. Please introduce yourself to me. Be sure to include your name, where you teach, and your position(s). I am especially interested in how you feel poverty affects your students.
  2. Interview your school's principal or superintendent. You will need to develop three questions for the interview. The questions should give you information about your school district's poverty levels. The purpose of this activity is to increase your awareness of poverty within your district. It will also help you to see how others define poverty.
Developing Character through Positive Teen Habits - CTED 912

Instructor: Sandy Opheim

Book Required: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens  By Sean Covey

Assignments:

Course Objectives:
Upon completion of this course the teacher will be able to:

  1. Design a lesson plan that will teach students to identify their paradigms.
  2. Define good habits for students to possess.
  3. Identify when students should be proactive.
  4. Define "change agent" in his/her own words.
  5. Create a personal mission statement.

Introduction
Assignment 1:

  • Please introduce yourself to me. I would like to know your name, what you teach, and where you teach.
  • How well do you feel your students are prepared to be successful students? What programs does your school implement to facilitate successful students? This can include planners, daily organizers, character education programs, and academic programs conducted during or following school.
  • If your school has written organizational goal for your students, please list them. If none exist in writing, create a list that you feel would fit your school. Use the internet as a guide for writing these goals.

PART 1: The Set Up
Get in the Habit:
Assignment 2:

  • Make a list of your bad habits. Now, identify which of those habits do not limit your success (like eating yogurt with a fork).
  • Using journals, the internet, or professional publications as resources, find three articles related to the topic of organizational skills for students. Write a one page review for each article. Be sure in include a summary and your opinions about the information in each article.
Writing For Life - CTED 882

Instructor: Sandra Opheim

Book Required: Writing for Real  By: Ross M. Burkhardt

Course Objectives:
Upon completion of this course the teacher will be able to:

  1. Design lesson plan rubrics for clear grading expectations.
    2.
  2. Demonstrate an understanding of the chapters read through written response.
    3.
  3. Evaluate his/her current curriculum and identify areas of need. For each area of need a plan is developed to achieve each goal.
    4.
  4. Create clear writing rules and expectations that enhance a positive writing community in the classroom.
    5.
  5. Develop lesson plans that include all levels of learners.
    6.

Introduction Assignment One:

  1. Please introduce yourself to me in one to two paragraphs. Be sure to include your name, current teaching position, school, and any other information you feel will be valuable to include.
    2.
  2. After reading the "About This Book" section, tell me the following:
    3.
  • What student outcomes do you and your school expect in the area of writing?
    •
  • Make a list of writing activities or goals that currently work well for you.
    •
  • Make a list of writing areas of which you would like to improve.
    •
As you proceed through the following assignments, please keep in mind the needs you have listed in assignment one, 2c.

Assignment Two: Part One and Chapter One

  1. The author shares the idea of using a weekly poem. Write your own "First Day of School" poem that fits your students. You may look ahead at page 26 for an example.
    2.
  2. The author uses a journal on a regular basis as a way for students to evaluate their own writing skills.
    3.
  • How well would this work for your students?
    •
  • What would you require your students to include in their entries? This may be the date, topic, opinions, evaluative statements, and anything you deem to be important.
    •

Assignment Six: Chapter 6 & 7

  1. Make a list of why the author uses interior monologues and personal essays.
    2.
  2. Create your own list of writing group instructions. See the author's example on page 86.
    3.
  3. Why does the author believe that publishing student work is important? What do you do to publish your student's work?
    4.

Assignment Seven: Chapter 8

  1. The use of journals supports the author's theory of "Volume + Variety = Fluency." How would you utilize a journal in your classroom?
    2.
  2. Create a list of at least ten topics for journals.
    3.

PART TWO - Writing and Learning

Assignment Eight: Chapter 9

  1. The use of letters is a real aspect of life. Make a list of reasons why your students need to know how to write various letter formats.
    2.
  2. Create two lesson plans on creative letter writing. Some ideas include writing letters to introduce themselves to you, letters requesting donations, pen pals and letters of gratitude. Please be sure in include the title, grade level, objectives, instructional procedures, and any follow up activities. Include any grading rubrics that can be used to evaluate the student letters.
    3.
Assignment Nine: Chapters 10-13
  1. Life presents both good events and bad to us. The author describes how hi students reacted to the death of a respected teacher. He also use the situation as a writing opportunity. Locate two journals related to death, loss, grief, and/or suicide. Write a one-paragraph summary of each journal. Also, create a list of grief support that teachers may find useful.
    2.
  2. Family traditions, tolerance, holidays, and student success are topics for student writing. Create one lesson plan on one of these topics. You are encouraged to make a lesson that you have not yet used.
    3.
  3. Write a one-paragraph reaction to Chapter 13's Letter to Self assignment.
    4.

 

Bullies Beware-CTED 878

Instructor: Sandra Opheim and Linda Card

Book Required: The Bully, the Bullied, and the Bystander  By: Barbara Coloroso

Course Objectives:
Upon completion of this course the teacher will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate an understanding of the chapters read through written response.
    2.
  2. Demonstrate an understanding of on-line resource readings through written summary and reflective responses.
    3.
  3. Identify the current bully-free policies in place in his/her school.
    4.
  4. Identify the signs of bullying.
    5.

Introduction Assignment One:

  1. Please introduce yourself to me in one to two paragraphs. Be sure to include your name, current teaching position, school, and any other information you feel will be valuable to include.
    2.
  2. After reading the introduction, write a one-paragraph reaction.
    3.
  3. Reflect on your school and students. In one paragraph or more address these questions: a. How do you feel bullies impact your school? b. Does your school have a bully-free policy in place? If so, what is that written policy. If not, ask your principal/superintendent if there is a plan for addressing the issue. c. Has your school experienced any documented bullying? If necessary, get this information from your principal or school counselor. Describe the incident and how it was handled. Feel free to add your personal evaluative input.
  4. Visit www.kidsareworthit.com, this is the author's website. There is information about her career and speaking engagements. There are printable forms here. After visiting the site, write a one-paragraph response to that site. You may include navigability, resources and their value, and personal comments about your findings.

10 Points

Assignment Two: Part One and Chapter One

  1. Summarize the chapter in one page or less.
    2.
  2. How does your school provide a setting of caring for each individual student? What programs are in place so that you can get to know all of your students and their needs? This response should be a minimum of two paragraphs in order to describe your school adequately.
    3.
  3. The Internet has a wealth of news articles, violence response articles, and bullying information. Search for three articles related to bullying. Prompts for searching may include: Violence in schools, bullying and suicide, Columbine, cyberspace bullies. For each article, write a one page summary and response for a total of three pages. Be sure to site the author, article title, and source.
    4.

10 Points

Assignment Three: Chapter 2

  1. In one paragraph, summarize the four markers of bullying.
    2.
  2. Identify the three ways and means of bullying and describe them briefly.
    3.
  3. List five of the ten listed traits of a bully.
    4.
  4. There is a great article written by Mary M. Harrison called "Bully on the Bus" and is in the January 2005 issue of Teaching Tolerance magazine. Go to www.splcenter.org/news/item.jsp?aid=132. When you get to the page you will see a link to the article in a paragraph about half way down on the page. Write a response to the article. It should be one page or less.
    5.
  5. This chapter identifies teasing and taunting as two different things. Write a lesson plan that you could use to teach students the difference between the two terms. The lesson could include a game, charting, role-plays, or one of your own creative designs.
    6.

10 Points

Assignment Four: Chapter 3

  1. Visit the website tolerance.org/teach/magazine/index.jsp. There are many articles related to bullying and violence at this site. Locate two articles and write a one page summary and reflection of each article. To locate the articles you will see small squares with graphics. Use your mouse and click on the squares and it will take you to the article. Please site the author and title.
    2.
  2. Chapter three response questions: a. What are some reasons why the bullied do not tell an adult? b. What signs should teachers and parents be aware of in order to identify a bullied child? c. What are some skills that schools and parents can try to develop in kids so they are not bully targets?

10 Points

 

Managing Your Classroom with Heart-CTED 829

Read the provided text Managing Your Classroom with Heart by Katy Ridnouer. Teachers will examine their current classroom management styles and reflect on new methods suggested by the author. Teachers will be presented with ideas of organization, rule establishment, communication, motivation, and challenges as they relate to adolescent students. Teachers are encouraged to try new techniques to help reduce stress for both the teacher and students.

    Goals and Objectives
  1. Examine their current discipline policies and identify strengths and weaknesses.
    2.
  2. Demonstrate an understanding of chapters read through written response.
    3.
  3. Develop school year goals and an implementation plan in the area of classroom discipline.
    4.

Sample Assignment Five
After reading Chapter Four:

  • Student language, chemistry with one another, lack of supplies, and hunger are some of the issues addressed in this chapter.  After reading the chapter, complete the questions on page 75.  Each answer should be approximately one paragraph in length.
    •
  • Go to www.mayoclinic.com/health/self-esteem/MH00128.  Find the article “Self-esteem check:  Too low, too high or just right?” by the staff at Mayo Clinic.  Read the article and write a one paragraph summary and a one paragraph reaction to the article.

    •  
    Books, Writers, and Successful Students-CTED 5041

    Read the provided text The Wonder of it All: When Literature and Literacy Intersect by Nancy J. Johnson and Cyndi Giorgis. Teachers will explore how literature can be a partner in education through writing, reading, and character education activities. The materials will inspire teachers to embrace the partnership with authors through various activities such as literacy letters, poetic forms, and reader's circles. Student's skills in reading, writing, and speaking will grow as a result of application of course materials.

      Goals and Objectives
    1. Show synthesis of information by identifying two or more ways to implement books as partners in education.
      2.
    2. Demonstrate an understanding of chapters read through written response.
      3.
    3. Develop lessons that utilize books for writing, reading, and character education.
      4.
    4. Evaluate a variety of children's books in order to select age appropriate materials for his/her classroom.
      5.

    Texts/Readings: The required reading is found in:
    Johnson, Nancy J and Cyndi Giorgis. (2007). The Wonder of it All: When Literature and Literacy Intersect. Heinemann.
    Participants will complete the readings and independent activities described below to achieve the course objectives.
    Schedule of Readings, Topics, and Assignments
    Reading Material

    Sample Assignment One

  • In one paragraph, please introduce yourself. Include your teaching position, educational background, current school, and any personal information you would like to share.
    •
  • How do you currently use picture books in your curriculum? What would you like to accomplish by the conclusion of this course?
    •

    Sample Assignment Four
  • 1. What type of response to literature will you use in your classroom? (Written, verbal, small group, large group, or combinations). In one paragraph minimum identify why you chose that style for your students. You may include the types of students that may benefit from the style you have chosen.
    •
  • 2. Write a set of five literature response questions that would be good to get discussion going from your students.
  • 3. On pages 55-67, many ideas are presented. Write a three paragraph response to the ideas presented. Which do you like best? Which would you use? Why did you choose the ones you have chosen?
    •
  • 4. Design one lesson plan that utilizes a way to involve students in literature response. (Examples: poetry, art projects, verbal activities, and drama).

    •  
     
     
     
    For more information please contact: card@staplesnet.com
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