Teacher Packet
Austin/Travis County 2008-2009 Teacher Packet
Austin/Travis County Challenge
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Program Rules
- Entry Deadline
- Judging Criteria
- Classroom Discussion
- Student/Teacher/School Recognition
LESSON PLAN, CLASS ACTIVITIES, AND SAMPLE SCENARIOS
STUDENT COVER SHEET/CONSENT FORM
DOWNLOAD PRINTABLE TEACHER PACKET
Instructions for Teachers
Thank you for involving your seventh and eighth grade students in the 2008-2009 Do the Write Thing Challenge.
The Challenge satisfies a number of objectives from the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills curriculum in English/Language Arts, Social Studies, and Health, and it complements character building and drug abuse prevention programs.
Before presenting the program to your students, please review the following information covering program rules, entry deadlines, judging criteria, classroom discussion and student recognition.
Program Rules
The following guidelines for the preparation of student writings have been distributed to all participating superintendents, principals, and teachers:
- Students may use any form of written expression (e.g., essays, poems, plays or songs) as long as the language is positive and not derogatory. (No fictional writings in essays) Students may submit only one entry per year. All entries must be the work product of only one student.
- Student entries at minimum, should address three questions:
- How has violence affected my life?
- What are the causes of violence?
- What can I do about violence?
- Entries should be approximately 500-1000 words. (with the exception of poetry which can be less)
- Entries must be typed or written legibly in black on 8½” x 11″ paper.
- Do not use spiral notebook paper.
- Use only one side of the paper.
- The pages should be numbered.
- Entries must be in English.
- If the student participant uses a quotation or another person’s material in his or her entry, the entry must identify whose work is being used by citing the original author’s name, or citing the source of the material. Writings based upon plagiarism will not be advanced in the judging process.
- Entries must have a Cover Sheet/Consent Form signed by the participating student and parent or guardian. Entries without a signed Cover Sheet/Consent Form will not be advanced in the judging process. (A blank Cover Sheet/Consent Form containing the Student and Parent/Guardian consent is attached.)
- Entries must be submitted with the original writing and one photocopy of the writing.
- Entries must be submitted in the form that they are received from the student writer. Editing for content, grammar, or spelling by someone other than the student is not permitted. Do not screen student writings.
- Your school must submit a minimum of 50 papers to be considered for the National Finalist competition.
Submission Deadlines
All entries along with Cover Sheet/Consent Statement attached, must be submitted to their school liaison no later than January 21, 2009. The school liaison must submit their entries to their DTWT coordinator no later than January 23, 2009.
Judging Criteria
Entries will be judged by a panel of community leaders appointed by the Do the Write Thing Committee of Austin/Travis County, a coalition of business, community and government leaders. Entries will be judged on the basis of content, originality and responsiveness to the three questions:
- How has violence affected my life?
- What are the causes of violence?
- What can I do about violence?
In their writings, students should be encouraged to describe what they think are the causes of violence, and to offer specific suggestions about what they, as individuals, can do to reduce violence in their homes, schools, and neighborhoods. Personal responsibility for responding to the problem of violence should be emphasized. Students should be encouraged to share personal experiences about the impact of violence on their lives and the lives of their peers.
Classroom Discussion
Classroom discussion is not a requirement for participating in the Challenge. However, candid discussions have proved to be beneficial, sometimes in dramatic fashion. Teachers whose classes engaged in discussion have reported that students find they have an enhanced sense of connection to classmates. Some teachers have been amazed at the level of concern and honesty students express in prewriting discussions. A classroom discussion also provides an opportunity for educators to learn about problems simmering in school before the problems become crises.
Many teachers whose classes have participated in the Challenge have invited outside speakers knowledgeable about violence to lead prewriting discussions. Others have provided their students with selected readings or newspaper articles about violence in advance of the discussion to stimulate thought. Speakers or articles that emphasize personal responsibility on the part of students for responding to the problem of violence have proven to be particularly useful.
Please visit (www.dtwt.org) the National Campaign to Stop Violence and (www.texasdtwt.com) the Texas Do the Write Thing challenge for more information.
Following are some questions to generate discussion among your students before they prepare their entries for the Challenge.
- When you hear the word violence, what thoughts or memories do you have?
- Where are you confronted by violence? Your home? Your school? Your neighborhood?
- Do you think you can tell when another person is on the brink of a violent act? Would you intervene? Under what circumstances would you intervene? What provokes people to be violent?
Student, Teacher, and School Recognition
All students submitting an essay or poem will receive a Certificate of Recognition.
Local Level
The Austin/Travis County Do the Write Thing Executive Committee coordinates the program locally. The Committee will organize a local recognition ceremony to honor the boy and girl from each participating school who submit the best entries. In addition to the School Finalists from each school, the students’ parents, teachers, principal, and superintendent will be invited to the Recognition Ceremony. The 2008 Recognition Ceremony was held at Minute Maid Park. The committee will publish the writings of all School Finalists, and distribute the book to civic leaders.
State Level
The Executive Committee Readers Panel selects, from among the School Finalists, the top two girl and boy authors as National Finalists, and two runners-up as State Finalists. These students, their parents/guardians, and teachers are invited, as honored guests, to the leadership summit in Austin, which includes three days of recognition activities. Among these is the student congress, which drafts a platform stating the principles that constitute a decent society. The students present it in the Chamber of the Texas House of Representatives on Do the Write Thing Day in Texas. There are eleven Challenge programs in Texas: Austin, Beaumont, Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Dallas, El Paso, Houston, Lubbock, Odessa, San Antonio and Victoria.
National Level
The two National Finalists, along with each Finalist’s teacher and one parent or guardian, will be invited by the National Campaign to Stop Violence to attend the Do the Write Thing Challenge National Recognition Week activities in Washington, D.C., in July of 2009.
During past National Recognition Weeks, National Finalists from jurisdictions around the U.S. have met with the Secretary of the Department of Education, the Attorney General of the United States, and members of Congress to discuss the problem of violence. In addition, students have been honored at embassy receptions hosted by the Ambassador to the United States from the State of Kuwait. A book containing their writings was placed in the Library of Congress.
Teacher Survey
Your input/feedback is vital to the future program development. Please complete and return the enclosed teacher survey with your student entries.
Special Instructions
- Please submit all papers.
- Please do NOT screen or grade the papers.
- Emphasize to the students to focus on solutions – address all three questions.
- Please return a completed teacher survey, as the information it provides is very important.
- Remember to:
- Staple the cover sheet/student consent form to the original entry.
DtWT Team Contact:
Marisa Vallejo
(512) 854-7546
Marisa.Vallejo@co.travis.tx.us
Teacher Survey
Please submit this survey with your student entries.
Lesson Plan, Classroom Activities, and Sample Scenarios for Discussion
2008-2009 Key Questions for seventh and eighth grade student participants
How has violence affected my life?
What are the causes of violence?
What can I do about violence?
The Challenge Program meets several objectives of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills curriculum
TEKS Objectives
English/Language Arts TEKS
110.24.15: The student writes for a variety of audiences and purposes, and in a variety of forms
110.24.16: The student composes original texts, applying the conventions of written language such as capitalization, punctuation, handwriting, penmanship, and spelling to communicate clearly
110.24.17: The student applies standard grammar and usage to communicate clearly and effectively in writing.
110.24.18: The student selects and uses writing processes and self-initiated and assigned writing.
Your school may use this writing contest to comply with Title IV: Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities. By incorporating the discussions and consequential writings from Do the Write Thing Challenge into your school’s prevention programs, you will be able to comply with a portion of Title IV, which is designed to support programs that prevent violence in and around schools, prevent the illegal use of tobacco, alcohol, and other drugs, and to involve more parents and community groups in school-based prevention programs.
Social Studies TEKS
113.23.17.C: The student is expected to express and defend a point of view on an issue of historical or contemporary interest.
113.23.21.E: The student is expected to support a point of view on a social studies issue or event.
113.23.23.A: The student is expected to use a problem-solving process to identify a problem, gather information, list and consider options, consider advantages and disadvantages, choose and implement a solution, and evaluate the effectiveness of the solution.
113.23.23.B: The student is expected use a decision-making process to identify a situation that requires a decision, gather information, identify options, predict consequences, and take action to implement a decision.
113.24.20.C: The student is expected to explain the importance of personal responsibilities such as accepting responsibility for one’s behavior and supporting one’s family.
113.24.20.D: The student is expected to identify examples of responsible citizenship, including obeying rules and laws, voting, and serving on juries.
113.24.24.B: The student is expected to explain the relationship between urbanization and conflicts resulting from differences in religion, social class, and political beliefs.
113.24.24.C: The student is expected to identify ways conflicts between people from various racial, ethnic and religious groups were resolved.
113.24.32.A: The student is expected to use a problem-solving process to identify a problem, gather information, list and consider options, consider advantages and disadvantages, choose and implement a solution, and evaluate the effectiveness of the solution.
113.24.32.B: The student is expected to use a decision-making process to identify a situation that requires a decision, gather information, identify options, predict consequences, and take action to implement a decision.
Health TEKS
115.23.5.A: The student is expected to analyze and demonstrate strategies for preventing and responding to deliberate and accidental injuries.
115.23.5.B: The student is expected to describe the dangers associated with a variety of weapons.
115.23.5.C: The student is expected to identify strategies for prevention and intervention of emotional, physical and sexual abuse.
115.23.5.K: The student is expected to apply strategies for avoiding violence, gangs, weapons and drugs.
115.23.5.L: The student is expected to explain the importance of complying with rules prohibiting possession of drugs and weapons.
115.23.7.A: The student is expected to analyze positive and negative relationships that influence individual and community health such as families, peers and role models.
115.23.7.B: The student is expected to develop strategies for monitoring positive and negative relationships that influence health.
115.23.12.E: The student is expected to predict the consequences of refusal skills in various situations.
115.23.13.E: The student is expected to examine the effects of peer pressure on decision-making.
To find out more about Title IV, visit the Texas Education Agency website at www.tea.state.tx.us.
Lesson Plan: Physical Education
- How would you define violence in sports?
- How has violence in sports affected you?
- How do drugs affect the athletic performance of an individual and his/her behavior?
- What role can you play in preventing violence in sports?
Physical Education TEKS
116.23.7.1B: The student is expected to demonstrate appropriate relationships to an opponent in dynamic game situations such as staying between opponent and goal and moving between opponent and the ball.
116.23.7.4I: The student is expected to recognize the effects of substance abuse on personal health and performance in physical activity.
116.23.7.6A & 8.6A: The student is expected to distinguish between compliance and noncompliance with rules and regulations and apply agreed upon consequences when officiating.
116.23.7.7A & 8.7A: The student is expected to solve problems in physical activities by analyzing causes and potential solutions.
116.23.7.7B & 8.7B: The student is expected to work cooperatively in a group to achieve group goals in competitive as well as cooperative settings.
116.23.7.7C & 8.7C: The student is expected to accept decisions made by game officials such as student, teachers, and officials outside the school.
116.23.7.7D & 8.7D: The student is expected to use peer interaction positively to enhance personal physical activity and safety such as encourage friends and join teams.
116.23.7.7E &8.7E: The student is expected to recognize the role of games, sport, and dance in getting to know and understand others.
116.24.8.1A: The student is expected to coordinate movements with teammates to achieve team goals.
116.24.8.5A: The student is expected to use equipment safely and properly.
Lesson plan
Materials
The 3 key questions
- How has violence affected my life?
- What are the causes of violence?
- What can I do about violence?
- Tag board of sentence strips (enough on which to write each question)
- Tag board or card stock (enough on which to write each question)
- Tag board of card stock on which students can write their ideas and attach them to the board under the key questions
- Markers
- Tape
Time
Two to three 45-minute periods
Classroom Activities
Sample classroom activity: Small groups
- Discussion
- Post the questions on wall or board.
- Arrange students in small groups. Distribute sheets of tag board and a marker or two to each group.
- Focus on the first question. Ask it, then allow students time in their groups to discuss ideas and observations.
- One student from each group should sum up briefly what was discussed.
- At this point, teacher may help direct discussion to be sure pertinent points are included in the discussion.
- Writing
- Following class discussion, encourage students to start writing their thoughts, ideas, observations, recollections, and personal stories that address the three questions. (No fictional writings in essays, please.)Lead them through the writing process until they have produced a final document for “publishing.”
- Parental consent
- Send home the Cover Sheet/Consent Statement for parent or guardian to sign. The student must also sign the document.
- Submit entries
- Submit original student entries and consent form attached to top of each, to your school’s Do the Write Thing coordinator by *January 23, 2009.*Please do not screen entries; please submit them all. The DtWT evaluation process is blind-judging.
- Complete teacher entry form
- Complete and submit the teacher survey form. Your information and assessments are important to future DTWT programs!
Students then decide what to write on their tag board and post on the board under the first key question. Repeat procedure for questions 2 and 3.
Sample classroom Activity: Whole-class method
- Discussion and prewriting
- After posting questions on the board, begin class discussion with the use of a scenario. You may refer to samples, or use your own.
- Read the scenario to the class.
- Read relevant current headlines from local newspapers, etc.
- Encourage students to list and brainstorm possible responses to the questions on the board.
- Writing
- Following class discussion, encourage students to start writing their thoughts, ideas, observations, recollections, and personal stories that address the three questions.Lead them through the writing process until they have produced a final document for “publishing.”
- Parental consent
- Send home the Cover Sheet/Consent Statement for parent or guardian to sign. The student must also sign the document.
- Submit entries
- Submit original student entries and consent form attached to top of each, to your school’s Do the Write Thing coordinator by *January 23, 2009.*Please do not screen the entries - please submit them all. The DtWT evaluation process is blind-judging.
- Complete teacher entry form
- Complete and submit the teacher entry form. Your information and assessments are important to this program!
New 2009 Scenarios
Scenario 1
“He Loves Me, I Know He Does” Jazmine is a popular student. She is dating John, a member of the football team. Jazmine starts noticing that John gets upset when she spends time with her girlfriends. At first, Jazmine thinks it’s cute and that John truly cares and loves her. Then, John starts demanding to know where she is and who she is with at all times. He calls her cell phone constantly. When a boy from school gives Jazmine a new CD to listen to, John is furious. When they are alone, he starts hitting her and calling her names. Then he starts setting down rules. Jazmine’s friends notice bruises and signs of cutting on her body. She makes excuses and begs them not to tell. Then they notice a change, she dresses and acts differently and she is spending all of her time with John. The isolation is unbearable and the beatings become more frequent.
- Do you know someone like John?
- Do you know someone like Jazmine?
- What if your friend was being abused by her boyfriend?
- What advice would you give Jazmine?
- What are some of the warning signs of relationship violence?
Scenario 2
“Daddy, No; Daddy, No; Please Stop” My father has a very short fuse. He can snap at the drop of a hat when he drinks. My parents argue nonstop. Kids, jobs, money, spending so much and saving so little; it’s like a movie that plays over and over again except I can’t turn it off. I see the rage in my dad’s face as he hits my mom until he draws blood and tears. During her many beatings, I see him push her down, pull her hair, choke her and call her names. Too many times to count, I see her bruises, busted lips, black eyes and blood- stained torn clothes. This is not an unusual sight at my house. When my dad drinks, he is a different person. I hate to go home after school. I try to stay away as long as I can. The yelling and screaming are too much. Mom thought he was only hurting her….but daddy’s rage is also hurting me.
- Do you know someone who is need of help from domestic violence?
- Do you know someone who uses alcohol and violence to try to drown their problems?
- Do you think children who witness violent acts are more likely to become aggressive and consider violence an appropriate response when they are angry?
- Do you know of programs available to assist families dealing with domestic violence?
Scenario 3
“The Party” Angel and Jacob’s parents are going out of town for a business trip. They will have the house to themselves for a few days. Jacob decides to throw a party. Word spreads quickly. The music is loud. Many young adults are seen taking drugs and drinking alcohol.
- If you were their friend what would you do knowing that most everyone at the party will be underage?
- Would you tell an adult if you knew some of the kids would be driving under the influence?
- What is the best way to handle this situation knowing that someone may get hurt in an accident?
- Do you think scenes from TV programs and movies influences teen drinking?
Scenario 4
“Mean Girls” Amy just moved to town. She meets Julie who lives down the street and they become friends. It’s summer. School is out and they do everything together. They love to shop, swim and ride bikes. When school starts, Julie is back with her old clique from last year. Julie begins to ignore Amy and starts to spread rumors about her on My Space. Julies gives Amy’s My Space password to everyone. She has also given out her personal information making her a target for pedophiles. Now Amy’s best friend is her worst enemy. Amy is getting horrible messages from people she doesn’t even know.
- How many of you know someone else’s password?
- What do you think your ex-best friend is going to do with your password?
- Do you think pedophiles search the Internet for victims?
- Are you a cyber bully?
- Are you a victim of cyber bullying?
- Should laws be passed to protect you from cyber bullying or online assault?
- How much personal information do you share on the Internet?
Scenario 5
“This is the Day…..If Only” Three students tease Jose because he is small for his age. During class, they laugh, shoot rubber bands at him, poke him in the neck with a pencil and call him names. After class, Jose accidently steps on one of the bully’s shoes. The three punch Jose and push him to the ground. The physical and mental abuse has been going on for two years now. He is depressed and suicidal. The next day Jose brings a gun to school and writes a short message. “Blame the bully who made me do this, the cruel actions and words that drove me crazy. If only I had told someone, anyone.”
- Are you a bully?
- Are you the victim of a bully?
- Do you think fines and suspension from school have deterred bullies?
- Are there early warning signs of a victim who is ready to explode?
- Do schools and policy makers do enough to prevent bullying?
- When will you start standing up for the bully?
Scenario 6
“All in the Family….The Initiation” Tony is the leader of a gang. They have just initiated his little brother Trey into the gang family. “We are your family now,” Tony tells Trey. The members are then told of a planned shootout with a rival gang who has been “disrespecting” them. The gangs meet at the designated time and place. Trey is given a gun. It happens in the blink of an eye. The rival gang is coming fast and furious. There is a lot of yelling, screaming and shooting. Then Trey gets hit and goes down. Tony sees what happens and freezes. He starts yelling “You shot my baby brother!” Tony runs after the rival gang member and shoots him. Then it’s all over. Trey is dead and so is the rival gang member. Tony now has to take his baby brother’s body home. He knocks on the door, his mother answers. She sees Trey lying bloody in Tony’s arms. She starts screaming and crying. Tony sits with tears streaming down his face, blood on his hands.
- If you knew of the initiation, would you try to talk Trey out of it?
- How do you think Tony feels now?
- Why do you think gangs are so popular with young adults?
- Do gangs really protect their “gang families”?
- Have you lost someone you love to gang violence?
- Does TV glorify violence? (wrestling, violent video games and movies, TV shows such as South Park and Family Guy, music videos, etc.)
- Do violent video games teach children how to kill and also desensitize them to violent images?
Scenario 7
“My Mama’s Prescriptions” Susie’s mother has recently had back surgery. Her doctor has prescribed a powerful narcotic to help relieve the pain. Susie decides she can make some fast money at school by selling some of her mom’s pain pills. She goes into the girl’s restroom and starts asking other students if they want to “get high”. Kaitlyn buys a couple pills from her. Later that evening she takes two of the strong narcotics, not knowing exactly what they are. Kaitlyn is alone in her room. She takes the pills and starts shaking and hallucinating. She then passes out. Hours later her mother calls her for dinner. She doesn’t respond. Her mother goes to her room and finds Kaitlyn unconscious on the floor. She screams and calls 911 for an ambulance. Kaitlyn is taken to the hospital where she is listed in critical condition. Doctors frantically order a battery of tests to try and find out what is wrong so they can begin treatment. News of the overdose quickly spreads to Susie.
- Are you asked to buy prescription drugs to get “high”?
- Would you take a chance taking an unknown drug just to get “high”?
- Should Susie tell someone what drug Kaitlyn took? It could save her life.
- Should Kaitlyn’s friends tell her parents about Susie?
- What can parents and policy makers do to avoid situations such as this with prescription drugs?
Scenario 8
“Go, Fight, Win” Tyler and Jake are playing basketball for their high school teams. The game is quickly becoming competitive. They push and shove to get the ball and score. Under the rim, Tyler shoves Jake and he tumbles to the floor. Jake gets up. He is mad. He shoves Tyler. Tyler shoves back and punches him in the stomach. Some words are exchanged. Then the crowd starts yelling, “fight, fight, fight!” They begin egging them on. Their blood starts pumping and the fists start flying. The crowd is getting into it. A referee is punched in the face. Coaches from both teams quickly run to the court to help defuse the situation.
- Is there too much pressure on players to win games?
- Are players encouraged to be violent to win?
- Do coaches choose combative players to help them win?
- Are some sports more violent than others?
- Is there too much violence in high contact sports?
- Did the crowd help instigate the fight?
- Does the crowd have any responsibility for the fight?
- Have you seen unsportsmanlike like conduct from adults at your games?
- Do high contact sports lead to violence off of the court
Instructions for Students
Thank you for accepting the Do the Write Thing Challenge (DtWT). Please review the following program rules before you write.
Student Program Rules
- Students may use any form of written expression (e.g. essays, poems, plays or songs) as long as the language is positive and not derogatory. (No fictional writings in essays). Students may submit only one entry per year. All entries must be the work product of only one student. Each student participating will receive a certificate.
- Students should address the following three questions:
- How has violence affected my life?
- What are the causes of violence?
- What can I do about violence?
- Entries will be 500-1000 words. (with the exception of poetry which can be less)
- Entries must be typed or written legibly in black on 8½” x 11″ paper.
- Do not use spiral notebook paper.
- Use only one side of the paper.
- The pages should be numbered.
- Entries must be in English.
- If the student participant uses a quotation or another person’s material in his or her entry, the entry must identify whose work is being used by citing the original author’s name, or citing the source of the material.
Writings based upon plagiarism will not be advanced in the judging process. - Entries must have a Cover Sheet/Consent Form signed by the participating student and a parent or guardian. Entries without a signed Cover Sheet/Consent Form will not be advanced in the judging process.
- Original entries along with the student Cover Sheet must be submitted to designated teachers by January 23, 2009.
2009 Cover Sheet/Consent Form (REQUIRED)
Thank you for participating in the Do the Write Thing Challenge. For a student’s entry to be considered for recognition, both the student and student’s parent or guardian must complete all the information on this form and also sign the Consent Statement below.
