Ricky's Slide #1

Personhood Curriculum

6th Grade
"Ricky's Slide #1"
Lesson Plan
aphg6-16
(Time estimate: TBD minutes)
Teaching Goals
Special Comments to Teachers
Teacher Prep for the Series
If you haven't already done so...: open, read, and print the file, Lesson Plan, aphdg6-15 (Ricky's Slide #0 - - - Setting up for "Ricky's Slide" dramatic readings that cover 4 lessons plans) and follow its directions.

This should be done a few days prior to the presentation of the dramatic readings to the class.

It would be very good to have a walkthrough practice with the actors only.

Teacher Prep for this Lesson

If you haven't done so already, print the first script,
"Ricky’s Slide," A dramatic reading, Act 1. A Poor Ending - - - ricky2.rtf
Make 11 copies. One is for you. Five will be given to your readers to practice. Five are held by you until class time in case all five students forget their copies or there has to be a substitute actor.
Print Ricky Questions - - - rickyq.rtf
Either make a projection transparency or copies for each student. Copies are better, as it gives them somewhere to convieniently read the questions and write their answers.

Before class begins, clear the front of the classroom. Place an empty table at Stage-left (left as facing the audience), near the Teacher. Place a steel tape measure, a pencil, and a paper on the table.

Class Time

Introduction

Sometimes things can be made clearer when they are presented in a dramatic fashion. Some of your fellow students are going to present a dramatic reading.

Relevancy

This drama is a good representation of what can happen in real-life. While there can be better outcomes to what is presented, it is all too common. Take it seriously!

Presentation

Here are some questions for you to answer. After hearing the play I will ask for your answers.

What is Ricky's first mistake? Not doing his homework because he is stressed-out from school.

Give some of the reasons why Ricky is overwhelmed by Jr. High?

His time in school gets chopped up into pieces because of the different periods.
He has to remember what books he needs to get from his locker.
There is not as much time in class to do his work.
He has to remember so much more now, like filling in his agenda book and remembering to look at it later at home.
He has to think about and keep track of all his different classes.
The work is more complicated and more difficult.
When he leaves school he is a bit stressed out. He forgets about schoolwork because he wants just to relax and do other things.

What excuse did he give for not being worried about flunking?: Didn't want other kids to think he was a nerd.

Why does he tell his friend Ruth to bug off? Ricky doesn't want to hear or to face the truth that he might be wrong or that he is not doing well!
When Ricky finally realizes that graduating from High School is important, why is it too late to do well in school?: Because he does not have the knowledge and skills he should have learned earlier, it takes all of his energy and a lot of work to just barely get through his classes.; His grades were too poor to do so without taking a lot of "Bonehead" classes, so he gave up.
Why does he get fired?: Because he couldn't read a ruler! Something he should have learned very early in school.
Why is his wife upset?: Because Ricky keeps getting fired and he can't earn enough money to support them even if he doesn't get fired.

Players and teacher take their positions with scripts.

Teacher starts the play with the intro. Read intro.

Student Discussion

Use Directed Questioning ask the questions above.

New questions:

How could Ricky have reduced some of the stress at school?

By making a good effort from the very beginning to be well organized. He could ask a family member to help him get organized.
By taking the time and making the effort to consciously develop good habits.
By setting aside a time every day for study. If he has homework he does it then. If not he does review work to learn his lessons very well and for life.

What could Ricky have done when he found he was falling behind in his work?: Ask for help.

Who might have been able to help him? Family members, friends in his classes, his teachers, tutors.
In the play whose respect did Ricky lose and why?

Boss - Ricky has shown he is ignorant and not able to do a very simple task.
Wife - Ricky has shown he is ignorant and therefore he can't make a living good enough to support he and his wife. She feels he isn't meeting the requirement for a husband to support his family.


Did Ricky lose self-respect? YES.

What in the play tells you he lost self-respect?

When he tries to cover up he forgot about the English test.
When he angrily tells Ruth to Bug Off.
When he realized he measured wrong. Have a tape measure in hand to give a clue.
When he talks with his wife. Walked slowly. Head down. Quiet voice

What are some Life-Goals that Ricky fails to reach?

To be respected by others.
To have self respect
To be capable.
To make a good living

What Life-Rules might have helped Ricky, if he had followed them?

Work comes first.
If you are struggling, get help.
"Growing" is more important than "Saving Face" (putting up a false front!).
Taking a little time to get organized saves a lot of time later.
Developing good habits reduces stress.
Don't learn just well enough to "get by." Instead learn for life. The chances are you will need to use it in the future!

Anger is a Secondary Emotion
Anger follows a primary emotion such as fear or shame. Ricky expressed anger towards Ruth when she began to push too close to the truth about him for which he was ashamed. He lost respect for himself.
His wife feels very frustrated and anxious about the future. "Even if you COULD keep a job we can’t live on that!" That generates her anger.
When someone is angry, first ask yourself what emotion might have occurred just before the anger. If you can figure that out then you might make much better progress in working with that person or in helping them.

Periodically
Teacher Follow-up
What emotion came just before your anger?

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As of: 20 Feb '03