Personhood Curriculum 4th Grade

 

Sub-Goals - & - What if...?

Lesson Plan

ph-g4-4 

• Instill intrinsic motivation (self-actualization) to follow Life-Rules and reach Life-Goals.
• Practice setting Sub goals and Sub-sub goals.
• More "What if... ?" thinking practice.

Define teams of 3 or 4, and the team leader of each, on team-slips you will give to the team leaders.

 

Prepare Transparency	Rich Text Format - Can be edited
"Respect" Life Goal	subgoal5.rtf
Life Rules for "Respect" Sub-goals	subgoal1.rtf
Blank Line Transparency	- none -

Have the transparency "Sub-Life-Goals for "Earn a Good Living" ready to project. You used it last class time.

Write "Being Respected by Yourself and by Others" on the board.

 

 Definition:

"What if...?" thinking is when a person explores what might likely happen when:

• They do the thing, and do it well?
• They do the opposite of that thing?

 

"What if...?" thinking tends to clarify the result of the action, and can lead to the decision that it is a very good idea to do that thing. It tends to be a motivation for good actions!

Relevancy

This lesson links to the need for esteem or respect, and the need for self-actualization.

We all want to be able to respect ourselves, and we want others to respect us. We want others to say about us, "Wow, s/he is a high-quality person!

Today we are going to look at the Life-Goal of being respected by ourselves and by others. In other words, "How do we get from here to there?" First we look at Sub-Life-Goals. These are goals that if we reach, will help us reach the BIG Life-Goal.

Then, we will look at what Life-Rules will help us reach those Sub-goals and the main Life-Goal.

Again, you are learning how to take control of your lives!

Student Activity

Hand out the team slips. Students break up into groups of 3 or 4.

Each group is to come up with their list of sub-Life-Goals (like we showed for "Making a good living") that would help reach the Life Goal of Being Respected by Yourself and by Others. Write this title on the top of your paper.

Project transparency "Sub-Life-Goals for "Earn a Good Living."

Here is an example of what you are to do, except I want you to work on only the first column of Sub-goals (indicate with a pointer) and not try to get any underneath these (point!).

When done, ask each group to give one Sub-Life-Goal. If they have Subs to the Sub, take them also. Write them on a Class List (Projection slide). See if any have been missed, add them. Add your own.

"Do you think that if you reach these Sub-Life-Goals that people would respect you?

Ask individual students: <Name> "What about this one? Why? How would that work?"

On each answer, ask one or more other students; <Name> Agree, disagree, other thoughts? Take a consensus of the class.

"How many of you think this is a Sub-Life-Goal you would like to have for yourself? Hands?"

Go on to the next Sub-Life-Goal.

____________

(Here is an example of what they might come up with.)

If needed, project transparency "Respect" Life Goal (subgoal5.htm)

• Life-Goal: To be Respected by yourself and by others. (A top level Life Goal)
  • Sub-Goal: Honest - To be honest in everything you do.
  • Sub-Goal: Trustworthy - People will trust you.
  • Sub-Goal: Capable - You can do just about anything!
  • Sub-Goal: Courteous - To everyone.
  • Sub-Goal: Kind - To all people and animals.
  • Sub-Goal: Smart - Know a lot about a lot!
  • Sub-Goal: Helpful - To help when you can.
  • Sub-Goal: Wise - Make decisions that produce the best results for everyone involved.

Project "Blank Line Transparency"

Write the first Sub-Life-Goal on a blank slide. As indented entries, write down the rules students offer. When they have no more, write any you have that were missed.

Go to the next Sub-Life-Goal and repeat.

If needed, project transparency Life Rules for "Respect" Sub-goals - - - subgoal1.htm

• Life-Goal: To be Respected by yourself and by others. (A top level Life Goal)
  • Sub-Goal: Honest - To be honest in everything you do.
    • Rule: I will try hard to tell the truth. (See "Life-Rules about Where Truth Is" for an advanced-level essay on this.) (What if...?)
      • Rule: Before I decide to do something, ask "Is it honest?" (What if...?)
      • Rule: Before I decide to say something, ask "Is it true?" (What if...?)
      • Rule: I will always answer the above questions VERY HONESTLY!
  • Sub-Goal: Trustworthy - People will trust you.
    • Rule: Before I make a promise ask, "Can I keep that promise?" (What if...?)
    • Rule: I will strive to keep my promises, and if that is not possible, to tell the other person as soon as I can. (What if...?)
  • Sub-Goal: Capable - You can do just about anything!
    • Rule: I will strive to do the best job I can. (What if...?)
    • Rule: I will study to learn new things when it would help me be more capable. (What if...?)
  • Sub-Goal: Courteous - To everyone. (What if...?)
  • Sub-Goal: Kind - To all people and animals.
    • Rule: I will choose to be kind, even if it is not convenient. (What if...?)
  • Sub-Goal: Smart - Know a lot about a lot!
    • Rule: I will try to learn for a lifetime, not just to pass the next test. (What if...?)
    • Rule: I will stay curious about everything! (What if...?)
    • Rule: I will try to understand completely everything I study or do. (What if...?)
  • Sub-Goal: Helpful - To help when you can. (What if...?)
    • Rule: Be alert. Actively look for ways to be helpful.
    • Rule: Be willing to go out of your way to help: Don't be lazy.
    • Rule: When practical, offer to help.
  • Sub-Goal: Wise - Make decisions that produce the best results for everyone involved.
    • Rule: I will learn what wisdom is, and how to achieve it. (Note: This is a lifelong job: The older you get, the wiser you get!)
    • Rule: I will ask, "Are there any important bad parts to this decision?" (What if...?)

At appropriate opportunities, ask:

• What Life-Goal does that help you reach?
• What Life-Rule are you using right now? 

Don't limit these to Life-Goals you worked on in class! If you ask about other areas, students begin to see how universal these ideas are, and they begin to think this way in other areas.

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As of: 10 Dec 2002