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Lesson Plan : Match Mine

Teacher Name:
 Kendra Jackson
Grade:
 Grade 3
Subject:
 Language Arts

Topic:
 Building Communication Skills Through Teamwork
Content:
 Cooperative Learning Structure: Match Mine Rationale: I am currently working in an intensive behavior classroom. Most of the children in this classroom are considered behaviorally and emotionally disturbed and one of their main hindrances is lack of communication skills. Because there are only four boys in the class, this activity will enable them to work in pairs and use various communication skills to successfully complete a task. Vocabulary: Teamwork, Communication
Goals:
 The goal of this task is not to correctly place a pattern, but to use correct communication skills to relay information. Communication skills for this task can be described as using a respectful tone of voice when giving directions, receiving a message respectfully, asking for clarification when needed, using clear descriptors when speaking to your partner, respectfully asking for your partner to repeat himself, using correct tone and volume with your partner, and not arguing when completing a task. 3.1 a. The student will determine the purpose(s) for listening such as to get information, to solve problems, and to enjoy and appreciate, 3.1 b. The student will respond appropriately and courteously to directions and questions, 3.1 d. The student will listen critically to interpret and evaluate, 3.3 a. The student will choose and adapt spoken language appropriate to the audience, purpose, and occasion, including use of appropriate volume and rate, 3.3 b. The student will use verbal and nonverbal communication in effective ways such as making announcements, giving directions, or making introductions, 3.4 a. The student will use vocabulary to describe clearly ideas, feelings, and experiences, 3.4 b. The student will clarify and support spoken messages using appropriate props, including objects, pictures, and charts, 3.4 c. The student will retell a spoken message by summarizing or clarifying.
Objectives:
 The student will be able to 1. communicate instructions to his partner. 2. sit with his partner without communicating inappropriately as observed by a checklist. 3. use directional vocabulary such as right, left, up, down, diagonal, next to, and underneath to clearly communicate a pattern. 4. speak with an appropriate tone and volume when giving directions to his partner.
Materials:
 1. 2 sets of Match Mine Figures (cut out) 2. 2 sets of Match Mine templates 3. 2 pieces of manila paper
Introduction:
 I will open with a discussion on communication and ask the children what communication is and why it is important. We will discuss important aspects of communication such as tone of voice, giving directions, asking for clarification, and appropriate volume for different tasks. Ideas will be written on the white board for all to see.
Development:
 I will sit with the children around a table and discuss the game we are about to play. I will explain that in order to be successful at the game, one must communicate clearly to his or her partner. The instructions for the game will be as follows: � Students sit back-to-back. � One student is the giver and one student is the receiver. � The giver will have a Match Mine template in front of him or her with a pattern printed on the front. � The giver will tell the receiver where to place his or her shapes on his or her paper. � The receiver listens carefully and places his or her shapes on the paper accordingly. � The receiver should ask for clarification when necessary. � When the task is complete, the giver and the receiver switch rolls.
Practice:
 I will sit with the children and do a mock example of what the game will look like, but everyone is able to watch. I will demonstrate correct vocabulary, tone, and volume when modeling the procedure. The children will actively participate during the demonstration and suggest directions and questions to be given and asked.
Accommodations:
 Due to the nature of these students� disabilities, they will need to be paired meticulously. Once in pairs, they will also need to be sent to opposite ends of the room as not to distract one another. Because the possibility of an argument is high, action will need to be stopped for both pairs in order to discuss the disagreement and again regroup to continue the game. I will observe each group independently to redirect when needed and make sure the children are using correct communication skills (not yelling, cussing, or turning around) during the game.
Checking For Understanding:
 As the activity progresses, I will circulate the room and check for understanding with questions such as: Do you understand what he is asking you to do? Can you tell him something that might help you understand more clearly?
Closure:
 When both partners have had the opportunity to play the game, we will regroup around the table. I will ask the children questions such as: What did your partner do that helped you place the pattern correctly? What could he have done better? Why was communication important in this task? Why was teamwork important in this game?
Evaluation:
 The assessment for this activity will be a formative assessment in the form of a checklist. Because the goal of this game is not to correctly form a pattern, but to use correct communication skills when involved in teamwork, a checklist including the list named in the �Goals� section will be used as an informal assessment.
Teacher Reflections:
 The lesson worked well for the children I was working with. We must remember that these children have a history of being extremely violent and are E/BD diagnosed. There were no arguments as I had originally thought, although one student did get a bit testy when he got frustrated. The one thing I did notice during this lesson was that there was a major temptation to turn around when the partner could not clearly identify the object as described. Frustration was also noted when the student could not clearly understand what the other student was trying to tell him. In one situation, the first giver memorized the order of the card and when roles were reversed, he put the pieces in place within a few seconds. In order to accommodate this situation, I had the new giver turn his card on the side. The other pair completed their game flawlessly. The children really seemed to enjoy themselves and as we were debriefing, one pair stated that it was hard to understand their partner while the other pair said, "We didn�t have any trouble at all!" * This lesson has been adapted from Chapter 13:17 of Cooperative Learning by Spencer Kagan (1994). ** This lesson has been produced for the use of children with E/BD in grades three and four, but can be adapted for grades K through 5.

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