SECURING THE SCHOOL WALL EPWORTH HIGH SCHOOL, HARARE, ZIMBABWE

Language Arts / English

CONTENT

Language Arts / English

Oral composition and presentation

Character

Ethics, Taking initiative

Global Goal

Skill

Oral presentations and composition and Organizing skills

Age Group

7-8 years / Grade 3

Learning Standards

McREL Learning Standards for Grade 3

Prerequisite

None

LEARNING GOAL & PURPOSE

Zimbabwe has introduced to us a wonderful story about a group of truly thoughtful kids who saw a problem in their school and decided to take initiative to resolve the problem.

These emerging leaders of Epworth High School, Zimbabwe had the sensibility to identify and correct a problem situation at school due to an unsecured wall. These young superheroes teach us the importance to take initiative to create important changes.

Lesson Plan

Hook:

Introduce the concept of taking initiative. You can use the following points:

An initiative is an introductory act or step. It’s an opening move, an action where you take the lead.

The important thing about taking initiative is that it may or may not be successful.

Taking initiative shows leadership skills. It shows that one is brave and courageous enough to take the first leap and set an example for the rest to follow.

DFC Video Activity:

Play the video BTC2013 Zimbabwe: Securing the school wall (http://bit.ly/2eCBP9Z)

Activity: Share your ideas!

  1. What were the students in the video trying to work on?
  2. What does leadership mean to you?
  3. Why is taking initiative so important?
  4. What is one thing that you would have done differently than the students in the video?

Activity (How would you do it?):

Divide the class into groups of 4-5 and let them discuss the following in their groups:

What would be taking initiative mean in the following scenarios? What would your first steps be?

  • 1. Pollution
  • 2. Global Warming
  • 3. Overpopulation
  • 4. Climate Change
  • 4. Loss of Biodiversity
  • 5. Deforestation
  • 6. Water Scarcity

Groups can share their discussions with the entire class at the end of the activity.

Teacher Tip: Discuss with the students a little background about why the global issues mentioned in this activity are in dire need of attention.

Closing the Loop and Assessment:

Emphasize on the idea that: Taking initiative is the first step to creating change. It is important that individuals as well as groups initiate the process of change and then enable others to join in. By taking initiative, an individual sets the ball rolling for change. It’s often most hard to be the first one to taking ownership and initiate something difficult, but that’s what leaders do – they do the most important work by laying the foundation of a cause.

At the close of the session, ask the students to think, pair, share about 1-2 actions they would do differently after this lesson.

Ask the students to complete the following self-reflection using the following rating scale:

1 = Not Yet, 2 = Need Support, 3 = Making efforts, 4 = Almost a habit, 5 = I CAN

  1. I am able to show leadership by taking initiative towards a good cause____
  2. I am able to think of multiple solutions to correct an unfavourable situation _____
  3. I am able to build connections and create new opportunities for all while correcting an unfavourable situation _____

Suggested activity: Identify a few situations in your school or community where the problems are not being solved because no one is taking an initiative to do so.