Accomplishment
(Ninth-Grade Lesson)
Accomplishment: Appreciation for attaining ones goals.
Song: Eye of the Tiger by Survivor
Materials: Homeroom Accomplishments (Mini-forms for Students)
Homeroom Accomplishment (Compilation Form)
Student Fears Handout
Student Inventory Handout
Lessons: 1) Homeroom Accomplishment
2) What are you afraid of?
3) Courage
4) Finding a Purpose
Lesson One
Homeroom Accomplishments
Activity: Each homeroom will compile a list of individual accomplishments
Materials: Small student accomplishment sheets, Master accomplishment sheet
Procedure:
1. At the beginning of the homeroom each teacher will pass-out the small individual accomplishment pieces of paper to the students.
2. Each student will write his or her name and one accomplishment he or she has achieved in his or her lifetime on the piece of paper.
3. Teachers will collect the papers before the students are dismissed.
4. Teachers will transfer the student information on to the attached master list. (You may need to make two copies of the form.)
5. The Master list should be posted in the classroom.
Sample:
Mrs. Jones
Homeroom Accomplishments
Students Accomplishments
Steve Toole ** Parasailed off a mountain top
Patty Jones **Passed math class
Rick Kern **Saved a child's life while life guarding
Sue Peters **Finished the Peachtree Road Race
George Zgol **Scored 1,000 points in 2 basketball seasons
Jessica Curtis **Blocked 99 balls in one volleyball season
Lesson Two
"What are you afraid of?
How to challenge your fears"
Activity: Ask and discuss the following dilemmas on courage
Purpose: The students will be able to recognize their fears and develop strategies for tackling their fears. Students will begin to develop a purpose for their future and set goals to attain their purpose.
Comment: Accomplishment is more than just attaining one's goals. It is having the courage to recognize and tackle one's fears; having the insight to find one's niche or purpose; and having the patience to attain the goals. All lessons in this unit relate to courage, purpose and patience.
Materials: Fear Inventory
Quotes:
"You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face" Eleanor Roosevelt
"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage" Anais Nin
'You can't be brave if you've only had wonderful things happen to you”
Mary Tyler Moore
Procedure: The teacher should read the quotes to the students and hand-out the Fears Inventory to the students (ten minutes). Following the completion of the inventory the teacher should lead a discussion on fear as it relates to attain one's goal. Below are possible lead questions.
1. Who is terrified of something and what, if anything has prompted that fear?
2. How can fear keep you from attaining a goal?
3. Can you think of any strategies that could help you to overcome your fears?
4. What can you do to make sure your fears to not affect your goals?
Lesson Three
Courage
Procedure: The teacher should read a few of the Profiles in Courage listed below as a lead-in to a discussion on how courage can affect your life choices. Following the reading of the stories, the teacher should lead a discussion on Courage as it relates to life choices and accomplishment. Read some of the Courage Dilemmas and discuss what kinds of courage it takes to tackle the dilemma. Possible lead questions are listed below.
Profiles in Courage
· Sir Isaac Newton did poorly in school. He was only allowed to stay in school because he was a failure at running the family farm. He grew up to become one of the most famous philosophers and mathematicians of all time.
· Admiral Richard E. Byrd was retired by the Navy as being "unfit for service." He became a legendary explorer who flew over the North Pole in 1926 and the South Pole in 1929.
· Thomas Edison was told by his teachers that he was too stupid to learn anything. He read all the books in his local library on his own and became the greatest inventor of all time, with more than 1,000 patents issued in his name.
· Andrei Sakharov was a high-ranking Soviet physicist when he began opposing nuclear weapons tests and supporting human rights. He was exiled for many years as a result of his beliefs. He won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991.
· Aung San suu Kyi has spent her life working for democracy and human rights in her country of Myanmar (formerly Burma). From 1989-1995, she was under house arrest. She won the Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought in 1990 and the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991.
Follow-up Questions (optional):
1. What characteristics do all of these people have in common?
2. How do you think these people were able to overcome obstacles to achieve greatness?
3. What advice do you think they would have for others who are struggling with accomplishment?
Courage Dilemmas and Questions: (Optional Role-Play-Divide students into groups and ask them to act out each scenario and a good solution to each situation.)
1. A woman wants to run for election to the school board. She understands the problems facing the board and is very will qualified, but she doesn't have the money she needs for campaign expenses. A group of parents offers to pay for her advertising costs, but if she's elected, she must agree to vote the way they want her to vote on issues facing the board. What might the woman do? What type of courage will she need to do the right thing?
2. You're at the mall with two friends who dare each other and you to shoplift. What might you do to keep your friendships and also stay out of trouble? What kind of
courage will this take?
3. You've signed up for summer camp with a friend, and you plan to room together. At the last minute, your friend changes her mind and decides to bunk with someone else. Will you still go to camp? What kind of courage will you need?
4. You love to swim, and you're on the swim team, but your coach has just told you that you'll never be a good swimmer. What might you do about this? What type of courage will you need?
5. Your twin brother needs a bone marrow transplant, and your marrow is a perfect match for his. You've been asked to be a donor, but you're afraid. Meanwhile, your volleyball team is heading for the league championships, and you're the star player. If you agree to be a donor, you won't be able to play in the championships. How might you gain the courage to make the right decision?
6. Your school is having a talent contest. You have a special talent for writing poetry, and you read very well. There's just one problem. The thought of reading in front of a crowd makes your knees do a drum roll. What might you do to overcome your fear?
Lesson Four
Finding a Purpose:
Determining My Signposts
Comment: Thinking about planning your future will help to bring your dreams into focus. You may think of what you want to be or who you want to be as your "purpose." Purpose gives your life meaning and enables you to make contributions in your own unique way.
Quote: "We are told that talent creates its own opportunities. But it sometimes seems that intense desire creates not only its own opportunities, but its own talents." Eric Hoffer
Materials: Interest Inventory
Procedure (Part 1):
Students should be aware that their interests are affected by their fears which ultimately affect their life choices and accomplishments. Students should be given an Interest Inventory (five-ten minutes) to determine their interests. This activity should be followed by a discussion on individual purpose. Possible lead questions are listed below.
Questions:
1. What are my interests?
2. Who needs my skills?
3. What is easy/hard for me to do?
4. What do I dream about?
5. What obstacles are in the way of achieving my dreams?
6. What can I do to achieve my dreams?
Procedure (Part 2)
"What if you don't know what you want to be? That's okay. You can still find general signposts to help you go in positive directions. You can still do all the wonderful things in your lifetime. It is also okay to change your mind and your direction as you go through life. But you can achieve things faster and easier if you plan far ahead, and some things take a long time to reach- and require many signposts and steps along the way."
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Homeroom teacher
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Senior Teachers
Homeroom Accomplishments
Student / AccomplishmentStudent Name
Accomplishment / Student Name
Accomplishment
Student Name
Accomplishment / Student Name
Accomplishment
Student Name
Accomplishment / Student Name
Accomplishment
Student Name
Accomplishment / Student Name
Accomplishment
Fears Inventory
Read through the list of things people fear. Put a check mark in the column that best describes how you feel about each one. Use the blank lines at the end to write any fears you have that aren’t listed here.
FEARS / Not Afraid / A Little Afraid / Afraid / TerrifiedInsects/spiders
Animals (mice, rats, dogs, etc.)
Snakes/reptiles
Doctors/dentists
Sickness
Choking/suffocating
Injury
Blood
Death
Violence
Automobile accidents
Flying in planes
Water
Heights
The dark
Being in a small room
Being alone
Being in groups
Nightmares/ghosts
Amusement park rides
Severe weather/disasters (storms, fires, floods)
Earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, etc.
God (or Higher Being/Higher Power)
Teachers/Administrators
Parents/Guardians
Bullies
Disagreements
Making Mistakes/Failing
Talking to Other People
Being Criticized/Teased/Embarrassed
Your Own Talents/Abilities
Responsibility/Being in Charge
Performing (Speaking, Singing, etc.)
Growing Up