Lesson # 6
Honesty is the Best Policy

 

Grade Levels: 3-4

Subjects Integrated: Language Arts, Social Studies, Fine Arts, Technology

Learner Outcomes:

Students will define honesty and give examples
Students will identify possible consequences of dishonesty
Students will complete a story map
Students will use the Internet to read stories about honesty
Students will write a narrative story about honesty
Students will improve word processing skills

Duration of Lesson: Four or five 45 minute class periods

Materials:

Too Many Tamales by Gary Soto
construction paper, old magazines or books to cut for pictures, scissors, glue,
markers

Technology/Courseware:  computers with word processing and Internet access

Teacher Notes:

Special requirements:
Story maps
Writer's checklist

Procedures:

Activity 1:
  1. Introduce lesson with the word honesty written on the board and asking for definitions and examples.  Write these on the board.
  2. Read the book Too Many Tamales to the class (use a class set of the book if available).  Discuss the characters and sequence of events.  Discuss the consequences of not being honest in the book.  Ask for other ideas about possible  consequences of not being honest.
  3. Distribute the story map for students to fill out.  Reread the story so that students can fill it out while reading/listening.  Alternative:  if using a single copy of the book, allow students time to work on this independently at a reading center.

Activity 2:

  1. After reading the book, students can go on the Internet and read more stories about honesty.  The PBSKids web site offers stories from The Book of Virtues that students can read about different virtues (click on Caregivers to get a list of the stories and virtues).
  2. After reading the story online, students can draw a picture of the story and write a description of what happens in the story.  (Students can also play games at this site and even print out pictures of the story characters to color.)  Use a website rubric to assess.

Activity 3:

  1. After reading and discussing the book, resume the discussion about the consequences of dishonesty.  List the responses on the board.
  2. Divide students into partners or cooperative groups to write and illustrate their own stories about the importance of being honest.  Distribute the writer's checklist to guide students through the writing process.  Their stories can be typed on the computer to make a booklet or pages that can be made into a fold-out book.  Some students may need instruction in basic word processing skills.  Use a story rubric to assess.
  3. This activity will need at least two 45-60 minute class periods.

Modifications: 

Adjust the lesson to meet individual needs and to meet the needs of students with IEPs.  Some students may need to be paired with a partner.

Enrichment Activities:

  1. Students can work individually or in pairs to create a poster about honesty to decorate the hallway or classroom.
  2. Students could write a class play about honesty to perform for their class or another class.
  3. Students could give an oral presentation of their own stories to their class or another class.
  4. Parent volunteers could help with a tamale making activity.

Evaluation/Assessment:

Story map, story rubric, website rubric, teacher observation of word processing skills.

West Virginia Instructional Goals and Objectives:

Reading:  3.16, 3.17, 4.19, 4.20, 4.21
Writing:  3.41, 3.42, 3.44
Language:  3.57, 3.58, 3.64, 3.67, 4.69, 4.70, 4.75, 4.78
Social Studies:  3.8
Technology:  3.83, 3.85, 4.101, 4.93

National Standards:

Language Arts:
Writing
1.    Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process
3.    Uses grammatical and mechanical conventions in written compositions Reading
5.    Uses the general skills and strategies of the reading process
6.    Uses reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret a variety of literary texts

Behavioral Studies Standards:
4.    Understands conflict, cooperation, and interdependence among individuals, groups, and institutions

Visual Arts Standards:
1.  Understands and applies media, techniques, and processes related to the visual arts

Technology Standards:
1.    Knows the characteristics and uses of computer hardware and operating systems

References/Resources:

Too Many Tamales by Gary Soto
www.pbskids.org/adventures/

Authors:

Tammy Samples
Connie Wright
Deanna Young

 
Overview Lesson 1
Caring/Compassion		 Lesson 2
Perseverance		 Lesson 3
Fairness		 Lesson 4
Responsibility		 Lesson 5
Respect		 Lesson 6
Honesty

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