Perseverance - 2
Foundational
Lesson Plan
Goal: Given a difficult task or assignment, the student will demonstrate perseverance by completing it, in 8 out 10 observable opportunities, as measured by a teacher assessment tool.
Objectives:
1. Identify when a task or assignment is difficult or challenging.
2. Ask an adult or peer for clarification or help to complete the task or assignment.
3. Make multiple attempts to complete the task or assignment by working through mistakes.
Standards: Click on the appropriate link below to view Language Arts standards included in this lesson.
Definitions of Key Terms: Perseverance means continuing to work at learning something or doing a difficult task without giving up.
Discussion Points
- What are some things that are hard for you to do?
- What are some things you can do to show perseverance?
- Why is perseverance an important trait to have?
- Do you think you can be successful in life without perseverance? Why or why not?
Discuss with students what perseverance means. Review the discussion point questions.
Possible activities to review the discussion points or use your own:
Think. Pair. Share: The teacher will pose questions related to the discussion points. Explain to students that the purpose of the activity is to think about the question and activate prior knowledge. The teacher will model the procedure to facilitate student understanding.
- T (Think): Teacher begins by asking a specific question using the discussion topics.
- P (Pair): Each student should be paired with another student, small group or work with a teacher. Pairs write brief answers on sticky notes or scrap paper.
- S (Share): Students share their thinking with their partner. Teacher then leads a whole-group conversation using students’ answers.
SEL Categories Activity:
- Ask students to create a list of words associated with the topic (give them 2-5 minutes to complete).
- Once time is up, ask each student to share a word or thought from their list.
- Other students must cross that word or thought off their list.
- Continue the process until all words or thoughts have been listed.
Directions for In-Person or Virtual Learning: You have three options for students to complete this lesson.
- Option 1: Print the Student Activity Sheet for each student. Complete the lesson as a group and assign the activity sheet to the students.
- Option 2: Click the Student link to access the activity sheet electronically and post to your Learning Management System (if your school has one) or send the link to the student. The student may complete the activity sheet electronically within the classroom on a shared computer or device.
- Option 3: Click the Student link to access the activity sheet electronically and send the link to the student. The student may access the link from a home computer, chromebook, iPad or other device.
Activity 1: Catch!
Give each student a stress ball. If you do not have enough, students can take turns. Instruct students to use their non-dominant hand to toss the ball in the air and catch it 10 times in a row without dropping it. Allow time for all students to complete the activity.
- Stress ball - 1 for each student or several to share
After the students have completed the activity, gather them together to discuss and share how they felt during the activity. Discuss if any of them wanted to give up or what they tried differently in order to get better results.
Some sample discussion questions are:
- What made this activity hard?
- How did you feel when you dropped the ball?
- Why do we sometimes give up when things are hard?
- What motivates you to not give up?
- How can we motivate and encourage each other to not give up?
Activity 2: Never Give Up
Review the key ideas from Activity 1. Share with students who Thomas A. Edison was and the following quote attributed to him: “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
- Student Activity Sheet A - 1 per student
- Pencil for each student
- Chart paper or interactive board
Ask students to think about how different life might be today if Mr. Edison had chosen to quit after his first attempt to invent the lightbulb. Make a list of the items that might not be in existence today if he had given up. Record the ideas on chart paper or the board.
Ask students to think of what Edison may have thought or done to persevere. Did he ask for help? Discuss what strategies students can use to complete a difficult task or assignment that they might face.
Ask students to complete Student Activity Sheet A. Select volunteers to share their answers when finished.
Student Activity Sheet A
Activity 3: Personal Story
Review the key ideas from Activities 1 and 2. Share with students your own example(s) of perseverance. Discuss with students how the outcome might have been different if you had given up.
- Student Activity Sheet B - 1 per student
- Pencil for each student
Allow students to complete Student Activity Sheet B. Select volunteers to share their stories when finished. Discuss any ways of persevering that were evident in the personal stories.
Student Activity Sheet B
Directions: Write about a time you were faced with something hard and didn’t give up. How did you feel when you persevered and completed the task?
Lesson Extension: Listening Comprehension and Grammar Review
Explain that a script is a form of dialogue writing between characters in a movie, play, or broadcast. Students should listen carefully as the teacher plays the example scripts from the immersive reader. Replay the script if needed. Allow students time to answer the questions on Student Activity Sheet C.
- Student Activity Sheet C - 1 per student
- Pencil for each student
- Student Activity Sheet D - 1 per student
- Red and purple colored pencil or crayon
After students have finished, discuss the answers to the listening comprehension questions together.
After completing the listening comprehension portion of this activity, provide students a copy of Student Activity Sheet D. Point out to students the features of script text that indicate which character is talking. Remind students that this is a dialogue between characters.
Allow students time to complete Student Activity Sheet D.
Display the script using the immersive reader and highlight the nouns in the script. Students should self-check their work to determine if they correctly named two nouns. Repeat the process for verbs and contractions.
If time allows students may partner together and role play the script.
Example script demonstrating perseverance:
Tori: Hi Anya, how are you today?
Anya: I’m getting really frustrated with this math assignment. It’s really hard.
Tori: You are great at math. I know you can do it.
Anya: Thanks! I think if I stick with it I can get it finished.
Example script not demonstrating perseverance:
Tori: Hi Anya, how are you today?
Anya: I’m getting really frustrated with this math assignment. It’s really hard.
Tori: You are great at math. I know you can do it.
Anya: No I can’t! I quit!
Read Aloud Recommendations: Completing a read aloud with students is a great way to connect text with lesson content while incorporating reading and language practice. Below are suggested titles including, a YouTube link, Lexile and Grade Level information for books relating to the lesson.
| Book Title | Author | Grade Level | Lexile Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| She Persisted | Chelsea Clinton | 2-5 | AD1060L |
| The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind | William Kamkwamba | 3-5 | 850 |
| Thank You, Mr. Falker | Patricia Polacco | 3-5 | AD650L |
Student Activity Sheet C
Directions: Think about the script read/played for the class and complete the questions below.
Student Activity Sheet D
Directions: In the scripts below, circle in purple two nouns that name a person and one noun that names a place. Circle in red two verbs. Underline the contractions.
Remember:
A noun names a person, place, thing, or idea.
A verb names describe an action, a state, or an occurrence.
A contraction is a word made from shortening or combining two words.
Example script demonstrating perseverance:
Tori: Hi Anya, how are you today?
Anya: I’m getting really frustrated with this math assignment. It’s really hard.
Tori: You are great at math. I know you can do it.
Anya: Thanks! I think if I stick with it I can get it finished.
Example script not demonstrating perseverance:
Tori: Hi Anya, how are you today?
Anya: I’m getting really frustrated with this math assignment. It’s really hard.
Tori: You are great at math. I know you can do it.
Anya: No I can’t! I quit!
Application Activity
Review the key ideas from the previous activities. Review and discuss example scripts from the lesson extension.
- Script sheet for each group
- Pencil for each student
Separate the students into small groups and ask each group to create scripts demonstrating perseverance appropriately and inappropriately. Use the script sheet to create students' scripts.
Have students record their scripts using SiLAS software for social skills. Remind students to name and save their work. Premiere the movies with the group members at the end of each session.
Script Extensions:
Click the following hyperlinks to have students choose their Characters, Background and Props prior to writing scripts. For examples of script writing accommodations, click Here.
Ideas for modifying this activity based on your students’ needs:
- create a script as a class
- pair or group students so that skill levels are varied and assign each a role or task that uses their skill
- create the script by recording the dialogue with a phone or other recording device
Topic Checkout
Review the key ideas from previous activities and discussions. Ask students time to complete the Student Topic Checkout. Discuss their answers when all students have finished.
- Student Topic Checkout - 1 per student
- Pencil for each student
Student Topic Checkout
Directions: Read the statement and circle true or false. If the statement is false, correct it to make it a true statement.