Book 2: Shhh!

Standards:

K-4.1 Identify qualities of good citizenship, including honesty, courage, determination, individual responsibility, and patriotism.

K-4.2 Demonstrate good citizenship in classroom behaviors, including taking personal responsibility, cooperating and respecting others, taking turns and sharing, and working with others to solve problems.

Summary:

This is a story about a shrew, who wanted to tell the whole world something, but it was too noisy for him to be able to. Everyone in the town is so noisy that when the shrew even tries to tell his news, no one can hear him. He tried to shout it from the valley and on the mountaintop, but the world was just too noisy. Then finally, everyone counts to three and there is silence. Everyone in the world sat still and listened to what the shrew had to say. Finally the shrew was able to tell his secret that if everyone sat and listened, there would be peace on earth.

Objectives:

The students will demonstrate what it means to be a good citizen by taking turns talking in groups.

Materials:

Book: Shhh! By Jeanne Willis and Tony Ross

Toilet paper rolls

Paint

Glue

Streamers

Glitter

Procedure:
1. The teacher will begin by reading the book Shhh! To the students.
2. Once the teacher has read the book she will talk to the children about what happened in the book and why the shrew had such a hard time getting anyone to listen.
3. The teacher will talk to the students about what it means to be a part of a community and how that includes being a good citizen.
4. The teacher will talk to the students about how being a good citizen is respecting others and their ideas and listening to what they have to say.
5. The teacher will pass out the paper towel rolls, streamers, paint, and glitter.
6. The teacher will have the students as a group work together to decorate the paper towel roll to be used as a talking stick within their groups.
7. The teacher will explain to the students that they will use these taking sticks as practice in their groups and that if someone has something to say within the group they must hold the talking stick while speaking and that they other students should respect their classmate and listen while he or she is speaking while holding the stick.
8. The teacher will remind the students that they are to take turns holding the talking stick so that everyone has a chance to speak and be heard because that it what good citizens do, they respect others words and ideas by listening to them.