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BACKGROUND/CONTEXT
The Golden Rule Cycle & Cycle 2; Grade 3
Title of unit
Grade level
Subject area English Language Arts; Drama
Understand application of the Golden Rule in school and neighborhood
Goal for Activity
communities.
This activity promotes a community of kindness in the classroom. By
emphasizing the importance of fair treatment and kindness reciprocity at the
Rationale for Activity beginning of the school year, we set expectations of how we expect students to
treat others in the classroom and the community.

English Language Arts

Competency 3: To represent one’s literacy in different media. Students will
demonstrate their understanding of the lessons learned in the book “Do Unto
Otters” by creating small group skits and presenting them to the class.
Key features:
• To construct one’s own view of the world through the media
• To follow a production process in order to communicate for specific
purposes to a specified audience
• To apply appropriate strategies for constructing meaning

Competency 4: To use language to communicate and learn. Within small

groups, students will need to use their language skills to share knowledge and
ideas. They will also take on various roles and demonstrate effective working
strategies such as collaboration, compromise, and appropriate language.
Key features:
• To use language (talk) for learning and thinking
QEP Subject Area
• To interact in collaborative group activities in a variety of roles
Competencies
• To use language (talk) to communicate information, experiences and
point of view

Drama Competency
Competency 1: To invent short scenes. In small groups, students will create 30-
second skits completing a predetermined scenario. They will use their own ideas
to complete this scenario and share their creative experience in their groups and
to the class at large.
Key features:
• To use personal ideas inspired by the stimulus for creation
• To use elements of the language of drama, performance techniques,
styles of theatre and elements of drama
• To share his/her creative experience

Competency 3: To appreciate dramatic works, personal productions, and those

of classmates. Students will demonstrate their short skits to the class and discuss

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the choices made in each skit. Additionally, students will reflect on what they
saw and what they have learned about the Golden Rule.
Key features:
• To make connections between what he/she has felt and examined
• To share his/her appreciation experience

1. Teacher will pause throughout the story and ask comprehension

questions to gauge understanding.
2. Assign one reader per group for the scenario – stronger/more confidant
students support weaker/shyer ones.
Differentiation
3. The use of a short skit differentiates by students’ readiness level,
providing the class with an alternate medium to express their knowledge
(multiple intelligences).

ACTIVITY PLAN
Students will know what the “Golden Rule” is and become familiar with the
expression, “do unto others”.

Students will understand what the “Golden Rule” looks like in the classroom and
Student will the community and provide appropriate examples in their daily lives.
know/understand/do as a
result of this activity Students will do a roleplay activity that reinforces what the “Golden Rule” looks
like in the school and community. Beyond the lesson, students will be able to
use their communication skills to prevent or diffuse negative situations using the
Golden Rule.

Step 1: The teacher will invite students to join them at the reading corner and
read the book, “Do Unto Otters” by Laurie Keller.

Step 2: The teacher will prompt students to close their eyes for 30 seconds and
imagine – what would the school look like if it was a Golden Rule school? How
would we see people behaving in the hallways? The classrooms? The
playground? What would Montreal look like if it was a Golden Rule city? How
would people treat each other in the streets? Highways? Shops?

Procedures Step 3: After 30 seconds of silent reflection, the teacher will prompt a group
discussion by asking students to share their silent reflections.

Step 4: Two teachers will model a roleplay scenario in which the Golden Rule
can be applied. Model discussion: Who showed the Golden Rule in this
scenario? Now when you do your skit, you’re showing one person who does not
follows the Golden Rule and one person who follows the Golden Rule.

Step 5: Teacher will hand out scenarios in which the Golden Rule can be
applied. In table groups, students will have to come up with a small 30-second
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role play to share with the class.

Step 6: Students will have 5 minutes to complete their role play. Each student in
the group must has an opportunity to speak during the skit.

Step 7: Students will perform their 30-second skits for the class.

Step 8: Teacher will lead the class in a group discussion after each skit and focus
on the lessons learned.

Formative assessment – observation of roleplay to evaluate understanding of the

Golden Rule.

Assessment
Formative assessment – group discussion on the results demonstrated in the
skits.

Broad Areas of Learning

Health & Well Career Planning & Environmental Media Literacy Citizenship &
being Entrepreneurship Awareness & Consumer Community Life
Rights & Responsibilities
Explanation:
A lesson/activity based on the Golden Rule reinforces the importance of appropriate social conduct. It encourages
students to create and follow rules and regulations that respect equal rights and fair treatment for all. Additionally,
students can add the Golden Rule to their own repertoire of problem-solving techniques, reinforcing cooperation.

Cross Curricular Competencies

Uses Information Solves Problems Exercises critical Uses Creativity Adopts effective work
judgement methods
Uses information & Achieves their potential Cooperates with others Communicates
communications appropriately
technologies
Explanation:
Solves problems: This lesson and activity encourages students to interpret a situation and arrive at their own
conclusions. It also allows students to understand that problems can have multiple correct solutions.
Key features:
• To analyze the components of a situational problem
• To formulate possible solutions
• To adopt a flexible approach

Exercises critical judgement: Students can distinguish between good and bad and can complete the scenario in a
positive way. They can evaluate the consequences of each action and conclude a correct way and incorrect way to
react to negative scenarios.
Key features:
• To form an opinion
• To express one’s judgement
• To qualify one’s judgement
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Uses creativity: Groups will collaborate on a creative medium (dramatic skit) through which to express their
interpretation of different scenarios. In these open-ended problems have a multitude of solutions, and through group
discussion and cooperation students will use their creativity to arrive at appropriate conclusions.
Key features:
• To imagine ways of proceeding
• To begin the procedure
• To adopt a flexible mode of operation

Cooperates with others: Through group collaboration, students will demonstrate their ability to effectively cooperate
with their peers. Students will have the opportunity to use the Golden Rule in practice as they deal with the different
thoughts and opinions of their peers in the creation of dramatic skits. With a time limit on how long they have to
create their skit, students will need to work together effectively in order to achieve their goal.
Key features:
• To interact with an open mind in various contexts
• To contribute to team efforts
• To use teamwork effectively

Communicates appropriately: Students will demonstrate effective communication skills such as active listening and
compromise with their peers in small groups as they work towards the same goal. Students will also communicate with
the class at large through the presentation of their skits.
Key features:
• To establish the purpose of communication
• To carry out the communication