>  Character Education Lesson Plan Bank

Cooperative Learning Duties

Overview

Students learn about being accountable and responsible for part of a cooperative project. This exercise can be incorporated into any type of cooperative-learning activity (i.e., one requiring student participation in small groups).

Materials

• Cut out slips of paper from photocopies of the "Cooperative Learning Duties" activity sheet prior to the activity (one for each student).

Handouts

• Cooperative Learning Duties

Procedure

1. Divide the glass into groups. Explain that each group will be given an activity to complete. Say: Members of each group will be given certain duties to see that this activity goes smoothly. Each of you will randomly select a responsibility from this container. When your activities are finished, we'll see if you carried out your duties or not.

2. Put one of each slip in the container and let each group choose separately so that two members of the same group don't draw the same responsibility. Allow them to trade with other members of their group if they wish.

3. When the activity is over, hold each student accountable for his/her duty. Thank and praise those who did their part. Note where improvements could have been made, but be careful not to let this turn into a finger-pointing session.

4. Compliment those who didn’t perform their duty well but accepted responsibility for their behavior. Explain that blaming others for one’s shortcomings is never the answer.

This lesson is from the Good Ideas book, available for purchase from the CHARACTER COUNTS! online store:http://www.charactercounts.org/materials

Life Skills

Standard 4. Displays effective interpersonal communication skills.

Level IV, Benchmark 2. Exhibits positive character traits toward others including honesty, fairness, dependability, and integrity.