Topic: GRAVITY

K W L

It keeps us What is gravity? Gravity is the force that pulls

from floating objects towards Earth.
around.

It makes Why is there less gravity The amount of gravity there is

things fall. on the moon? depends on the masses of the
objects involved. The moon is a
lot less massive than the earth,
so there is less gravity on the
moon than there is on earth.

How did Newton

There is less discover gravity?
gravity on
the moon.
What determines how
Isaac Newton fast something will fall Air resistance determines how
discovered to the ground? (teacher fast something will fall to the
gravity. question) ground.

* The students’ question about Newton was not answered in the text. Students should be encouraged to consult other sources to
find out the answer to this question.
Beacon Lesson Plan Library

Big on Biography
Lorinda Luther

Description

Students select a person to research for biographical information. Utilizing resources in the Media Center, students record
information on note cards; students then interpret and categorize information for appropriate placement on a graphic organizer.
Objectives

The student uses a variety of reference materials, including indexes, magazines, newspapers, and journals, and tools, including card
catalogs and computer catalogs, to gather information for research topics.

The student synthesizes and separates collected information into useful components using a variety of techniques, such as source
cards, note cards, spreadsheets, and outlines.

Materials

-Internet-accessible computers
-General encyclopedias
-Biographies and/or biographical collections (If available, [Biography Today] is a great periodical to use.)
-4” x 6” note cards, three per student
-Graphic Organizer, one per student (See Associated File)
Preparations

1. Make sure Media Center and reference materials are available.

2. Gather three note cards for each student.
3. Copy a Graphic Organizer for each student. (See Associated File)
4. Locate and bookmark the Biography.com Website (See Weblinks) on computers.
Procedures

1. Introduce terminology such as biography, autobiography, general encyclopedia and special encyclopedia.

2. The class brainstorms a list of people from whom to select and kinds of biographical information that would be
appropriate/interesting to gather. To gain students’ attention and build on prior knowledge, it is recommended that they be given a
broad range and allowed to select personalities in whom they have a personal interest.
3. Take students to the Media Center and give specific directions for research. Explain that their objective is to learn how to locate
information in various sources and be able to interpret and categorize that information.

4. Give students a Graphic Organizer (See Associated File) on which to record their information after it is collected on note cards. In
order to focus the students' research, explain the four areas into which they will organize their information (Early Life/Education,
Interests/Hobbies, Career/Accomplishments, and Famous for…). Instruct students to locate some information in each category.
Students will be assessed both on the note cards they submit and on the Graphic Organizer.

5. Students rotate among three different centers located in the Media Center. At the computer area they obtain information from
the Website Biography.com. (See Weblinks) At the area of general and biographical encyclopedias, they receive instruction on how
to locate their topic. At the biography section, students are instructed on how these are arranged. Supplemental materials such as
[Biography Today] may be stationed here to provide a third source of information in case an individual biography on the student’s
topic is not available.

6. Give students three 4” x 6” note cards and show how to label each note card with bibliographical information sufficient to identify
the type of source used, e.g. title, author, name and edition of encyclopedia. Note: This process should be kept simple as detailed
bibliographical citation is not the goal of this lesson.

7. Students have approximately 20 minutes per station to locate and record information on note cards. They should complete one
note card per station, and have at least four comprehensible items of information from each source relating to their topic.

8. The teacher circulates among the groups to ensure all students are meeting stated objectives and is responsible for managing
time objectives.

9. Once students have completed their research, they return to their tables. They categorize the information collected and place
each item within one of the four quadrants labeled “Early Life/Education,” “Interests/Hobbies,” “Career/Accomplishments,” and
“Famous for…”. The completed Graphic Organizer should contain at least 12 items of information placed under the appropriate
headings.
Assessments
Use completed note cards and the Graphic Organizer to formatively assess the student’s ability to:
-successfully locate information in a variety of text sources;
-interpret material located in order to categorize correctly as a manner of organization.

Criteria for assessment:

-3 correctly identified/labeled note cards (one from each research station);
-4 comprehensible items of information from each source relating to the topic chosen;
-a completed Graphic Organizer with 12 items of information placed under correct headings. (Although the number of items under
each heading will vary, there should be at least one item in each category.)
Extensions

1. This activity can be extended to include a writing activity. Once students return to the classroom, they can utilize their Graphic
Organizer, after evaluation and assessment by the teacher, to write a three-paragraph article about the person they selected,
focusing on thematic organization of material.
2. ESE students may provide two items of information from each reference source.
3. ESOL/ESL students may be paired for research with another higher-functioning ESOL student or with a non-ESOL student who
would function as a model and mentor.
Web Links

This site is to be used to gather information from an Internet source so that students do not spend all of their time browsing for
electronic sources of information. (The skill of browsing for electronic sources of information can be a focus at a later time.)
Biography.com

Attached Files

This file contains the Graphic Organizer. F

Beacon Lesson Plan Library

A Goldfish is the Best Pet

Cheryl Stanley

Description

A goldfish is the best pet. What facts support this thesis? What facts oppose it? Use graphic organizers to help students select facts
which must be considered in order to persuade an audience to agree with a given point of view.
Objectives

The student selects and uses appropriate pre-writing strategies, such as brainstorming, graphic organizers, and outlines.

Materials

- A selection of graphic organizers (Two types are provided in the associated files for this lesson.) Each student will need at least
three of these. If you prefer, they can draw their own organizers and save on copying materials.
- An overhead projector, marker board, or chalk board to be used by the class secretary or by the teacher
- Markers, chalk, or pens as needed
- A list of argumentative topics for the students who have difficulty deciding what to write about (nothing heavy or mind boggling at
first)
- One copy per student of the rubric you plan to use (A sample is provided in the associated files.)
Preparations

1. Duplicate graphic organizers for students to use.

2. Pre-select a student to be the secretary, preferably one with a legible handwriting.
3. Be sure you have a working overhead projector, or a chalkboard/marker board with plenty of writing surface available and
different colored writing utensils.
4. Prepare a list of possible topics; there will always be a few students who can’t think of anything to use.

Procedures

1. Begin by asking the class if they have any pets at home. Ask several students to explain why they selected that type of pet.

2. Appoint one student to act as secretary and write the information on the board.

3. After several minutes of brainstorming, ask students if they think a goldfish, or a frog, or some other critter of your choice would
make a good pet. This should be an animal that we usually don’t think of as a pet. You can use one of the animals they mentioned or
use the goldfish. A sample T chart is provided in the associated files.

4. Have the secretary make a list of at least three of the reasons why this animal would be a good pet and a list of at least three
reasons why it would not be a good pet. (Color coding the responses helps the visual learners.) These reasons should be facts, not
opinions. At this point you may need to explain the difference between facts and opinions.

5. Give each student a sample of the graphic organizers which can be used to record this information (see associated files for
examples of T charts and mapping charts). Explain that you will be giving them a similar organizer on which they will record
information as a final assessment.
6. Have students record the selected information on the organizer as you or your secretary record it on the board or the overhead.

7. Circulate in the room to be sure each student understands how to use the graphic organizer.

8. When all students have satisfactorily completed this activity, explain that this is an arguable topic. Some people think gold fish are
good pets; some people don’t even consider them to be pets. The statement “Gold fish make the best pets,” could be used as a
thesis statement in a persuasive essay.

9. Ask students to highlight the supporting fact that they think is the most important and the opposing fact that they think is most
important.

10. Give each student another graphic organizer and go through the same brainstorming procedure with another topic that does not
require research.

Possible topics:
a. Pens are better than pencils.
b. Students should be required to take a computer class in high school.
c. Elementary students should not be involved in competitive sports.

You can also use a topic from literature. (Grendel was a poor, misunderstood child.)

11. Ask the class to help you formulate an antithesis (statement of the opposite opinion) and prepare a graphic organizer from that
information, highlighting the most important supporting fact and the most important opposing fact.

12. Point out that some of the supporting facts for the thesis might be listed as opposing information for the antithesis.

13. Tell students that graphic organizers such as these can be used to prepare to write a persuasive paper or a persuasive speech.

14. Ask students to choose a topic of their own and a graphic organizer on which to record information. Have them go through the
same process with the new topic. This could be a homework assignment. (CAUTION: you might want to ask them to steer away from
extremely controversial topics, those not suitable for classroom discussions).
15. Show students a sample of the rubric you will use to evaluate their work. (see sample rubric in associated files)

16. Explain what you will be checking for in the different areas to be evaluated.

17. After you evaluate the prewriting, return the papers and assist the students with their revisions.

18. OPTIONAL: If you plan to assign a composition based on this prewriting, give students time in class to revise the prewriting.

18. OPTIONAL: Tell students that the next step will be to use this information to prepare an outline for a persuasive essay,
persuasive speech, etc., which will be covered in a separate lesson.
Assessments

Students may be assessed using the sample organizers provided (see associated files).

Information included in the organizer: (criteria)

A. The general topic

B. The author’s opinion on the topic (thesis statement)
C. Three facts supporting the thesis with the most important fact highlighted
D. Three facts opposing the thesis
E. The opposition’s opinion on the topic (antithesis)
F. Three facts supporting the antithesis with the most important fact highlighted
G. Three facts opposing the antithesis
Extensions

1. Language arts: Move from this prewriting assignment to an outline for a persuasive paper. From there you can proceed to a rough
draft and eventually a final copy.

2. This could also be turned into a group assignment. Give two groups opposing viewpoints for which they will do research, prepare
a T chart or mapping chart, and debate their findings.

3. Science: This could be the starting point for a persuasive paper on several different topics including environmental issues, the
space program, and research topics.

4. Social studies: This is an excellent starting point for debates in the area of politics, government policies, controversial laws, or
even economic concerns.

Lesson Plan Title of Lesson: Graphic Organizers Length of Lesson: 20‐ 25 minutes Grade Level: Graphic organizers can be used in all grade levels
Academic Standard: 1.3.1 Analysis of Grade‐Level‐Appropriate Literary Text: Identify and describe the plot, setting, and character(s) in a story.
Retell a story's beginning, middle, and ending. Performance Objective: Given a variety of children’s books and graphic organizers, teacher
candidates will complete the graphic organizers and present to the class the positives and negatives about the graphic organizer.
Assessment: Presenters will walk around to make sure that each group is on task, and filling out their graphic organizers correctly. Advance
Preparation by the Teacher: ‐ Obtain 7 different children’s books ‐ Obtain 7 different graphic organizers ‐ Print out copies of handout for each
teacher candidate ‐ Prepare Powerpoint Lesson Plan Introduction/Motivation: Ask students if any of them have ever used graphic organizers
before. Do they find them useful? Why or why not? (Blooms, Application) Step‐by‐Step: 1. Talk about what graphic organizers are and why
they are useful in the classroom setting. ‐ They allow children to make sense of information ‐ They are great for visual learners ‐ They provide
children with a place to start ‐ They help children focus on key points and structures their thinking ‐ They help children organize ideas and
concepts into a visual, making it easier to remember than a long piece of text ‐ They are useful in group discussion ‐ They can be used with
almost any book 2. Show examples of different types of graphic organizers from the PowerPoint (Gardner, Visual/Spatial). 3. Split teacher
candidates into groups of three or four (Gardner, Interpersonal). Have each group choose a children’s book and a graphic organizer. Have one
student in the group read the book and another student fill out the graphic organizer. Closure: The other student in the group will present the
graphic organizer used to the rest of the class. He or she will discuss with the class what was helpful about the graphic organizer and anything
that the group didn’t like about the graphic organizer. (Bloom, Analysis) Adaptations/Enrichments: Student with ADHD: This student will pass
out the children’s books and graphic organizers to the groups. Student with Autism: This student will be allowed to choose whether he or she
wants to work in a group or work independently. Student with Visual Impairment: Sit student at the front of the class so that he or she can view
the PowerPoint. Student with Orthopedic Impairment: Don’t make this student be the recorder. Instead let another group member record this
student’s ideas. Self‐Reflection: Did the students meet performance objectives? Did the students enjoy this activity? Were students actively
involved in the lesson? What could I do to improve this lesson the next time I teach it?
The devastation of water-bodies has been a popular issue today. There are various of causes which are responsible for this adversity.
Thus, the effects to human and animal are detrimental. There are many considerations to discuss to be able to learn more about this
major catastrophe.

One of the many causes of water pollution is the point source pollution which are industrial plants scattered on the different parts of
the world. These plants have been discharging by-products passing through the industrial pipes, straight directly to water bodies such
as sea, lakes, and ocean. Thus, affects a major concern to the marine life environment.

Another cause is the sewage leakage underground amid a poor construction and engineering. Hence, this issue may contaminate the
waste system underground. In addition, the oil spill from boats on the ocean is also a huge contributor to water pollution, because it
is harmful not only to fishes but also to the sea plants which are the sources of oxygen in the ocean.
The effects of contamination of heavy metal content like lead, mercury, and magnesium to the water surface, affects the marine
animal due to lead poisoning. This is the primary reason for the high mortality rate of fishes as a result of the polluted water
environment, and then affected fish enters in the food chain. Consequently, the effects in human’s health are crucial nd severe.

To sum up, although these causes which contribute major effects to the water pollution are difficult to overcome, people can still
mitigate this adversity by being disciplined and responsible member of the community. Hence, people must realize that water is one
of the essential sources of life.
Statement of the Problem
Bullying is an issue that has been affecting many in the world today. It takes place in many forms some of which are direct and include physical
harm on the victim. Verbal bullying involves name calling and insults or threats being directed at the victim and may also involve emotional
bullying where the victim’s emotions are targeted by the bully. Other forms of bullying may be indirect where the harm is not caused by the
person directly but it still ends up affecting the person.
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Bullying is termed as a form of abuse that uses power and dominance to those that are weaker and less powerful. Bullying has been taking place
in various areas but it is mostly common in schools and workplaces. It exists in various social groups, social classes and is found all over the
world. The behavior is usually repetitive and aggressive and it is based on the sole intention of hurting the victim. Bullies carry out the behavior
to harm the other person as a way of gaining power over the other person. It is normally a behavior that is planned and purposeful.
Bullying in schools has become very common and it has led to some very serious consequences. It has led to physical violence in forms of fight
and in some extreme cases deaths by suicides. Cases have emerged of some forms of bullying in the schools that have led to some of these
severe consequences. Children who are victims have had to live with short term and long term consequences of the behavior. Some of the other
effects include poor performance in their studies, depression, bedwetting, being withdrawn, changing schools regularly and is some cases
suicides among others (Norfolk, n.d). Over 7% of children especially in the 8th grade tend to stay at home once a month since they are bullied in
schools (Banks, 1997). Reports have also shown that about 15% of students are bullied on a regular basis with some being initiated into the
bullying practice. Direct bullying is more common among boys than with the girls. However, physical abuse in boys tends to reduce as they
progress in age. The victims of bullying sometimes carry these effects such as depression and low self-esteem into their adulthood.
Historical Overview
Bullying in schools has been ongoing for a long time now and is experienced in very many areas of the school. It occurs in some specific areas in
the school compound and environment which include the School Bus Park, hallways and bathrooms and even during recess (Banks, 1997). It
normally consists of a group of bullies who like isolating a student and bullying them by teasing and taunting the student. Some of them pressure
the student to perform various tasks that humiliate the student. Teachers and school administrators have also been known to perpetrate
bullying in the schools. They target a particular student and humiliate or abuse the student aggressively.
The causes of bullying arise from the social setting of the bullies. The bullies usually get the trait from the family setting or from experiences
from home. Studies have shown that most bullies emerge from families that experience physical forms of punishment and where the families
are undergoing some form of abuse. School bullies tend to lack warmth from their parents and they then strike back through bullying other
children in order to handle their problems. They may also acquire the behavior by learning it from friends and peers (Banks, 1997).
There are several characteristics that bullies have in common especially in the schools. Most of the students who feel the need to bully others
are usually looking to gain control since they normally feel more powerful than their intended victims. They tend to get satisfied once they see
their victims suffering and they do not feel empathetic at all towards the victims (Staffordshire, n.d). When defending themselves they
sometimes use the reasons that the victim provoked them to bully them. Most bullies usually have high self-esteem and they rarely perform the
bullying act since they feel bad for themselves. They are however antisocial, defiant and badly behaved. They tend to break rules and display a
lot of arrogance and opposition in schools.
Victims of bullies, on the other hand, are usually very insecure, cautious and they suffer from low self-esteem (Olweus, n.d). They rarely confront
the bullies to defend themselves. They are insecure and anxious and may lack social skills needed to make friends. They tend to come from
families where their parents are overprotective. The major characteristic that is found with victims of bullying is that they are weaker than the
bullies and this makes it difficult for them to fight the bullies back.
The purpose of this paper is to advocate for laws to be passed across the U.S to ban bullying in schools and teachers and administrators being
given more authority and responsibility to intercept and deal with bullying. This paper discusses bullying as a problem in schools n regard to how
it has evolved in the past, its effects on the victims and how it can be stopped. The role of teachers and school administrators in the prevention
of bullying is also highlighted together with their views and those of parents and legal sources. The various laws that have been passed by the
U.S states are discussed and how important they are in relation to the increase in suicides cases among children and long-term psychological
impacts on victims. Finally, the state of Massachusetts’ stand on bullying laws is discussed.
Methodology
This research paper is an insight into an in-depth analysis of a review of the literature with respect to bullying and why laws should be passed
across the United States on the same in an effort to curb this vice. Moreover, studies related to the giving of teachers and administrators more
authority and responsibility to intercept and deal with bullying rather than ignoring it has been adequately studied. It bears noting that the focal
point of the study is mainly on books and other scholarly materials which tackle bullying from all aspects. This is particularly bent on the fact that
much as many students go through this, some of the experiences they pass through in the process affect them adversely later in life.
All the scholarly materials that were selected are either published books, certified websites and prestige journals. Moreover, these cover a wide
range in terms of years because bullying is not an issue that began recently but has been there for quite some good time. It equally bears noting
that all the articles analyzed were specifically from credible websites. Additionally, the research was limited to substantial secondary sources in
order to employ studies already carried out by others on the same topic, primary sources were unavailable. To better analyze the whole idea,
the paper was divided into categories based on the approach used to handle the whole research.
Literature Review
Several studies have been done with regard to bullying but the main points highlighted include the effects that come with bullying. Norfolk (n.d)
puts it that children who are victims end up performing poorly in school, being depressed and some may even commit suicide. To back up this
argument Banks (1997) points out that more than 7% of children in the 8th grade tend to stay at home once a month due to being bullied in
school. On the same note, Staffordshire (n.d) depicts that it is more satisfying for the bullies to see their victims suffer. Further research indicates
that victims of bullies are usually very insecure (Olweus, n.d), similarly, Wright adds to the bargain by pointing out that the victims tend to have
very low self-esteem (2003). Moreover, Digizen (n.d) brings in a new perspective to the issues by incorporating the environment into the
technological world creating anxiety among the children where children use the same for purposes of bullying.
The legal view of the whole issue as pointed out by Antibullying ( n.d) is that the legal system should be efficient in weighing the matter and any
cases brought forward. Likewise, authors such as Rota (2010), GLAD (2010) and O'Dowd ( 2010) have given specific suicide cases which are worth
considering. Another noteworthy matter depicted in the studies of Dombeck (n.d) is that the primary outcome of the whole ordeal to the victims
is to do with be loneliness being part of their life through to adulthood. It comes with relief that “Chapter 92 of the Acts of 2010,”(2010) is a law
which has made it vital for anti-bully policies to be posted on school websites and be made available to any student or parent if a need arises.
Bullying
Bullying is a serious problem that is affecting the academic and social lives of the school going children. In order to understand the problem and
develop an intervention plan that can be used to stop it, it is important to identify the various forms of bullying that are going on within the
schools and the trends they are taking. It is also important to understand how they have carried out and the effects that arise from the practice.
This will help develop a plan that will be able to establish a safe and secure environment in the schools for all children.
Evolution of Bullying
Bullying behavior has been continuously changing over the years. Different forms of bullying have emerged and they continue to develop and be
used in the schools. Technology has played a very big role in the evolution of the behavior. The first forms of bullying that have existed over the
years included both direct and indirect methods that were used in the practice. The methods continue to be in use until today but have been
evolved by the use of technology.
Name calling was one of the types of bullying that were used by the bullies on the victims (Staffordshire, n.d). The victims were given certain
names that were intended to humiliate them and lower their self-esteem. The method has since evolved and is in use in more places rather than
just in schools. Physical bullying has also evolved from the physical injuries that were inflicted on the victims and it has included theft as a
method that is used to involve threats and lead to the violence.
Social isolation that was once used to make the victims stay alone without friends and was experienced by children of all age groups has evolved
to also include homophobic isolation. Homophobic isolation is the type of isolation that is practiced by the bullies on the children who are
termed as gay or they are seen to be gay (Staffordshire, n.d). It also includes those seen to be bisexual or they portray characteristics that make
them seem to be associated with the opposite sex. It is being practiced in the secondary schools and higher levels of education. The method is
normally spread through the social websites through gossip and in other websites.
One form of bullying that has emerged in schools involves the abuse that is directed at children who are of different races and cultures. This
form of bullying has been growing over the years with cases being reported that show the increase. The cases also show that the bullying is also
changing according to the different age groups. 25% of children of age 8 were seen to be bullied more compared to the children who were 5
years who only made 20% of the overall cases in that age group (Staffordshire, n.d).
Cyberbullying is the latest and most commonly used form of bullying in the schools today. It continues to evolve with the changes in technology.
It uses text messages, emails and various posts on websites as a way of bullying. Studies show that over 20% of young people in schools who are
between the ages of 11 and 19 have been bullied through this form of bullying (Staffordshire, n.d). The children in the schools today are growing
up in a different technological world that is very different from that of the adults. They have experienced information and technological
developments that they are now using to evolve the bullying practice. The environment in the technological world is becoming threatening and
is creating anxiety among the children. They are misusing the technology especially the mobile and internet to bully others. Over 22% of young
people have been reported to carry out cyber bullying (Digizen, n.d). They are able to carry out the whole practice remaining anonymous to the
victim. This form of bullying has made it possible for the bullies to carry out the practice at any time or place (Digizen, n.d).
Effects of Bullying
There are various consequences that are seen to arise from the practice of bullying. Students who are seen to bully others tend to carry the
practice out of school and they tend to get involved in criminal activities and they experience a lot of legal trouble in their adulthood. They
maintain this behavior even in the workplaces negatively affecting their ability to develop relationships that are positive. A study has proven that
60% of the students who were bullies when they were in grade 6-9 were convicted of a crime by the age of 24 (Banks, 1997). The bullies are also
prone other problematic behaviors such as smoking, alcohol, and drug abuse.
Victims of bullying tend to be very unhappy while in schools and they end up getting depressed and have low self-esteem (Wright, 2003). Their
school work is affected and they may choose to remain at home instead of going to school. They tend to isolate themselves from social activities
that involve the schools and this makes them even lonelier. The loneliness and depression may lead them to commit suicide. This is particularly
in the cases of emotional bullying where the emotions are targeted by the bullies. The victims also have difficulties when forming relationships in
the future.
The bystanders who witness the bullying also get affected by it. They are not able to stop the bullying or help out the victim even though he or
she may be their friend. Some are usually afraid of becoming the next victim so they end up avoiding confronting the bully. Others, on the other
hand, may be of the opinion that the victim deserved the bullying (Sampson, 2002). They may actively get involved by teasing and ostracizing the
victim and motivating the bully. They may also feel less accountable for the actions that are going on when they are in a group. Hence they do
not feel the urge to help the victim.