Year 2, Lesson 2.1 - Role Models
Unit Learning Goal
Students will become familiar with the qualities of role models and the influence of role models on decision-making.
Lesson Goal
Students will be able to identify the differences between role model figures and identify three “good work” role models.
Assessment
Monitor participation during role modeling skit for understanding of the differences between role models, mentors, anti-mentors, and frag-mentors.
Analyze Exit Tickets for identification of “good work” role models and qualities related to the 3 Es of good work.
Casel Alignment
Self-Awareness, Identity, Social Awareness
portfolio documentation
Optional: Written reflection on chosen value
RESOURCES
Prerequisites
Year 2, Lesson 1.3 - Values and Engagement
Total TIME
45 minutes
Instructions
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In the previous unit, you reviewed the 3 E’s of Good Work (excellence, ethics, and engagement), as well as the concepts of reflection, values, balance, and finances.
In this unit, you will consider those who you look up to, as well as those who you do NOT wish to emulate.
Opener: Role Model Examples + Turn & Talk [10 minutes].
Alternatively, pick a few prominent role models specifically from the area of study of your class to show to students.
Ask students to write down or think to themselves about whether they see any trends of the people named as role models.
After a few minutes, have students Turn & Talk: Of the people they knew on the list, what did they notice about the role models? Were there specific patterns or trends? Were they surprised by any of the people on the list? Do they feel like the role models exhibit some of the 3Es more than others?
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“Knowing that research data tells us that most students have family members and even some famous people as role models, why not use short video clips recorded by the students' own family members answering questions like ‘how and when did you decide that it would be best to have your own business?’ or ‘what do you value most in a work environment?’ From my experience in the classroom, I realize that the students themselves are able to choose which family members can record these videos. They know each other's family members and always say, ‘Oh, did you see that so-and-so's mother is a very famous doctor?’ or ‘Have you seen so-and-so's restaurant?’ Finally, using examples of famous people can be difficult (mainly because we have to verify that they are not people of questionable integrity). However, using examples of people students love [or who] are recognized worldwide for their actions, such as the players Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) and Vini Jr. (Brazil) who have charitable works and care for the next generations, can be very useful in helping students in the reflective process proposed in this lesson.”
-Patrick Marinho Duarte, São Paulo, Brazil:
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Interested in using a different role model resource for your opening section? Check out the following blog for more resources: https://www.thegoodproject.org/good-blog/2021/11/16/role-model-resources
2. What is a Role Model? Definition Skits [25 minutes].
Place your students into small groups. Tell them they will have ten minutes to create a two minute skit that demonstrates one of the following definitions to the class. Each person in the group should have a role in the skit.
A role model: “A person who serves as an example by influencing others”, often considered a standard of excellence worth imitating. Individuals often, but not always, admire role models who are similar in identity to themselves, as well as individuals who they feel do things in life that they could also achieve.
A mentor: “an individual with whom a person shares a 'close, trusting relationship in which the mentor provides guidance and encouragement’”. There is the sense with mentors that the individual and the mentor have met in person (or online) and do so fairly regularly.
An anti-mentor or tor-mentor: Terms we use at The Good Project to indicate someone we would not wish to idolize or emulate. Someone with bad character or who serves as a bad example.
Frag-mentors: Term we use at The Good Project to indicate that we can learn different things and different values from multiple mentors and/or role models in our lives; one person does not have to embody everything. For example, maybe we learn curiosity from our mother, and tenacity from our teacher, and creativity from a TV star we watch.
Come together at the end of ten minutes and share out the skits as a class. Keep to the strict two minute time as the teacher, or ask a student to keep time.
Ask students to reflect as a class:
What were areas of overlap between the definitions?
Where were they different?
Where might we find these types of people in our own lives?
3. Closing and Exit Ticket: Who Does Good Work? [10 Minutes].
Take a minute to ask students what they think a “good work” role model is. Remind them that they most likely spoke about this concept at the beginning of their Year 1 Good Project Lesson Plans.
After receiving a few answers, you can reveal that this is specifically a role model who serves as an example for individuals around the 3ES of good work (ethics, excellence, and engagement).
Explain to students that their exit ticket will be a handout that asks them to think about three people who they think are “good work” role models or mentors.
Keep this handout for the Good Work Portfolio.
Possible Enrichments
Ask students to choose a value that they’d like to spend more time considering. It can be one that is in their top four values, or not – this is up to them.
Ask them to find an example of an individual that they believe exemplifies that value. It could be a story from the news, from fiction, from music, or some other type of artwork.
Students should spend 15 minutes writing about why this person helps articulate their understanding of this particular value.
Keep this written reflection for the Good Work Portfolio.
Lesson Walkthrough
Watch this short video guide for lesson specific advice from The Good Project Research Team.