Description

Students made connections to family beliefs and values to create a class "code of conduct" in words and symbols. In early September students asked their families about family beliefs or values related to getting along. They were told that these beliefs or values could be represented by some item which had been passed down through the generations. In class students listened to The Keeping Quilt and Selena and the Bear Paw Quilt. Both books focused on the preservation of family memories by making quilts. After family discussion and experimenting with design each student created a quilt square. The squares were arranged on the front and back of the classroom door to form a quilt. Students then articulated statements about school conduct which were represented by the quilt squares. Ideas were combined into a simple code. In their home reading program students were asked to make connections with their code by identifying examples of character behaviour which were represented by their code. They were also asked to write about situations in their own lives that reflected issues represented in their code. As time passed the classroom code of conduct was reexamined and enhanced with further examples. In pairs several students reviewed photographs of curricular material and recorded comments...