Responsibility Mini Unit or the Banishing of Not Me

We had a run in with irresponsibility today. Cool was looking for his jacket and couldn't seem to find it. Thinking it might have been left in the van he went out and checked. It seems the picklets didn't bother to shut the van sliding door last night after getting home. Each blamed the other, none took responsibility. It really didn't matter to us who didn't shut it, the problem was that it was someone else's fault. It seems that "Not Me" lives here more than I would like. So, I decided a mini unit on responsibility was in order.

1. Take Responsibility Quiz
2. The Right Thing to do (study guide from United Streaming)
3. Go over posters (I printed out posters from google images and taped them up as reminders of what responsibility is)
4. Watch responsibility videos from United Streaming

• A Kid’s Guide to Responsibility
  ~~ This program impresses upon students the value of accepting responsibility, carrying out assigned tasks, and meeting obligations. It also encourages them to think about others by fulfilling their responsibilities.
  
• Focus on Responsibility
  ~~ This program examines the ideas of personal, family, and social responsibility. It stresses the benefits of discipline and of meeting obligations, and shows that being responsible brings great personal rewards.


• The 4th R: Responsibility
  ~~ This video takes a new look at responsibility in an attempt to help students explore what it means and understand the ethical choices and decisions that are the basis for responsible behavior. It examines four issues that affect teens, helping students fathom the consequences and see where responsibility lies.

5. Responsibilities of adults, children, teenagers, workplace (from united streaming study guide)(boys worked as a team), taking responsibility(Sweet)
6. Problem solving
7. Ways to be a responsible person
8. Rate yourself on responsibility and give examples of how you are responsible or not responsible and ways you can improve
9. Draw the feeling of responsibility
10. Make a poster teaching about responsibility
11. Make a list of their responsibilities (personal, family, social)

I have to say this was not the picklets favorite unit study by any means. Chip moaned and groaned through most of it. He argued about what he thought was responsible as opposed to what I think is responsible. We both had good points but instead of stating his point calmly he was very loud and disrespectful making the whole situation tense. I hope it is just teenage hormones because if it isn't, I have failed as a parent and more importantly, failed him.

© 2008-2009 Wicked Pickles-Homefront Lines