Lesson 4 - rights and responsibilities in the classroom or playground

Step 1: Be prepared to answer the following question: Why do we have rules in school? I will write a few of your class’s answers on the white board. Next, you will help brainstorm a list of good school rules and bad school rules, which will also be recorded on the whiteboard.

Step 2: I will write the words “Playground Rules or Classroom Rules” on the board. As a class, be prepared to vote on the one you want to research and write about.

Step 3: Using the provided stakeholder point of view papers and blank graphic organizers, you will fill out the first two lines of the graphic organizer. When finished, go to Lesson 4 Step 4.

First Playground Position Paper

Second Playground Position Paper

First Classroom Position Paper

Second Classroom Position Paper

Blank Position Paper Graphic Organizer

Playground Rules for Art Freiler School (edited for length and content)  

In order to have a safe playground with fair rules that all students (and supervisors) understand, we have developed the following playground games and rules. These are the only games and rules that are allowed at Art Freiler School.

  Blacktop Games/Equipment Rules : 

1. One grade level at a time. Grade level number will be posted on or near the apparatus so that students know which grade level is permitted on the apparatus each day.
2. Tag is not to be played on or near the apparatus
3. Students are not to sit on frame around apparatus
4. Jumping off the apparatus is not allowed at any time.
5. No Rough Play will be tolerated on apparatus or during games
6. The 6 Pillars, responsibility, respect, trustworthiness, citizenship, fairness, caring, should be honored at all times.

Apparatus:  

Cliff climber

1. Students can only go in one direction.
2. The chain is only for use by the climber to climb. 

Cork screw

1. Student should only go in one direction
2. No more than two students on the corkscrew at a time
3. No jumping off of the corkscrew  

General Guidelines

1. You must have a courteous tone at all times. No yelling, name-calling or accusatory tones.
2. Pieces of the game should only be used for their designed purpose.
3. Unsportsmanlike conduct will result in losing board game privileges for a week.
4. All those who are playing a game are responsible for putting it back in its box and returning it to the yard duty supervisor.

Lesson 4, Step 3

Graphic Organizer

MotheringDotCommune Playground Stakeholder Viewpoint

“Children are not allowed to slide on their bellies”“Students must stay off muddy grass”“Children must be actively ‘doing something’ and not just walking around”“Students must play in groups and not alone”“A child may only bounce on the ‘bouncer’ 25 times before his turn is over”" ‘Digging sticks’ can only be as long as the child's shoe”“I can understand having rules that are about safety and respecting others' rights, like the ‘no throwing acorns’ rule, but I think this list is overly restrictive. Recess should be about taking a break, letting off steam, and doing what is needed to relax, not about even more rules and instructions about how to play.”“Like the rule about ‘doing something’ or staying in a group - some children may just need to wander aimlessly or sit alone and may not appreciate a rule telling them that is not allowed. No one gets hurt when one child decides to use his recess time to just take a walk around the playground or read by himself.”“I don't understand how someone could get seriously hurt from sliding on her belly. Anyone who goes down a slide like that knows they might fall the one-foot distance off the end, and I'm sure they are fine with that. My daughter has preferred to slide that way since she was 2, and could always catch herself so she didn't fall.”“I think children should be allowed to get dirty at the playground. Maybe they can be required to wipe their feet or bring a spare outfit to change into, but a little dirt never hurt anyone.”“And the rules about ‘only 25 bounces’ and ‘sticks can't be longer than your shoe’ - who is going to monitor this? Are the supervisors going to stand around counting and comparing? And what if one kid has really big shoes - is it fair to give him a bigger stick just based on that?”“I think recess can't truly be recess unless it's largely unstructured. Do other schools have rules like these?”