#135 A Little Bit Testy
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Yaya is having fun taking a magazine test. The children express
an interest, and Yaya explains that this particular test is
designed to determine what one might succeed at in the future.
The children, however, understand only that tests are a way
they can rate themselves against each other and the fun turns
competitive as the children begin comparing their scores. Yaya
steps in to show how test results are not always accurate, and
that they do not change who one is. The children finally understand
- particularly when they discover that Bo has beaten them all
hands down.
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- Children will learn that everyone
has strengths and weaknesses.
- Children will know that they
can achieve a goal or accomplish a task in a more effective
way than others but that does not mean that they are better
than the others.
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Vocabulary: |
successfully
recount
potential |
Suggested Activities: |
| Before
you view: Everyone is
surprised about who finally scores the highest on Yaya's magazine
test. Watch to see who it is. |
| While you view:
See suggestions in "How to use this guide". |
| After
you view: Go back to your
pre-viewing activity and have the children respond to the question.
(Answer: Bo scores the highest.) Talk about what you've seen
and take some time to discuss it. |
Extended Learning Activities |
Option
1: Nobody Likes a Show Off (Discussion Activity)
Materials required: None
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Have the children sit in a talking
circle. Review the following questions and discuss the answers
with them.
- How did Wimzie feel about herself
when she thought she had scored the lowest on Yaya's magazine
test? (Answer: She felt bad and thought she was not as smart
as her friends.)
- How did she feel about herself
when she learned Yaya had made a mistake and that she actually
had the highest score? (Answer: She felt great and started
to believe she was better than her friends.)
- How did Wimzie treat her friends
when she thought she had the highest score? (Answer: She
acted like a "big shot," like she knew everything.
She offered to help her friends rather than just play with
them.)
- How did Wimzie's friends react
to her behavior? (Answer: Jonas, Loulou and Horace told
Wimzie she was no fun to play with anymore.)
- What do you think Wimzie and
her friends learned from this "testy" experience? (Answer:
That tests don't determine who you are. Tests don't really
make you better or worse than anyone else, but they can
make you act differently.)
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Option
2: Peer Helpers (Helping Each Other Activity)
Materials required: None |
| Have
the children tell you one thing they think they can do well,
and one thing that they would like to be able to do better.
See if any of the children are a match. For example: Joe is
good at drawing faces and Louise would like to learn to draw
better faces or Janie is great at hopscotch and Sam would like
to be better at hopscotch. Pair up the two children. Have one
child show the other how he does his particular skill. Explain
that by teaching, children can also learn to improve their skills.
Have a discussion with the children about helping each other.
Talk about how it can be fun to learn from each other. |
Theme Related Books: |
Cleversticks,
Bernard Ashley, Crown, 1992.
Sing a Song of People, Lois Lenski, Little, Brown, 1987
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Notes |
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