actividades.gif

Responsibility is defined as the quality professed by people who put care and pay attention to what they do or decide; it implies freedom.

A responsible person is the one who is obliged to answer for certain acts. It indicates the competence of an individual.

It is necessary to teach small children to put care in, and pay attention to whatever they do. This could be worked on during any activities carried out in the centre, for example, when children are asked to do something, it is necessary to teach them to finish it and finish it well.

We can give children simple tasks according to their physical abilities and their level of psychological development, always making them aware of their responsibility.

In addition, through group activities where group and individual responsibility, is manifested, as long as each child has a part of the task to fulfill.

Responsibility also has to be taught in the fulfilment of tasks taught in school and at home, and the attention and care children must give to educational activities.

The child must learn to distinguish between game and work, which involves always a certain responsibility.

ACTIVITY No 1
"HOW ARE RESPONSIBLE PEOPLE?"

Summary of the activity: The children will be asked a series of questions to establish an initial evaluation of their knowledge about responsibility and how responsible people act, afterwards the educator will explain how these people act.

Objectives: To develop in children knowledge about how responsible people act.

Procedures:
• Explanation
• Conversation
• Questions and answers
• Narration

Material Resources: Text and illustrations of a story.

Development of the activity:
1st Part
To have an initial evaluation of the children’s knowledge about responsibility, the teacher will ask questions such as:
What do you know about responsibility? What is it?
How do responsible people act? What do they do?
Do they or don’t they complete the tasks that they are given?
Do they do them right or wrong?
Do you know a responsible person? How does he/she act?
Are you responsible? Why?

2nd Part
Once the teacher has the result of the initial evaluation, he will talk to the children, always rectifying and completing the things they could have said wrong or incomplete.

He will summarize this part explaining that a responsible person is the one who puts care and pays attention to what she/he does to be able to fulfill the task or request, that responsibility is a very good quality, that responsible people are liked and respected by everyone.

Therefore, they must be responsible children, and when the teacher or their family members give them tasks, they must finish them and do them right.

3rd Part
The narration of the tale: “The lost little chicken”.

“Once upon a time there was a mother-hen that had many chicks, and she was very responsible. She always counted them moving her head from one side to the other, saying: cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck (that means one, two, three, four, five, six, in the language of the hens), and she would say it while touching them. They would happily repeat after her: peep, peep, peep, when their mother touched them with her beak.

Then, on a nice day, they found a small road with stones. The chicks crossed it behind their mother, jumping and jumping, saying peep, peep, peep.

But a naughty little chick remained behind, and when his mother, that never stopped being responsible, began counting cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck, cluck? Cluck? Cluck! One did not respond, and she began looking for him. She looked here and there, she looked everywhere until, at last, she found him cutting a few fine grains of corn with his small beak and scolding him, she said: cluck!

Since the mother hen was so happy for finding him, they walked all together, jumping here and there, and whenever the mother said cluck, what did the chicks answer? Peep, of course!”

4th Part
Once the story is finished the teacher will organize a session of questions and answers to reinforce the responsibility of the mother-hen regarding her chicks’ well being:
What does the story shows?
How was the hen?
What would happen if the hen were not responsible?
And the chicks, were they responsible?
And if they were not, can you explain why?

The teacher summarizes the answers given by the children to indicate that responsibility is what allows us to make good things and what makes us trust a person.

CRITERIAL ASSESSMENT
Observed conduct	YES	NO	Comments
They have notions of what is to be responsible.
They recognize how responsible people act.
They know little of how responsible people act.
They know how to evaluate themselves for their level of responsibility.
They have evaluated themselves as responsible children.
They have evaluated themselves as little responsible children.

ACTIVITY No 2
"THE MONKEY THAT WANTED TO BE QUEEN"

Summary of the activity: The teacher will tell the story; after, he will talk about the story. Afterwards, the children will produce the month’s puppet show.

Objectives: That the children know how to critically analyze some irresponsible behaviour.

Procedures:
• Narration
• Dramatization
• Practical actions

Material Resources: Illustrations of the story, puppets, stage for the puppet theatre, figures in shiny cardboard of the animals of the story.

Development of the activity:
1st Part
The teacher tells the story as he shows the illustrations.

“The monkey queen” (adapted from the the book “The most beautiful animal fables”).

Once upon a time there was a jungle, where the animals ended up without a king. In an assembly, they decided to select a new king. Among the candidates there was an irresponsible and slightly lunatic female monkey.

The monkey began to play, to jump and dance with a crown in her head; the animals, amused and charmed with her monkeying, were convinced that she was the best candidate: Only she should wear the crown.

The fox was the only one that didn't agree; quickly she created a plan to convince the animals of their mistake.

“Majesty! To show us that you will be a great queen, pay a lot of attention in order to fulfill responsibly this task we give you. Come with me and I will show you what you should do.”

The foolish monkey followed the fox who explained to her what was the task she had to fulfill, but since she was so irresponsible, she did not pay any attention to the fox and she forgot part of the directions the fox gave her, so the monkey went to play while the animals were waiting to crown her.

When they realized that the monkey was taking too long to returned, the fox went to look for her and found her monkeying around. She had not done the requested task, so the fox then grabbed her by the hand and took her to face all the animals.

“Look: the monkey is irresponsible, she did not fulfill the task we requested, and she went to play, that is the way she intends to care and command the jungle animals”.

And they, for ever, took away the crown from the monkey”.

2nd Part
The teacher talks to the children and asks these questions:
Did you like the story?
What did you like most?
What did you learn from the story?
Why couldn’t the monkey become queen?

The teacher will talk to the children about the story, emphasizing the irresponsible behaviour of the monkey and the reasons why she could not become queen.

3rd Part
For the preparation for the puppet show, the characters will be assigned to the designated children, or volunteers, and they will learn what the monkey and the fox must say. The teacher will be the narrator and the animals will be drawn on the material that will serve as the set for the story. A drawing of the jungle with the gathered animals will be used as background for the puppet show. It is important that the puppets have a hard base in order to keep them standing.

Afterwards, the children and the teacher will perform the puppet show.

CRITERIAL ASSESSMENT
Observed conduct	YES	NO	Comments
They knew how to critically analyze the irresponsible behaviour of the character of the story.
They needed help to critically analyze the irresponsible behaviour of the character of the story.
They also criticized the sneaky behaviour of the fox.
They declared that they were not like the monkey.
They expressed positive opinions about being responsible.

ACTIVITY No 3
"YES, THE CHILDREN ARE RESPONSIBLE"

Summary of the activity: A collective work will be done to build a board of honor. Afterwards the teacher will explain the objective of this board and finally the children who will be placed in the place of honor will be selected.

Objectives:
• To encourage the children to act in a responsible way.
• To make them learn to evaluate with fairness the responsibility of his friends.

Procedures:
• Practical actions
• Conversation
• Explanation
• Stimulation

Material Resources: A mural or a blackboard, a table with an album, a tablecloth...

Development of the activity:
1st Part
The teacher will explain to the children, the objective of the collective work that will be to prepare a board of honor. He will explain that this is a place in which they will put the pictures of the children who will be rewarded because they fulfilled, with responsibility, the tasks, and requests assigned by their teacher during all the activities done in the school.

The tasks will be assigned in such a way that everyone has one: a few will clean out the part of the classroom where the board will be placed, other will make picture frames with color cardboards in which to place the pictures of the rewarded children, others will draw, cut and paste pretty ornaments to make a paper tablecloth to put on the table, others will help the teacher to line and decorate the mural where the pictures and the diplomas, etc. will be hung.

2nd Part
Once the board is ready, the children guided by the teacher will evaluate the work done by everyone regarding the fulfillment of the proposed tasks in the collective work.

3rd Part
At the end of the week, a meeting will take place to decide the children that will be honoured for that week because of their nomination as the most responsible of the group.

The teacher will have a lot of tact to obtain a fair evaluation, he could help to choose the children, but that does not have the same educational effect that when done by the children with the teacher’s guidance.

CRITERIAL ASSESSMENT
Observed conduct	YES	NO	Comments
They fulfilled with responsibility their assigned tasks in the collective work.
They needed help to fulfill with responsibility the assigned task in the collective work.
They evaluated with fairness the responsible behaviour of their friends.
They needed help to evaluate with fairness the responsible behaviour of their behaviour.
They felt happy fulfilling the tasks to make a board of honor.

ACTIVITY No 4
"THE TELEVISION GOBLIN"

Summary of the activity: The television goblin will talk to the children telling them that he will supervise their homes to see if they fulfill in a responsible way the tasks that their parents or family members assign them.

Objectives: To develop responsibility in the children when receiving tasks assigned by their families.

Procedures:
• Conversation
• Analysis

Material Resources: The puppet of the television Goblin.

Development of the activity:
1st Part
The puppet arrives and greets the children:

-”Children, do you remember me? I am the one who sees everything, in your home, in your school, everywhere, I know how you behave.”

-”I came to tell you that this time I want to know who are the children that behave in a responsible way and, who fulfill the tasks that the parents, or grandparents give you.”

“I’m going to tell you something”, says the puppet:

-”Last week I was in a child’s house, I’m not saying his name, I will say it another time if he doesn't change, because he has chores to do at home and he doesn’t do them. His mom has always taught him to make the bed when getting up; to put his clothes away when undressing; to put his shoes in the shoe rack He had learned it very well, but he does it only when he wants to, because the only thing that pleases him is to play and play. I know that all children like to play, but they also have chores to do. It’s nice when our family is pleased with our responsible behaviour.”

-”Speaking of responsible behaviour, I will tell you another story. I have also seen in the house of one of you, a girl that every day after coming from school, changes her clothes, folds them and puts them away in their place, after she plays for a while, then she goes back home, takes a shower, does her homework, helps her mom to serve the food and when they finish eating she helps to clean the table and to do the dishes.”

-” What do you think? She is a responsible girl!”

-” I will watch you, I will hide in the television, on the window frame, under the bed, where you less imagine and when the teacher is evaluating who is the most responsible child of the week, I will come to school to say what I saw in your houses.”

-”But do not worry, my friends, because I know that you are responsible children who don’t do anything bad, so don’t be afraid”.

2nd Part
The teacher will talk to the children about what the puppet said:
Do you know what the television Goblin meant when he said: He who does nothing bad, has no fear?
Who behaved correctly in the story, the boy or the girl?
How do you behave at home, are you responsible or irresponsible?
Explain why?

After having the children answer the questions, the teacher will summarize the activity clarifying and correcting whatever was answered incorrectly and saying whatever the children missed, and encouraging them in order to be responsible with their families and at school.

CRITERIAL ASSESSMENT
Observed conduct	YES	NO	Comments
They got the puppet’s message.
They needed help to get the puppet’s message.
They were responsible with the tasks assigned by the family.
They needed help to explain their responsible or irresponsible behaviour at home.
They expressed the wish to be responsible.

ACTIVITY No 5
"MOTHER HEN AND THE LITTLE CHICKS"

Summary of the activity: This is simple motor game, especially good for the smaller children. First, the teacher reminds the children of the story of the chicks and outlines the directions of the motor game. Second, they play the motor game, and third, they sing the song “the chicks”.

Objectives: To reinforce from early ages the basics of responsibility.

Procedures:
• Practical actions
• Conversation
• Song

Material Resources: Mother hen and chicks costumes for the children.

Development of the activity:
1st Part
The teacher tells the group that they will perform the story of mother hen and the lost chick, and then they can remember the history. After telling the story and having the message extracted, the teacher tells them that they will play a game and that one of the children will be mother hen and others will be the chicks, and they have to wear the corresponding costume.

When the time comes, he tells them that they will make the actions indicated in the story.

2nd Part
Playing the motor game:
1. When the hen says: cluck, cluck, cluck, counting the chicks, the chick have to move their heads forward while saying peep, peep, peep.
2. When on the road of stones (that will be drawn on the floor or with bricks) everyone will cross it except the lost chick, which is going to be far away.
3. When they finish crossing the road, mother hen counts the chicks, and begins to shout because she is missing one, she will move from here to there saying cluck, cluck, cluck.
4. She will cross again the stones, with all the chicks (except the lost one).
5. After crossing the stones, everyone searches for the lost chick, but she is the one who finds him, who is busy eating corn. The hen scolds him moving her wings, and everybody starts jumping again through the road of stones.

3rd Part
Everybody will sing a song about chicks.

CRITERIAL ASSESSMENT
Observed conduct	YES	NO	Comments
They could get the message of the story.
They needed help to get the message of the story.
They did the movements that were taught well.
They related the action done with the fact of doing well the home chores.
They expressed the desire of being responsible like the hen.

ACTIVITY No 6
"THE FAMILY"

Summary of the activity: The activity consists in a game of characters based on “The family”. An initial conversation will take place to invite children to play. They will play the game and in the end they will evaluate it.

Objectives: To develop personal experiences in children about their responsibility to their family.

Procedures:
• Game
• Conversation

Material Resources: A place with furniture and necessary materials.

Development of the activity:
1st Part
The teacher initiates a conversation and invites the children to play the family game. He reminds them of what the Goblin has said about responsibility regarding family chores.

The children decide how the characters will be assigned, they get their material, and they set the game.

2nd Part
They play the game and the teacher will intervene only if a child needs help and to make any suggestion needed to keep the game alive and to bring about critical situations in the game to check how the children behave, for example, the teacher can intervene as the family’s neighbour or friend that arrives at the house and asks if in that family their members help in a responsible way, with family or house chores or if there is any family member that behaves in an irresponsible way.

3rd Part
They will evaluate the game according to the way they played it; if they played the character in a responsible way (until the end); if they acted correctly, how they responded to each other, etc.

CRITERIAL ASSESSMENT
Observed conduct	YES	NO	Comments
They acted correctly in accordance to their roles.
They needed help to act correctly in accordance to their roles.
They kept the argument alive until the end of the game.
They needed help to keep the argument alive until the end of the game.
During the game, they showed a positive attitude towards their responsibilities to the family.
They stated that they want to be responsible in their daily activities.

ACTIVITY No 7
CRITICAL EXPERIENCE FOR THE EVALUATION OF THE BLOCK
"A PARTY FOR THE YOUNGEST CHILDREN"

Summary of the activity: Setting a plan to prepare a collective birthday party for the youngest children of the school.

Objectives: To develop in the children positive feelings for the fulfilment of the assigned task.

Procedures:
• Practical actions
• Explanation
• Questions and answers

Material Resources: Colour cardboard, stickers, glue, scissors, ribbons, sticky paper, coloured papers, strings, coloured pencils, temperas, white paper.

Development of the activity:
1st Part
The group receives the task of making cards, hats, invitations, and gifts for a party for the youngest children; they could use the birthday celebration or any other reason as theme.

Each child will have his/her responsibility in the group’s assigned task well explained and it will be clarified that the school principal trusts them to guarantee that the party for the youngest children will be very nice, that they need to work well, because the children are very young and don't know how to prepare things for the party.

The tasks are distributed in such a way that each child has an individual responsibility to fulfil his/her part in the activity.

2nd Part
The plans. Because it is a critical experience the teacher doesn't take part in its development, giving the children total freedom and initiative, to evaluate therefore, their individual and collective responsibility.

3rd Part
The party for the youngest children takes place. It has to finish with the acknowledgement of the job done by the older children.

4th Part
Later, the group will evaluate the children’s work, the fulfillment of the individual and group responsibility. The principal is invited to participate in this evaluation; she could thank the class for helping the youngest children.

The children who demonstrated responsibility in their specific tasks can be encouraged and those who could not do it, could be offered a new opportunity in a next activity.

CRITERIAL ASSESSMENT
Observed conduct	YES	NO	Comments
They carried out the assigned task with responsibility.
They needed help to carry out the assigned task with responsibility.
They showed happiness and satisfaction helping the youngest children.
They were capable of self-evaluating their responsibility.
They showed a more accurate knowledge of what a responsible behaviour is.
They easily indicated the irresponsible behaviour observed in the group.