DECISION MAKER MOVES: Thinking beyond the pros & cons list
Main Lesson Flow
- The lesson begins with students reflecting on a decision made by a character in a book they have read recently (could be done as individuals or as a whole class)
- The main task requires students to write a response to the main character, focusing on a decision that character made and offering feedback to improve their decision making process or skills
- Finally, students will share their reflections and advice. Suggestions for how sharing could happen are included.
Introduction:
- Ask students to think of a book they have read recently (or a TV show/movie they watched; or a book you are reading as a class) and give them some time to reflect on the guiding questions:
- What decisions did the main character have to make?
- Do you think it was a good decision? Why/why not?
- Have students share their thinking with a partner and start to discuss what they might have done differently if they were in the character’s shoes
- Bring the class back together to discuss – what problems did they discover with how the characters made decisions? Make a list for the class to see.
Main Event
- Students write a response to the main character of the book they read, focusing on analyzing the decision(s) made by the character, offering feedback next time.
- Some guiding questions for students to consider and use in their response:
- What was the decision the character made? Summarize it clearly.
- What was the outcome of the character’s decision? Do you think this was the outcome that they hoped for? Why or why not?
- What other options do you see for the character? Which one do you think is best? Explain.
- What could the character have done differently when making their decision?
- Do you have any other advice to offer the character about making decisions?
Closure
Students could share their responses with each other in one of the following ways:
- chat with their desk/elbow partner
- carousel chat where students circulate around the classroom and talk briefly with several peers
- a “book talk” where students share their book and reflection with a group of peers (this would work best when students have all read different books)
- as part of a lit circle meeting (if using lit circle books for reflection)