The Importance of Giving Clear Instructions
| Title: The Importance of Giving Clear Instructions | Author: Becky Wilcox |
| Subject(s): * Computer Science * English Language Arts: Language * English Language Arts: Speaking & Listening * Math: Geometry * Math: Math Practices * Character Development | |
| Grade Level(s): 3rd | Total Time: One 30 minute class period |
Overview / Description:
In this lesson, students will reinforce the importance of giving clear instructions to a partner for a desired outcome or result, similar to what is needed in a real world work environment, when instructions or notes need to be communicated in person to or left in written form for a co-worker who may be on a different shift and need to complete a project. In the real world, if instructions are not clear, machines or entire assembly lines may be down for a period of time which causes the company to lose money.
This lesson will be used in conjunction with Code.org's Course D (2019) curriculum (https://studio.code.org/s/coursed-2019) after the initial lesson called Graph Paper Programming - https://curriculum.code.org/csf-19/coursed/1/. In this lesson, students will use what they just learned about programming, sequencing, and algorithms (set of instructions) and take it a step further by communicating instructions for navigating through a series of steps to a partner who either has their eyes closed (or is wearing a blindfold) from a starting to finishing point, while picking up small blocks (or something similar along the way).
Learning goals/objectives:
* Students will be able to clearly communicate a sequence of steps to a partner.
* Students will direct their partner how to make their way through the assigned area correctly.
* Students will understand the importance of giving clear instructions to a partner.
After completing this activity, students should be able to . . .
See the importance of giving clear instructions to another student in order for them to successfully make their way through a designated area and collecting items along the way.
Workplace Readiness Skill:
| x | Social Skills | x | Communication |
| x | Teamwork | x | Critical Thinking |
| x | Attitude and Initiative | x | Planning and Organization |
| x | Professionalism | Media Etiquette |
Content Standards:
Common Core English Language Arts Standards
L - Language
3.L.6 - Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate conversational, general academic, and domain-specific words and phrases, including those that signal spatial and temporal relationships (e.g., After dinner that night we went looking for them).
SL - Speaking & Listening
3.SL.1 - Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade 3 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
3.SL.3 - Ask and answer questions about information from a speaker, offering appropriate elaboration and detail.
3.SL.6 - Speak in complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation in order to provide requested detail or clarification.
Common Core Math
MP - Math Practices
MP.1 - Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them
MP.2 - Reason abstractly and quantitatively
MP.3 - Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others
MP.5 - Use appropriate tools strategically
MP.6 - Attend to precision
MP.7 - Look for and make use of structure
MP.8 - Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning
Educational Frameworks:
Character Development:
Wisconsin Comprehensive School Counseling Model (WCSCM) Standards
Academic Domain
Standard A: Students will acquire the attitudes, knowledge, and skills that contribute to successful learning in school and across the life span.
Materials:
* 2-3 small items per group (small wooden blocks or something similar)
* Popsicle sticks with one student name on each in order to pick partner groups (or other similar strategy)
* 1 blindfold per group (if desired)
* area without obstacles large enough to have students spread out with their partner and have room to move around without going in other students' space (10 foot square would be ideal, but smaller could be sufficient if necessary)
Learning Activities:
WHO (T=Teacher Focus Lesson; WG=Whole Group\; SM=Small Group; I=Independent)
| Learning Activity Task | WHO is responsible for this step? | Approximate time for task |
| Review with students the knowledge that they gained during the "Graph Paper Programming" about how important it is to give clear instructions as the leader and also to listen closely to instructions as the follower in order to make sure the design matched the leader's chosen design. | WG | 1-3 minutes |
| Tell students that it is very important to give complete instructions, or the result may be totally different that what is expected and could result in someone getting hurt. Show "Importance of giving complete instructions" video as an example of a time when complete and clear instructions were not given. | WG | 1-2 minutes |
| Explain activity to students: * Students will be separated into partner groups and given a blindfold (if desired) and 2-3 wooden blocks or other similar item. * Partner groups will go to designated area and decide which one will be the leader to start off with and who will be the listener who will listen to instructions from leader and do what they are told with their eyes closed or using a blindfold) * Listener will go to starting position in their designated area and either close their eyes or place blindfold over eyes. Leader will place blocks (or other small items) in their area between the start and finish points. * Leader will give clear instructions to listener to make their way through their designated area to the ending point and collecting blocks (or other small items) on their way through and making sure to stay out of the area of other groups and away from any tripping hazards. * After successfully making their way from the starting to the finishing point and collecting the blocks, listener will then place blocks back within their area between the start and finish points. * Leader and listener will change roles - new listener will go to starting point and either close eyes or place blindfold over eyes. * New leader will give clear instructions to listener to make their way through their designated area to the ending point and collecting blocks (or other small items) on their way through. * When all partner groups are finished, class will come back as whole group to discuss activity | WG | 3-5 minutes |
| Carry out activity: * Separate students into partner groups using Popsicle sticks with each student name on them (or other similar strategy). Give each partner group a blindfold if desired and 2-3 wooden blocks or other small items to place within their work area. * Send partner groups to designated area and ask them to follow directions given for the leader to give instructions to the listener to guide them from the starting to finishing point, while collecting small blocks or other small items along the way, and then switching roles so that both students have a chance to be the leader and listener. | WG/SG | 10-15 minutes |
| Clean-up & Wrap-up: * Ask students to bring all supplies to front of room to turn in. * Discuss/reflect on activity, asking for students to share their experiences as both the leader and listener: - What were some things that were easier than they thought? - What were some things that were harder than they thought? - What were some challenges they had as the leader and listener? - If they felt it was easier to be the leader or listener? | WG | 5-10 minutes |
Assessment:
As students are working and also during wrap-up, listen to discussion among students to assess understanding and guide discussion to clear up any questions students have as needed.
Wrap-Up:
As listed at the end of activity, discuss the activity as a whole group, asking for students to share their experiences as both the leader and listener:
- What were some things that were easier than they thought?
- What were some things that were harder than they thought?
- What were some challenges they had as the leader and listener?
- If they felt it was easier to be the leader or listener?
Extension Activity (for intervention or enrichment):
* Intervention:
- As teacher is walking around throughout student partner groups, listen for students who may be having difficulty and guide them as needed.
- If there are students who do not work well together or some may need extra support, student groups could be created ahead of time by teacher instead if desired.
* Extension:
- Instead of verbally giving instructions as the leader during the activity, students could instead write out directions for their partner to follow and see if their instructions are clear.
- Code.org lesson - "Programming: My Robotic Friends" - https://curriculum.code.org/csf-1718/coursef/1/
- Extension activity for "Programming: My Robotic Friends" Code.org lesson above - Code.org lesson - Programming Unplugged: My Robotic Friend Relay" - https://curriculum.code.org/hoc/unplugged/1/
- Education.com lesson plan - "Giving Directions: Tell Me How" (by Susan Russell) - https://www.education.com/lesson-plan/tell-me-how-to-writing-informative-text/
ATTACHMENTS: N/A