Overview
Key
Understanding:
Each one of us has the gift
of talent. Within our gift of talent, we all have
many special abilities. Our particular talent is our
unique set of special abilities.
One of our
jobs in life is to discover our own special abilities that
make up our gift of talent. Another job is to decide how we
will use our talent. Using our own gift of talent, we can
all make a difference in the world. We can all make
it a better place. What we enjoy doing gives us clues as to
what our special abilities are. As we grow throughout life,
we can discover and develop more of our special abilities.
A tree is a good symbol of talent. The trunk represents the
overall gift of talent. The branches represent our many
growing special abilities. A tree in bloom symbolizes that
our special abilities are being used.
Objectives:
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To
recognize that each of us is born with this gift.
-
To
identify ways we use this gift.
-
To
understand at least a small aspect of this gift
experientially.
-
To see
how applying this gift can enrich our lives.
Supplies:
Pre-K – Grade 1:
A copy of
The Twelve
Gifts of Birth
Treasure Chests, Treasure Cards from Lesson
1, crayons
One copy for your use of What Are My
Special Abilities
Talent Activity Sheet 1
A large, flat container, soil and a bag or
two of whole, uncooked mixed beans (or several bags of beans
of different varieties)
BEANS CAN BE A DANGER TO SOME
CHILDREN WHO MAY PLACE THEM IN THEIR NOSE OR TRY TO EAT
THEM. WE SUGGEST ONE CHILD AT A TIME BE ALLOWED TO HANDLE
AND PLANT THE BEANS.
Grades 2 – 3:
A copy of
The Twelve
Gifts of Birth
Treasure Chests and Treasure Cards from
Lesson 1, crayons and colored pencils
Copies for each child of
What Are My
Special Abilities
Talent Activity Sheet 1
A large, flat container, soil and a bag or
two of whole, uncooked mixed beans (or several bags of beans
of different varieties)
BEANS CAN BE A DANGER TO SOME
CHILDREN WHO MAY PLACE THEM IN THEIR NOSE OR TRY TO EAT
THEM. WE SUGGEST ONE CHILD AT A TIME BE ALLOWED TO HANDLE
AND PLANT THE BEANS.
Grades 4 – 6:
A copy of
The Twelve
Gifts of Birth
Student journals from Lesson 1
One copy of
What Are My Special
Abilities
Talent Activity Sheet 1
Copies for each pair of students of Make
a Difference
Talent Activity Sheet 2
A large, flat container, soil, and a bag or
two of whole, uncooked mixed beans (or several bags of beans
of different varieties) Perhaps popcorn too! (See lesson.)
OPEN
LESSON
Set stage
for respect, trust, and discovery. Use cue.
ENGAGE THE
LEARNER
Have students look at the 4-page section on
talent in The Twelve Gifts of Birth.
Read the text, “The seventh gift is Talent. May you
discover your own special abilities and contribute them
toward a better world.”
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Pre K – Grade 1
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Grades 2 – 3
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Grades 4 – 6
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Explain that today we
are learning about the gift of talent. Discuss with
students that everyone has special abilities within
their gift of talent. Focus students’ attention on
the boy in the garden. Ask: “What special ability do
you think he has?” Ask if any of the children have
ever helped care for plants. Point out that the boy
in the photo has other special abilities, too. He
might be good at running, telling jokes, caring for
a pet, or many other things. Ask each child to name
one or more of their “special abilities.” Use the
What Are My Special Abilities?
Talent Activity Sheet 1to prompt ideas and help
them to identify possibilities. |
Ask students how the
photos demonstrate talent. Have they ever considered
growing vegetables a talent? Explain that gardening
is one special ability the boy has. He, no
doubt, has other special abilities, too. Within the
gift of talent, we all have many special
abilities. Have students begin to identify abilities
they have now. Encourage them to consider abilities
that do not readily come to mind, such as caring for
pets, making others laugh, solving puzzles, building
things, and doing well in school subjects, arts, and
sports. Acknowledge value and potential in all
things named. |
Ask students what
first comes to mind as examples of talent. Discuss
what skills and abilities seem to be most highly
regarded as talent. Refocus attention on the
photos and text. Ask if students have ever
considered growing vegetables a talent.
Explain that we are
all gifted with talent and that within that gift, we
all have a combination of many special abilities.
Have students begin to identify some of their
special abilities.
Use the What Are My Special Abilities?
Talent Activity Sheet 1 to encourage them to
consider less obvious possibilities along with more
common choices. |
DEVELOP
THE IDEAS
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Pre K – Grade 1
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Grades 2 – 3
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Grades 4 – 6
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Tell children that as
they grow they will discover many more special
abilities that they have and that they can use their
special abilities to help themselves as well as
other people in order to make the world a better
place.
Plant a classroom seed
garden. Have soil ready in individual cups or one
large plastic storage container. Bring in a variety
of whole, uncooked beans, such as kidney, lima, and
garbanzo beans.
Beans can
be a danger to some children who may place them in
their nose or try to eat them. We suggest one child
at a time be allowed to handle and plant the beans.
A bag
of mixed soup beans works well. Have each child
select and plant 3-5 beans. Water and watch. Within
two weeks, the seeds will sprout and grow. The
sprouting seeds represent the children’s various
special abilities blossoming as well as the special
talent of gardening. |
Explain that one of
our responsibilities in life is to discover our
special talents, develop them, and find ways to
“contribute them to make a better world.” Doing that
helps us to be happy and successful. Working in
pairs, using the What Are My Special Abilities?
Talent Activity Sheet 1,
have students check
talents they have now as well as those they would
like to develop as they grow. Point out that we do
not always easily see our own talents. Use the
Wizard of Oz Scarecrow as an example. Explain that
he thought he wasn’t “smart,” yet he solved many
problems and became a wise leader. Encourage them
to help one another recognize talents. |
Discuss the value of
discovering our special abilities, developing them,
and finding ways to “contribute them toward a better
world.” Explain that people who do that are more
likely to live enriched, rewarding, and successful
lives. Help students begin to identify ways that
their abilities might be used to help others, make
the world a better place, and enrich their own
lives. Working in pairs, using the Make a Difference
Talent Activity Sheet 2 have students match
special abilities with actions and accomplishments
that might require that skill. |
EXPERIENCE AND APPLY THE
LEARNING
|
Pre k – Grade 1
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Grades 2 – 3
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Grades 4 – 6
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|
Have students find the
talent card in their treasure chest and, using the
color that best represents talent, make the talent
symbol over the word. If time allows,
children can draw a picture of themselves using the
gift of talent on the back of the card. Then have
them place their card back in the chest. |
Using a bag of mixed
soup beans from a grocery store, have each student
plant several different kinds of beans in a
classroom “garden.” Water each day and watch for the
sprouting beans, which will represent the nourishing
and developing special talents of all classmates.
Complete the day’s lesson by having students make
the talent symbol, write “I have,” and identify one
or more of their special talents on the talent card.
Then have them place their card back in the chest. |
Using a bag of dried
mixed soup beans, start a classroom “garden.” Have
each student plant several different varieties of
beans. Did they know these beans could sprout and
grow? For fun, plant popcorn, too (the plain
unflavored kind, not the kind prepared for
microwaving) Water each day and watch for the
sprouting beans and corn, which will represent
nourishing the developing abilities of all
classmates.
Have students express
feelings, record insights, and/or summarize thoughts
about talent in their journals. |
SUMMARY
AND EVALUATION
Review
what was learned about talent. If time allows, have
students share understandings. Acknowledge that they have
already been using talent and that they will use it in many
ways in the future. Remind them they will continue to
explore the use of other gifts in upcoming lessons.
CLOSE LESSON -
Create a
ceremonial sense of having completed an important discovery.
Use cue to end the lesson.
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Talent Activity Sheet 1
What
Are My Special Abilities?
What special
abilities do I know that I have now?
What others do I
think I might discover as I grow?
|
Taking
care of animals |
Singing |
Running |
|
Doing
math |
Helping
others |
Reading |
|
Listening
to others |
Jumping
|
Skipping |
|
Riding a
tricycle or bicycle |
Drawing
pictures |
Painting |
|
Creating
stories |
Playing
ball |
Dancing |
|
Using
imagination |
Telling
stories |
Telling
jokes |
|
Making
people laugh |
Playing a
musical instrument |
Playing
sports |
|
Speaking
more than one language |
Whistling |
Finding
four-leaf clovers |
|
Putting
puzzles together |
Taking
tests |
Finding
things that are hidden |
|
Growing
plants and flowers |
Yodeling |
Juggling |
|
Solving
problems |
Cooking |
Helping
people understand each other |
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Recognizing stars and plants |
Spelling |
Memorizing |
|
Designing
clothes |
Building
things |
Sign
language |
|
Gymnastics |
Art |
Debating |
Brainstorm
and add more possibilities!
|
|
Talent Activity Sheet 2
Make
a Difference
Draw a line to
connect each achievement with a special ability
that might be used to accomplish that
achievement.
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ACHIEVEMENT
|
SPECIAL ABILITY |
|
|
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Teach a
toddler to tie shoes |
Growing
plants and flowers |
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Help a
hearing-impaired person
understand a speech
|
Taking
care of animals
|
|
Create a
school garden
|
Fixing
things |
|
Help
paint a mural over a graffiti-covered
wall
|
Being
organized and orderly
|
|
Pet sit
for neighbor who needs to go out of town
for an emergency
|
Playing a
musical instrument |
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Repair a
broken toy
|
Leadership
|
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Entertain
residents at a nursing home
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Explaining and demonstrating
|
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Organize
a litter pick-up, neighborhood clean-up
project
|
Signing
(language)
|
|
Arrange a
tidy file system
|
Drawing
and painting |
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