Things have been so hectic and busy lately! Last day was our last day at Lawrence Central which means I can sleep late and catch up on work on Tuesdays from now on. Everyone in the house has been working really hard to advertise and do things for our philanthropy which is on Friday. It's a concert and weenie roast in Dunn Meadow with Pi Kapps and Beta and it's supposed to be gorgeous out. We just got out T-shirts that we have to wear tomorrow and they are definitely a lot cuter than the ugly orange ones we had last year. Other than the philanthropy, I've had so much work to do and I'm just trying to stay on top of everything before the weekend comes and things get crazy and hectic once again.

Lesson Plan

Target Audience of the Lesson:

12th graders.

Big Idea of the Lesson:

Due to the advanced technology available today in society, the narrow scope of coupling generally being refined to those who are in close physical proximity has been expanded due to websites such as eharmony.com, match.com, or jdate.com.

Overall Goal for the Lesson:

Provide students with information: Courtship, pairing, dating, cohabitation and marriage.

Indiana Content Standards Addressed: (Copy and paste entire standard from http://www.indianastandards.org/)

IR-2.3 Explore characteristics and consequences of healthy and unhealthy relationships. IR-3.1 Examine ways relationships are influenced by personal characteristics and stages of physical, intellectual, emotional, social, and moral development. IR-3.2 Evaluate influences of personal wants and needs on relationships. IR-3.3 Consider effects of self-esteem and self-image on relationships. IR-3.4 Analyze impacts of personal standards and codes of conduct on interpersonal relationships. IR-4.1 Evaluate types, styles, and functions of communication and their effects on relationships. IR-4.2 Explore ways of expressing attitudes through verbal and nonverbal behaviors and ways these behaviors influence communication. IR-4.3 Demonstrate effective listening and feedback techniques.

ISTE CNETS Student Standards Addressed (Copy and paste from http://cnets.iste.org/students/)

 Apply concepts such as role, status, and social class in describing the connections and interactions of individuals, groups, and institutions in society;  Analyze group and institutional influences on people, events, and elements of culture in both historical and contemporary settings.

Student Objectives for the lesson. (Given a condition, the students will, to what level).

Given information based on coupling and marriage, students will integrate the use of dating websites as well as knowledge of sociology to explore the options that exist for them in terms of coupling possibilities.

Length of Lesson: (minutes, number of class periods, or days or weeks needed).

Two class periods that are each forty minutes long. Students will continue to explore and examine dating website for one to two weeks after lesson is taught then we will reconvene and have a closing lesson on our findings.

Schedule of Activities: (Break down your activity into a timeline of events. Focus on what students will be doing and what teachers will be doing during each part of the activity.)

Day 1: Teacher will be showing power point that includes basic vocabulary terms while students will fill in ‘notes sheet’ in order to learn the terms. Day 2: Introduction of how technology can be integrated into their everyday sociological lives. Students will use free dating website to put themselves on in order to collect pool of applications for possible dating partners. Over the course of one to two weeks they will gather and assess this information. Day 3: Assessment and closing information. Students will write 3-4 page paper as well as make five minute presentations based on the information they found and the people that the dating websites paired them with. They will make conclusions based on the information I gave them in class and the information they found for themselves.

How will these activities be assessed? (Go back to your objectives, what will the students do? Make sure that each objective is paired to an assessment measure that allows students to show it).

Students will write 3 – 4 page paper on their findings, conclusions and questions as well as create a five minute presentation for their class that sums up what they wrote in their paper. They will discuss what they are looking for in a partner, what qualities they have that they feel makes them desirable to others, discuss how self-image effects dating, evaluate the types of communication that was involved in these lessons as well as relationships in general, and finally discuss dating techniques such as proper listening, for example.

Adaptations: How might the lesson need to be adapted for students with special needs?

For students with special needs, depending on the extent of their disorder, I feel that there will be no problem with them partaking in this activity as well, though they may require a bit more individualized attention.

Materials Needed: Go through each activity and identify what items (both technology and not) are needed to complete this lesson. Include a breakdown according to individual student or student groups.

- Computer for power point as well as personal computers or computers in school for individual research. - Internet connection in order to explore dating websites. - Print out of notes sheet for students. - Podium at which students can make presentations. - Additional teacher(s) in room for special needs student(s).

Happy Spring!!! It was so gorgeous out today. I can't wait until summer... Except I'll be so busy that I will barely have time to enjoy myself. First, I'm spending six weeks here in Bloomington to take summer classes, then I get one week and one weekend at home, then I have to spend the weekend at PSU for orientation for the Summer Study program, then another week and I'm off to Penn State to teach law and debate to high school juniors and seniors. It's actually becoming a reality and I'm beginning to get nervous. I was sent the contract today and I can't believe I'm barely going to be home at all this summer... With all the drama that happened last summer that could be a good thing though. Also, I like to have my freedom so it will be nice. I'm always able to make the best of situations so I'm really hoping this turns out to be as great as it was when I was a student in the program.

I have to go to a bunch of small odds and ends then get to sleep. Goodnight!

Our second to last day at Lawrence Central was today. I can't wait until I don't have to wake up at 6am on Tuesdays anymore! School was boring, as usual. I'm beginning to get back into the swing of things though and once I got back from LC I was extremely productive - I went to the gym then managed to write two papers! This week is almost halfway over which makes me happy. I can't wait until three weeks now when my family is here for Gamma Phi's Mom's Weekend... I've been feeling so homesick lately. Time to relax, watch TV and head to bed.

After six very long hours in the creepy Mexico airport we FINALLY returned from Acapulco! Though all sixteen of us that went were exhausted, tan, and craving American food. Overall the trip was incredible. It was wild and crazy, just like anyone might expect a Spring Break trip to Mexico to be, but it was also amazing to see another country and the way that they live. The streets and the residents are all poverty stricken and it's actually very sad. Young children roam the beaches day and night trying to sell jewelery to suppliment what little money their parents make. It was definitely a culture shock being there and I am thankful for all that I have here in America.

I learned a little bit of Spanish! I know how to say 'beer', 'it's hot', 'how much', 'where is the bathroom', 'how are you', 'my name is'... The basic phrases. Now I have to catch up on all of my work for the week and try not to be exhausted, though it's going to take a while to get back into school mode.

Five hours of class left until Spring Break 2007 officially begins! I have so much to do before I leave. I need to pack, go to the gym, buy a beach bag, get my nails/toes done. They are all fun tasks (compared to class, at least!), and once I finish that it means I am a step closer to being in sunny, warm ACAPULCO! I've never been anywhere west of Indiana so Mexico should definitely be a good experience. All I want to do is lay on the beach, relax, go jet skiing and enjoy the time with my friends. Hopefully once we get back to B-Town the weather will be nice. Spring in Bloomington is the best! I can't wait to return, there is so much to look forward to... LITTLE 500! Time to go pack and get things done!