The school board of miami-dade county, florida

ASSESSMENT STRATEGY: Discussion
MATERIALS/AIDS NEEDED: “Hurricanes and Haiti: A Tragic History” (provided in the Background section of this instructional resource guide); “What is an Earthquake? - Student Handout” (provided); images of Haiti following the earthquake (provided); video clip “Haiti Earthquake: Little Mitchialine's Story of Survival” at http://blogs.unicef.org.uk/2015/01/12/haiti-earthquake-five-years/

What is an Earthquake? (Student Handout)
Simply, earthquakes are the rumblings, shaking or rolling of the earth's surface. It is usually what happens when two blocks of the earth suddenly slip past one another, or break apart from each other as a result of tension caused by prolonged energy build up. 

Earthquakes come in many forms. It can be felt as a shock under your feet, or may be very powerful and destructive enough to flatten an entire city. They can happen anywhere on land or sea.

Earthquakes are not too common in Florida, but small earthquakes have been felt.

Source: E School Today, http://eschooltoday.com/natural-disasters/earthquakes/what-is-an-earthquake.html

Haiti’s Earthquake
In 2010, a terrible earthquake happened in Haiti. Many people were killed and there was much damage. It was a very sad time in Haiti. Haitians are still trying to recover from this earthquake.

Source: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01846/haiti_1846096b.jpg

Source: http://www.myphilanthropedia.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/Haiti-Earthquake.jpg

Source: http://media-3.web.britannica.com/eb-media/29/145429-004-5962943D.jpg

Source: http://s3.amazonaws.com/media.wbur.org/wordpress/11/files/2013/01/0110_haiti-earthquake.jpg

Source: http://www.earlb.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/2010_Haiti_destruction_3.jpg

An overview of Haiti, including information on the country’s politics, economy, leaders,

and historical timeline. It also includes images of Haiti and a recording of the national

anthem of Haiti.

Provides a profile of Haiti, including geography, people, government, transportation,

communications, etc.
Embassy of Haiti in Washington D.C.

http://haiti.org/

This embassy site provides a wealth of information on Haiti as well as on the services offered by the Embassy. The website provides information to anyone seeking to learn more or to visit Haiti.

Online encyclopedia that provides more than 100 trusted sources for information.

Contains information on climate, history, plants and animals, industry, education,

housing, and much more.

This site provides a detailed description of Haitian culture, history, the economy, geography and politics, past and present.

A profile of Haiti providing information on: geography, maps, flag, history, current

government, area, population, capital, largest cities, languages, ethnicity/race, religion, literacy rate, economy, government.
History.com

http://www.history.com/search?q=haiti

This website which is part of the A&E History Channel contains information on climate,

history, plants and animals, industry, education, housing, and much more.
Library of Congress: Country Studies

https://www.loc.gov/resource/frdcstdy.dominicanrepubli00metz/?st=gallery

The Country Studies Series presents a description and analysis of the historical setting

and the social, economic, political, and national security systems and institutions of

countries throughout the world.

A guide to Haiti with articles, photos, facts, videos, and news from National Geographic.

Provides information on Haiti, covering topics such as people, history, government,

political conditions, economy, foreign relations, U.S. relations, and travel/business
Elementary Character Education Activities to Support

Haitian Heritage Month

Elementary Character Education Activities to Support

Haitian Heritage Month
Core Value: Integrity
Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) is committed to helping all students develop the values and strength of character needed for them to become caring, responsible citizens at home, school, and in the community. To support this goal, character education has been an instructional requirement, grades K-12, since 1995.
The foundation of the District’s character education requirement is the nine core values adopted by The School Board of Miami-Dade County, Florida in 1995. The District’s nine core values are: citizenship, cooperation, fairness, honesty, integrity, kindness, pursuit of excellence, respect, and responsibility. Each month a different core value has been designated for emphasis in all classrooms throughout the District.
In May, students need to recognize the importance of integrity. Integrity is acting in accordance with one’s beliefs and values and behaving ethically and morally at all times. When students act with integrity they have learned to incorporate all of the values into their daily life. This is a good time for students to review everything they have done for the year and to reflect upon whether they have acted with integrity. As students are preparing for promotion or graduation, they should think about how integrity will help them to succeed in the next phase of their life.
In addition to the enclosed lessons for Haitian Heritage Month, teachers may further emphasize the value of integrity through the following lesson ideas.

• 
  Have students answer the questions below as a self-assessment. Discuss the answers and emphasize that integrity means being honest and having strong moral principles.  Integrity is about making good choices. It is doing the right things for the right reason.  It is about being honest with yourself and with others.
  

□ □ I am an honest person.

□ □ I tell the truth.

□ □ I do my own work at school.

• 
  Discuss the phrases “honesty is the best policy” and “telling the truth is always important.”
  

• 
  Using magazines, newspapers and the Internet, have students create posters illustrating people doing the right thing and acting with integrity.
  

• 
  Have students create a classroom honor pledge against cheating on assignments and tests. Have students voluntarily sign the pledge and post it in the classroom.
  

• 
  Create scenarios in which someone’s integrity is being tested and have students decide what they would do in each situation. Examples:
  

• 
  John and his friends went to the movies. His friends snuck in the side door and did not pay. Should John sneak in also?
  

• 
  Maria took a science test early in the school day and copied her answers down. At lunch, she shared her answers with Jose and other friends so that they could score better on the test. Should Jose use Maria’s answers on the test?
  

• 
  Paul found a new pair of basketball shoes outside on the physical education field. Should Paul keep the shoes?
  

• 
  Use the letters of “Integrity” to create acrostic poems. Use these poems to create a bulletin board.
  

• 
  Have students challenge themselves to always do what is right. Give each child a sentence strip and have them write a sentence naming something that is “the right thing to do.” Have students attach the strip to their desks and verbally recognize them when they are observed meeting the challenge.
  

• 
  Sing the “Integrity Song” to the tune of “Three Blind Mice:”
  

• 
  Discuss the following inspirational quotes that help explain the importance of integrity, honesty, and doing the right thing.
  

• 
  “The time is always right to do what is right.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
  
• 
  “Character is doing the right thing when nobody’s looking.” – J.C. Watts
  
• 
  “If you have integrity, nothing else matters.  If you don’t have integrity, nothing else matters.” – Alan Simpson
  
• 
  “When I do good, I feel good.  When I do bad, I feel bad.” – Abraham Lincoln
  
• 
  “Be true to your work, your word, and your friend.” -Henry David Thoreau
  
• 
  “Honesty is the best policy. If I lose mine honor, I lose myself.” -William Shakespeare
  
• 
  “A half-truth is a whole lie.” -Yiddish Proverb
  

• 
  Have staff and children be on the lookout for examples of students acting with integrity throughout the week. Supply forms to nominate students that they see acting with integrity. Take the children's picture and display it on a school bulletin board. Also recognize the children over the morning announcements or during school-wide assemblies.
  

1. 
   http://www.kellerisd.net/studentsandfamilies/know/community-of-character/documents/traits/coc_integrity_5-8.pdf
   
2. 
   http://www.goodcharacter.com/ISOC/Integrity.html
   

• 
  Invite all students and teachers to an assembly/pep-rally in the school cafeteria, auditorium, or P.E. courts to kick-off character education school-wide. Ask a spirited teacher, parent, principal or guest speaker to motivate students and address character education goals and core values for the coming school year.
  

• 
  Create a character education steering group made up of administrators, teachers, parents and students that meets regularly to plan activities and events celebrating each monthly value.
  

• 
  Start a character education book club. Ask the media specialist, language arts or social studies teacher for book recommendations related to the core value of the month. Students should read books related to a particular topic, subject, or author; e.g., books written by a person striving toward a goal. Students may share, discuss and/or report their findings back to the class. Keep a class or personal log of the books read.
  

• 
  Make character education a regular part of the school day and curriculum. Incorporate student homework related to each designated monthly value. A school newsletter may incorporate information on character education and offer daily suggestions for how to demonstrate each month’s value. Morning announcements may also provide an opportunity to support each month’s designated value.
  

The School Board of Miami-Dade County, Florida adheres to a policy of nondiscrimination in employment and educational programs/activities and strives affirmatively to provide equal opportunity for all as required by: