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| HELPING HANDS TO SIBLINGS |
| written by Maryann Ziemer |
When one child in a family is diagnosed with cancer, life for the siblings of that child is often changed drastically. Sibling needs fade into the background as the family meets the needs of the sick child. In this unit, students learn of ways they can use their own skills, talents, and abilities to help a sibling have a more normal life in an anything-but-normal time. A sibling and his or her needs is identified and students assess their personal strengths, talents, skills, and abilities. Students then link sibling needs and student strengths in a direct community service action.
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Language Arts |
9th - 12th grade |
Social Studies |
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| Health |
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| Technology |
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| Personal Development |
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| Faith Formation |
11th - 12th grade |
Working with Others |
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Language Arts |
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- 1. Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process
- 2. Uses grammatical and mechanical conventions in written compositions
- 4. Gathers and uses information for research purposes
- 9. Uses viewing skills and strategies to understand and interpret visual media
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UNIT OBJECTIVES |
- Students learn of the impact of a brother or sister’s cancer on siblings.
- Students learn that a need exists to help siblings have as normal a life as possible.
- Students recognize that community action can contribute to the well being of siblings.
- Students identify sibling(s) and the nature of their needs.
- Students identify and assess their own strengths, talents, and abilities as related to the needs of the sibling.
- Students devise a process for linking siblings and their needs to appropriate service action and volunteers.
- Students work directly with siblings in specific acts of community service.
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UNIT ASSESSMENTS |
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- Students’ oral participation in and contribution to unit clip Discussion Questions, and understanding of economic impact of pediatric cancer on the family.
- Teacher observations and evaluation of students’ participation during brainstorming and quality and completeness of students’ written reports based on research. A rubric is provided.
- Student self-assessment of personal involvement and degree of participation during medium and technique evaluation and choice.
- Students’ ability to work successfully as a team.
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LESSONS CONTAINED IN THIS UNIT:
Note to teachers: Students may be interested in learning about how the film was made before viewing the film clip. See the A Lion in the House website for information. Please review the suggested Discussion Questions (PDF) prior to the group viewing. You may need to adjust the questions according to the unique make-up of your group. For most active viewing of the material, please engage your students in both pre-viewing and post-viewing discussions.
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Language Arts |
- 9. Uses viewing skills and strategies to understand and interpret visual media
- 8. Uses listening and speaking strategies for different purposes
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| Technology |
- 3. Understands the relationships among science, technology, society, and the individual
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| LESSON OBJECTIVES |
- Students will view the Impact of Cancer on Siblings clip and discuss Discussion Questions as a whole group activity in class.
- Students will participate in a class discussion.
- Students will brainstorm and develop a list of basic needs and wants in a normal teens life.
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| MATERIALS |
- Viewing equipment (Television and DVD player)
- Discussion Questions (PDF)
- Writing materials and folder for portfolio
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| PROCEDURE |
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1. Provide an overview of the film project. http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/lioninthehouse/02_index.htm
2. Prepare group for active viewing by leading them in a discussion based on the pre-viewing questions.
3. View the film clip. After viewing, engage class in Discussion Questions (PDF).
4. Teacher initiates a discussion of how a sibling’s normal life, basic needs, and interests might suffer if parents had to be occupied with another child’s serious illness.
5. Students discuss and make a list of what is “normal”:
• Having someone to take you places
• Keeping appointments
• Having someone to help you
• Having someone listen to you
• Being called by your own name, rather than being referred to as the brother or sister of the cancer-stricken child
• Meals with families
• A weekly routine you can count on
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6. Teacher asks students to think about:
• what action people might take to help a sibling have a more normal life when parents cannot be available
• If they themselves might be able to take some kind of action to help a sibling |
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| ADDITIONAL RESOURCES |
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- When Your Brother or Sister Has Cancer: A Guide for Teens, National Cancer Institutes, Inventory Number p222. This brochure suggests ways teens can help themselves and their families cope with cancer in the family, and to find support.http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/When-Your-Sibling-Has-Cancer
- Picoult, J. (2004). My Sister's Keeper, New York, Atria Publishers. This novel tells about the toll on the family of a very sick child.
- Sonnenblick, Jordan (2005). Drums, Girls and Dangerous Pie, Scholastic Books. Fiction book about an eighth grade boy whose life is turned upside-down when his little brother is diagnosed with cancer.
- Kadohata, Cynthia. Kira-Kira. In Japanese, kira-kira means “glittering”, and in this story Katie makes everything seem to glitter for her very sick sister Lynn.
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| ASSESSMENTS |
- Students' demonstration of viewing and listening skills
- Participation in class discussions
- Understanding of purpose of lesson
- Participation in a discussion of the role of media in society: In what ways does a film such as A Lion in the House serve society?
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EXTENSIONS |
- Explore reasons why parents must sometimes be with their child who is fighting cancer for long periods of time (different types of treatment, procedures, therapies over extended periods).
- Help students become aware of the potential for cultural enrichment in this project by interacting with families from diverse cultures.
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Back to Lessons
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Note to teachers: Explain to students that, because of HIPAA medical privacy laws (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act), doctor offices and hospitals cannot disclose information that pertains to patients.
Students often know of healthy siblings whose lives are being affected by the cancer illness of a brother or sister. They may be in school with them, or be members of the same church, club, or organization, or know of them in the neighborhood or community. In this lesson, students will identify siblings whose needs may be met through community action.
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Language Arts |
- 4. Gathers and uses information for research purposes
- 8. Uses speaking strategies in communications
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| Working with Others |
- 1. Contributes to the overall effort of a group
- 4. Displays effective interpersonal communication skills
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| LESSON OBJECTIVES |
- Students identify siblings of children with cancer.
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| MATERIALS |
- Writing materials
- Community directories and phone books
- Internet access
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| PROCEDURE |
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1. Teacher initiates discussion by asking who in the class or group personally knows of a family that has a child with cancer. How do you know of them? Are there brothers and sisters in the family?
2. Students share their experience with or knowledge about families with brothers and sisters of a cancer-diagnosed child.
3. Students identify families or boy(s) or girl(s) they know to be the brother or sister of a child with cancer.
4. Students compile a list of these siblings or sibling families, with names, contact phone numbers, home and e-mail addresses. Helping even one child is sufficient for a group community service project.
5. Teachers may suggest other possible sources for learning about and locating siblings: |
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- Faith-based entities such as church, synagogue, temple, and mosque
- Youth organizations such as Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, 4-H
- Parent organizations such as PTA and PTO
- The national organization known as SuperSibs! Feel free to contact SuperSibs! toll free at 866-444-SIBS (7427) for additional information to help with your lesson and discussion.
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| ASSESSMENTS |
Students should complete a self-assessment by answering the following questions:
- In what way did I make an effort to contribute to the whole class effort?
- Did I ask questions if I did not understand something or if I needed to know something?
- How can I improve my contributions to the class effort?
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EXTENSIONS |
Note to teachers: This activity may link to section: Impact of Cancer on Family Life.
Students or their parent may sometimes have had to sign a medical privacy form at the doctor’s office before being seen by the doctor. Have students research medical privacy laws and locate the following information:
- What do the letters HIPAA stand for (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)? When and why did the act come about?
- What is required for families to receive government assistance to pay for medical bills? See Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.http://www.cms.hhs.gov
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Back to Lessons
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Language Arts |
- 4. Gathers and uses information for research purposes
- 8. Uses listening and speaking strategies for different purposes
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Behavioral and Personal development |
- 1. Understands that group and cultural influences contribute to human development, identity, and behavior
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Working with Others |
- 1. Contributes to the overall effort of a group
- 2. Displays effective interpersonal communication skills
- 3. Displays leadership skills
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| Health |
- 3. Understands the relationship of family health to individual health
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| LESSON OBJECTIVES |
- Students identify and categorize possible sibling needs .
- Students identify skills, strengths, and abilities that could be used in service to siblings.
- Students develop a plan to match specific sibling needs with the skills, strengths, and abilities of students or group members.
- Students develop a plan to inform parents about opportunities to enlist community action on behalf of the healthy siblings in the family.
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| MATERIALS |
- Writing materials
- Copier
- Copy paper
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PROCEDURE |
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1. Lead the students in a discussion of needs that they themselves have in their own everyday lives. Basic needs would be food, shelter, and clothing. Other needs might include:
• A ride to a club meeting, practice, game, or rehearsal.
• A ride to a doctor or dental or orthodontist appointment or to get a haircut.
• Help with a homework assignment or a science fair project.
• The need to talk to somebody, to be listened to, to be heard. Ask students to suggest other needs that might require help from others. Record the responses in the form of a Needs list. |
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| 2. Help students learn that although all kids have similar needs, the sibling of a child with cancer often loses the time his or her parents can give to meet those needs or give their help.
3. Ask the students or group members to identify within themselves what they believe to be their personal strengths, talents, skills, abilities, and interests.
Encourage responses by asking questions such as:
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| • Who can drive and has a license?
• Who is good at tutoring in a specific school subject?
• Who knows about music, (or dance, or art, etc.) and could help a sibling with lessons or practice?
• Who is good at a sport and could coach or give practice time or go to games to watch?
• Who likes to work with little kids?
• Who likes to prepare treats in the kitchen?
• Who knows how to knit?
• Who is good at fixing things?
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Record student responses as a Can Do list.
4. Working from their Needs list and their Can Do list, have the students match a sibling “need” with a student “”can do”.
5. Make a master chart called Community Action. It should have three columns. Label them (1) Needs (2) Can Do (3) Who Can Do It. |
| ASSESSMENTS |
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It has been said that everyone has something to offer.
How effective were the students in identifying what they had to offer?
Did each student contribute something to the Can Do category?
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- For some community actions, students who speak or are studying foreign languages may wish to pair up with siblings who speak that language.
- Some actions may include driving a sibling to his or her place of worship. What additional sensitivities would this action involve?
- Actions don’t always have to be of serious purpose. Some can be just for pure fun!
- To the Can Do list, add “good at being friendly” and “ready with a smile” and “fun to be with.”
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Back to Lessons |
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| LESSON 4: Youth in Action: Students give direct service to the siblings of cancer-stricken children |
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Language Arts |
- 1. Uses the general skills and strategies of the writing process
- 3. Uses grammatical and mechanical conventions in written compositions
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| Working with Others |
- 1. Contributes to the overall effort of a group
- 4. Displays effective interpersonal communication skills
- 5. Demonstrates leadership skills
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Technology |
- 3. Understands the relationships among science, technology, society, and the individual
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Working with Others |
- 5. Demonstrates leadership skills
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Behavioral Studies |
- 1. Understands that group and cultural influences contribute to human development, identity, and behavior
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| LESSON OBJECTIVES |
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- Students use written and verbal communication skills to convey ideas, plans, and actions.
- Students demonstrate ability to lead different people in different actions.
- Students demonstrate reliability and commitment to the selected sibling-related action.
- Students demonstrate ability to initiate a community service action, engage a sibling successfully in the action, and bring the action to a successful conclusion.
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MATERIALS |
- Copies for each student of the master chart called Community Action (from Lesson 3: WHAT A SIBLING NEEDS AND WHO CAN SERVE THEM?) with its three columns filled out according to Needs, Can Do and Who Can Do It
- Writing materials
- Telephone access
- Computer
- Copier
- Copy paper
- Internet access
- Phone numbers of siblings/parents
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| PROCEDURE |
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1. Students compose an informational letter describing their service-to-siblings project. The letter should include:
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- an acknowledgement that parents’ time with their healthy children becomes limited as their ill child’s medical needs take precedence, and that this letter is an introduction to community action designed to provide help to siblings in the parents’ absence.
- the name of the school (with mention if it is the same school as the sibling attends) or youth organization, names of teachers or leaders involved in the project, and its affiliation with A Lion in the House.
- a copy of the Community Action chart that gives examples of the kinds of service the students can perform.
- a Directory of names and phone numbers and e-mail addresses of students and the types of service they can provide.
- a statement saying that there will be a follow-up call to discuss scheduling an appropriate community service with a sibling should the sibling and parents desire it.
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| 2. Students use the letter and accompanying Community Action chart and Directory to contact parents and siblings who were identified in Lesson 2. WHO ARE THE SIBLINGS AND HOW DO WE KNOW ABOUT THEM?
3. Students follow up with a call to find out if and how they can be of service and to set up a time and place to meet with the sibling.
4. Student and sibling meet and plan a schedule for working together on whatever it is the sibling needs -- help or practice, companionship or friendship.
5. Youth or group leader should periodically call the parent of the siblings to see how things are working out and perform corrective action, if necessary.
6. Group meetings should include reports of experiences and the opportunity to offer suggestions and advice. |
| ADDITIONAL RESOURCES |
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- Teenagers Today: The Power of Giving. Teen volunteers make a difference for themselves and others.
- Candlelighters has great resources, including:
• The Sibling Support Project, a national effort dedicated to the life-long concerns of brothers and sisters of people who have special health, developmental, or mental health concerns. Their mission is accomplished by training local service providers on how to create community-based peer support programs for young siblings; hosting workshops, listservs, and websites for young and adult siblings; and increasing parents' and providers' awareness of siblings' unique concern through workshops, websites, and written materials.
• The Sibling Slam Book, edited by Don Meyer, ISBN # 1-890627-52-6. What it is really like to have a brother or sister with special needs?
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- CureSearch.org Fact Sheets on Supporting Patients and Siblings at School.
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| ASSESSMENTS |
Students write a report each time they meet with a sibling. The report should include the date, a description of the action shared with the sibling, how long it took, what it accomplished, and comments about the outcome of the action. The report can be read aloud to the class or group, then placed in the student’s portfolio. |
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- A student could consider extending the number of volunteers into the community by recruiting other members of his or her family such as an older brother or sister, cousin, grandparent, or parent.
- In addition to giving practice and skill-building time to siblings who are involved in a sport, youth volunteers might arrange to take younger siblings to a playground or park, or to watch them when they play outdoors at home.
- Students might give additional direct action to this unit by taking the place of older siblings who often have the unrelenting baby sitting responsibility for their younger brothers or sisters when parents are away with the cancer stricken child.
- Design and make “community service reminder cards” with spaces for essential information for both volunteers and parents/siblings: sibling name(s) and community service volunteer name; date, time, location, and nature of the community service being provided. Make the cards available to parents, siblings, and volunteers.
- Arrange to have informational material translated into languages more commonly used by parents and siblings from a different country or culture.
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Back to Lessons
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- Do you have brothers or sisters? (Are you a sibling?) Do your parents ever accidentally call you by the wrong name? Did you ever think about cancer in a brother or sister before this class activity? What do you think when you hear about someone whose brother or sister has cancer?
- Describe how you might feel about the kids at home --the siblings -- if you were the mom or dad who had to leave them often to be with a brother or sister who had cancer.
- Think about all the steps you took in this project before you could do the community action part. What step was the easiest for you? The hardest? How did your thinking about yourself change as you did this lesson? Describe the change. How important do you think your action was?
- How many people did you tell about this project? Who were they? What was their response?
- Sometimes people don’t know what to say to a friend whose brother or sister has been diagnosed with cancer. What would you say?
- Did others in your class or group identify strengths you have that you were unaware of, or that you didn’t think were important enough?
- Being a friend and companion to a sibling is another important service action. Think about how you might offer friendship and companionship.
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