THE CALL

Teacher’s Guide – SUMMARY

NOTE: 

This is a SUMMARY of the Teacher's Guide. 
It does not contain the 2 lesson plans and other parts of the Teacher's Guide.

 

Table of Contents

 

Introduction……………………………………………………………….….….……………     2

Objectives ……………………………………………………………………………………      3

National Standards  ……………………………………………………………………..…..     4

Fast Facts on Smoking ………………………………………………………………..…….     6

Tobacco Vocabulary …………………………………………………………………………     8

Movie Overview ………………………………………………………………..…………..       10

Discussion Questions ………………………………………………………………….…..      12

Lesson One:  Facts and the Media ………………………………………..………….….      13

Stats about Smoking Worksheet …………………………………………..……….…….      15

Stats about Smoking Answer Key …………………………………………..……………      16

The Truth about Smoking Activity ………………………………….……………………..      17

Lesson Two: Smoking and Peer Pressure …………………………………….………..       19

Smoking and Peer Pressure Role-Plays ….………………………………………….…..      21

Anti-Smoking Contract …………………………………………………………..……….….     22

Further Activities …………………………………………………………………..……..…..     23

Resources ……………………………………………………………………………………..    24

 

Introduction

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 90 percent of smokers start smoking as teenagers. The “Monitoring the Future” study conducted in 2011 by the University of Michigan found that 6.1 percent of 8^th graders smoke. Although that may not seem like a large percentage, it only continues to grow as students reach high school, with nearly 12 percent of 10^th graders and 19 percent of 12^th graders taking up smoking as well.  Nearly half of those who start smoking before age 18 will die of a smoking-related cause.

As a middle school teacher, you have the opportunity to make a difference in the number of students who begin smoking in their teenage years. Use this program to educate your students about the consequences of smoking and you will help them steer clear of cigarettes and other tobacco products – and save lives.

Source
http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/topics-in-brief/tobacco-addiction

Objectives

Our goal with this program is to empower children to choose a healthy, tobacco-free lifestyle…and stick to it.  Using this program, students will:

1. Learn some of the cold statistics and facts about smoking, so as to increase their awareness of the consequences of smoking.
2. Understand the media and the misinformation that is disseminated through ads, movies, etc.
3. Learn how to make healthy choices and stick to them.
4. Have a safe place to dialogue about the pressure to smoke.
5. Engage in fun and interactive activities that will assist them in truly understanding the negative impacts of smoking.

 

National Standards

The lessons and information contained in this teacher’s guide connect to the following Common Core State Standards for English/Language Arts:

Reading: Informational Texts

• Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.
• Integrate information presented in different media or formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively) as well as in words to develop a coherent understanding of a topic or issue.
• Analyze the interactions between individuals, events, and ideas in a text (e.g., how ideas influence individuals or events, or how individuals influence ideas or events).
• Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using different mediums (e.g., print or digital text, video, multimedia) to present a particular topic or idea.
• Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
• Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate.
• Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher-led) with diverse partners on grade-appropriate topics, texts, and issues, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.
• Interpret information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, and orally) and explain how it contributes to a topic, text, or issue under study.
• Analyze the main ideas and supporting details presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, and orally) and explain how the ideas clarify a topic, text, or issue under study.
• Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse media and formats (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) and evaluate the motives (e.g., social, commercial, political) behind its presentation.

Writing…

Speaking/Listening…

Movie Overview

In “The Call,” two children sit on a beach waiting for someone to call. It quickly becomes evident that that person is their Grandpa and that his health has been ruined by smoking. But the short movie is about more than how smoking has affected Grandpa’s health. Through carefully selected words and images, it also shows how smoking and the problems that arise as a result of a lifetime of smoking impact more people than just the person who lights up every day.

Before the Film

Before showing students “The Call,” try to avoid providing an overview of the movie or hints about topics discussed in the movie. By viewing the movie without any expectations or preconceived notions, students will be able to fully experience the powerful message of “The Call.” This will cause the discussion after viewing the film to be more authentic and give students a chance to develop their own opinions and emotions.

After the Film

After the film, give students a chance to complete a free write activity where they write down their initial reactions to the film. Allow no more than two or three minutes for this activity, then allow students to volunteer to share their reactions to segue into the discussion questions. You can print the following image or display it on the board for students to use as a guide.

Interview the Actors

Before conducting a discussion of the film, it may also be helpful to play interviews from the actual actors in the movie as they offer some facts about smoking and share their own commitment to stamping out tobacco use. The video clips of the actors can be found at:

 

Discussion Questions

Questions about the Film

• What significance does the beach have to the children?
• Do you think telling the surfer about smoking helped him in any way?
• How did smoking affect the grandfather’s relationship with the children?
• How did smoking affect the grandfather’s quality of life?
• How do you think the children will feel when they learn their grandfather died while listening to the sounds of the ocean?

Questions about Smoking

• What are some of the dangers of smoking?
• How does smoking negatively affect someone’s life?
• How can knowing the facts about smoking help you and help others?
• Why do people, like the surfer, ignore the facts about smoking?
• Has smoking had an effect on your own life or the life of someone you know?
• Does the movie make you want to smoke or not smoke?

Lesson Plans

Note: The following details are intended to give a short overview of the lesson plans (and are not the full lessons). For the full lessons, order the program at: https://thecallmovie.org/product/educators-package/

Lesson One:  Facts and the Media

Estimated Time: 40 minutes

Objectives: Students will…

• Learn some of the cold statistics and facts about smoking so as to increase their awareness of the consequences of smoking.
• Understand the media and the misinformation that is disseminated through ads and other forms of print and visual media.
• Create an advertisement or video to give an honest portrayal of the effects of smoking.

 

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Lesson Two:  Smoking and Peer Pressure

Estimated Time: 40 minutes

Objectives: Students will…

• Learn how to make healthy choices and stick to them.
• Develop strategies for avoiding peer pressure when it comes to smoking.
• Create a personal contract to remind them of the dangers of smoking.