GOLD CASING

RESILIENCE AFTER THE SILVER BULLET

MAY 2018, ACTIVITY 5

20 Minutes of Prep
TIME 55 Minute Activity 
EXTENSION &
DIFFERENTIATION
Dominos & Jenga
MATERIAL Game
LIST  Board or PPT to write
student responses
Queen bed sheet
Scenario sheets 
Reaction/response
cards
Resilience images

Reaction
KEY Response
TERMS Resilience

Perspective
FACET

MEASURABLE OBJECTIVE

BACKGROUND Overview Summary 

Although this activity is
based on school shootings,
the ideas behind this
activity could be used for a
media analysis of power
words or pathos words.
Since this activity involves
acting, students are pulled
on a volunteer basis to
create a less-anxious
environment in the
classroom. Students
practice their academic
vocabulary as they describe
what they are seeing, and
fully embody the
definitions of response and
reaction. 
Have you ever thought about
how much you react in a day
compared to respond? I am
often reacting to students, as I
tell them to speak up for the
class to hear or quiet down so
others can focus. And yes,
maybe in these little moments
reacting is acceptable; but,
what if it is a larger and more
critical event, are we modeling
response or reaction to our
students? Plus, how many
times a day due we as a society
encourage resilience? When
you watch or read the news do
you think of depression or
resilience? 
In this activity, students
evaluate the difference
between response and
reactions through varied
instruction. A comparison
between a dominos topple and
jenga gets minds moving,
playing hidden story develops
words and actions of response
and reaction, and then photo
analysis generate a list of
words that evoke resilience.
Finally, students rewrite  3
headlines from the news
about an active shooter, to
reflect the definitions of
resilience and response.
GOLD CASING
RESILIENCE AFTER THE SILVER BULLET

MAY 2018, ACTIVITY 5

All Fall Down

Getting Started:
- In the center of the room, are two tables. 
- One table has two individual line of dominos set up ready to
topple. 
- The other table has the Jenga game stacked up ready to play. 
- Four students are asked to volunteer and approach the tables. 

Directions:
- The first student is asked to push one of the domino lines to
topple.  SEASON'S GREETINGS | 1
- After the dominos topple, the class is asked to discuss to
describe the falling dominos (See Chart 1)
- Then, two students are asked to play Jenga. 
- Students discuss the actions within a Jenga game (slow moves,
strategic, thoughtful, etc.) (See Chart 2)
- The fourth student topples the second line of dominos, and
then the class is asked if they would like to add anything to the
generated list. 
- Students are then given two words – reaction and response –
and are asked to generate a similar list based on a hypothesis.
(See Chart 3) 3 SPECIALTY COFFEE DRINKS TO KEEP
YOU WARM | 2
- Then students are asked “How do the words response and
reaction apply to what we just witnessed?” 
- Students generate responses. See sentence frames.

Words Students May Generate

Chart 1

Sentence Frames:

Chart 2
Reaction is like the
dominos because…

Chart 3
Response is like
Jenga
BEST GIFTS FOR THE because…
COFFEE LOVER | 4
GOLD CASING
RESILIENCE AFTER THE SILVER BULLET

MAY 2018, ACTIVITY 5

Hidden Story 
Getting Started:
- Teacher asks students to move desks away from the center of
the room
- Students split into two heterogenous groups
- Each group is assigned a side of the room and must stay
closely together in a tight unit, sitting on the floor.
- Two volunteers – one from each side – are requested to hold
up a giant sheet between the two groups, blocking their view of
one another.
  SEASON'S GREETINGS | 1
Directions:
- The tasks of this activity is to determine words and actions
that come from response and reactions to events
- One group receives a slip of paper which contains a scenario
to be acted out, meanwhile, the other group waits patiently for
the sheet to drop.
- While the first group is getting ready, the selected persons
from the other group draws a card that says “respond” or
“react.”
- When the sheet drops, the acting group begins to act, while
the other group either respond or react based 3 SPECIALTY COFFEE DRINKS TO KEEP
on the card they
YOU WARM | 2
drew.
- After the scenario has finished, students generate a list of
words or actions the response/react students said or did.
- After the list has been generated, students in the acting group
guesses whether the other group drew the respond or react
card. Once determined students label the list response or
reaction.

Scenarios 
You and a friend are talking very quietly. One of you is contemplating suicide and has told the friend. The
friend wants to find out why you are feeling this way, but wants to be mindful not to overreact or
embarrass/shame you.

One of you just stole the other person’s signficant other (boyfriend/girlfriend). You are fighting, and things
begin to get physically. Without actually hurting each other, pretend to fight by pushing each other and
yelling at each other (use school appropriate words).

You two are fighting over a bag of Hot Cheetos/Talkis and one of you is yelling for the other to give the bag
back as if it was rightfully yours, even though it is really the last bag off the shelf and you both grabbed it at
the same time.

You are gossiping about another student who recently started playing Fortnite (or another popular video
game) and how horrible they are at it. 
GOLD CASING
RESILIENCE AFTER THE SILVER BULLET

MAY 2018, ACTIVITY 5

Picture the Words

Getting Started:
- Images of resilience is shown along with the definition of
Resilience : an ability to recover from or adjust easily
to misfortune or change.”
 
Directions:
- In groups, generate a list of words that come to mind when
viewing the pictures.
- After generation, have each group share 3 words and
encourage groups to not repeat words already mentioned 
SEASON'S GREETINGS | 1
- Keep trade of the words on the board or under a document
camera.

Connect: 
- Return students attention to Chart 3 from All Fall Down. 
- Ask students to raise their hand and share any connections
that can be made between the response list and their words
describing resilience. 
- Ask students "how do these words encourage us to move
forward?"  
3 SPECIALTY COFFEE DRINKS TO KEEP
YOU WARM | 2
Chart 3

Project images from gallery:

https://www.theguardian.com/us-
news/gallery/2018/feb/16/victims-florida-school-
shooting-remembered-vigil-in-pictures

Words Students May Generate

Together Remember 
Hugging  Change
Intimacy Memorialize END
Love
Light
Thoughtful
Fulfillment
ACTIVITY
Strength Community 5
Candles Empowerment
Power  Pride
Hopeful Faith
GOLD CASING
RESILIENCE AFTER THE SILVER BULLET

MAY 2018, ACTIVITY 5

Formal Assessment
History Rewritten
Format Ideas: Written Exam
Directions:
- Using the list of resilience words and your lists of words that reflect
reaction or response, please rewrite these news headlines to reflect the
definitions of response and resilience we have created through our
activities.

'We've seen the worst of humanity,' Florida school official says

as 17 killed in campus shooting - Los Angeles Times (2/14/18)

Death Toll Is at 17 and Could Rise in Florida School Shooting -

New York Times (2/14/18)

Expelled student left a trail of carnage in gun rampage, killing 17

people in Florida school
- The Washington Post (2/14/18)

PEER EVALUATION RUBRIC

- Students walk around the room and evaluate their peers headline by
drawing a small star next to the rewritten headlines if they feel a sense of
response and resilience from the rewrite.
- Students draw a check mark on the paper if they their peers needs to focus
on the response and resilience words developed in the activities.
- Teacher participates in activity with a checklist roster to mark stars or
checks for students on their own paper.
Scenarios
You and a friend are talking very quietly. One of you is contemplating
suicide and has told the friend. The friend wants to find out why you are
feeling this way, but wants to be mindful not to overreact or
embarrass/shame you.

One of you just stole the other person’s significant other

(boyfriend/girlfriend). You are fighting, and things begin to get physically.
Without actually hurting each other, pretend to fight by pushing each other
and yelling at each other (use school appropriate words).

You two are fighting over a bag of Hot Cheetos/Talkis and one of you is
yelling for the other to give the bag back as if it was rightfully yours, even
though it is really the last bag off the shelf and you both grabbed it at the
same time.

You are gossiping about another student who recently started playing
Fortnite (or another popular video game) and how horrible they are at it.
Mark Wilson/Getty Images
AMY BETH BENNETT / SOUTH FLORIDA SUN- SENTINEL VIA AP
Mark Wilson/Getty Images

More photos available at:

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/gallery/2018/feb/16/victims-florida-school-shooting-reme
mbered-vigil-in-pictures
 History Rewritten
DIRECTIONS: Using the list of resilience words and your lists of words that reflect
reaction or response, please rewrite these news headlines to reflect the definitions of
response and resilience we have created through our activities.

'We've seen the worst of humanity,' Florida school official says as 17 killed
in campus shooting - Los Angeles Times (2/14/18)

Death Toll Is at 17 and Could Rise in Florida School Shooting - New York
Times (2/14/18)

Expelled student left a trail of carnage in gun rampage, killing 17 people in

Florida school - The Washington Post (2/14/18)

When finished, wait for teacher instruction.

PEER EVALUATION RUBRIC

- Walk around the room and evaluate their peers headline by drawing a small star next to the
rewritten headlines if they feel a sense of response and resilience from the rewrite.
- Draw a check mark on the paper if they their peers needs to focus on the response and
resilience words developed in the activities.