Parenting practices have changed over the years; some for the better, some for the worse. In this Overprotective Parenting Investigation, students will explore this parenting practice. They will look at what it is, why parents do it along with the pros and cons before completing a culminating speech bubble activity for classroom display.

Set

•  Ask students to Title the Picture and be prepared to share and explain their titles.
• Hopefully, students figure out the topic is overprotective parents. If not, share the topic with them before assigning the reading.
• Share the article titied, “Childhood Independence Could be THE KEY to Healthy, Happy Kids Says “The Guardian”” with students in print form and have them annote with highlighters in the following way:
  • Yellow: What parents are afraid of
  • Blue: How overprotection affects kids
  • Green: Benefits of independence
• Share and discuss their annotations and thoughts behind them before giving them the “Triangle-Square-Circle” exit graphic organizer. In this organizer, students share 3 key points or take-aways they learned from the article in the triangle, 1 thing they agree with from the article in the square and 1 question they still have concerning the topic in the circle.

Materials

• iPads or Laptops
• Projector & Screen
• Highlighters

Activities

• Since the article was just to introduce them to the topic, have them revisit it and use it to complete the FLASHSLIDE assignment.
• For the FLASHSLIDE, students need to further investigate and explain the following on a single slide and be prepared to share it quickly with the class:
  • What is overprotection?
  • Why do parents do it?
  • How does it help? ( 2 PROS)
  • How does it harm? (2-3 CONS)
  • Related Image
• If you wish to have your students take a position on the parenting practice, you could have them write an agree/disagree paper sharing their position and reasons that support it.
• As a culminating activity, have students complete the Speech Bubble assignment using the provided templates. There’s one for children, tweens and teens. You can have them do one age group or multiple age groups…your call.
• After students share their speech bubble responses, hang them on a bulletin board or wall display for all to see!

Attachments

• Title This Picture (please make a copy)
• Triangle-Square-Circle (PDF)
• FlashSlide: Two Versions (please make a copy)
• Article in Google
• Speech Bubble Templates (PDF)

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash