Part of Lesson Plan: Exploring Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Activity Overview / Details

Ask students to recall a class in which they felt the teacher genuinely cared about the students and did a good job of creating a positive environment. Have them brainstorm and write a response to the following questions (write on overhead, chart paper, or whiteboard):

•  What do you remember about the physical environment? (i.e. room arrangement, wall decorations, etc.)
• What was the teacher's attitude toward the students and how was it conveyed?
• To what extent did the students know each other and work together? What role did the teacher have in building those relationships?

After 5-10 minutes of individual writing time, have several students volunteer to share their responses aloud.

Then, have students recall a class in which they felt uncomfortable or threatened, or a classroom in which the teacher did not have a positive relationship with the students (NOTE: ask students to refrain from using teachers' names in this portion of the discussion). 

Finally, ask students how these different teaching styles / learning environments affected students' and their ability / willingness to learn in that class? 

Accept several students' responses prior to moving on to the lecture portion of the lesson.