Memphis City School Teachers
Memphis, Tennessee
89041
ABSTRACT: The student will develop a basic understanding of the terms assault and battery through the use of poetry and role playing. The poems used are "The Kilkenny Cats" and "The Duel."
GOAL: To show how criminal law has developed and changed to maintain an organized society.
CONCEPT: Every person has the right to be free from harm.
OBJECTIVES: The students will be able to:
2. solve disputes without fighting.
ASSAULT - placing one in fear of being hurt; to threaten with a stick, stone, or fist; to hurt, not just with words
FIGHT - an angry dispute, quarrel, or struggle
BATTERY - harmful physical touching of a person without her/ his permission
SKILLS: The students can:
2. role-play assault and battery situations.
3. problem solve assault and battery situations.
4. interpret poetry
1. Read the nursery rhyme "The Kilkenny Cats" (see resource material) and ask what happened at the end of the fight.
2. Read "The Duel" and ask what happened at the end of the duel (see resource material).
3. Introduce the terms assault and battery. Have students roleplay the following situations:
b. Willie saw a red pencil on Tootsie's desk and got mad because he thought it was his. He took the pencil and stuck Tootsie with the pencil lead.
c. Lollie bumped into Wig while standing in line for a drink of water. Wig turned around and slapped Lollie.
d. Bo Peep picked up a giant rock and said to Boy Blue, "I'm going to hit you with this rock." Boy Blue got scared and ran away.
b. What would happen next?
c. Why did the children act as they did?
d. Did they have the right to hurt or threaten to hurt another person?
e. What crimes did they commit?
(3) Lollie - accidental battery
(4) Wig - battery
(5) Bo Peep - assault
EVALUATION: Observe student participation and listen to discussion after role-playing situations.
RESOURCE MATERIALS:
"Kilkenny Cats" by Anonymous ("Mother Goose" rhyme)
"The Duel" by Eugene Field
THE KILKENNY CATS
There were once two cats of kilkenny.
Each thought there was one cat too many; So they fought and they fit,
And they scratched and they bit,
Till, excepting their nails,
And the tips of their tails,
Instead of two cats, there weren't any
THE DUEL
The gingham dog and the calico cat
Side by side on the table sat;
'Twas half-past twelve, and (what do you think!) Nor one nor t'other had slept a wink!
The old Dutch clock and the Chinese plate Appeared to know as sure as fate
There was going to be a terrible spat.
(I wasn't there; I simply state
What was told to me by the Chinese plate!)
The gingham dog went, "Bow-wow-wow!"
And the calico cat replied, "Mee-ow!" The air was littered, an hour or so, With bits of gingham and calico,
While the old Dutch clock in the chimney place Up with its hands before its face,
For it always dreaded a family row!
(Now mind: I'm only telling you
What the old Dutch clock declares is true!)
The Chinese plate looked very blue,
And wailed, "Oh, dear! what shall we do!" But the gingham dog and the calico cat Wallowed this way and tumbled that, Employing every tooth and claw
In the awfullest way you ever saw -
And, oh! how the gingham and calico flew! (Don't fancy I exaggerate -
I got my news from the Chinese plate!)
Next morning, where the two had sat,
They found no trace of dog or cat; And some folks think unto this day
That burglars stole that pair away! But the truth about the cat and pup Is this: they ate each other up!
Now what do you really think of that! (The old Dutch clock it told me so, And that is how I came to know.)