Vignette 9.1 Ms. Ashers Elementary Physical Education Classes In a little experiment to test students attitudes toward rules, Ms. Asher, a PE teacher decided to give each class a variety of sports equipment, and then tell them to make up a new game using the equipment a kickball, a basketball, two basketball hoops, a tennis ball, four rackets, two wiffle balls, a wiffle bat, and four baseball bases. The kindergarten class immediately begins talking all at once, with some yelling to be heard. A few leaders emerge who decide that the class wants to play kickball. Thus, they decide to play a conventional game, although they were told to make one up. However, all the students want to kick first. One student becomes the pitcher, and all the other students line up to kick. Some students object that this isnt the right way to play. Students splinter off, and soon 20 students are playing 12 different games. A group of six boys continues to play kickball. One boy wants to keep trying to kick the ball until he succeeds. Another boy says he cant keep kicking because The teacher says that is a rule despite the fact that Ms. Asher had not only avoided giving them any rules, she tried to get them to make up their own. As soon as Ms. Asher gives a 2nd grade class the same instructions, one boy says Lets hit the tennis ball with a racket and then play the rest like its baseball. Some students like this idea, but one girl says, Thats breaking the rules! The students vote. They all want to try the new game, so the girl storms off and sits along the wall. The class plays well until one girl, Vera, has three strikes. Vera says, Lets have the rule be you have five strikes before you are out. Not surprisingly, Veras team likes the rule, but the outfield team does not. Some argue that their team has already had people strike out and that you cant change rules in the middle of a game. The students all agree and decide to wait to change the rules until the next inning. When Ms. Asher gives a 5th grade class the same instructions, they immediately elect two boys and two girls as idea generators. The rest sit patiently while the four elected students devise a new game. They decide to use the wiffle bat to hit a tennis ball, and then run the bases backwards. The outfielders cannot use their hands; they must lob the ball to the bases with a tennis racket. They seem to really enjoy changing the rules.

Essay Assignment: Answer the following questions and apply concepts from your textbook and lecture notes. 1. According to Piaget and Kohlberg what stage of moral development should each of these classes of children be in? Is their behavior congruent with each stage? 2. Do the children seem to understand the difference between social conventions and morality? Are there exceptions?