Learning Areas: Literacy, ECSEL, Dramatic Play
What is this activity?
What skills are being enhanced? What knowledge is gained?
What do you need to prepare for this activity?
Step by step guide
What questions can you ask to promote ECSEL thinking and discussions?
How can you extend children’s thinking?
What skills are being enhanced and what knowledge is being gained through this activity?
Self-Awareness, Social Awareness, Relationship Skills, Responsible Decision-Making
Use the following materials to prepare for the activity:
1. Read Goldilocks and the Three Bears (or another story that explores more complex emotions) to your class during a circle time discussion.
2. As you read the book out loud, make sure to pause and give your children the opportunity to identify when a character’s emotions change. They can indicate they have recognized a change by either raising their hand or raising an Our Emotions Card in the air. Have them also take note of any problems arising in the story that they can try to solve later.
3. At the end of the story, reflect on the plot and help children identify how the characters were feeling at different points in the story.
Prompt a discussion about what caused each of the characters' feelings to change. You may even choose to illustrate this as a flow chart for your children as the discussion takes place.
4. Next, have the class choose which characters in the story they would like to send to the begin to MakePeace Table and have them identify the problem they will be solving.
5. Two or more children may volunteer to act as characters from the book at the begin to MakePeace Table.
6. Set up the MakePeace Table in the middle of the circle and have everyone gather around. Prompt the class to take the lead in facilitating the problem-solving that takes place. The whole class can help, not just the volunteers!
7. Help children along by reminding them of each step:
• Calm Your Body
• Talk About the Problem
• Say & Show How You Feel
• Listen to You Friend to Understand
• Think About How to Solve the Problem
• Choose the Best Plan
• Show How You Feel After Solving the Problem
• Make a Plan to Follow Through
8. After concluding the MakePeace process, discuss as a class how they thought this activity went. Was it successful? What feelings did it bring up?
ECSEL prompts are helpful questions or statements you can use to promote children’s thinking about emotions. These prompts are related to this specific activity.
What is ____ (character) feeling?
What do you think is making them feel this way?
What is ____ (other character) feeling?
What happened to make them feel this way?
Let’s take turns sharing what you think the problem is. Whoever isn’t talking, make sure you are listening to understand their feelings!
What is one way you think we can solve this problem? Does everyone agree with this solution?
What else could we try?
Great! How are you both feeling now that you have solved the problem?
Use these questions and statements to extend children’s learning!
1. What could have the other characters done to help ______ feel better?2. What could you do to help if this situation ever happens to you?3. What could you do if you or a friend ever feels ______?4. Do you think the MakePeace Table could help some of our other favorite book characters feel better? Which ones? How?5. What could the characters in the story do differently next time to make sure that this situation doesn’t happen again?