S sO aN 32

baton and you both fall on the ground. what you are saying because you never
You are working hard on your know what you're talking about.
arithmetic homework one night, but » You can’t wait to show your mom the
just can’t seem to get one problem good grade you got on your science
right. Your older brother comes into project. You are waiting for her to
the room and looks at your homework. pick you up and your project is sitting
He says he would be glad to help you right beside you on the sidewalk.
with the problem if you want him to. a While you’re waiting, you see two
One day you are walking to school kids riding their bikes on the
wearing a new pair of basketball sidewalk, and they are laughing and
shoes that you’ve been wanting to get not watching where they are going.
for weeks. As you are about to go # You call out to them and they look at
onto the school grounds, a kid runs you and try to put on their brakes
into you, making you step right into a real fast, but it’s too late and one of
big mud puddle. The kid looks at the kids runs over your science
you, says he is sorry, and asks you if project, smashing it.
you are okay.
At lunchtime you walk into the LESSON ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY
cafeteria with your friend and you see
that there is only one cheeseburger Read How Do I Feel?, by Norma Simon,
left. You tell your friend how much a story about identifying feelings. It
you like cheeseburgers. Your teacher encourages children to suggest how the
stops you and asks you a question main character might feel as he
before you can get in line. When you encounters a variety of situations.
get in line, you see that the last
cheeseburger is on your friend’s tray.
One day you are swimming at the pool
where you always go, but you don’t see
any of your friends. It’s starting to get
really boring and you wish you had
somebody to play with. Just then a kid
comes over and tells you he is bored.
He asks you if you want to practice low
dives.
After lunch one day you are talking
with a group of friends. A boy from
your class comes up and joins the
group. He interrupts you and tells the
others that they shouldn’t listen to
 M A K I N G ¢-AH Oo Lf Ch es

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Lesson 3: Identifying Physical Responses to Feelings

OBJECTIVE person’s body. Each worksheet is labeled

with a feeling. Using this sheet, children
Students will be able to identify how should draw in a face that corresponds
their bodies may respond to each of the to the labeled feeling.
feelings discussed in lesson 1: happy, sad,
angry, satisfied, nervous, relaxed, 2. Once the children have completed the
frightened, and safe. faces, they should mark with X’s the
places on the body where they might
Materials REVIEW feel this emotion. Group leaders should
a Illustrated outline of a child’s body post an example of this, and explain to
Review by asking students why they marked the body
labeled with a feeling (one sheet for
students to recall where they did. Here are some
each child) (See activity sheets 4 to 7 for the eight feelings examples:
four basic feelings; leaders can modify introduced in a Angry: I get a tight, “scrunched-up”
lesson 1. ‘Talk feeling in my face; My leg starts to
these sheets to include additional
about how these shake and my foot jumps up and
feelings as needed.) feelings might down.
= Markers, crayons, or colored pencils vary according to = Sad: My eyes start to fill with tears.
the situation or » Happy: My whole body starts to
context—for example, on the move; my voice
playground (with adult supervision) gets very loud. Group Process Tip: As children discuss
versus on the street (without adult = Frightened: I feelings, be sure to pay attention to—and
supervision). This can be accomplished get a dizzy stay in control of—the group process. For
by going around the group and asking feeling in my
example, don’t let students dwell on
each student to name one or two stomach; I get
feelings and situations in which they “hyper” all over. negative feelings at the expense of positive
might occur. During the review you can feelings. Help members to become
also go over the list of suggested names 3. Depending on
supportive of each other's efforts.
for the group and help the students the ages of the
decide which one they prefer. If a name children, group
is chosen, students may wish to spend leaders should be prepared for some silly
the last five minutes of the session and even sexually oriented examples
working on a logo or symbol depicting from the students. The former can be
the group and its name. ignored for the most part. As for the
latter, the group leader should listen to
ACTIVITIES determine whether the student is just
being silly, in which case redirecting the
1. Explain to the children that they will discussion is called for (for example,
receive a worksheet with an outline of a “Let’s just talk about parts of your body

A3
 M A K I N G

like your head, your stomach, or your LESSON ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY

arms and legs”). If a student seems to be
expressing a genuine concern (or if you For children in kindergarten through
are in doubt), offer to talk about the third grade, read the story Nelson Makes
issue later with the child, apart from the a Face, by Burton Cohen. This is a story
group, perhaps with a guidance of how a fairy godmother tries to teach a
counselor or school social worker. lesson to a prankster named Nelson by
freezing his face with three different
4. Have each student describe his or her emotions: sadness, happiness, and anger.
picture. Be sure to ask each student what
the face is doing and how the person is
feeling. The students can also be asked
to demonstrate the emotion on the face
they drew. Ask each child to explain how
this emotion might feel in his or her
body. Group leaders should provide
language and examples as needed.

5. After all of the pictures have been

described, ask each student, one at a time,
to walk around the room and find the
opposite feeling. Group leaders should
then briefly describe the differences
between the pairs of pictures. A way to
phrase this might be, “Happiness looks
like this, while sadness looks look this.”
Also, group leaders might wish to hold
up a drawing while asking students to
show with their faces what the feeling
looks like and with their bodies where
they might feel it.

SUMMARIZE THE MAIN IDEA

Many times, different parts of our

bodies let us know how we are feeling.
We can feel emotions in our face, hands,
legs, and other parts of our body.

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Lesson 4: Degrees of Feelings—Anger

OBJECTIVE (really mad, kind of angry, medium,

and so on).
Children will be able to describe how
people may experience different degrees 2. Pass out activity sheets 8 to 10 to
of a feeling in different situations. each student. Ask students to draw a
Focusing on anger, children will be able picture that corresponds to the level of
to state the difference between mild anger stated on their worksheet. (You
anger (“a little bit angry”) and severe can easily modify these sheets by
anger (“really angry”). changing feeling “angry” to feeling
“mad” or, for very young children,
REVIEW feeling “bad.”)
Materials

Activity sheets 8 to 10 and crayons Review the 3. After the pictures are completed,
feelings discussed post them on the wall in groups
or markers
in the previous corresponding to degrees of anger.
Flip chart or blackboard sessions. Ask
Tape or pushpins to post the activity students to take 4. Have each student describe his or her
turns making a drawing. Group Process Tip: This lesson is about
sheets
statement Encourage
anger. Stay in control of the process so that
associated with a students to specify
specific feeling (for example, “I’m really what’s happening activities focus on the discussion of anger
happy when I get a good report from in the picture, how without devolving into re-enacting anger.
my teacher!”). Instruct each student to it might feel, and The lesson is not designed to be cathartic or
use his or her body and voice to express how these feelings
emotive. Rather, we want children to learn
the feeling. Ask others to describe what could come out
they see and hear. through facial about levels of anger. Encourage members
expressions and to ask questions and participate. Because
ACTIVITIES body language.
this is a potentially difficult topic, leave a

1. Explain that today’s activities will 5. Group leaders little more time than usual at the end of the
focus on anger. Ask students to think should chart session to have a special snack or play a
of a time when they felt angry. Going responses on a favorite game.
around the group, have them describe flip chart or
what happened, how they felt, and how blackboard and summarize how
they responded. Prompt students to different situations led to different
label the anger on a “feeling degrees of anger, which, in turn,
thermometer” of low to high. Group brought about different bodily
leaders can provide examples of other responses. A chart might look like this:
words to describe the degree of anger
 M A K I N G c H O

Situation Degree of How it looked

Anger and felt

Sue teased me. | low I frowned and I felt a

lump in my throat.

My brother high My face turned red,

hit me. my heart pounded,
I cried.

SUMMARIZE THE MAIN IDEA

We can feel very angry about one thing,

while a different thing might make us
just a little bit angry.

LESSON ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY

Have students brainstorm situations that

make them angry. Have pairs of students
role play or puppet play the situations;
be sure to point out the degree of anger
produced by the incident and the body
cues revealed. End by asking students to
identify things that help them feel better
after getting angry. Ask if anyone ever
decided not to get angry. Be sure to
debrief students after the role play—that
is, help them leave the role play (and
their anger) behind.

50
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ACTIVITY SHEET 8

I Feel Mildly Angry When...

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I Feel A Little Bit Angry When...

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I Feel Moderately Angry When...

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ACTIVITY SHEET 9A

I Feel Pretty Angry When...

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I Feel Very Angry When...

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Lesson 5: Recognizing and Managing Feelings

OBJECTIVE 2. Before you begin reading the story,

ask young children if they know what a
Students will be able to identify several turtle is. Distribute pictures and toys
basic steps that can be used to recognize and ask students to describe the
and manage their own feelings. features of turtles. Ask students what
they think the shell is for. Praise
REVIEW students for their ideas, and encourage
Materials them to listen carefully so that they can
= Copy of The Turtle Story! and pictures Ask students to find out a secret use of a turtle’s shell.
name the feelings
of turtles or stuffed toy turtles discussed in this 3. Read the turtle story aloud, or
unit and to paraphrase it. For older children, read
explain different ways people the story and ask them to develop two
experience them. Review the idea that skits, one that shows and one that does
people experience different degrees of not show use of the turtle technique.
feelings. Name a few common Each skit might have a narrator who
classroom and after-school situations, summarizes the moral of the story.
and ask children to identify a feeling
the situation might bring up, as well as 4. Ask these follow-up questions: Did
how strong this feeling would be. you like the turtle story? Why or why
not? Do you ever feel like Ralph or
ACTIVITIES Lesley? Explain.

1. Explain that you will be reading a Give examples of Group Process Tip: Group leaders should
story written especially to help times when you make it a point to model self-talk steps for
children learn to recognize and could use the
students during this lesson. Provide
manage anger, frustration, sadness, and turtle secret.
other difficult feelings. For younger examples for which self-talk has helped
students, you might explain that they Review the four you in a difficult situation. Elicit from group
are going to learn how to know their steps of the
members their own ideas of what they
feelings and how to calm down. turtle’s secret: (1)
Discuss the importance of learning recognize (or might say to themselves. Continue to help
how to manage these feelings. Explain acknowledge), (2) members build a system of mutual aid.
that sometimes, when we can’t manage relax, (3) think, (4)
difficult feelings, we act out of control do. Practice the
and cause more problems for ourselves. four steps with hypothetical situations.
(Provide examples as needed, such as “I
got so mad I ran off and missed the Encourage students to think of
ball game.”) alternative ways they can “go into their

of,
 M A K I N G

shells”—close their eyes, go to time the story. Emphasize that right now,
out, put their heads down, walk away they are learning about feelings, and
from conflict, and so on. how to recognize different feelings. As
they continue in the Making Choices
5. Develop two or three turtle-like program they will learn more about
stories with the students, based on how to think about the situations they
possible or actual conflict situations. are in, what they might do, and how to
These scripts should be very basic. For choose the best thing to do.
example,
Anthony sees Paul with a magic marker SUMMARIZE THE MAIN IDEA
just like the one he lost yesterday, so when
Paul isn’t looking, Anthony takes it. . . Sometimes when we are getting into a
but Paul catches him. problem, we’re not sure how we feel. It
can be helpful to stop and think and to
6. Using puppets, students should act talk to ourselves about how we might
out each scene, freezing the skit at the be feeling.
point of conflict. Solicit input from the
students in the audience, encouraging LESSON ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY
them to use the turtle’s secret to help
frame their solutions. Then have the Have students create shells of their own
puppets act out the suggested by coloring a turtle shell on a paper
solutions. grocery bag. Have students recall and
then write down on the bag the four steps
7. After each skit, ask students the of the turtle’s secret. Students can slip
following questions: into their shell when they need to relax
= How do you think the puppets were or use it to remember the four steps.
feeling?
# Do you think they were saying THE TURTLE STORY!!'
anything to themselves to keep from
losing control? Once upon a time there was a handsome
ws What kinds of things were they saying? young turtle. He was nine years old, and
he had just started the fourth grade.’ His
8. Explain to students that they will name was Ralph. Ralph was very upset
have many more opportunities to learn about going to school. He didn’t want to
about and practice ideas described in learn school things. He wanted to run

' Adapted from Marlene Schneider & Arthur Robin, Point Woods Laboratory, Stony Brook, New
York, 11794.

> Use the age and grade that fit your audience.
outside or stay at home to watch Lesley worried about her mother and
television. It was too hard to try to write father. She worried that her mother
letters and learn about numbers. It might get sick or that her father might
didn’t seem fair to him that he should lose his job. She worried because her
have to do so much work. He would parents sometimes argued. She worried
rather play and laugh with friends. that her teachers would get mad at her.
She worried about everything. When she
Ralph got into lots of fights with other was worried, sometimes she was sad. She
turtles, but he really didn’t know how remembered that her cat got lost last year,
they started. He felt he had to fight. and she missed her cat. She was sad about
He didn’t like listening to his teacher herself, too. She didn’t like the way she
or having to stop making those looked. She didn’t like her clothes. In
wonderful loud fire engine noises he fact, she didn’t like much of anything.
used to make with his mouth. It was
too hard to be good in school. It She didn’t do well in school either. She
seemed as though he was mad or was so worried and sad that she never
unhappy most of the time and always really got interested in doing her school
in trouble. work. She was always thinking about
other things. She worried about her
Every day on his way to school Ralph classmates, too. Sometimes she wanted to
would say to himself that he would try play with them and make friends, but she
his best not to get into trouble that worried that they wouldn’t like her or
day. But despite his plans, every day he that they would call her stupid or ugly.
would get mad at somebody and fight,
or he would get angry because he made One day Ralph and Lesley were walking
a mistake, and then he would rip up his home from school together. They were
papers. He always got into trouble—he both feeling very unhappy, when they
just hated school! He began to feel like met the biggest, oldest turtle in their
a “bad” turtle. He went around for a town. The wise old turtle was 200 years
long time feeling very, very bad. old and as big as a house. Both Ralph
and Lesley had heard stories about how
There was also another turtle in his the wise old turtle helped other turtles
class named Lesley. She lived close to feel better about themselves. They had
Ralph and sometimes they walked heard that the old turtle had lived in
home from school together. She was a many lands, knew many things, and had
nice young turtle, but she didn’t like seen floods and fires from years ago.
school either. In fact she didn’t like
much of anything. She felt sad or So Ralph told the old turtle that he was
worried most of the time. feeling bad. He told the old turtle about
 M A K I N G

the fights, about the ripped-up papers, Then, for a few seconds, take a couple of
and about getting into trouble. Lesley deep breathes and blow your troubles
told the old turtle about feeling sad and out of your mouth, right out of your
worried all the time. The young turtles shell. Just rest for a moment.”
were a little afraid, but they told the old
turtle anyway. Then say: ‘I can think of a way to help
myself.’ Think of something you can
The old tortoise smiled at them in a do that might help you. Think of as
kindly way and seemed eager to help many ideas as you can. Then think
them. “My goodness,” the tortoise said about the idea that has the best chance
in a big bellowing voice. Then the old of helping you avoid trouble and
turtle’s voice became soft and quiet. helping you feel better.”
“T’ll tell you a secret,” he said. “You are
carrying the answer to your problem Then come out of your shell and do it.
around with you.” Do the best thing you can do to help
yourself.”
Ralph and Lesley didn’t know what the
old turtle was talking about. Sull Ralph and Lesley liked the idea, but
whispering, the old turtle said, “Your they didn’t understand it very well, so
shell! Your shell! That’s why you have a they asked the turtle to describe it
shell. You can go inside your shell again. The old turtle repeated what
when you feel sad or when you seem to they should do. This time they
be heading for trouble. When you are practiced the steps as the old turtle
in your shell, you can have a moment told the story. The old turtle said,
to rest and think about things so you “When you feel troubled, remember
can figure out what to do next.” the four parts of the ‘Secret to a
Happier Life’:
Lesley and Ralph still looked a bit » Say what you are feeling and
puzzled. So the old turtle said, “Here’s recognize your feelings.
what you can do when you feel like » Go into your shell and relax.
you are troubled or heading for a Think of something you could do to
trouble. Ralph, say to yourself, ‘I feel help yourself.
angry.’ Lesley, say to yourself, ‘I feel » Then do it.”
worried.’ Then say to yourself, ‘Go
into my shell to relax. 999
After they left the old turtle, Lesley
started to worry. She started to wonder
In your shell you are safe. You can relax whether her mother and father would
all the muscles of your body. You can let be in a good mood. But then she
them get limp, like cooked spaghetti. remembered what the old turtle had

60
 LeESMS
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told her. She said, “I feel worried.” did it and it helped again. Her secret
Then she went into her shell to relax. helped her with a lot of her worried
After she rested for a moment, she and sad feelings.
began to think about ways she might
help herself. At first, she began That evening, Ralph also thought
worrying again about her mother and about the special secret. He practiced
father. Then she figured that worrying saying its four parts: “Say what you
about them wouldn’t do any good. feel, relax for a moment, think about
While resting in her shell, she thought: helping yourself, and do something to
“If they were in a bad mood, they would help yourself.” He said them over and
just be in a bad mood.” She thought over again. He told his parents about
she could say she was sorry they felt his secret and they seemed to like the
bad and hoped they would feel better. idea. He was very eager to try out his
She also thought she could try to take new skill in school.
her mind off her parents, because she
could not control how they felt. She The next day came, and he again made
thought about a new song she had a mistake on his nice clean paper. He
heard on the radio. She decided to sing started to feel that angry feeling again
the new song. She liked the song and it and was about to lose his temper, when
helped her feel better. She felt proud suddenly he remembered what the old
that night with her new skill. tortoise had said.

The next day, Lesley started to feel sad “I feel mad, but I don’t need trouble,”
at school because she didn’t like the Ralph said to himself. Instead of
way she looked. She remembered the ripping up his paper, he pulled in his
four parts of the secret. She said to arms, legs, and head and rested. At
herself that she felt sad about the way first he felt tense from his anger, but
she looked. Then she relaxed in her he took some deep breaths and blew
shell. At first, she thought of giving up, his troubles out through his mouth.
putting her head down and going to He was delighted to find how nice and
sleep. Then she thought of telling the comfortable it was in his shell. The
teacher that she was sick so she could mistake didn’t bother him so much
go home. But neither of those there. He thought about ways to deal
thoughts felt like they would really with his angry feelings. He thought
help her. Finally she figured out that about throwing his pencil across the
she could look better if she washed the room, punching the girl in front of
dirt off her shell during recess. She him, and ripping up his paper. None
also figured out that she could be of those ideas seemed right. He
happier if she got her work done. She figured out that the best thing to do

6]
 M A K

was to go on with his work as best he When they got angry, sad, or worried
could. When he came out of his shell, or felt themselves heading for trouble,
he felt better. As he continued they accepted their feelings, relaxed,
working, he was surprised to find his thought for a while, and figured out
teacher smiling at him. He told her he what they could do to help themselves.
was angry about his mistake, but that Then they did it.
he had decided to continue working.
She said she was very proud of him! Lesley and Ralph didn’t always make
themselves feel better, and they didn’t
Ralph and Lesley also used their secret always know what to do, but they did
to help make friends. Ralph noticed do a lot better. They got into fewer
that he didn’t hit people the way he fights and made more friends. They
used to. He used to punch, poke, or felt happier and got into less trouble.
shove people all the time—and he When they got their report cards, they
usually got into trouble for it. Inside got the best grades either of them had
his shell, he found other things to do ever made. Everybody admired them
instead. Sometimes he would just say and wondered what their magic secret
hello to other turtles, and at other was. Best of all, they felt proud of
times, when things didn’t seem fair, he themselves.
would tell them about things that
bothered him. He felt like he didn’t
have to fight everyone anymore.

Lesley worried less about how her

friends would treat her. Before the old
turtle came, when people called her
names like ugly or stupid, she just fell
apart. Now she didn’t. Instead, she
would go inside her shell and give
herself different messages, such as “I
am a pretty turtle” or “making a
mistake does not make me stupid.” She
felt stronger, and because she wasn’t so
worried about what other turtles might
say or do to her, she could spend more
time just playing around with them.

Both Ralph and Lesley continued using

their secret for the rest of the year.

62
 Ss S ON 6

Lesson 6: Practicing Self-Talk .

OBJECTIVE puppets will help the larger puppets.

Students will be able to engage in simple 3. Choose a conflict situation and have
self-talk in order to identify their the large puppets (students) act it out.
feelings. Group leaders should freeze the scene
several times, allowing the self-talk
Materials REVIEW puppets (students) to take over and
= Two large puppets and two finger model self-talk statements. (Group
Review the four leaders should review examples of self-
puppets (grades K-3)
steps of the turtle talk and demonstrate the process one
= Conflict situation cards secret. Remind time.) Allow the children to make both
students that one positive and negative self-statements,
way to help us prompting them to decide whether the
recognize (or acknowledge), relax, think, self-talk is helping the puppets (students)
and do is to talk ourselves through it. label their feelings accurately or making
them more angry (nervous, sad, scared,
ACTIVITIES and so on).

1. Ask students to share a time when Here are some examples of self-talk:
they have talked themselves through a » “Josh is making fun of me and I am
difficult or challenging situation. Explain getting really
that this is self-talk which is an angry! My face Group Process Tip: If you use role plays in
important ingredient in problem- is red and my
this session, take care how members are
solving. Continue to give examples of heart is
when self-talk has been helpful for you pounding! I feel paired so this will be a positive learning
(for example, “I had to give a talk to a like Iam going experience for them. Be sure to “debrief”
group of people and I was very nervous, to lose control. students; that is, help them get out of the
so I kept telling myself I could do it”). I need to calm
roles they took on during the role play.
down.”
2. Select two students to act out a “The aide Make sure that group members reward
conflict situation with the large puppets. yelled at me for each other and point out positive features
Introduce two smaller finger puppets not cleaning up
of each others’ self-talk.
who will act as the self-talking puppets my area, but I
(or as the conscience of the larger did! I want to
puppets). Choose two more students to scream at her. That makes me so
operate the finger puppets. The finger mad, and it hurts my feelings too. I
puppets can be compared to Jiminy really need to take a few deep
Cricket—just as Jiminy Cricket helped breaths.”
Pinocchio solve problems, the self-talk “T have to sit next to Sharon on the
 bus! I never get to sit with anyone SUMMARIZE THE MAIN IDEA
like, and that’s not fair. It makes me
so mad! Maybe I should count to We can often understand how we are
ten.” feeling if we stop, think, and talk to
“Billy got to use the computer before —_ourselves about what is going on and
me! He got to go first yesterday, too! —_how it makes us feel.
I never get to go first! ’m getting
really mad here. I need to chill.”
“My little sister broke my necklace
after I told her not to wear it. She is
always in my stuff! She makes me
really angry! I’m going to go in my
room for ten minutes and calm
down.”
“During recess, Maria tripped and I
tried to help her but I fell down, too!
Now my brand new pants are all
dirty, and this afternoon we’re having
our class picture taken! I am so
frustrated and disappointed! I’d better
breathe in and out a couple of times.”

4. When several scenes have been acted

out, review the effects of self-talk with
the students. Encourage students to
consider the following questions:
What things can you say to yourself
to figure out how you're feeling?
Does naming a feeling help you calm
down, or not?
How can you remember to use self-
talke
Can your body’s clues help you
remember?

os Explain to students that they are

learning to use self-talk to recognize and
relax during this lesson. Later they will
learn about using it to think and do as well.

64
 URN
EY Te * } Lwe eS *S. 70 *N*F 6

CONFLICT SITUATION CARDS

CONFLICT CONFLICT

Melanie and Kris are ‘Iom sees Paul wearing

working on their homework sneakers just like the ones
together. Kris really wants that are missing from his
to finish their math, but locker. Her goes up to Paul
Melanie wants to chill. and askes where he got
the shoes.

CONFLICT CONFLICT

CONFLICT CONFLICT

Anthony is playing ball with Anna’s sister wants to call a

his little brother in the friend but has been on the

park. A bunch of kids from phone for an hour. Now

his school go by and one of Anna wants a turn, too, but

them yells something that her sister makes her call

sounds like a diss. anyway.

CONFLICT CONFLICT
 M A K I N G Cc.H O7 t <P bes

CONFLICT SITUATION CARDS |_|

CONFLICT CONFLICT

Alex has one extra ticket to Kim is talking to Alexis at

a ball game and two best lunch. All of a sudden, Sam

friends. He took John last comes up and asks Alexis to

time so he decides to ask come talk with her. Alexis

James. As he is asking just walks away from Kim

James, John walks up. without saying goodbye.

CONFLICT CONFLICT

CONFLICT CONFLICT

Robert has been working Tish wants to go to the mall

hard on math all week. But with her best friend. But
when he gets his test back her mom says she has to
there is a D on it. While he finish her homework first.
is looking at the test, he Tish yells at her mom and
hears other kids laughing. is grounded for a week.

CONFLICT CONFLICT
 Ss U M M A R Y

Unit Summary for Group Leaders

In the introduction, we emphasized that particular, self talk—will prepare

this curriculum is designed to help children to learn, practice, and apply the
children learn to stop and think before Making Choices skills that are introduced
they act. The focus of unit 1 has been to in future units.
enable children to stop and recognize
their own feelings. The lessons teach In the next unit, we introduce the first
children how to recognize, identify, and step in solving social problems,
label up to eight common emotions. We encoding of cues. Many of the cues
emphasized that people feel (and show) encountered in social situations will
emotions with words, with their faces, arise from the feelings and affect that
and with their bodies, and also that are present in the situation. A good
people often feel different degrees of deal of the material we present in unit
emotions. The unit is designed to 2 therefore proceeds directly from
introduce several basic strategies that concepts in unit 1.
will help children stop during a social
encounter and think actively about how
they are feeling. These strategies—in

67
 UNIT 2: ENCODING: IDENTIFYING SOCIAL CLUES

Encoding is the first of six steps in the Making Choices problem-solving sequence. It refers

to a child’s ability to recognize and read the many social cues encountered in social

situations, and, from the wide range of cues present, to select those cues that are relevant.

The goal of this unit is to

Research has shown that children who use aggression are
increase the child’s ability to
likely to miss many important social cues, skipping over subtle
recognize an array of social
nuances and sequences of cues in favor of more memorable
cues, ranging from subtle to
and exciting cues (Crick & Dodge, 1994; Dodge, Petitt, Bates,

overt, with an emphasis on the

& Valente, 1995; Lochman & Dodge, 1994). One study found

sequencing of cues in social

that, when compared to nonaggressive peers, boys identified
situations.
as aggressive paid greater attention to social cues arising from

aggressive interactions than to cues from benign or friendly interactions (Gouze,

1987). Another study revealed that boys diagnosed as both aggressive and

hyperactive were able to recall significantly fewer social cues from hypothetical

situations, when compared with boys in a normal control group, and, to a lesser

extent, with boys who were hyperactive only or aggressive only (Milich & Dodge,

1984). In both of these studies, a boy’s overall intelligence level was not found to

influence attention to or recall of social cues. A third study found that aggressive and

antisocial adolescents, when compared to nonaggressive adolescents, sought fewer

additional facts about hypothetical situations (Slaby & Guerra, 1988).

68
Bae

$s S$ ON 1
=
—

Lesson 1: Situations and Cues

OBJECTIVE simple way to do this is to draw a

poster of a set of stairs, with a child at
Students will be able to provide the bottom and some prize or goal at
developmentally appropriate the top. Each step of the staircase is
definitions for social cue (K-6) and social one of the skills they will be learning in
situation (grades 4-6). Moreover, they Making Choices.)
will be able to give several simple
examples of each. 2. For older students, introduce the
word situation and ask them for a
REVIEW definition. A dictionary definition
would be a combination of circumstances
Briefly summarize at a particular time and place. The
Materials
the material in important idea is that a situation refers
= List of simple social situations the first unit, to the way things are (or what’s going
(see below) including the on) at a particular time and, usually, at
feelings you a particular place. A social situation
= Poster showing the Making Choices
presented and involves two or
problem-solving steps (see Figure 4, more people. For Group Process Tip: This lesson introduces a
discussed, how
the staircase poster) people might younger children, number of new concepts. Pay attention to
express them, and don’t worry about how much content your group or class is
how feelings can vary in degree in providing a
able to understand. Keep relating content to
different situations or social contexts. definition.
Remind students about the need to be Instead, tell the group goals. Be careful not to overload
able to figure out how they are feeling students they will children—it's OK to stretch this lesson over
during a situation and how self-talk can be hearing some two sessions. Also, engage group members
help them stop, relax, and calm down very short stories
in taking leadership roles as much as
so they can think. and seeing some
pictures from possible. When you are describing
ACTIVITIES magazines, and common social situations, you might
that you will be
encourage students to generate examples
1. Remind students of the overall asking them to
think about, for themselves.
purpose of Making Choices (that is, to
teach skills that will help them get each, “What’s
along with peers and adults). going on here?”
Emphasize that they will now begin to
learn about a series of skills they can 3. Provide simple examples of different
use that will help them do this. (Make situations students might encounter
sure young children have some idea during the day, such as:
what a series, or sequence, is. One = James walks into the classroom and

69
 M A K I N G c-H orl Gia $s

sees Louis playing with his favorite that tells us we’re upset or nervous. Ask
toy. students for the cues, or clues, that were
» Sadie looks up from her desk to find present in one or two of the situations
the teacher and all the other kids described earlier. For example, what
looking at her, waiting for her to say were the cues that told Sadie that the
something, and she didn’t even hear a teacher had probably just asked her a
question. question?
= Bob is walking down the hall after
lunch and sees his best friend 6. Remind students of the feelings
laughing with a kid who always tries discussed in unit 1 and how they
to get other kids in trouble. learned to identify their own feelings
» Antonio is walking home from school in a certain situation. Note that it can
and sees a group of boys wearing also be important to figure out how
colors and walking toward him. other people are feeling in the
situation. For example:
4. Describe to students how we come Imagine that another student in your class
across many situations every day. Most walks up to you in the hall and bumps
situations are easy to figure out and we into you. This makes you a little bit
don’t pay much attention to them. mad. How is the other student feeling?
Sometimes, however, there’s something Is she angry? Is she in a good mood and
about a situation that we don’t Just playing around? Maybe she is sad
understand or that we think needs to about something and not paying
change. In these situations, it is a good attention.
idea to stop and think about what’s
going on. 7. Let students know that in the next
lesson they will begin to look for the
5. Introduce the concept of a cue. You cues in a situation that can help them
might describe the cues in a social figure out how others are feeling. This
situation as clues—like those in a can be very important information in
mystery story or a puzzle—that give us trying to decide what’s going on.
more information about what is going
on. A cue can be anything about the 8. Introduce the idea that we also need
situation, such as the location or setting, to be aware of how our own feelings
who is present, what people are saying, may be influencing what cues we notice
how they are dressed, what their bodies and how much we pay attention to
are doing, and so on. Cues can come them. For example, ask students: “If you
from other people or things, and they are very angry, do you think you would
can also come from inside ourselves, be more likely or less likely to notice
such as a funny feeling in the stomach how other people are feeling?”

70
 $s S$ O N

ee
a

SUMMARIZE THE MAIN IDEA

We can look for cues, or clues, in social

situations, to answer the question:
What's going on?

LESSON ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY

Have two students act out a role play (or

puppet show) depicting a simple social
situation. Ask the other students to
name some of the cues present. After
each situation, switch off so that
everyone gets a turn acting and several
turns watching for cues.

TA
 M A K I N G

Lesson 2: Matching Feelings with Tone of Voice

OBJECTIVE 2. Start the tape after explaining to

students that they will need to listen
Children will improve their ability to carefully to each word. After each word
identify feelings by listening to the tone is heard, turn off the recorder and ask
of a person’s voice. students to hold up the face they think
best represents the feeling being
Materials REVIEW conveyed.

= Plain paper plates (four for each child)

Ask students to 3. To modify this activity for older
and markers or crayons. name the feelings students, use regular paper instead of
= Tape recorder and a tape with discussed in unit 1. paper plates, and have them write out
prerecorded words spoken in a way that Spend several the feelings instead of drawing feeling
minutes making faces. Instead of prerecording words,
suggests specific feelings such as
facial expressions, have the students pronounce them.
happiness, sadness, anger, or fear identifying body Begin by preparing a collection of words
(When recording, select common words responses, and beforehand, each
describing specific written on a Group Process Tip: The activity in this
that do not ordinarily imply specific
situations that separate slip of lesson is likely to produce giggles and silly
feelings. For example, you might say correspond to the paper, and place comments. This is fine—remember, Making
“chair” with a “frightened” voice or feelings while these in a
Choices is supposed to be fun—but make
“apple” with an “angry” voice. Pause prompting container such as a
students to match basket or hat. sure the fun is not interfering with learning.
for about ten seconds between each
feelings. Prepare another Remind members of the group the rules to
word when recording.) Examples: “How set of paper slips,
which they have agreed. Also, have you
are people usually each with the
feeling when they cry?” “How are name of a checked in with the students’ parents or
people feeling when they do this?” (the particular feeling teachers lately, to let them know what's
group leader smiles) and “When I don’t written on it, and going on in the group or to solicit their
get a turn on the trampoline I feel .. .” place these in a
support? Doing so may increase the
separate container.
ACTIVITIES Have students benefits for the students.
(perhaps
1. Ask students to draw one face on each beginning with one or two “leaders”)
paper plate, corresponding to the take turns selecting a word out of one
following feelings: happy, sad, angry, and hat and a feeling out of the second hat.
frightened. Point out that today’s lesson Ask the student to turn away from the
will focus on these four feelings only. For group or to go behind a wall or bulletin
younger students you may wish to limit board and pronounce the word several
the discussion to two or three feelings. times, using a tone of voice that
expresses the selected feeling. Ask the LESSON ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY
other students to hold up the paper with
the feeling they think the student’s tone Have a student pick a piece of paper out
of voice represented. of a hat. There should be a word on
each paper, accompanied by either a
4. Have students check their responses happy, sad, frightened, or angry face.
with one another to see whether they Instruct the student to decide which
agree about the emotion expressed. Ask feeling the face is expressing, then have
students to discuss what they heard. the student say the word in a way that
expresses the feeling. The other children
5. Remind students that their feelings in should try to guess the feeling. Be sure
a situation might influence what they to discuss why students guessed as they
hear in the situation. did. Point out facial expressions, tone of
voice, and body language.
6. Listen to other words one at a time,
pausing after each word, to allow for
discussion. Encourage students to use
self-talk to help them think about what
the person’s tone of voice is telling them.

SUMMARIZE THE MAIN IDEA

Many times we can tell how a person is

feeling by listening to his or her tone
of voice.

73
 M A K I N G

Lesson 3: Noticing Multiple Cues x

OBJECTIVE 3. To downplay competition, give

students rewards both for winning and
Children will be able to notice and pay for active participation. In some way,
attention to a greater number and recognize every student.
variety of cues when they encounter a
social situation. 4. Between games, link the idea of
being observant with self-talk. Ask
Materials REVIEW students how they might use self-talk
to notice more cues in a situation.
This lesson includes a menu of games that
Go around the Also, ask students to pretend they’re
you might play with students. See the list of frightened or sad during some of the
circle and ask
games at the end of the lesson for the students to games, and to tell the group how their
materials that you will need. describe a simple feelings affected what they noticed and
situation that they paid attention to.
encountered this week. Have the next Group Process Tip: Encourage all members
person try to identify how the speaker 5. Emphasize to
to participate in the games of this lesson.
might have felt and how others in the students that
situation were feeling. often they can Try to draw out students who seem reluctant
learn a great deal or shy. Help overly enthusiastic students
ACTIVITIES about a situation
learn to take turns. Make sure everyone is
by taking a
1. Tell students that they are going to minute or two to included and that everyone gets rewards
learn about other kinds of cues that look around and for positive contributions.
may be present in a situation. The cues observe the cues
they have looked for so far have had to or clues. For example, one important
do with how others in the situation are thing they can learn from noticing cues
feeling. Today students will be playing is whether a situation is safe or
some games that involve paying dangerous. Ask students to come up
attention and noticing, and they will with some other important things they
also be learning about other kinds of might learn by noticing cues.
cues that can tell them other things
about the situation. 6. Ask students to practice noticing, that
is, observing situations actively, over the
2. Play one of the games described next week. For example, they might take
below. Choose the game that seems five minutes after eating lunch to
most appropriate for the ages and observe the cafeteria. Can they notice
interests of your group. Repeat the something they’d never noticed before
game or try different games. (for example, an object, a way they do
things, and so on)?
 EWS *S ZAOSN*3

SUMMARIZE THE MAIN IDEA should be at least 20 objects in the

box. Gently pour them out onto a
By being observant, we can notice table and let students examine them
more and different kinds of cues in for a couple of minutes. Have one or
situations. This helps us figure out two students leave the area, and
what's going on. remove four or five objects. Bring the
student(s) back and ask them to
GAMES identify which objects are missing.
“I Spy”: Select one person to be “it.” Repeat the process several times,
The student who is “it” chooses an allowing all students a chance to play.
object in the room that is in plain Discuss with students which objects
sight and informs the others of its were easier to identify as missing (for
color (“I spy something red”). The example, were unlike objects easier to
other students take turns guessing spot as missing, relative to identical
which object was chosen. Whoever objects?) and why (for example, it was
guesses correctly chooses the next hard to remember whether there
object. Group leaders can step in and were three or four cards, but it was
appoint a new person “it” as needed, easy to spot that the ball was
to make sure everyone gets a turn. missing). Point out that different
Pick a common object from the students are likely to notice different
room, such as a blackboard eraser or objects missing for different reasons.
a small dictionary. Have one student You can try a variation of the “I
leave the classroom. Select a second Spy” game with pictures cut out of
student to put the object somewhere magazines. Divide the students into
in the room, in plain sight. Bring the two groups and provide each with an
first student back into the room, and action picture from a magazine. Have
have him or her search for the object. them work together to write a list of
This student should describe the all the cues or clues (objects, actions,
different objects he or she sees people) they see in the picture. Each
around the room in the search for the item on the list can be worth a certain
“hidden” object. number of points, which can be tied
Place an assortment of fairly small into the group’s token system (ten
objects in a box. Include a mix of points earn an extra token, for example).
identical, similar, and unlike objects. With very young children you might
For example, you might include a wish to use hidden object puzzles out
seashell, four playing cards, some of children’s magazines. Another idea
blank three-by-five cards, some paper would be to watch a short video of
clips, a ball, a washcloth, two children acting out common
handkerchiefs, and so on. There situations.

UES
 M A K I N G C-H Of 1 <Eers

Lesson 4: Sequences of Cues” <

OBJECTIVE student to think of a setting with which

he or she is familiar, such as the
Children will be able to notice, pay classroom or his or her room at home.
attention to, and describe the sequence Ask the student to think of and tell the
of cues encountered in a social group about the cues that are present
situation. in the setting. Prompt the student to
generate multiple cues by asking open-
Materials Note: In this lesson, ended (for example, “What else is
» Paper and pencils we present concepts there?”) and direct questions (“Is there
and describe any more furniture? Describe it.”).
activities designed Remind students of the importance of
to increase students’ awareness that cues taking time to notice multiple cues to
occur sequentially in a social situation. obtain as much information as possible
Such awareness can help students about a situation and what is going on.
understand where and how a particular
cue fits in the context of the social ACTIVITIES Group Process Tip: Think about the
situation. This realization may represent group or class from a group development
an initial formulation, by the child, of the 1. Introduce the
meaning of the cue. Conceptually, this concepe ofende: perspective. Do norms and roles seem to
lesson could have been included in unit 3, and sequence in be emerging? Are members becoming
because it highlights the link between the developmentally engaged with each one another? Do you
order of cues and their meaning. It appears appropriate
Ladin ae need dt to go over ththe goals| of the group
in this unit instead because it also
emphasizes two important skills that are example, with again or remind students of group rules?
presented and developed in other lessons in young children, Soon some students should begin to use
this unit: (1) noticing and (2) paying you might Say the system of rewards without prompts
attention to the sequence of cues something such
encountered in social situations. These skills as, “Usually, when from you.
are critical for successful cognitive problem things happen,
solving at this step. they don’t all happen at the same time.
Instead, one thing happens first, then
REVIEW something else happens, then a third
thing happens, and so on. When
Go around the circle and ask each several things happen, one after the
student to describe a setting they other, we call this a sequence.”
observed since the previous session.
Did they notice new things about the 2. Provide several simple examples, and
setting? What were they? If a student then ask students to give examples.
does not complete this activity, ask that Examples might be:
 S*S7O*FNP 4
ee...
=
aeh

# First I woke up, then I got out of bed, sequence of pictures showing
then I walked to the kitchen, then I 1. someone asleep in bed
made breakfast. 2. an alarm clock going off
» The first thing Louis did when he got 3. the person getting dressed
to school was to say “hello” to his 4. the person eating breakfast.
teacher. Then he hung up his jacket.
Then he got out the Legos. Then he 6. Remind students that problem solving
started to build a tower. involves a sequence and illustrate the
a Sadie did her math homework first idea with the staircase diagram.
thing. Then she had a snack, and
then she went outside to play. 7. Ask students to think about why it
might be important to understand
3. With older children you might point sequences. Focus the discussion on
out that the alphabet and the numbers noticing cues in a social situation. Point
used for counting are sequences. With out that the cues we notice are almost
all students, discuss numerous examples always part of a sequence of cues.
and use plenty of phrases such as “first, Sometimes we have seen (heard, felt)
then” or “before I did this, I had to do what came before a particular cue, and
that” to highlight the concept of order. other times we have not. Whenever we
have not seen what came before a
4. Explain to students that a sequence particular cue, it is important to stop and
might be made up of a series of actions, think and to ask ourselves, using self talk,
events, or cues (clues). Point out that “What might have happened before I
most (perhaps all) actions, events, and came in?”
cues are part of a sequence. For
example, a single cue is usually preceded 8. Give an example of why this question
by some other cue, and will be followed would be important to ask in a social
by yet another cue. Very few cues situation. (As you introduce this idea,
(actions, events) occur in isolation. you are beginning to ask the question,
“What does this mean?” which, as noted
5. Have students illustrate the idea of a above, anticipates the next unit.) For
sequence by drawing a series of simple example,
pictures depicting the steps of a process James walks into the classroom and sees
(for example, getting ready for school, Louis swinging a baseball bat. Suppose
playing a game of baseball, or going to this is all Fames knows about the situation.
the store). Have students number each What will he think is going on?
picture consecutively to emphasize Now suppose that when he sees Louis
which step happens first. You may need with the bat, James somehow finds out
to provide an example, such as a that, right before he came into the
 M A K I N G c H O 1 ¢C E §

room, the teacher asked Louis to show LESSON ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY

her his batting technique. What will
James think is going on now? Have the students play a game
whereby they generate a story (a
9. Emphasize that finding out how and sequence of events). Ask one student to
where a cue fits in a sequence can describe a character and an initial
provide important information about a action. The next student in the circle
social situation. Students should practice describes the second action of the
thinking about cues by using self-talk to character, and so on around the circle
ask themselves questions such as “What of students. The actions of the
happened before I came in? How can I character should fit together in some
find out?” Group leaders can also fashion, but need not be completely
mention that this information will help logical. The group leader may set up
them with the next step in cognitive an initial scenario for the students,
problem solving, that is, thinking about saying, for example, “Tell a story about
what this means. a girl who has found a wallet with ten
dollars,”or “Tell a story about a boy
SUMMARIZE THE MAIN IDEA who wants to learn how to sail a boat.”

The cues in a social situation usually

occur in a sequence and not all alone.
When we encounter a social cue, it is
important to stop and think about what
might have happened just before that cue.
This can help us figure out how the cue
fits in a sequence, which will help us
understand what’s going on and what it
means.

78
 Ss U M M A R Y

os
A|

Unit Summary for Group Leaders

In unit 2 we presented the idea that, in a At this point, children have learned skills
social situation, children can observe that will help them stop and think about
cues that will help them figure out what how they are feeling. They have also
is going on. Cues are like the clues in a learned to observe and pay attention to a
puzzle or mystery. Many cues provide variety of cues that are present in a
information about how the people in the social situation. In the next unit, they
situation are feeling. Children can learn will use cues to draw inferences about
how others are feeling by noticing cues the intent of others and learn skills
such as tone of voice and body language, designed to help them interpret the cues
and by paying attention to what the in a situation. Interpretation of cues, the
people are doing. Children can learn second step in the Making Choices
other things from noticing cues, such as program, is an important part of
whether the situation is safe. thinking about what is going on before
acting.
Cues may mean one thing in one social
setting and quite another thing in a
different setting. For example,
encountering a group of boys with a
baseball bat on the playground might be
quite different from encountering a
group of boys with bats on the street.
Children should be encouraged to
notice as many cues as possible. In
general, it is a good idea to take the time
to stop and actively observe the cues that
are present in a social situation.

79
 UNIT 3: INTERPRETATION: MAKING SENSE OF SOCIAL CLUES

The second step in the Making Choices program is interpretation. Interpretation

refers to the processes by which children assign meaning to social cues. These

processes include (a) using schemas and heuristics, (b) making inferences about

causality, (c) attributing intent to others, and (d) assessing the effectiveness of one’s

own previous efforts to problem solve in the current situation. Interpretation

involves assessing cues from a current social situation on the basis of previous

experiences (including earlier social interactions, past relationships, prior exposure to

similar situations, and so on). It can also involve recognizing novel cues and creating

new meanings for them (for example, different categories or subcategories,

gradations of existing categories, integration of multiple concepts) (Crick & Dodge,

The goal of this unit is to 1994). Accurate assessment of social cues is essential for

increase each child’s ability to creating and implementing an effective strategy for social

identify social cues and to label interaction and for productive problem solving.

them accurately, as either

Many research studies have shown that children who are
friendly or hostile, intentional
impulsive, oppositional, or who use aggression have difficulty
or unintentional.
interpreting cues accurately, and they are likely to perceive

benign (and, at times, friendly) situations as threatening or hostile. Consequently,

they are more likely to respond aggressively. Their failure to interpret social cues

accurately is thought to be one reason for their hostile style of interaction (see, for

example, Dodge, Price, Bachorowski, & Newman, 1990; Lochman & Dodge, 1994; 2

Milich & Dodge, 1984; Quiggle et al., 1992; Slaby & Guerra, 1988).

80
ys $s S$ ON 1
‘7

Lesson 1: Recognizing Others’ Intentions

OBJECTIVE the faces on the worksheet. (Each face

represents one intention.) Ask students
Children will learn to identify and to describe how the faces might be
distinguish friendly and hostile (or mean) feeling. Encourage them to identify the
intentions in others. For older students clues that led to their answers. For older
you might also present and discuss students, you may just want to show a
ambivalent (“can’t tell”) intentions. copy of the sheet to students to serve as
a guide to intentions.
REVIEW
Materials 2. Introduce younger students to the
Activity sheet 11 and scissors Ask students to two puppets and explain that these
recall the different puppets are going to help them
Two puppets (K-3)
ways we can tell practice reading clues. Have older
Situation scenarios (examples are what a person is children act out the scenes in role
provided, although group leaders may feeling (facial plays. ‘Tell the students to watch each
expressions, body scene carefully, and instruct them to
need to modify or construct additional
language, tone of hold up the face that best describes the
scenarios that are appropriate for your
voice). Encourage
Safes Group Process Tip: Remember to help
group) them to give puppets (actors)
examples. Review at the end of each students “step out of their roles,” especially
Cartoon situations (provided below)
the idea of cues scene. (Note: difficult emotional or interpersonal ones, in
(or clues), talking Group leaders any role plays you use in this lesson.
about detectives, what they do, and how should create scenes ; oie
Remind students that the situations they
they look for clues to help them solve commonly
mysteries or puzzles. Remind students encountered in acted out were made up to help them learn
that facial expression, body language, school, at home, and about deciding what's going on in a
and tone of voice are all clues that help in the
situation.
us figure out how a person is feeling. neighborhood.
Feelings can also affect the cues we Situations should be
notice and pay attention to. Also caution simple, involving only one interaction.)
students to remember that they may
have missed some important cues in a 3. Group leaders should have puppets
situation, and if so it’s important to find or students act out each scene twice,
out what happened. demonstrating the intentions friendly
and hostile (add ambivalent, or “can’t
ACTIVITIES tell,” for older students). As
appropriate, have the puppets (or
1. Pass out scissors and activity sheet 11 encourage the actors to) engage in self-
to each student. Have students cut out talk. After each scene, ask students to

8]
 M A K I N G cH © I “Ge Es

indicate which intention was depicted most of the cartoons, it would have
in the scene. Ask them to describe the been difficult to interpret the intention
clues that helped them arrive at their had there not been a caption.
decision. Compare and contrast scenes
using specific examples that help SUMMARIZE THE MAIN IDEA
children see the differences between
intentions more clearly. People’s intentions can be either friendly
or hostile. We can often tell people’s
4. During one set of scenes, have one intention by their words, their tone of
puppet (or actor) pretend he or she is voice, their actions, and what is going on
very happy about getting a new toy around them.
earlier in the day or getting tickets to a
big concert. Does this change how the LESSON ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY
puppet or actor interprets the actions
of the other character in the scene? Using magazines and newspapers, cut
out pictures of people with friendly or
5. An alternative activity, especially for hostile expressions engaged in social
older students, uses the set of cartoons situations. Divide the class into small
found at the end of this lesson. Show groups of two or three and pass out
students the first cartoon, or pass a several pictures to each group. Instruct
copy around the group. Ask students to students to separate the friendly
identify whether the cues in the pictures from the hostile ones.
cartoon (for example, the actions, (Students can create a collage with the
words, or expressions) indicate hostile, separate groups of pictures.) Ask
friendly, or ambivalent intentions. students to identify the clues that
Have students describe how they chose helped them decide which pictures
an intention and which cues helped were positive and which were negative.
them figure out what was going on. Be List the clues on a board and review
sure that they attend to cues that are the differences between friendly and
individual (tone of voice, for example) hostile interactions.
and contextual (for example, whether
adult supervision is present). Repeat SCENES
this exercise for each cartoon. After
presenting the last cartoon, summarize Presented on the next page are sample
(or have students summarize) how scenes or scenarios. These can be
students decided on the intentions of modified to fit the developmental level
the cartoon characters. Point out that of your group, or you can create new
several cartoons could be hostile or scenes appropriate for your group. You
friendly, depending on the caption. For can also use situations that students

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 ES S$ ON 1

aes
ea
Sk

have generated in earlier lessons to » You are in the bathroom at school

develop other scenes. Be sure to alter combing your hair in front of the
the setting—home, school, and mirror. There are several other
neighborhood—so students can learn people in the bathroom. A person
to assess the context of cues in making walks out of the stall, looks at you
interpretations. and comments,
Hostile: “Your new haircut looks
= Puppet (Actor) #1 is watching TV at horrible on you!”
home. Friendly: “I like your hair.”
Hostile: Puppet #2 comes in, pushes Can't Tell: “Oh, I see you got a haircut.”
past him, and changes the channel.
Friendly: Puppet #2 comes in and You get on the school bus at the end
asks if he can watch TV too. Puppet of the day. The bus is very crowded.
#1 agrees. Puppet #2 asks if he can Friendly: As you walk down the aisle
pick the next program when this looking for a seat, you see a boy
show is over. Puppet #1 says, move over in his seat, leaving room
“sure!” on his seat near the aisle.
Can’t Tell: Puppet #1 is watching Hostile: You see an empty seat but
TV. Puppet #2 comes in, walks the kid behind you pushes you out
around the room a few times, says of the way and grabs the seat. He
nothing, finally stops, and stares at looks up at you and says, “Tough
the TV while blocking the view of luck, zit-face.”
Puppet #1. Can’t Tell: You see an empty seat
but just as you’re heading for it a
» You are skateboarding down a hill. kid who was standing at the back
As you get to the bottom, a boy of the bus walks forward and takes
from your class rides his bike right the seat.
in front of you, causing you to fall
onto the hard pavement. You lie on You are in the movie theater waiting
the street in great pain. in line to buy popcorn and a soda.
Hostile: The boy looks at you and As you wait, you look around and
laughs and then keeps on riding see that the new boy from your class
down the street. is also at the theater. He looks up
Friendly: The boy gets off his bike, and sees you. i
runs over to you, and asks if you’re Friendly: He smiles and waves to you.
okay. Hostile: The boy shoots his middle
Can’t Tell: The boy rides off without finger at you.
looking at you (did he even see Can’t Tell: The boy turns and walks
you?). in the other direction.

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 M A K | N G

» You are walking down the hallway at

school and you see a friend of yours
walking toward you. You wave and
call out her name.
Can’t Tell: She continues walking
without responding to you.
Friendly: Your friend runs over and
asks you if you’ve seen Leo’s new
movie.
Hostile: She tells you that she’s been
invited to a big party, and then
laughs and tells you that you weren’t
invited.

Your friend gets a new video game

for his birthday. He asks another
boy to come over after school and
play a game with him.
Can’t Tell: He does not ask you to
come over to his house to play.
Hostile: He tells you that you’re the
last person he’d want to play with
the video game because you’re too
dumb to figure out electronic
games.
Friendly: Your friend tells you that
he can only have one person over
at a time, and he would like you to
come try out the video game next
week,

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 UN © my 18 ~ LOE VS *§ FO «N 1

CARTOON 1

“So, after we write the fake love letter and put it on Ms. Smith’s desk, then we'll tell
. everyone that Jack is in love with her. He’ll be so embarrassed.

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 MA K IN G ¢c H OF 1 cg $

CARTOON 2

“You guys are the best friends I’ve ever had!”

86
 Nw 8 me ts - LSE eS 1S 50:AN 1

CARTOON 3

“Ndi
t1ba

Gums
“T like to mow Grandma’s lawn for her. She is always so pleased when I help her out.”

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 M A K I N G O 1c
cH ES

CARTOON 4

Lilddddae

“I’m going to mow down all of Mom’s flowers because she won’t let me
go to Fred’s house tonight.”

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“Shhhh! Be very quiet!”
 MA K IN G con OF. -o HS

CARTOON 6

The audience calls out, “Bravo! You did a wonderful job!”

90