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SEL Soft SkillsActivity NameGroup SizeTime LengthGrade LevelEquipmentsSetting RequirementsAny resource
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Social Awarenessinterpersonal SkillsCLASS AGREEMENTS
Discussing conflict can be hard. It requires trust, acceptance, respect and a perception of safety. Most students know they’re expected to treat one another respectfully, but are not always sure, or perhaps haven’t been asked to consider, what respectful treatment looks like specifically. Indeed, it changes context to context, group to group and person to person. Posting a list of jointly created classroom agreements or guidelines can help make this more explicit.
DIRECTIONS
1. Brainstorm with your class about behaviors that would make the classroom safe and most
conducive to learning. Brainstorm questions might include:
• When you’re sharing an idea, what would you like your classmates to do doing?
• What would you like your teachers to be doing?
• What can your peers do to show you respect?
• What requests do you have of your classmates while in our room?
2. Record a list of ideas on the board. Accept all ideas, initially.
3. Push for specificity. For instance, if students’ suggest, “Be respectful,” ask them what that
looks like.
4. Once everyone’s ideas are listed, ask the class if they can all agree to the proposed
guidelines. If there’s disagreement, ask why. Modify the list until it’s agreeable to all.
5. Have your students turn the list into a large poster.
6. Display the poster prominently in the room and refer to it when helpful.
ALTERNATIVELY
Ask your students to write down a time they remember feeling disrespected or unsafe in a
classroom. Ask what behaviors or rules might have prevented that occurrence. Use their
responses to spur your brainstorm.		Small Group/Class10-20 MinutesElementary/ Middle SchoolN/AN/A
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Social Awarenessinterpersonal SkillsFRIENN DIAGRAM
We all identify with parts of our personality and cultures. You might identify as an artist or sister or Native American or male. While we may feel an especially strong connection to certain attributes,
we’re comprised of many. It’s important to recognize that others hold different values and identify with different roles. These values may seem foreign, but they’re worthy of acknowledgement and respect. This activity will help
students express their character, appreciate their uniqueness, and at the same time, consider their commonalities.
DIRECTIONS
1. Pair students and ask them to complete the worksheet “FriENN Diagram.”
2. Ask students to generate their own interview questions or use the questions provided
below. Their questions and diagrams should reflect the personal qualities that are most
important to them.
3. Once completed, ask groups to share their diagrams with the class.

ALTERNATIVELY
• Ask each pair to partner with another group and compare their diagrams. What
connections do you share with the other group? Which connections are unique?
• Create new pairs! Ask students to create “FriENN Diagrams” with 2, 3, 4, or ALL of their
classmates.
• Ask students to form groups of three and complete the three set diagram.

OBJECTIVES
• Students appreciate their classmates’
character and cultures and
strengthen peer relationships

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
• Did you discover anything surprising about your partner? Any interesting similarities or
differences?
• Did any pair find NO shared qualities? Can you think of any now?
• Which do you think is more important: our similarities or our differences? Why? PLEASE CLICK THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF 		Small Group/Class40-60 MinutesHigh SchoolPrint FRIENN DIAGRAM INTERVIEW QUESTIONS and FRIENN DIAGRAMS and the number of copies depends on the number of your students in your groupN/A
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Social Awarenessinterpersonal SkillsMAIL PERSON OBJECTIVES
• Students become better acquainted and strengthen peer relationships.
Many students in the class may already know each other or be friends, and others may not. Mail Person is a fun, physical activity gives students an opportunity to share personal information with one another and discover commonalities between themselves. This activity is an easy way to build familiarity between students and hopefully make all students feel more comfortable in the classroom. Use Mail Person as an icebreaker or as a constructive way to burn energy.
DIRECTIONS
1. Arrange seats in a large circle. There should be one fewer chairs than people. Ask one student to begin as the Mail Person and stand in the middle of the circle.
2. The Mail Person initiates the activity by saying, “I’m the Mail Person from (name any place) and I have mail for everyone who (name something true of him or her),” This fact could be a favorite food, a certain life experience, a belief, color of hair, etc.
EX: I’m the Mail Person from Brooklyn and I have mail for everyone who celebrates Hanukkah.
3. All students in the circle for whom this fact is true should quickly get up and move to another, not adjacent, seat. In the style of musical chairs, the student left without a seat stays in the middle and becomes the new Mail Person.
4. Continue play until every student who wants a turn has had one.

ALTERNATIVELY
The race for a new chair is exciting and competitive. For more collaborative game play, ask all students for whom the fact is true to stand in the middle of the circle and quickly elect a new Mail Person together. Ask each group how they made their decision.		Small Group10-20 MinutesElementary/ Middle SchoolN/AN/A
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Social Awarenessinterpersonal SkillsSTEP CIRCLE OBJECTIVES
• Students build positive classroom relationships and learn to identify with one another.
• Provide a safe, controlled space for students to express their beliefs and experiences. Conflicts can be isolating, especially when combined with the transitions and self-consciousness of early adolescence. Often, middle school students feel alone with their lot in life, confident that others will not, or cannot, understand their feelings, thoughts or situations. This activity can help to penetrate that isolated perception and make the classroom a more comfortable place to discuss those issues like emotion, biases and personal points-of-view that are so essential to conflict education and resolution.

DIRECTIONS
1. Have the class stand in a large circle.
2. Inform the class that this is a completely silent activity, and ask them not to comment, laugh, scoff or indicate during the exercise.
3. Instruct the students to listen to the following statements. Ask them to take one step into the circle if they identify with the statement or feel it applies to their life. Ask them to silently step in, pause for 2 seconds to observe and appreciate others, and then step
silently back into the outer circle.
• Encourage students to interpret the statements however they like, but ask them not to question the statements or seek clarification.
• Emphasize that stepping in is always voluntary.
4. Read the I-statements aloud one at a time, pausing between each question for step-ins.
Use the statements provided and/or develop your own.

ALTERNATIVELY
If you feel comfortable, ask the circle to begin generating its own I-statements. Follow the same process, only instead of reading, have students step in, one at a time, while making a personally significant statement.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
• How did this activity make you feel? What did it make you think?
• What, if anything, surprised you during this activity?
• What did this activity make you realize about your classmates? What about yourself?

OBJECTIVES
• Students build positive classroom relationships and learn to identify with one another.
• Provide a safe, controlled space for students to express their beliefs and experiences.
PLEASE CLICK THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF 		Small Group/Class20-40 MinutesMiddle SchoolPrint STEP CIRCLE I-STATEMENTS and the number of copies depends on the number of your students in your groupN/A
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Social Awarenessinterpersonal SkillsUSING “I” MESSAGES
This activity helps learners learn to give criticism, explain a Education problem, make a suggestion, or express an opinion without being offensive to the other person.
Learning Objective
Adult learners will understand the importance of “I” messages, identify their feelings, and express their feelings in difficult situations in a non-threatening manner.
Work-Based Skills
EFF Skills: Interpersonal Skills: cooperate with others, resolve conflict and negotiate; Communication Skills: Speak so others can understand, listen actively, convey ideas in writing, read with understanding.
KSAs: Cooperates with others, Works on a team effectively, Listens for understanding; Talks with respect; Follows instructions; Reads work related text.
SCANS: Basic Skills: speaking, listening, reading, writing; Interpersonal
Skills: participates as a member of a team, exercises leadership; Resources: human.
Subjects
• Interpersonal relationships
• Life skills
• Problem solving
• Work environment
Activity Description
I have had learners who have quit their jobs because they could not get along with the boss. They did not understand how to explain a problem or express an opinion without offending the other party.
This learning activity was part of a series of lessons on problems of communication in the workplace. We also covered lessons on understanding barriers to communication and improving listening habits.
1. Ask learners how many times they have wanted to “tell someone off” but just let the situation pass because they knew a confrontation would occur.
2. Encourage learners to share some of these situations with the class. Have the class share different approaches that could have been used and discuss the possible outcomes.
3. Explain that it is better to express how you feel about an issue rather to criticize the other party. Demonstrate verbal examples of “I” messages. Such examples might include “I’m really feeling upset about this,” instead of, “You really make me mad.”
4. Using Handout 1, have the learners change the “you” messages to “I” messages.
5. Using Handout 2 (or a sheet that you have made containing examples of conflict situations), discuss appropriate and inappropriate responses to conflict situations. Leave part of the appropriate responses blank for the learners to fill in on their own response. Make sure there are several “You” messages which are incorrect and “I” messages which are correct, so that the learners can compare.
6. Write negative feeling words that show a wide range of emotions such as “scared” or “angry” on the board. These examples can guide the learners in determining the correct words to use in their messages.
7. Ask learners to create a list of responses to situations they have experienced or are likely to experience with their children, classmates, or co-workers.
8. In the next hour, have learners pair up and practice what they have learned by role-playing the different responses.
9. As an added emphasis, have learners practice using “I” messages describing how things could be changed. This goes beyond expressing feelings. For example, if a co-worker tells you that you are doing something wrong, you could reply, “Although I don’t agree, I appreciate your point of view.” Then, for the second part of the “I” statement, you could say, “I wish we could see eye-to-eye more often.”
Assessment
The learner will be able to write the correct “I” message conveying both the feeling and the desired change when given a conflict situation from the workplace.
Practitioner Reflection
The learners had a much easier time dealing with the parent-child situations than with the workplace situations. I believe this is because they feel more comfortable dealing with problems with which they have had more experience.
PLEASE CLICK THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF 		Small Group/Class40-60 MinutesHigh SchoolPrint Using “I” Messages (Part 1—The Feeling Part, Part 2—The Desired Change), and Using “I” Messages—Conflict Situations and the number of copies depends on the number of your students in your groupN/A
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Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingHow do you see?
Have students describe an everyday object to you in words, as if you’ve never seen the object. You’ll be surprised to their points of view.
Directions
Before you start the activity with your class, discuss about simple objects and how they look, with your students. Example, a tree can be described having one big brown leg that is fixed to the ground with green veined hair on its head.

Hand over a paper and a pen to each student.
List out different objects which they can describe in a creative way – example, TV, glass, oven, bed, books, shower, etc.
Read out the different explanations in class and expose kids to the multiple ways an object can be described. PLEASE CLICK THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF 		Small Group10-20 MinutesElementary SchoolsYour class pens Papers
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Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingFact or Opinion
Often, kids cannot differentiate between facts and opinions. It’s important to tell a fact from a mere opinion to filter valid information from a gamut. Conduct the critical thinking activity
on the class to help students discern facts from opinions and grow up to be independent thinkers.

Directions
• Present the following situations to your students –
o My dad is the best dad in the world.
o Slimy toys feel gooey.
o Dogs make better pets than cats.
o My mom is shorter than your mom.
o Two out of every American citizens are self-employed.
o Smoking is bad for health.
• Ask them to tell a fact from an opinion.
• Make sure your students explain why a certain statement is a fact and another is an opinion. PLEASE CLICK THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF 		Small Group10-20 MinutesElementary Schools
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Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingHappy Birthday!
Here’s a different way to find out someone’s birthday.
Have a friend follow these instructions:
1. Write the number that stands for the month you were born. (January is 1, February is 2, March is 3, and so on)
2. Double the number.
3. Add 6.
4. Multiply the new number by 50.
5. Add the day you were born.
6. Subtract 365.
7. Add 65.
8. Make a slash between the second and third digit from the right. The numbers to the left of the slash stand for the month your friend was born; the numbers to the right stand for the day your friend was born.

Try This!
An Age-Old Trick Here’s how to find out some- one’s age. Have a friend write his or her age on a piece of paper and keep it secret. Have your friend multiply the number by 3, add 12, divide by 3, and add 93. Have your
friend tell you the number. Drop the first digit and add three to the remaining number to get your friend’s age. CLICK THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF 		Small Group10-20 MinutesElementary Schools
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Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingQuick Draw

You can use art as well as numbers to sharpen students’ abilities to follow directions. Have each student take out a sheet of paper and a pencil. Explain that you are going to read a series of directions for the class to follow. Then read these directions:
1. Draw a square in the bottom left-hand corner of the paper.
2. Draw another square in the bottom right-hand corner of the paper.
3. Draw a circle in the middle of each square.
4. Put a dot at the center of each circle.
5. Draw a line connecting the two squares.
6. Draw four triangles an inch from the top of the page.
7. Put an X in the first triangle on the right.
8. Draw a circle inside the second triangle from the right.
8. Draw a square inside the circle.
10. Put a square in the third triangle from the right.
11. Color in the last triangle.
12. Draw a circle around that triangle.
13. Draw a line across the middle of the page.
14. Use that line as one side of a rectangle.
15. Write your full name in script in the rectangle.
16. Draw a square directly above the rectangle.
17. Divide the square in half.
18. Color in half of the square.

Have students compare their drawings. Do they all look alike? Discuss which directions could be reworded to be more precise. CLICK THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF 		Small Group20-30 MinutesMiddle / Elementary School
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Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingRecycled Words

You probably recycle cans and newspapers, but did you know that you can recycle words too? You can use the same word to make many different words and phrases. For example, you might use the word ice to make the words ice skate, iceberg or ice water.
For each row, add the same word on the lines to make new words.
Example: coat check coat room coat of arms
1.------ lash ----- brow -----sight
2.----- mark -----mine -----scape
3. -----born----- England -----Year’s Day
4. -----work -----test----- block
5. -----around----- away -----off
6. -----shape -----wreck -----yard
7. -----bow -----coat -----dance
8. -----storm -----plow -----shoe
9.----- pen -----house----- room
10. -----roll -----shell -----nog CLICK THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF 		Small Group10-20 MinutesElementary SchoolsPrint Recycled Words
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Reletionship SkillsCommunication SkillsClassroom Complaint Line OBJECTIVES
• Students understand that complaints typically carry an implicit request.
• Students will practice interpreting complaints as requests for a specific action.
It’s said that behind every complaint is a request. “I’m so tired of your lies!” can be interpreted as, “Please tell me the truth” or perhaps simply, “Will you stop lying?” It’s not always our first instinct to hear the plea within complaining and potentially rude comments. Ideally, we learn to translate our own complaints and pose the request we’re really trying to make. Short of this, it’s helpful to be able to hear others’ appeals, even when they’re not stated as such. It’s not always best to indulge whining, but reframing grumbles this way can smooth communication and help resolve or even prevent disputes.
DIRECTIONS
1. Seats the class in a large circle.
2. Ask one student to volunteer as the “Classroom Complaint Line” and stand in the middle of the circle.
3. In go around fashion, ask each student in the circle to make a complaint. Complaints should be stated, “Ugh, I’m so...”
4. In response to each complaint, the student in the middle should mime an action that placates the complaint, i.e. satisfy the request that he/she hears in the complaint. After a brief charade, the student should say, “I heard you ask for... So I... Does that help? EX: Ugh, I’m so hot! (After pretending to open a window) I heard you ask for some cool air so I opened a
window. Does that help?
5. Let one student respond to 3-4 requests and then ask another volunteer to sevre as the “Classroom Complaint Line.” Continue until all those who want a turn have had one.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
• How might understating complaints as requests help in conflict situations?
• Can you think of an example from your own life when a request might have served you better than a complaint?
• Do all complaints imply a request? Can you think of any that do not CLICK THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1X8DhJCiRtnx87dpttyM4e0DkuzS5eHKZ		Small Group10-20 MinutesMiddle SchoolsPrint Request Worksheet N/A
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Reletionship SkillsCommunication Skillsi-INTERPRETER OBJECTIVES
• Students practices forming I- statements and understand the advantages of I-statements in communication. When we’re upset with someone, we often express our dissatisfaction in the form of your statements: “You missed my game again. You never show up when you say you will.” We accuse, guess at others’ intentions and reprimand their actions. Rather than improve the situation, you-statements tend to trigger defensiveness and provoke denial and rebuttal. I-statements, on the other hand, focus on one’s own experience and feelings: “I was really looking forward to seeing you at my game. I felt disappointed when I didn’t.” I-statements are an opportunity to share your perspective. They are easier to hear than accusations and harder to contest. This activity allows students to practice forming I-statements and to appreciate the difference between blame and self-expression.
DIRECTIONS
1. Pair students. Ask one student to be the speaker and the other to act as the speaker’s i- Interpreter.
2. Ask each speaker and his/her i-Interpreter to partner with another speaker and interpreter, creating groups of four.
3. Ask the speakers to enter into a mock disagreement. Speakers may only say one sentence at a time alternating back and forth AND may only speak in you-statements. The speakers can invent their own disagreement or use the handout “You Made Us Fail!”.
4. After each statement, and before the other speaker responds, ask the speaker’s i-Interpreter to restate the sentence as an I-statement.
5. Continue - first speaker, first interpreter, second speaker, second interpreter – for 5-10 minutes. REMINDER
Watch out for disguised you- statements. “I feel like you missed my game again” is not a true feeling and it’s not an I-statement. It’s an accusation with “I” in front of it. Ensure that i Interpreters focus on real emotions and personal experiences.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
• As a speaker, which was it easier to hear, you-statements or I-statements? Why?
• As an i-Interpreter, what was challenging about crafting I-statements.
• Why might having an i-Interpreter (or the ability to speak in I-statements) be useful in a disagreement? CLICK THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1X8DhJCiRtnx87dpttyM4e0DkuzS5eHKZ		Small Group20-30 MinutesHigh SchoolPrint YOU MADE US FAIL! Worksheet N/A
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Reletionship SkillsCommunication SkillsMAD LIPS OBJECTIVES
• Students appreciate the limitations of non-verbal communication.
• Students test the accuracy of their empathic intuitions.
It’s believed that the majority of communication is non-verbal. We rely on gestures, facial expressions and tones to convey those subtle messages we don’t speak aloud. But expressions are not always as easy to understand as words. Non-verbal communication is highly subject to our interpretation, and the accuracy of those interpretations is often undependable. This activity allows students to test their own empathic intuitions. And helps illustrate the communicative limitations of non-verbal expression.
DIRECTIONS
1. Break students into pairs, A and B, and give each pair a copy of the exercise “Map Lips.”
2. Give one partner Sheet A and the other partner Sheet B. Ask partners not to share their sheets with one another.
3. Ask partner A to read the first narrative aloud, pausing at each blank.
4. Ask partner B to follow along on his/her sheet. Where partner A’s sheet has blanks, partner B’s sheet will have bolded emotion words.
5. When partner A gets to a blank, ask partner B to convey the corresponding emotion word using only gestures and facial expressions.
6. Ask partner A to guess the emotion and fill in the blank in his/her narrative. Repeat this throughout the narrative.
7. For the second narrative, ask partners A and B to reverse roles.
8. Once both narratives are filled in, ask partners to share their sheets.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
• How accurately were you able to read your partners expressions?
• Was it easy to express all of these feelings non-verbally? Do you have distinct expression for each of these emotions?
• Compare your sheets. How much does the meaning of the narratives change from one sheet to the other?
• What does this tell you about your non-verbal interpretations in everyday conversations? CLICK THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1X8DhJCiRtnx87dpttyM4e0DkuzS5eHKZ		Small Group20-30 MinutesHigh/Middle SchoolPrint MAD LIPS Sheet A and B N/A
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Reletionship SkillsCommunication SkillsTELEPHONE OBJECTIVES
• Students learn to question the reliability of rumors and second-hand accounts.
• Students understand how broken communication can lead to conflict.
This is the classic through-the-grape-vine game. It’s fun! And, it illustrates perfectly the type of misunderstandings and plain falsehoods that can come of gossip and he-said, she-said tales. Conflict often arises as a result of miscommunications just like those in the game. The skill – and this is much harder in practice – is realizing when a real-life conversation might
actually be a game of Telephone.
DIRECTIONS
1. Arrange seats in a large circle.
2. Whisper a short narrative into the ear of the student sitting to your left. The narrative should be no more than 2-3 sentences. Use the narratives provided for create your own.
3. Ask that student whisper the same sentences to the student to his or her left, and so on, until the tale reaches the student on your right.
4. Ask the last student to say aloud what he or she was told.
5. Say allowed the narrative with which you began. See how the two compare.
6. Play multiple rounds starting at different places in the circle each time.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
• How many people heard and repeated the sentences I actually began with? (See how early the communication broke down.)
• How might communicating like this lead to problems?
• Have you ever been involved in a game of telephone in real life? What was that like?
• When and if you heard your name in a narrative, how did that change your reaction? Did you listen more carefully? Did you want to repeat what was said?
• What are some ways we can prevent miscommunications like this from happening?
ALTERNATIVELY
Split the class in half and have each group form a line standing shoulder to shoulder. Whisper the same narrative at the beginning of each line and have it work its way to their ends. Ask the
student at the end of each line to write what they heard on the board. Compare what makes it through each line. If it seems safe, create narratives that use the names of students in the class. Observe how this affects the game. CLICK THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1X8DhJCiRtnx87dpttyM4e0DkuzS5eHKZ		Small Group/Class20-30 MinutesHigh/Middle/Elementary SchoolsPrint TELEPHONE NARRATIVES N/A
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Reletionship SkillsCommunication SkillsWHEN, I FEEL, I NEED OBJECTIVES

• Students learn to construct a basic I-message about their emotions and desires.
It’s been said that “you” and “should” are the most dangerous words in the English language. They’re accusatory and directive and often very hard to hear. They commonly rouse anger and a what-gives-you-the-right type of defensiveness. I-messages, statements that only describe the speaker, are harder to dispute and can greatly improve the quality of conversation in confrontational situations. This activity helps students identify their emotions and express them using a standard I-statement. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
• Do all people respond to a situation with the same feelings and needs?
• Did any of your classmates have responses that struck you as very different from your own response? If so, was it surprising?
• Why might I-statements like these be useful in a tense situation?
• How would respond to an I-message like this?
DIRECTIONS
1. Arrange seats in a large circle.
2. In go-around fashion, have each student craft an I-statement using the formula “When...I feel... I need...” Ex. “When I do not understand an assignment, I feel frustrated. I need to ask a friend or teacher for help.”
3. All students can respond to the same “when,” or you may provide each student with a new “when.” Use the “when...” prompts provided or create your own.
4. Help students identify real emotions and avoid embedded you-statements. “I feel disrespected” is an emotion and I-statement. “I feel like you were disrespectful” is neither.
5. Give each student an opportunity to practice 3-4 I-statements.

ALTERNATIVELY
In go-around fashion, have each student contribute one part of the statement so that it takes three students to complete a full “When, I feel, I need” message. The first student invents a
“when.” The next student listens to the “when” and adds how he or she would feel, “I feel...” The third students listens to the feeling and adds what he or she would need, “I need...” Go around and switch up the order until all students have had a chance to contribute each piece. CLICK THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1X8DhJCiRtnx87dpttyM4e0DkuzS5eHKZ 		Small Group/Class40-60 MinutesHigh/Middle SchoolPrint “WHEN” PROMPTS and YOU AND I-MESSAGES
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Reletionship SkillsCommunication SkillsWhat’s Going on In the Picture?
This is one such activities to develop communication skills in children. Ask your child to explain what he sees in the picture. Encourage him to describe the colors, the people, the scenery and every detail he sees. For older children, ask what according to them might have happened before the scene and what they think will happen later. This parent child communication game will help children ideate in a logical manner.
Small Group20-30 MinutesMiddle Schools
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Reletionship SkillsCommunication SkillsChanging the Leader:

This body language game for kids involves playing the leaders. Changing the Leader is a fun game that will train your kid to pay attention to facial cues and body language. One kid has to start as the leader and perform an action like clapping or stomping his feet. He can use his face to indicate an emotion like frowning or smiling. Every other kid has to imitate the leader’s actions. The leader will then choose another leader by winking, smiling or nodding. The kids now have to pay attention to the new leader and imitate his actions.
Small Group20-30 MinutesElementary Schools
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Reletionship SkillsCommunication SkillsPresentation:

This can be interesting communication game for kids. Tell your child to give a presentation to a local retirement home. He can include a craft demonstration or recite a poem. The sooner the child gets comfortable talking in public, the better. It will help him overcome the biggest fear of public speaking that most kids have.
Small Group20-30 MinutesHigh School
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Reletionship Skills
Listening SkillsKnock, Knock. Who's There?

In this class activity, students will be challenged to recognize the voices of classmates. What's great is that this activity only requires paper and pencil.
Instructions
- Have students take out a piece of paper and pen or pencil. Ask students to number their paper to 10.
- Select three students to come to the front of the classroom. All other students should then lay their heads down on their desks with eyes closed.
- Using fingers, express to one of the selected students he is first and another selected student that he is second.
- The first selected student will then say "Knock, knock" and the second student will respond with "Who's there?"
- Send the selected students back to their seats then direct the rest of the class to open their eyes and write down the name of the student who said each phrase.
- Continue playing in this fashion until all students have been called to the front and 10 rounds have been played.
- The student with the most correct answers at the end is the winner.
For added difficulty, allow students to disguise their voices. Another fun modification might be to instruct speakers to do a celebrity impersonation when saying their phrases. Guessing students will not only have to identify the classmate speaking, but also the celebrity they are impersonating.		Small Group 20-30 Minutes Middle / Elementary School
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Reletionship Skills
Listening SkillsShopping List.
Sitting in a circle or at desks, one student begins with “I went to the corner store and I bought …” They complete the sentence with an item that they bought. The second student repeats the sentence, adding a second item. This continues until a student forgets an item. That student is then ‘out’, and the next student begins a new list. This can be played until one student remains, or for an allocated time. ‘Corner store’ can be replaced with “I packed my schoolbag and put in …” or “I went for a picnic and took…” This game develops both listening skills and memorisation.
Small Group/Class20-30 Minutes Middle / Elementary School
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Reletionship Skills
Listening SkillsPass It On.
Once known as Chinese Whispers, this game involves students siting in a circle. One student whispers a message into the next student’s ear. This student must pass the message on to the next student and so, until the final student says out loud what the message is. This game develops both listening and clear diction.
Small Group20-30 Minutes Middle / Elementary School
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Reletionship Skills
Listening SkillsBus driver exercise
Tell the group that you will be asking questions on what they are about to hear and that they can take notes if they wish.
Start by saying you are the bus driver.
You then read out a bus route, for example: You are the bus driver at stop no 1, three people got on the bus, one of them was wearing a red hat.
At stop 2, four people got on and one got off.
At stop 3, two people got on, one person was carring a bag and the person with the red hat got off.
Continue with this detailed theme.
When you have finished you ask the question: What is the bus drivers age? The majority of people will not have heard the opening line: "you are bus driver".		Small Group/Class20-30 Minutes Middle / Elementary School
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Reletionship Skills
Listening SkillsSkillswise
I ask all the members to write the names of three people whom they consider as good listeners. I personally check with each participant if they have written three names (some find it difficult) then I ask the group if anyone has written the name of the person whom they don't like. Usually nobody writes the name of the person whom they don't like.
Then I ask if the three people they have written, come in any one of these categories: liked by them, loved by them or respected by them. The response normally is yes. Even if someone writes the name of the person whom they don't like, that person will come in the group of people respected by the participant.
Now I ask them, if they are to be liked or loved or respected by others, how should they be?
They see the point that they need to be good listeners if they are to be liked, loved or respected by others."
Small Group 20-30 Minutes Middle / Elementary School
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Reletionship Skills
Listening SkillsLISTEN “ING”
There’s a difference between hearing and listening. Hearing is a physical process. For most people it happens automatically. Listening is a skill that involves hearing and also involves meaning making, comprehension and communication. Like most skills, listening takes
practice. There are many natural barriers to effective listening like environmental distractions, internal dialogues and personal agendas. This activity helps illustrate the difference between hearing and listening, and helps students become aware of their own personal listening barriers.
DIRECTIONS
1. Pair students and have them sit facing each other. Ask them to pick one person to be the speaker and the other to be the listener.
2. Instruct the speakers to describe their ideal family vacation (or any topic).
3. Without letting the speakers hear, ask the listeners to count the number of words ending in “ing” that their partner says. This can be done by pulling all of the listeners aside or with written instructions.
4. Ask the speaker to talk for 3-4 full minutes. Encourage them to be inventive and fill the entire time.
5. Break for discussion.
6. Ask the speaker to describe one of their most vivid dreams (or any topic).
7. Ask the listeners to truly listen (perhaps tell them they’ll be asked to summarize the speaker’s description afterward).
8. Ask the speaker to talk for 3-4 full minutes.

OBJECTIVES
• Students learn the difference between hearing and listening.
• Students become familiar with different types of listening barriers.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
• Listeners, how many “ing” words did you count?
• Listeners, how much of the speakers story do you recall? Were you able to concentrate on both the story and the “ing” words?
• Speakers, did you feel like you were being listened to? How can you tell when someone’s really listening? DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
• Listeners, how was it different listening this time compared to last time?
• Speakers, did you feel like your partner was listening? How could you tell?
• We don’t really count “ing” words, but we do let things get in the way of our listening. What are some things or thoughts that sometimes keep you from really listening, even though you can hear the words? Do you have examples?		Small Group/Class30-60 MinutesHigh School
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Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingAntarctic Facts

Read the passage about the Antarctic. Then fill in the web with facts from the passage. Include at least three facts for each heading.
Antarctica is the continent at the South Pole. Antarctica is surrounded by three oceans—the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian. It is the fifth largest continent and the coldest place on Earth. Because it is below the equator, winter in Antarctica takes place when it is
summer in the United States. Metal shatters like glass in the brutal Antarctic winter. Temperatures drop to 120 below zero; a person without the right clothing would freeze solid in just a few minutes. Winds gusting up to 200 miles per hour come screaming down the ice, tearing into the piles of snow.
With the exception of a few insects, Antarctica has no animal life on its land. However, penguins, seals, whales, krill, and seabirds thrive in the oceans around the continent. Likewise, few plants besides mosses grow on the ice-covered land of Antarctica. No people live permanently on this continent, but Antarctica is known for its scientific stations. Many nations, including the U.S., Chile, Norway, Great Britain, and Australia have large research centers where scientists study earthquakes, gravity, oceans, and weather conditions.

ANTARCTIC

Location
1. ________________
2. ________________
3. ________________

Climate

1. ________________
2. ________________
3. ________________

Wildlife

1. ________________
2. ________________
3. ________________

Science

1. ________________
2. ________________ 3. ________________ . THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF		Small group10-20 MinutesElementary schools
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Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingArctic Facts

Read the passage about the Arctic. Then fill in the web with facts from the passage. Include at least three facts for each heading.
The Arctic is a large region of the earth around the North Pole. This region includes the Arctic Ocean, Greenland, Iceland, thousands of smaller islands, and the northern parts of three continents: North America, Europe, and Asia. Many of the inhab-
itants are Eskimos, people native to the region. Still others are Lapps, Yakuts, and Chukchi.
Wildlife in the Arctic includes wolves, polar bears, foxes, many birds, caribou, lemmings, voles, walrus, and Arctic hares. The most common Arctic
fish is the char, a kind of trout.
The Arctic climate is harsh. Temperatures can reach 70 degrees below freezing in the winter. Blustering winds make the weather even more bitter. Summers are short and cool.

ARCTIC

People

1. ________________
2. ________________
3. ________________

Location
1. ________________
2. ________________
3. ________________

Animals
1. ________________
2. ________________
3. ________________

Climate

1. ________________
2. ________________
3. ________________ THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF		Small Group10-20 MinutesElementary Schools
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Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingOrigami

A great way to build visualization skills is by introducing students to the Japanese art of paper folding, origami. Give students these step-by-step instructions for creating an origami rabbit:
1. Label points on the sides of a square with the letters A–H as shown. Be sure to write the letters on both sides of the paper.
2. Fold the square in half horizontally (G to H). Unfold. Fold in half vertiacally (E to F) and unfold. Fold point A to point D, creating diagonal CB. Unfold and fold point B to point C, making the diagonal AD. Unfold. These four folds
are “helping” folds, made to crease the paper so that subsequent folds will be easier.
3. Fold line AC to line GH and then fold line BD to line GH.
4. Fold points A and B down to lie on horizontal line EF.
5. Place thumbs inside two corner pockets and pull points A and B outward and down to make triangular points. Place an O at the center of the top line of the figure. (Be sure to check with illustration No. 4.)
6. From top point O make diagonal folds to points A and B.
7. Fold bottom corners C and D back.
8. Fold model in half (reversing centerfold).
9. Fold the tail inward (a “squash fold”). Push thumb into point to keep the fold even and pinch the sides together.
THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF		Small Group/Class20-40 MinutesElementary/Middle/High Schools
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Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingWordplay
Imagine you live in a world with only 20 words. You can use these 20 words as much as you want, but you cannot use any other words at all. In the space below, list the 20 words you’d pick: 1------------------ 2------------------- 3------------------- 4------------------- 5----------------- 6------------------- 7-------------------- 8----------------------- 9---------------------- 10------------------ 11------------------ 12------------------ 13------------------- 14----------------- 15------------------- 16---------------- 17------------- 18----------------- 19----------------------20------------------- Try This! Use Your Words Now, write a paragraph using only your 20 words! Make sure your paragraph has at least five sentences.

THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF		Small Group/Class20-40 MinutesElementary/Middle/High Schools
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Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingSqueeze in Words
Words are indispensible to human lives. Encourage kids to think deeply with our activity on critical thinking and come up with 20 words that they think are the most necessary in our lives.

You will need
• Stationery –pens and papers
• Template (see page 2 of PDF)
• Students

Directions
Hand over the stationery to the kids.
Ask them to imagine they live in a world with only 20 words to express themselves.
They can use the 20 words as many times as they want to but they cannot use any other word apart from the suggested ones.
Download our template and hand them over to each student.
Begin the activity when everybody has got their stationery and template.
After they have written the 20 words, instruct them to compose a paragraph with the 20 words.
They will be pleasantly surprised to see the number of other words that they have missed which are also indispensible to live in the world and express themselves.
Write down 20 words that you think you cannot live without and which are indispensible to express yourselves.

1------------------ 2------------------- 3------------------- 4------------------- 5----------------- 6------------------- 7-------------------- 8----------------------- 9---------------------- 10------------------ 11------------------ 12------------------ 13------------------- 14----------------- 15------------------- 16---------------- 17------------- 18----------------- 19----------------------20-------------------

Write a paragraph with the 20 words you wrote. You can use these 20 words as much as you want, but you cannot use any other words at all. THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF		Small Group/Class20-40 MinutesElementary/Middle/High SchoolsStationery –pens and papers • Template (see page 2 of PDF)
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Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingYou Decide

Many great scientists and inventors have helped the world. For example, Dr. Christiaan Barnard performed the first human heart transplant and Louis Pasteur discovered how to kill germs in milk.
These are important discoveries, but which ones were the most important? You decide! First, cut out the “Scientist Cards.” Then, read the information on both sides. Decide which inventions were the most important and why. To show your choic-
es, arrange the cards from most to least important. Once you have made your choices, discuss them with the class. THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF		Small Group/Class30-40 MinutesElementary/Middle/High SchoolsPrint Scientist Card
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Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingThe Survival Game

Oh no! Your watch stopped and you missed the tour boat back to civilization. Looks like you’ll be spending a while on an uninhabited tropical island. Below is a list of 30 items that might come in handy during your stay. Rank them in order of most important (1) to least important (30).
_______ a bag of dried fruit
_______ 6 gallons of drinking water
_______ a jackknife
_______ a Walkman and tapes
_______ 10 bunches of bananas
_______ 10 cans of vegetables
_______ matches
_______ a copy of Treasure Island
_______ a blanket
_______ a bathing suit
_______ a deck of playing cards
_______ a hunting knife
_______ a can opener
_______ chewing gum
_______ a walkie-talkie
_______ soap
_______ ketchup and mustard
_______ a change of clothes
_______ a Frisbee
_______ a sack of potatoes
_______ a book called Edible Tropical Plants
_______ a flashlight
_______ a camera
_______ rope
_______ a compass
_______ 10 pounds of hamburger
_______ a device that converts salt water to drinking water
_______ a raincoat
_______ a comb
_______ a radio

Compare with the Class Discuss your rankings with classmates. How are they alike? How do they differ? THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1MYoxKqt1tjHlhumfGISdk6P5VUI5ZLnh		Small Group/Class30-60 MinutesElementary/Middle/High Schools
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Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingTrivia Trackdown

How many of these questions can you answer?
1. How many squares are there on a checkerboard?
2. What is the name of Mickey Mouse’s dog?
3. What kind of animal is Babar?
4. What was the name of the Wright Brothers’ airplane?
5. What is the capital of New York?
6. What do frogs have in their mouths that toads don’t?
7. Who was the first woman to sit on the Supreme Court?
8. What nations border the continental U.S. on the north and south?
9. Who created The Cat in the Hat?
10. How many queen bees are in each hive?
11. Who was the second president of the United States?
12. How many teaspoons make up a tablespoon?
13. What two states share Kansas City?
14. Who is the Friendly Ghost?
15. Name the Great Lakes.
16. Who painted the “Mona Lisa”?
17. What substance inside corn makes it pop?
18. How many sides are there on a snowflake?
19. How many wings does a bee have?
20. How many pints are in a quart?

Think of Another Think of another trivia question for a classmate to answer. THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF		Small Group/Class20-30 MinutesMiddle/ High Schools
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Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingWhat Am I?

Below is a list of definitions for words that begin with the letter h.
See how many you can guess.

Words That Start With h
1. Balls of ice that fall from the sky ________________

2. A 17-syllable Japanese poem ________________

3. Not whole ________________

4. A patty of chopped beef ________________

5. An allergy to grasses and weeds ________________

6. The organ that pumps blood ________________ . 7. A great person; someone people admire ________________

8. Opposite of low ________________

9. The study of past events ________________

10. A country known for its tulips ________________ . THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF		Small Group20-30 MinutesHigh School
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Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingReal Estate
Look carefully at the homes on this page. Then answer the questions.
1. How many homes have only two windows and one door?
2. How many homes have no windows?
3. How many homes are not for people?
4. How many homes do not have walls made of wood?
5. How many homes float?
6. How many homes have flags flying?
7. How many homes have 12 or more windows?
8. How many homes have a porch? THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF		Small Group/Class15-30 MinutesElementary SchoolsPrint PDF Form with Pictures
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Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingTricky Twins
The cats are having a party. Most of the cats are twins dressed just alike and standing the same way, but three single cats are at the party, too. With a colored pen or pencil, find and number the 12 pairs of identical twins. Then circle the three cats that have no twin. THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF		Small Group 10-20 MinutesElementary SchoolsPrint PDF Form with Pictures
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Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingTriangle Challenge
How many triangles can you find in this shape? Use colored pencils
to outline each triangle. Write your total in the space below.
There are _________ triangles. THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF		Small Group10-20 MinutesElementary SchoolsPrint PDF Form with Shapes
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Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingHow Do You Hide an Elephant?
 You probably can’t hide an elephant in your room, but you can hide one in a sentence. Let’s start small. Can you find the goat that is hiding in the sentence below?
Lisa will go at dinner time.
The two words go at spell goat when you put them together.
Now, find these animals in the sentences below. Underline the letters that spell the animal names.
ape deer horse rat
kitten owl dog bear
lamb hen pony mice
1. Go fish or see what we have to eat in the refrigerator.
2. Be artistic and paint a picture for me.
3. She needs a new cover for her book.
4. Tom iced the cake for the birthday party.
5. Do girls like soccer or baseball?
6. Ms. Dee read a book to the class.
7. What a big bowl of noodles you have!
8. Hop on your bicycle and let’s go for a ride.
9. Jess took a peek into the package.
10. “Slam bam!” the ball hit the rim with a crash!
11. Jay did kick it ten times in row.
12. Please have dinner at my house on Monday.
THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF
Small Group20-30 MinutesHigh SchoolsPrint PDF Form
42
Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingTurn-Around Numbers
This number activity challenges students to listen carefully and follow directions. It calls for students to count backward, count forward, and skip lines. Ask students to take out a piece of lined paper. Then give them a series of directions. (You can select any sequence of steps you wish, keeping your students’ abilities in mind). Here’s an example:
1. Write the number 86.
2. Count backward five numbers and write the new number.
3. Skip a line, count forward three numbers, skip another line and write the new number.
4. Count backward eight, forward two, skip two lines, write the new number.
5. Count forward nine, skip a line, and write the new number.
6. Count backward eight, skip a line, count backward six, skip a line, and write the new number.
7. Count forward three, skip a line, count forward ten, skip a line, and write the new number.
8. Underline the new number. What is it?
Continue the activity with different numbers and functions! THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF
Small Group20-40 MinutesHigh SchoolPrint PDF Form
43
Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingSave Yourself!
Below is a map of the Kingdom of Og, a sad and dangerous land. Unfortunately, you were passing through Og when your camels went into revolt. Now the fierce residents of Og are after you, and your precious cargo of peanut butter—the rarest and most sought-after item in all of Og. Your only chance of survival is to escape to Zog, where peanut butter is not at all popular. While you may not have your camels, you do have a map to lead you there. Draw your path in pencil; mark each stop with an X. Follow these directions.
Directions
Go northeast four miles to the mountains. Head four miles due north to the castle, where you’ll make a quick stop for lunch. Then travel eight miles northwest to the lake, where you’ll take a refreshing dip. Then go 16 miles east to the oasis for a rest. From the oasis, continue east five miles to the bike stand, where you’ll hop on a bike and head north to Zog. Good luck! THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF
Small Group/Class20-40 MinutesElementary SchoolsPrint PDF Form with Maps
44
Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingOn the Wild Side, Part I
Check out these amazing animal facts and then sort the animals
according to the categories on page 46.
Classify the animals in the following categories:
Strongest
Fastest
Most Efficient
Largest Smallest
Create new categories that you can use to classify these animals.
THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF
Small Group 15-30 MinutesElementary SchoolsPrint PDF Form with explanation
45
Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingGet Set
A set is a collection of people, objects, or numbers. The members of the set are alike in one or more ways.
Here’s an example: How are all the numbers outside the box the same? They are all odd numbers. How are all the numbers inside the box the same? They are all even numbers.
1. Put the following letters into two sets. Put one set inside the box and the other set outside the box. Be ready to explain how you made your choices. A B Z E D I G O C U
2. Arrange the following items into two sets. Put one set inside the circle and the other set outside the circle. Be ready to explain how you made your choices. jet robin glider kite helicopter sparrow eagle hummingbird
3. Set #1 is a set of __________________. They are the color _______________________.
Set #2 is a set of __________________. They are the color _______________________.
The place where Set #1 and Set #2 meet is a set of _______________________ and _________________. They are the colors __________________and __________________.
THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF
Small Group 15-30 MinutesElementary SchoolsPrint PDF Form with explanation
46
Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingOrder, Please Below are lists of four items. You can order the items in the lists in different ways. Arrange each list in a way that makes sense to you. Write your explanation on the line provided. For example: birdhouse, house, pup tent, castle You might arrange the items in order of size—from smallest to biggest: birdhouse, pup tent, house, castle; or you might choose to arrange them in alphabetical order: birdhouse, castle, house, pup tent. The choice is yours! 1. hour, second, day, minute _______________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ 2. Elizabeth Atkinson, Carlos Diaz, Andrea Martin, Bob Kin _________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ 3. dawn, dusk, midnight, high noon ________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ 4. seed, bud, flower, fruit ___________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ 5. neck, head, feet, knees ___________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ 6. California, Pennsylvania, Alaska, Hawaii __________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________ 7. peach, pea, cabbage, watermelon ______
THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF

Small Group15-20 MinutesMiddle SchoolsPrint PDF Form with explanation
47
Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingBig Questions Answer the following questions. There is no “right” answer. 1. How would life be different if the sun never set? ________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________
2. How would life be different if people could only get from place to place by walking? ________________________________________________________________________
3. How would life be different if you were a bug instead of a human? ________________________________________________________________________
4. How would life be different if there was no gravity? ________________________________________________________________________
5. How would life be different if the sky was green? ________________________________________________________________________
6. How would life be different if the United States, Europe, Africa, China, etc., were all connected and there was only one land mass? ______
THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF
Small Group20-40 MinutesHigh SchoolsPrint PDF Form
48
Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingSurf and Turf
What’s life like under the sea? How do creatures live in the forests?
Learn more about the earth’s oceans and forests by playing this game with a friend. Here’s how:
1. Cut out the double-sided playing cards on pages 68 and 69. You’ll also need two copies of the game board below, one for each player.
2. Put all the cards in a stack, face up.
3. The first player picks the top card.
4. The player explains what’s on the card and where it belongs. For example: Fish are sea creatures that belong in the ocean.
5. Players check the back of the card, and if the answer is right, the first player puts the card in the correct spot on his or her game board. If the first player is wrong, the card goes back in the stack.
6. Play ends when all the cards are in piles on the players’ boards. The player with the most cards wins. THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF

Small Group/Class30-60 MinutesMiddle/ High SchoolsPrint PDF Form with words
49
Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingMy Hero!
List the five people you admire most. These people can be from the past or the present.
Hero 1. _____________________________________________________________
Hero 2. _____________________________________________________________
Hero 3. _____________________________________________________________
Hero 4. _____________________________________________________________
Hero 5. _____________________________________________________________
Think of a trait that all the people you admire have in common.
Write it below.
______________________________________________________________________
Now, think of a special quality that makes each of the people unique. Write a different trait for each of them below.
Hero 1. _____________________________________________________________
Hero 2. _____________________________________________________________
Hero 3. _____________________________________________________________
Hero 4. _____________________________________________________________
Hero 5. _____________________________________________________________

Define It Write a definition of what a hero or heroine is. THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF

Small Group/Class20-40 MinutesMiddle/ High SchoolsPrint PDF Form
50
Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingAbout Me
You evaluate books, places, and things every day. Now, take a look at yourself by answering each of the following questions:
1. I am especially good at______________________________________________________
2. I am a good friend because I ________________________________________________
3. People can trust me because I ______________________________________________
4. One of the best things about me is __________________________________________
5. I am fun to be with when I _________________________________________________
6. I help my family by _________________________________________________________
7. I help my friends by ________________________________________________________
8. I help my community by ____________________________________________________
9. I try to make the world a better place by ____________________________________
10. I like myself because I ____________________________________
More Ideas Think of a goal that you have for yourself. Write a plan for how you will reach it. THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF

Small Group/Class20-40 MinuteMiddle/ High SchoolsPrint PDF Form
51
Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingA Million-and-One Uses
Here’s an activity that encourages students to take a fresh look at some familiar objects. Write the names of these objects on slips of paper and put them in a hat:
a piece of paper
a sheet
a pillow
a book
a chair
a cup
a piece of string
a box
a rubber band
Divide the class into small groups. Have each group draw a slip from the hat. Then give the groups 15 minutes to brainstorm new uses for that object. For example, if the group selected “a piece of paper,” its list might look something like this: fold into a fan to keep cool fold into a cup for drinking
crumple into a ball to play catch use as a bookmark
After the brainstorming session, invite the groups to share their lists with the class. THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF		Small Group/Class20-40 MinutesMiddle/ High SchoolsPrint PDF Form
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Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingScavenger Hunt
Guess what! You’re going on a scavenger hunt, and you don’t even have to leave your desk. Think of something that fits each of the descriptions below and write it in the blank.
1. Something you toss: _______________________________________________________
2. Something that is messy: ___________________________________________________
3. Something that changes shape: _____________________________________________
4. Something that you should not walk on: ____________________________________
5. Something that you shake:__________________________________________________
6. Something that smells fantastic: ____________________________________________
7. Something that you heat: ___________________________________________________
8. Something that changes color: ______________________________________________
9. Something that you freeze:__________________________________________________
10. Something that you stir:___________________________________________________
11. Something that is loud:____________________________________________________
12. Something that grows:_____________________________________________________
13. Something that opens:_____________________________________________________
14. Something that you carry: _________________________________________________

Act It Out Choose one or two of the things you wrote and act it out. Can the class guess your answer to the Scavenger Hunt clue? THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF		Small Group/Class20-40 MinutesMiddle/ High SchoolsPrint PDF Form
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Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingWhat Does It Represent?
Throughout Asia, the crane is a symbol for good luck. Similarly, an olive branch symbolizes peace, and a white flag means surrender.
Write a sentence to explain what each of the following symbols
means to you.
a dove _______________________________________________________________
an eagle ____________________________________________________________
the American flag ___________________________________________________
a red rose ___________________________________________________________
a fox ________________________________________________________________
an owl _______________________________________________________________
a wedding ring ______________________________________________________
a four-leaf clover _____________ . THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF		Small Group10-20 MinutesMiddle SchoolPrint PDF Form
54
Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingFlower Power
Matilda wants to plant flowers. She wants to have an equal number of tulips and daffodils in yellow, orange, and white. But when Matilda bought a bag of bulbs, she didn’t know how many of each color
she had. Use the facts below to see how many flowers of each color Matilda has.
1. Of the three colors, each group has a different number of members.
2. Twice as many tulips are orange as daffodils are yellow.
3. Four times as many tulips are white as daffodils are orange.
4. An equal number of tulips are orange as daffodils are white.
5. Three more daffodils are yellow as tulips are yellow.
6. No tulips are yellow.

Color in the flowers.
Orange Yellow White Total
Daffodils 10
Tulips
Totals 20 Illustrate It Draw what the garden will look like. THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF

Small Group10-20 MinutesElementary/Middle SchoolsPrint PDF Form with chart
55
Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingOdd Couples
The following pairs may seem mismatched at first glance, but they actually have a lot in common. Think about these “odd couples.” Then write down two things these partners have in common.
1. kitten/baby
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
2. computer/typewriter
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
3. magazine/radio
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
4. worm/snail
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
5. water/wind
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
6. bubble/balloons
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
7. spring/birth
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
8. 3/7
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
9. lion/elephant
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
10. tomatoes/cherries
____________________________
____________________________
____________________________
Share and Compare Work with a partner to share and compare responses. THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF
Small Group/Class20-40 MinutesMiddle/ High SchoolsPrint PDF Form
56
Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingAmazing Analogies
Analogies show relationships between pairs of words.
Analogies look like this: yolk : egg :: pit : cherry.
You read this analogy by saying: “Yolk is to egg as pit is to cherry.”
In this example, the relationship is part to whole: a yolk is part of an egg, and a pit is part of a cherry.
Complete the analogies below. Then write the analogy statement.
The first one has been done for you.
1. dry : desert :: wet : _________________________________________________________
2. palm : hand :: sole : ________________________________________________________
3. three : triangle :: four : _____________________________________________________
4. Venus : planet :: poodle : ___________________________________________________
5. pears : trees :: pumpkins: __________________________________________________
6. turkey : Thanksgiving :: witch : _____________________________________________
7. shades : windows :: rugs : __________________________________________________
8. swimming : water :: sledding : ______________________________________________
9. grapes : cluster :: bananas : ________________________________________________
10. teacher : chalk :: artist : __________________________________________________
11. book : read :: television : __________________________________________________
12. sugar : sweet :: lemon : ___________________________________________________
Name the Relationships Reread the analogies, then identify the kind of relationship each one shows. THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF
Small Group/Class30-60 MinutesMiddle/ High SchoolsPrint PDF Form
57
Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingPuzzling Problems
When you analyze a problem, you break it into smaller parts to find the answer. You look for clues in the problem. You add these clues to what you already know. Some problems have only one answer, but other problems have many answers.
Analyze these problems to come up with solutions. Write your answers on the lines provided.
1. How can you make an unshelled hard-boiled egg balance on its end? _____________________________________________________________________________
2. How can two people stand on the same sheet of newspaper, face to face, so they can’t possibly touch each other? (Hint: Their hands aren’t tied and you can’t tear the sheet of newspaper.) ______________________
3. A boy went to the dentist to get a cavity filled. The boy was the dentist’s son, but the dentist was not the boy’s father. How can this be? __________________________________
4. You have ten pennies arranged like this. Make the pennies face the other way. You can only move 3 pennies.
5. You have two bottles. One holds five quarts. One holds three quarts. You need exactly four quarts. How can you do it? ___________________________________________________________________________
Write About It Write a step-by-step account of how you solved one of the problems on this page. THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF
Small Group/Class20-40 minutesHigh SchoolsPrint PDF Form with shapes
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Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingResponse Rally
Here’s a fun way to help your students build synthesis skills. Pose the following questions one at a time, challenging students to write down as many possible answers for each question as they can. When you’re done, discuss students’ responses.
Encourage students to explain their answers.
1. Imagine your mother said to you, “I am glad you had an egg with toast before you went to school this morning.” She did not prepare your breakfast; she did not see you eat it. How did she know what you ate?
2. Plants native to one region are found all over the world. Why?
3. How are animals and plants similar? How are they different?
4. Which things do you wish had never been invented? Why?
5. Why are homes around the world different?
6. If you could invent anything in the world, what would it be and why?
7. Name some books in which animals speak like people.
8. If you could be any age at all, what age would you be and why?
9. Name as many hobbies as you can.
10. Imagine you had a time machine that could take you backward or forward in time. Where would you go and why?
11. If you were a superhero, who would you be and why?
12. List as many uses for paper as you can imagine.
13. What one thing would you do to improve the world?
14. Why do people speak different languages?
15. Imagine your parents said to you, “We wish you would not go out to play so early in the morning.” They did not see you leave or enter the house; they did not see you outside. How did they know you went outside?
16. What would the United States be like if there was no government?
17. Who is your favorite writer? Why?
18. Do you wish dinosaurs were still alive? Why or why not?
19. Which sport do you think is the best? Why?
20. What would the world be like if people didn’t have to sleep? THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF
Small Group/Class30-60 Minutes High SchoolsPrint PDF Form with shapes
59
Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingA Coat of Arms
A family coat of arms is a shield with pictures that represent your family. For example, if your family lives in the mountains, loves baseball, and travels a lot, your coat of arms might include a mountain, a baseball diamond, and a car with suitcases on its roof. Think about what makes your family unique. Then design a family coat of arms below. THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF		Small Group15-30 MinutesElementary/Middle SchoolsPrint PDF Form with a coat of Arms
60
Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingDeer Me!
Read this comic and then answer the question below What do you think the farmer’s idea could have been? List two ways
to get the deer out of the farmer’s field without hurting them.
1. __________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
2. _________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

Solutions Needed Some animals, like deer, are in no danger of dying out. Other animals, in contrast, are in danger of becoming extinct. What creative approaches might scientists use to try to preserve endangered species? List as many ideas as you can. THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeYF		Small Group15-30 MinutesElementary/Middle SchoolsPrint PDF Form with pictures
61
Responsible Decision-makingCritical ThinkingMagic Squares
What’s a lot older than TV and video games and just as interesting? Magic squares! The first magic square was created in China around the year 2,800 B.C. From China, the magic square spread to India, Japan, the Middle East, Africa, and finally to Europe and America.
A magic square is an array of numbers arranged this way:
1. The square has the same number of rows and columns.
2. No number is used more than once.
3. The sum of every row, column, and diagonal is the same number.
Below are two magic squares that have been started for you. Complete each one by placing numbers between 1 and 9 in the squares so the sum of the rows and columns is 15. THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/1/folders/14Uy5eq-aN6729nGnyw5KuXnq251igeY		Small Group15-30 MinutesElementary/Middle SchoolsPrint PDF Form with Chart
62
Responsible Decision-makingProblem Solving SkillsMoral dilemma
Create a number of possible moral dilemmas your students might encounter in life, write them down, and place each item folded up in a bowl or bag. Some of the items might include things like, “I saw a good friend of mine shoplifting. What should I do?” or “The cashier gave me an extra $1.50 in change after I bought candy at the store. What should I do?” Have each student draw an item from the bag one by one, read it aloud, then tell the class their answer on the spot as to how they would handle the situation.
Small Group/Class20-40 MinutesHigh Schools
63
Responsible Decision-makingProblem Solving SkillsGroup Drawing

Divide your group of kids into teams of three. Each person on the team has a one of the following roles:
Drawer. The drawer attempts to recreate a pre-drawn design they cannot see. They take directions from the talker. They stand with their back to the talker and viewer and may not talk.
Talker. The talker describes the design to the drawer, without seeing the design. They may question the viewer. They may not use hand gestures.
Viewer. The viewer sees the design. However, they are not allowed to talk and must communicate nonverbally to the talker. Additionally, they must not draw the design in the air or actually show the design with their gestures.
The activity ends when the viewers say they are satisfied with the drawings. You may wish to award a prize to the best drawing.
Small Group20-40 MinutesMiddle/ High Schools
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Responsible Decision-makingProblem Solving SkillsAlphabet Game

Have your players sit or stand in a circle? The goal is to shout out words in alphabetical order. Give the kids one of the following categories (or choose your own):

Animals
Foods
Clothing
Furniture
Flowers
If a player takes longer than five seconds to think of a word, they are out. The last player remaining wins the game.
Small Group/Class15-30 MinutesElementary Schools
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Responsible Decision-makingProblem Solving SkillsSurvivor scenarios
Create a pretend scenario for students that requires them to think creatively to make it through. An example might be getting stranded on an island, knowing that help will not arrive for three days. The group has a limited amount of food and water and must create shelter from items around the island. Encourage working together as a group and hearing out every child that has an idea about how to make it through the three days as safely and comfortably as possible.
Small Group/Class20-40 MinutesMiddle/ High Schools
66
Responsible Decision-makingNegotiation and Conflict SkillsAPPLE ARGUMENTS OBJECTIVES
• Students think about different types of conflict origins.
• Students understand how determining the origin of a conflict helps inform approaches to resolution.
1. Arrange seats in a large circle around a small table or desk. Put an apple on the table.
2. Cut and hand out an Apple Position to each student. If need be, two students can share a position. Or, you can invent new ones! Ask students to keep their positions secret, at first.
3. Ask two students at a time to come to the table and read or describe their positions to each other and the class.
4. For each pairing, ask the class to consider the following questions:
a. What type of conflict has formed, if any? (Which of the class’s conflict categories would you place this problem in?) Is this a resource or value conflict?
b. What needs are at stake in this conflict?
c. Can you think of a win-win solution to this problem?
EX: You want to eat the apple, but you only like the skin. You usually toss the rest.
You want to use the apple to make applesauce.
a. This is a conflict over resources.
b. Hunger. Validation. Creativity.
c. Peel the apple. One can eat the peel and the other can use the flesh for applesauce.
5. Continue until all students who want a turn have gone.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
• Which conflicts seemed easier to resolve, resource conflicts or value conflicts?
• What would happen if you used the same resolution for all of these conflicts? Say, flip a coin and winner gets the apple? Or, split the apple and give each person half?
• Did this activity help you think of any new conflict categories?

APPLE ARGUMENT POSITIONS
You want to eat the apple, but you only like the skin. You usually toss the rest.
You’re deathly allergic to apples. You cannot touch them or anything they’ve recently touched.
You believe apples are demonic. They should all be burned as soon as possible.
You’re certain this is the apple that was stolen from your lunchbox earlier, but cannot prove it.
You’re an apple farmer. You want the seeds to plant in your orchard.
You’re a hunger activist and think that using the apple or any purpose other than eating is wrong.
You want to use the apple to make applesauce.
Apples are sacred in your religion. They must not be eaten or otherwise defaced.
You want to put the apple in a barrel and go bobbing for apples.
You hate apples. You don’t like the taste and you don’t like the texture. You’ll tell anyone who asks.
You have Malusdomesticaphobia, the fear of apples, you can’t bare to see, be near or even talk about apples.
You’ve just learned how to break an apple in half with your bare hands. You want to prove to everyone that you can do it.
You want to cut the apple in half and use it to make painting prints.
In your culture, apples are believed to have incredible healing powers, but only if you eat the whole thing, peel, seeds and stem.
You want to take pictures of the apple at various stages of decomposition for a science project. THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1_yKQUGqPjANcpKX1Q_TyCp6fIseapGBt		Small Group/Class30-60 MinutesHigh SchoolsPrint PDF Form
67
Responsible Decision-makingNegotiation and Conflict SkillsCONFLICT RESPONSES TS We often think of conflicts as bad or unfortunate, situations to be avoided if possible. Actually, in most cases, conflicts are opportunities to make something better. They challenge us to learn, create and improve. That’s why textbooks call them math “problems.” Conflicts get their bad rap from the ways in which people choose to respond to them. There are always multiple ways to react in conflict situations, some destructive and others constructive. This activity will help students understand that our responses help determine whether conflicts lead to fall out or productive problem solving.
DIRECTIONS
1. Group students into teams of three.
2. Within their groups, ask students to come up with a conflict. It can be imaginary or a conflict from one of their lives.
3. Ask each group to create a T-chart for its conflict, listing three constructive ways one might respond to that conflict and three destructive ways. Emphasize that constructive ways likely lead to learning, problem solving and better relationships,
while destructive ways will lead to escalation and enmity.
4. Ask each group to share their conflict and T-chart with the class.
5. For every constructive and destructive response shared, ask a listening student provide one possible consequence or outcome.

OBJECTIVES
• Students understand that conflicts are not necessarily negative.
• Students understand how their reactions to conflict help shape its course.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS . What is challenging about coming up with constructive response when you’re actually in a conflict?
Our T-charts list only constructive and destructive responses to conflict. Are all responses either constructive or destructive, or might your response affect conflict in a different way? THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1_yKQUGqPjANcpKX1Q_TyCp6fIseapGBt		Small Group/Class30-60 MinutesHigh SchoolsPrint PDF Form
68
Responsible Decision-makingNegotiation and Conflict SkillsCONFLICT SCENARIOS

• Your family just moved into a new house. There are three rooms available for you, your brother and sister, but one is larger than the others and has a bigger closet. You sister has the most clothes and insists she needs the room. Your brother thinks he should get the room because he’s the oldest. You want the extra space for your drum set. It bothered everyone when you practiced in the dining room. Your parents told you to work it out amongst yourselves.
• This month, your school is engaging students in an anti-drug campaign. You and Eduardo have been chosen to create a large banner to be hung in the school’s main hallway. Eduardo wants to draw a series of student portraits, each with their own drug awareness slogan. You don’t like drawing and would rather use the banner to explain the school’s campaign in large block letters.
• Your best friend Jeremy has been flirting with the girl you like. It bothers you, but it’s not particularly surprising. Jeremy flirts with just about every girl in school. However, as Jeremy’s friend you know that the girl he really likes is Ashlynn. He’s had a crush on her for years. You’re deciding how to handle the situation.
• You’ve recently become friends with Kelsey and sent her a friend request on Facebook. You really like Kelsey in person, but online she’s a bit much. She likes and comments on almost everything you post, and some of her comments are inappropriate. You’ve grown very irritated and you’re worried that your parents and other friends will disapprove of what they see on your profile.
• Every summer your work for your grandpa doing odd jobs around his farm. You enjoy the work and really like having extra money for the school year. But this year, your grandpa has also hired his neighbor’s son, Curtis, to help out. Slowly, Curtis is taking more and more of your jobs. Some days you arrive and your grandpa has nothing for you to do! You don’t know Curtis that well, but feel like you should have first pick of the jobs. You’re the grandson, after all! THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1_yKQUGqPjANcpKX1Q_TyCp6fIseapGBt		Small Group/Class30-60 MinutesHigh SchoolsPrint PDF Form
69
Responsible Decision-makingNegotiation and Conflict SkillsFRAMING
The ability to reframe harmful or accusatory language is one of a mediator’s most valuable skills. Insulting words like, “stupid” or accusations like, “You did that on purpose!” are commonly heard in disputes, but generally do not help one reach resolution. Plus, negative language like this is hard to hear when it’s directed at you, especially if your emotions are already running hot. A good mediator can identify loaded language and restate it in a way that’s less abrasive. When it’s done well, a reframed statement highlights the truly important content – emotions, interests, requests – and omits the inflammatory extras.
DIRECTIONS
1. Group students into threes, and give each group a copy of “Reframing Prompts.”
2. In their groups, ask students to take turns reframing the provided prompts. For each prompt, one student should act as the mediator, reframing the statement, while the other two students act as disputants.
3. Encourage students to think about the emotions and interests behind each statement, while eliminating aggressive language.
4. Reframes should begin with a qualifying phrase such as, “It sounds like...” or “I hear you saying that...”
EX: Whenever we work together she doesn’t say anything. It’s like she’s dumb.
It sounds like you value others’ ideas, and you’d like to get input from your partner. THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1_yKQUGqPjANcpKX1Q_TyCp6fIseapGBt 		Small Group/Class30-60 MinutesHigh SchoolsPrint PDF Form
70
Responsible Decision-makingNegotiation and Conflict SkillsIMBALANCE CHALLENGES
Conflicts rarely unfold on an equal playing field. Power, one’s ability to influence the outcome, is always a factor in conflict, and usually the balance of power is tipped. One disputant may have more smarts, more supporters, more money, more conviction, more physical ability or more verbal ability. Each is a form of power and there are many more. A type of power can be more or less useful depending on the situation. It is important to be aware of the power dynamics at play in conflict (and normally hard not to be). This activity will allow students to experience and appreciate different types of power and how they can influence conflict.
DIRECTIONS
1. Arrange seats in a large circle.
2. Two at a time, ask students to come into the middle of the circle to compete in an “Imbalance Challenge.” Inform the class that in these challenges one student will be put in a position of less power.
3. Ask students in the circle to think about the types of power and power imbalances they see at play before them.
4. Continue challenges until every student who wants a turn has had one.

OBJECTIVES
• Students recognize different types of power.
• Students understand how power imbalances can affect conflicts and competition.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
• What types of power imbalances did you see in these challenges?
• What did it feel like participating in a challenge with less power? With more?
• How do you think different types of power factor into real conflicts?
• Can you think of any real-world conflicts in which there is a large power imbalance?
• What can we do to add or detract to our own power? To others’ power? THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1_yKQUGqPjANcpKX1Q_TyCp6fIseapGBt 		Small Group/Class30-60 MinutesHigh SchoolsPrint PDF Form IMBALANCE CHALLENGES
71
Responsible Decision-makingNegotiation and Conflict SkillsMEDIATOR’S ICEBERG
This classic metaphor is an easy way to illustrate the relationship between positions, interests and needs in conflict. The analogy helps students understand that what’s immediately visible in conflict is often only “the tip of the iceberg.” While the larger, more significant issues are below the surface waiting to be uncovered.
THE ICEBURG
Positions: in conflict, people often have very specific demands. They’re usually easy to identify because disputing people are quite up front about them, “I want a turn!” “I will not be his partner!” “I think she should stop talking!” These are all positions. And it’s often the case that our positions are odds with others’, especially in conflict. Positions are the tip of the iceberg. They’re visible but normally only a small part of the issue.
Interests: Interests are the deeper, more general desires and emotions in which positions are rooted. A desire for fairness; wanting to be comfortable with your partner; feeling heard – these are all interests. Peoples’ positions represent one way to satisfy their interests, but usually there are others. Interests are the bulk of the iceberg hidden below the surface. They’re harder to see,
but once you do, the problem may seem more reconcilable. You may even find that the two tips are actually the same berg!
Needs: Needs are the fundamental things that all people strive to maintain. They include physical needs like food, water and shelter, as well as psychological and emotional needs like belonging, relationship, identity, love and purpose. Needs the water in which positions and interests are immersed. They’re implicit to all of our actions and desires, buoying both our agreements and disagreements.
DIRECTIONS
1. Draw the iceberg diagram on the board and hand out a copy of “The Mediator’s Iceberg” (p. 3) to each student.
2. Explain the difference and relationship between positions, interests and needs, and why this is useful in mediation. Use the reference on the next page for more direction.
3. As you explain, ask students for examples of positions and related interests. Fill their suggestions into the diagram.
4. Brainstorm a list of Needs with students and fill their suggestions into the “water” area of the diagram.
5. Encourage students to reference their “The Mediator’s Iceberg” handouts when thinking through a conflict or conducting a mediation. THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1_yKQUGqPjANcpKX1Q_TyCp6fIseapGBt 		Small Group/Class30-60 MinutesHigh SchoolsPrint PDF Form MEDIATOR’S ICEBERG
72
Responsible Decision-makingNegotiation and Conflict SkillsRE FRAMES
When people fall into disdainful positions or use accusatory, insulting words, it’s usually a sign that emotions are running hot or their interests feel jeopardized. A strong outburst indicates a strong belief. It’s a mediator’s job – and a generally useful social skill – to read between the lines and interpret the meaningful message behind plainly mean language. In mediation, this helps defuse negative tension and makes space for truer communication.
DIRECTIONS
1. Individually or in small groups, ask students to complete the handout “Re FRAMES.”
2. When reframing, encourage students to eliminate accusations, insults and definitive language (always, never, worst, can’t). When interpreting interests, ask student to think about why someone would be upset about this topic? What important thing is being threatened?
3. Once they’ve completed the handout, ask students to share and discuss their answers. THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1_yKQUGqPjANcpKX1Q_TyCp6fIseapGBt 		Small Group/Class30-60 MinutesHigh SchoolsPrint PDF Form RE FRAMES
73
Responsible Decision-makingNegotiation and Conflict SkillsSPEED DATING
The ability to accurately and succinctly paraphrase another’s words is highly useful to a mediator. It shows the speaker you were listening and reinforces the essential content and emotions he or she wants to communicate, making them harder for the other party to miss. This activity allows students to practice this skill. In mediation, paraphrasing is done on the spot and you never know what someone might say. So this exercises emphasizes speed, and encourages students to quickly stretch their memories and mouths.
DIRECTIONS
1. Arrange seats in two parallel rows so that two students sit facing each other at a comfortable talking distance.
2. In turns, ask one student in each pair to be the speaker and the other to paraphrase.
3. Ask the speakers to speak on a random topic for 30 seconds. Invent your own topics or use the prompt provided below. After 30 seconds say, “Paraphrase!”
4. In ten seconds, ask the speakers’ partners to paraphrase what they heard. Encourage students to focus on the primary points of the speech and to highlight emotions. After ten seconds say, “Switch!”
5. Now, in the same pairings, the speaker will paraphrase and the paraphraser will speak on the same topic. After both have gone say, “Rotate!”
6. The students in one row will shift one seat down while the students in the other row stay seated, forming new parings, like speed dating.
7. Continue this cycle – speak, paraphrase, switch, speak, paraphrase, rotate – until all students have been partnered.

OBJECTIVES
• Students practice paraphrasing.
• Students understand how
paraphrasing is useful in mediation.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
• What was difficult about paraphrasing quickly like this?
• Who do you feel did an especially good job of paraphrasing your story? What made it feel well done?
• What are some reasons paraphrasing may be useful when mediating?

SPEED DATING PROMPTS
• Describe your first day of school this year.
• If you could travel to any planet, which would it be and why?
• Describe the last argument you were in.
• What’s the worst grade you’ve ever gotten and why did you get it?
• Describe your relationship with your grandparents.
• The last time you were late to school, what happened to cause your lateness?
• If you had to, how would you change the ending of your favorite movie?
• Describe you last dentist appointment.
• If you could be any fictional character, who would you be and why?
• How did you learn about the attacks of Sept 11th and what was your response?
• Describe your favorite part of elementary school.
• If WWIII were to break out tomorrow, how do you think you’d react?
• In your opinion, what’s the worst thing a friend can do and why?
• Describe the way you prepare and the way you feel the night before a big test.
• What would you do if you won the lottery? THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1_yKQUGqPjANcpKX1Q_TyCp6fIseapGBt 		Small Group/Class30-60 MinutesHigh SchoolsPrint PDF Form SPEED DATING
74
Responsible Decision-makingNegotiation and Conflict SkillsWHAT’S FAIR?
In negotiation we like to know that we’re getting a “fair” deal. What that means depends on the context and people with whom you’re negotiating. Different standard of fairness apply to different situations. In business, the market determines the fair price of goods. In sports, we defer to the rules of the game or the referee’s judgment. To get a fair result from negotiation, it helps to appeal to a commonly accepted standard. However, in some scenarios, there may not be a common standard or there may be more than one. This exercise helps students think about different standards of fairness and how those standards might be affected by circumstance.
DIRECTIONS
1. Ask students to complete the handout “What’s Fair” individually or in pairs.
2. Encourage students to think of all possible standards to which one might appeal, even if some of those standards don’t seem fair to them.
EX: Margaret stole $300 from the cash register where she works to pay her rent. Margaret’s manager discovered the theft and demanded she return the money or he’ll call the police.
a) The laws of the state or country
b) Finders keepers, the money goes where there’s the most need
3. Discuss students’ answers. Create a list of their suggested standards of fairness on the board.

ALTERNATIVELY
• Ask students to partner and compare their responses. Did they think of different standards of fairness for the same conflict? If so, how might this complicate resolution?

OBJECTIVES
• Students think about the different standards of fairness that exist and that can be appealed to in negotiation.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
• What if, in conflict #2, Adam and Stephen played in the NBA instead of gym class? What standards of fairness might apply then? How does context affect standards of fairness?
• What if, in conflict #3, Nicole was Yazmin’s sister? Would the standards of fairness change? How does the relationship between parties affect standards of fairness?
• What do you think is the fairest resolution to each problem? Why? THE LINK FOR PDF VERSION https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1_yKQUGqPjANcpKX1Q_TyCp6fIseapGBt 		Small Group/Class30-60 MinutesHigh SchoolsPrint PDF Form WHAT’S FAIR?
75
Responsible Decision-makingProblem Solving SkillsPersonalized Crossword

For this game to be effective, you need one or more teams of 8 to 10 people. Have each team list the first and last names of their group members. The goal is to create a crossword puzzle with clues composed of hints about the person, for example, if only one team member has red hair, the two clues for her first and last name could be, “Red hair,” and “Ginger.” It should take each team 20 to 30 minutes to complete their puzzle. When all the teams are finished, trade puzzles so that every team has a different one. Make sure you provide a list of names for the puzzle solvers.
Small Group/Class20-40 MinutesMiddle/ High Schools
76
Responsible Decision-makingProblem Solving SkillsAnimals

Prior to playing this game, write on individual slips of paper the names of animal pairs, one name on each slip. Distribute the slips of paper to each group, instructing them not to share which animal name they received. The kids then move around performing activities their animal might do. The goal is for the kids to get into pairs successfully in a set amount of time without talking or making any noises. Suggest the following activities:

Cleaning or grooming
Eating and drinking
Fighting
Sleeping
Walking or running
Small Group/Class20-40 MinutesElementary/ Middle School
77
Social AwarenessRespectWinners and Losers

Winners and Losers is best played in groups of four players or more and is designed to help teens develop a respect for differing views and to consider what they respect about others. Using some celebrity magazines, encourage teens to cut out pictures of people they admire and consider "winners" in life. Once each player selects her choices, encourage her to write what personality or character traits she admires about that particular celebrity. Repeat the process, but this time have each player choose celebrities they do not respect or consider "losers" and why. Once each person is done, collect the photos and read them aloud, while encouraging the players to guess which picture belongs to which player.
The player that pairs the most celebrities with the right player wins. Encourage each player to comment on whether they agree or disagree that the celebrity in question is admirable and why. The goal of the game is to help students to respect the views of others and to express what characteristics inspire respect within themselves.		Small Group10-20 MinutesMiddle/High School
78
Social AwarenessRespectThe Trust Fall

The Trust Fall game is best played with a group of at least three players and teaches teens the value of trust in others and the respect that results from being able to do so. To play, one player stands up straight and closes her eyes. Without letting her know who it is, one of the two remaining players takes his place behind her. She is encouraged to fall backwards, trusting that the other player will catch her when she falls. Afterwards, the players switch places and the process is repeated. After all players have had the opportunity to be the faller and the catcher, each party shares with the group what they were feeling as they fell and how they were able to be sure that the other player would catch them. Upon completion of the game, students are better able to understand the significance of the fact that they were able to rely upon their fellow players and why being able to rely upon others who care for them is important. This helps to convey a new sense of respect for those that are trusted to care for them, such as teachers, parents and other persons of authority.		Small Group 20-30 MinutesMiddle/High School
79
Social AwarenessRespectSelf-Respect: The Top Ten List of Values

Activity is appropriate for individuals, small groups, & large groups
Objective: Individuals will examine and determine their personal values.
Time Estimate: 20 minutes
Materials Needed: Pens or pencils, “Top Ten” activity sheet for each individual
Leader’s Guide:
• Distribute a copy of the “Top Ten” activity sheet to each individual. Explain that these top ten lists are meant to help them discover who and what is important to them. Make sure all understand to list their top ten choices for
each category.
• Allow ten minutes to complete the activity.
• When the activity sheets are completed, ask the following questions:
• Look at your top ten list of people. Are those who are listed mostly friends or family? Are they people you’ve known for a long time? Are they people you know well, or admire from a distance? What qualities of character,
if any, do these people share (examples could include honesty, loyalty, perseverance, kindness, etc.)?
• Look at your top ten list of things you like to do. Are they things you do with others or alone? Do you mostly use your body, your mind, or both to do them? Can you do them near your home, or must you travel? Do they cost a lot of money, or are they free?
• Look at your top ten list of places. Are they near or far? Do you like to go there alone or with other people? Are they all real or imaginary? Do they cost a lot of money, or are they free?
• Look at your top ten list of things you’d like to own. How do these things reflect your values? If, for example, your list is filled with clothes, does this mean you value looking good?
• Look at your top ten list of rules to live by. What qualities of character do these rules reflect?
• Look at your top ten list of dreams for the future. Are these dreams important to you? How will you feel when you accomplish these dreams?
• Help participants understand that the people, places, and things that are important to us, as well as the rules that we live by, reflect who we are and what we value. We all have things that we value and those values should affect every choice we make.		Small Group 20-30 MinutesMiddle/High SchoolPrint Top Ten List Worksheet
80
Social AwarenessRespectSelf-Respect: The Power Within

Activity is appropriate for small groups & large groups
Objective: To identify power in many forms, including the decisions one makes.
Time Estimate: 15 minutes
Materials Needed: Markers, board or flip chart on which to write
Leader’s Guide:
• Prompt participants to discuss things that give people power and write them on the board. Encourage all to explain their answers. Ask the following questions to spark the discussion:
• Does health give people power?
• Does wealth give people power?
• Does beauty give people power?
• Does physical size give people power?
• Does knowledge give people power?
• Does popularity give people power?
• Does the ability to communicate give people power?
• Then take a poll, item by item, to see how many agree that the things they listed really give people power. Ask the group to identify examples of people from the past who used these forms of personal power.
• Have the individuals name someone or something that has more power than they do. Ask them to explain the source of this power. Explore examples given to help guide participants to the source of true power.
For example, if a participant says “A judge or the courts have power because they can suspend a person’s driver’s license,” make the following points in sequence:
• Explain that, even though the court has the power to suspend a person’s license, it does not have to do so.
• Before the court suspends a license, it gathers information on the offense and makes a decision about it.
• Prior to the court’s decision to suspend a license, the driver makes a decision to violate the law.
• What decision might the driver have made?
• Lead participants to conclude that the ability to make choices is a kind of power. This is the kind of power we all possess.		Small Group 15-30 MinutesMiddle/High School
81
Social AwarenessRespectSelf-Respect: Making Value-Based Decisions

Activity is appropriate for small groups
Objective: To make decisions based on individual values.
Time Estimate: 10 minutes
Materials Needed: None
Leader’s Guide:
• Explain that you will be presenting the small group with a series of choices. Each person will make a choice and either stand up or remain seated, depending on the choice he/she makes.
• Ask a series of questions similar to the following, beginning with simple choices and moving to more difficult ones:
• Would you rather dress up or dress down?
• Would you rather be on stage or in the audience?
• Would you rather be an athlete or an artist?
• Would you rather have dinner at home with your family or go to a restaurant with your friends?
• Would you rather have every piece of technology in the world or have the ability to travel wherever you like in the world, whenever you want?
• Would you rather be popular with a lot of fair-weather friends or have one very loyal friend?
• Would you rather be healthy but poor or sick but very rich?
• Ask the group if they thought the choices became more difficult toward the end. Encourage them to explain why and tell how they finally made a decision. Explain that the decisions and choices we make are influenced by what is important to us, or what we value. Point out that everyone made different choices and that there are as many different sets of values as there are people. We all need to respect our values, as well as respect the values
of others.		Small Group10-20 MinutesMiddle High Schools
82
Social AwarenessRespectRespectfully Resolving Conflicts:
What Causes Anger?
Activity is appropriate for individuals, small groups, & large groups
Objective: To identify situations that make one angry and to consider ways to
reduce or control anger.
Time Estimate: 10 minutes
Materials Needed: Paper, pens or pencils, markers, board or flip chart on which to write
Leader’s Guide:
• Ask the young people, “What makes you angry?” Encourage all to list as many situations as possible. Record all responses on board or flip chart.
• Next, ask, “How do you know when you are angry?” Discuss the physiological reactions and explain how these are natural indicators of anger.
• Ask the group, “If so many different situations have the potential to provoke anger in us, what can we do to better be able to manage our anger and more effectively function?” List the specific techniques the group comes up with (controlled breathing, counting to ten, taking a walk, talking with someone, listening to relaxing music, exercising, getting a good night of sleep, etc.).
• Once the list is exhausted, have individuals write down five techniques that work for them.		Small/Large Group20-30 MinutesMiddle/High School
83
Social AwarenessRespectRespectfully Resolving Conflicts:
“I Said, I Meant”
Activity is appropriate for small groups & large groups
Objective: To identify the underlying meaning between words exchanged in conflict situations.
Time Estimate: 15 minutes
Materials Needed: Pens or pencils, “I Said...I Meant” activity sheet for each individual
Leader’s Guide:
• Distribute copies of the “I Said...I Meant” activity sheet and have the young adults fold the sheet in half along the dotted line so that the bottom half is not visible.
• Ask two volunteers to read the dialogue between Brenda and Maria, supplying the appropriate tone of voice, body language, and facial expressions. Once the dialogue is completed, ask the group to explain what happened during the scenario, and identify the problem that was causing the conflict.
• Tell the group to unfold the sheet to expose the dialogue that includes the characters’ real thoughts and feelings in italics. Ask two volunteers to read the italicized part of the dialogue, using nonverbal messages to display what they are feeling.
• Ask the group to comment on how the volunteers’ nonverbal communication differed from the first reading, and what that might say about the characters’ emotions.
• Discuss why the characters in the scenario didn’t just say what they meant. Lead all to understand that our anger can lead us to speak without thinking. Ask the group how differently this conflict may have ended if the two people had communicated what they really meant.
• Wrap up the discussion by reminding the young adults that being aware of the emotions that are involved in a conflict will help them to communicate more effectively.		Small/Large Group20-30 MinutesMiddle/High SchoolPrint I said Worksheet
84
Social AwarenessRespectRespectful Listening: The Do’s and Don’ts

Activity is appropriate for individuals, small groups, & large groups
Objective: To identify characteristics of active listening by observing role play
and discussing observations.
Time Estimate: 20 minutes
Materials Needed: Paper, pens or pencils, markers, board or flip chart on which to write, “Listening Signals” activity sheet for each individual
Leader’s Guide:
• Ask a pre-selected volunteer whom you have previously spoken with to share his or her favorite movie, plans for the weekend, or a special hobby or sport. Once he or she begins speaking, act as though you are not paying attention by looking for an object, doodling, slouching, snoring, asking unrelated questions, or repeating what the student says precisely.
• Stop and ask the group if you were a good listener. Have them critique your listening, and list the poor listening habits on the board.
• Have the young adults suggest ways you could have been a better listener (making eye contact, attentive posture, nodding your head, asking related questions, etc.). List these techniques on the board next to the poor listening habits.
• Repeat the conversation with the volunteer, this time performing active listening skills.
• After the conversation has ended, discuss with the young adults how active listening is a sign of respect. Remind them that it is frustrating to a speaker when others are not paying attention to them as they speak. Further explain
that focusing is the key to listening. Recognizing a speaker’s signals helps a listener to focus on the message.
• Distribute the “Listening Signals” activity sheet to all. Briefly discuss the phrases on the sheet. Then, ask the group to identify verbal signals the speaker may give in order to guide the listener. Explain that speakers also use movements with gestures at certain points to reinforce verbal signals. Quickly make a list of such nonverbal signals.
• Have the group divide into pairs. Have one volunteer in each pair speak to his/ her partner about an important topic (plans for the future, current news events, etc.). The other partner in each pair should listen and observe the speaker’s
verbal and nonverbal signals. After one minute, ask partners to switch roles.
• As a whole group, discuss observations. Ask the group how being sensitive to signals improved their listening.		Small/Large Group20/30 MinutesMiddle/High SchoolPrint Listening Signals Worksheet
85
Social AwarenessRespectMine Field

Mine Field is a trust building game that encourages positive communication and respect for fellow teammates. Mine Field works with groups of various sizes, but players should be at least 12 years of age to fully comprehend the intricacies of the game. To play, set up "mines" throughout the playing area. Plastic cones or bowling pins work well. Pair players in groups of two. In each group, one player should be blindfolded and not allowed to speak.
The other player is allowed to see and speak, but is prohibited from entering the playing field. The object of the game is to get each blindfolded player through the "mines" without knocking any of them over, using only their partner's verbal commands. The team that makes it through the mine first wins each round. The goal of the game is to help teens develop a sense of respect for those who assist them in their day-to-day lives, whether it be at home, church or school, and to realize the significance of those acts.		Small/Large Group15-30 MinutesMiddle/High School
86
Social AwarenessRespectDefining Respect

In this activity, students will define respect and explore its relationship to definitions and examples of prejudice, bias, racism and stereotype.

1. Ask the students if any of them can curl their tongue. (The ability to curl the tongue is a genetic trait) Show the students who are able to curl their tongue that you are impressed and respectful of their ability. Then, ask them how they feel about your obvious bias toward people with this trait.
2. Write the word respect on the board. Tell the students that respect can apply to one's self, to others, and to the environment. In this lesson, they will be learning aspects of self-respect and respect to others.
3. Under the word "respect," construct a table with two columns. Column heads should read "Looks Like" and "Does Not Look Like." Ask the students to brainstorm words or phrases to complete the table. For example, bias, prejudice, stereotype, and racism go under "Does Not Look Like”.
4. Divide the class into small groups and give each group dictionaries. Assign each group one of the four words. Ask the group to write down a definition using their own words, and to decide if any other words or phrases from the table might fit their word's definition.
5. Allow students to share their findings. Encourage them to come up with examples of prejudice, stereotype, racism, and bias.		Small/Large Group15/30 MinutesMiddle/High School
87
Social AwarenessRespectCommunicating Respectfully:
Learning to be Assertive
Activity is appropriate for small groups & large groups
Objective: To define passive, aggressive, and assertive behavior, and to practice using assertive behavior, while learning to recognize passive and aggressive behavior.
Time Estimate: 20 minutes
Materials Needed: Paper, pens or pencils, markers, board or flip chart on which to write, dictionary
Leader’s Guide:
• Have individuals take out their paper and pen and answer “Yes” or “No” to the following questions:
• Does everyone have the right to earn respect and to keep their dignity in all situations?
• Should everyone be able to express opinions?
• Should everyone be able to ask for what they want?
• Explain that the answer to all these questions is, “Yes; they have these rights and so do other people.” Explain that the next activity will help them learn how to exercise these rights in a way that is respectful of others.
• Draw three columns on the board, labeled “Passive,” “Aggressive,” and “Assertive.” Divide individuals into three groups and assign each group one of the words on the board. Have them brainstorm a working definition for their assigned word.
• Once the working definitions are completed, have each group look up the actual dictionary definition of each word. Then, have each group present their word – with both definitions – to the entire group. Meanwhile, review the following with all:
• Passive people seem to lack confidence and may seem ineffective.
• Aggressive people often seem to be offensive and have a strong need to dominate. Often, aggressive people seem to be annoying, pushy, or brash.
• Assertive people seem positive, confident, and fair when dealing with people.
• Ask individuals to describe how an aggressive and passive person may act. Then, ask all how they usually act when another person displays such behavior around them.
• Finally, come to the conclusion that assertive behavior is the best behavior. Such behavior encourages equality and healthy relationships amongst people. Assertive people stand up for their rights, express themselves honestly and courteously, and respect the rights of others.		Small/Large Group20-40 MinutesMiddle/High School
88
Social AwarenessRespectCommunicating Respectfully: I-Messages

Activity is appropriate for individuals, small groups, & large groups
Objective: To develop techniques to effectively and respectfully communicate feelings and encourage open dialogue in difficult situations.
Time Estimate: 10 minutes
Materials Needed: Pens or pencils, “I-Messages” and “Vocabulary of Feelings” activity sheets for each individual
Leader’s Guide:
• Say, “An I-Message is a technique you can use to express yourself when you are upset or angry that will lead to an open discussion and will not escalate conflict. When you use an I-Message, people are more willing to listen to you and respond to your requests without becoming defensive. I-Messages encourage discussion and help reduce friction.”
• Explain how I-Messages work:
• An I-Message begins with a statement of feelings.
• It is followed by a statement of what the problem is.
• An I-Message ends with your reasons for feeling the way you do. It tells others how their behavior affects you, and it avoids using the word “you” at the beginning of a statement.
• Provide a sample I-Message. For instance, “I feel hurt when you don’t answer my phone calls or text messages because I feel like I am being avoided by you, and have done something to make you upset.”
• Distribute the “I-Messages” and the “Vocabulary of Feelings” activity sheets. Have participants create individual I-Messages by filling out the proper format on the “I-Messages” sheet.
• Line 1: Be sure to explain that although one may feel mad or angry, he or she should be careful to not use aggressive or accusatory language. Refer to the “Vocabulary of Feelings” sheet to identify synonyms.
• Line 2: This should be a description of the exact behavior the other person commits that is upsetting.
• Line 3: This should explain in detail why one is feeling how he or she is feeling. It explains the importance of the action or behavior to the other person.
• Share and discuss the value of I-Messages.
• Why are I-Messages a valuable tool for communication?
• When could you use an I-Message?
• How can I-Messages become natural over time?		Small/Large Group20-30 MinutesHigh SchoolsPrint I Messages Worksheet
89
Social AwarenessRespectCommunicating Respectfully:
“Easy Talk, Tough Talk”
Activity is appropriate for individuals, small groups & large groups
Objective: To explore what makes some conversations easy, while others more difficult.
Time Estimate: 15 minutes
Materials Needed: Paper, pens or pencils, markers, board or flip chart on which to write
Leader’s Guide:
• Write the following list on the board: talking on the phone with someone, joking with friends, conversing with an adult, quarreling with a sibling, asking to borrow money, discussing a homework assignment. Ask what the listed items have in common. (All require verbal communication.
• On a scale of one to five, with five being very important and one being not important at all, ask the individuals to rank the importance of verbal communication in their daily lives. Then, have a brief discussion about the importance of verbal communication. Ask if some verbal communication is
more difficult than others.
• Instruct the participants to take a piece of paper, fold it into three columns and title the left column “Easy,” the middle column “Average,” and the right column “Difficult.”
• Explain that this activity will have them classify different conversations according to their difficulty. Ask them to list, for example, a conversation with a close friend about what to wear to a party (easy), asking a teacher for extra help on an assignment (average), informing your parents that you did not do well on a major assignment (difficult).
• If working with a group, divide the group into pairs and tell them that they have three minutes to list at least three examples of verbal communication in each column. If needed, prompt the group by asking questions such as the following:
• Are some conversations you have with your parents more difficult than others?
• Where would you rank confrontations with your peers?
• How do you feel about conversations with teachers or bosses?
• While each pair is writing, draw three large columns on the board. Once the three minutes are up, ask for volunteers to fill in the columns on the board.
• Discuss which conversations are easy, average, and difficult and what makes some easy, others difficult. Reinforce that difficult conversations often involve personal or sensitive matters and may arouse emotions such as fear, anger, sadness, insecurity and hurt feelings. Explain that a respectful awareness of each person’s emotions can help make the difficult conversation easier.		Small/Large Group30-60 MinutesHigh Schools
90
Social AwarenessRespectCommonalities and Uniquities

Commonalities and Uniquities is designed to help teens develop a better understanding and respect for diversity. To play, form two groups of at least five teens and give each team two sheets of blank paper and a pen. Have each team create a list of the similarities of everyone in their group, but only include similarities that are not physical in nature. Examples include siblings with the same name or players that share similar interests in music or career goals. Instruct each team to select a person in their group to read the list out loud. Then have the team repeat the process, only this time they should list the distinctive differences within their group. By examining the similarities and differences amongst their peers, teens are able to see that each of us share some similar experiences, but are also very different in other ways.and are able to better respect the unique individual contributions that diversity provides. The team that is able to come up with the most similarities and differences wins the challenge.		Small/Large Group20-30 MinutesHigh Schools
91
Social AwarenessRespectAre traits inherited?

Students will follow the following instructions:

• Look at your classmates. Note how they vary in the color of their eyes, hair, and skin, the shape of the front hairline, and the way in which the earlobes are attached.
• Make a list of the different traits that you have observed in the class.
• Now, think about this:
- Could these traits be inherited? From whom?

- How would you act or behave toward these differences? Why?

Lead a classroom discussion on differences between people and reinforce mutual respect in the class.		Small/Large Group10-20 MinutesMiddle/High School
92
Self-managementMotivation“Prrr” and “pukutu”
This classroom game is more suited for the little kids. Ask everyone to imagine two birds. One named “prrr” and the other named “Pukutu”. If you call out “prrr”, the students need to stand on their toes and move their elbows out sideways. When you call out “Pukutu”, the students have to stay still and may not move. If a student moves, he is disqualified. This student may distract the other students.
Small Group10-20 MinutesElementary Schools
93
Self-managementMotivationBlind Drawing

Blind Drawing is the perfect team building activity for a group that is in desperate need of a good laugh! It requires little-to-no thinking while still allowing you to better understand the people you work with. When you don’t know someone very well, this is one of the easiest ways to break the ice!
You’ll start by selecting a designated person who will stand at the front of the room and describe what they’re seeing in a picture. From there, divide the rest of your team into small groups and provide each person with paper and a clipboard. The individual holding the picture will describe what they’re seeing in the photo while the drawers will do their darkness to draw what is being described to them.
Here’s what you’ll need:
One or more pictures
Pens or markers
Sheets of paper
Clipboards

Once everyone has finished their drawing, you’ll showcase your work of art to the room! The winner is selected by each group voting for the picture that is the closest match to the original photo. This activity will not only encourage listening skills, but it will also be a great resource for your team to learn how their students’ brain works! Plus, it puts all those pens you have around the office to good use!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yGhNwDMT-g
Small/Large Group20-30 MinutesMiddle/High School
94
Self-managementMotivationDog, Rice, Chicken
A game that gets your grey-cells turbo charged with lateral thinking and planning – dog, rice, chicken encourages creative problem solving within team.
One of the group members is allotted the role of a farmer and the rest team acts as villagers. The farmer has to return home along with its 3 purchases (Dog, Rice and Chicken) by crossing a river in a boat. He can carry only one item with him on the boat.
He cannot leave the dog alone with the chicken because the dog will eat the chicken, and he cannot leave the chicken alone with the bag of grain because the chicken will eat the bag of grain. How does he get all three of his purchases back home safely?
The villagers can help him in arriving at the solution, which is really simple if the group thinks creatively and together.
Small/Large Group20-30 MinutesMiddle/High School
95
Self-managementMotivationThe Mine Field / Watch your step

Select an open area like a parking lot or a park for doing this activity.
Prepare an enclosed area with tape and mark the start point and end point. Along the route place several handheld objects/toys randomly at specific distance. Divide the group into teams of 2 or 4 and blindfold one of the members.
The others stand outside the enclosed area and verbally instruct the blindfolded teammate to navigate across the route, picking up the toys and avoiding stepping on sheets of paper (mines) or outside the enclosed area. This highly engaging game takes about 15-30 minutes and is awesome to convey learning on trust, active listening and communication.
To make it more difficult, create specific routes the blindfolded team members must walk or only allow certain words/clues to be used for guiding.


Small/Large Group20-30 MinutesHigh Schools
96
Self-managementMotivationPencil Drop

All you need to carry out this hilarious activity are some pencils, strings, and water bottle.
This fun game breaks the tension within the group and allows for great one-on-one bonding. To do the pencil drop, tie one of the ends of both the stings at the eraser-end of the pencil and tie the remaining two open ends around the waist of two team members facing their backs to each other.
Ask them to move back and back in order to lower down the pencil into the water bottle placed on the floor below. The participant pair is not allowed to use hands and this can be done as a standalone fun challenge or different pairs can do this at the same time as a race.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlrbsO10gjI
Small/Large Group20-30 MinutesHigh Schools
97
Self-managementMotivationSalt and Pepper
The art of asking right questions in team is very important. Salt and Pepper is an extremely appealing way to learn facts about team members and also assess one’s ability to communicate effectively with other members.
It requires simple stationery like pen, tape and paper to set the ball rolling. Pair-Words are thought and written on different sheets of paper like Yin-Yang, Bread-Butter, Salt-Pepper, Sun-Moon, and so on. If Salt is written on one paper, Pepper will be written on totally different paper.
One paper is taped on the back of each person, without letting him or her see what’s written. The group is instructed at the same time to search for their partners. The fun is that they can only ask “Yes-No” questions in order to find out what is written on their back. Once they figure out the answer, they can find their respective partner easily.
Small/Large Group20-30 MinutesHigh Schools
98
Self-managementMotivationBuzz
Ask the group to stand up and to form a circle. Everyone takes turns saying a number starting with 1, 2, 3 and so on. Of course, there is a catch. At every number with a 4 in it or a multiple of 4, that person needs to say BUZZ instead of the number. The next person just continues the series as normal.
For example: 1 - 2 - 3 - buzz - 5 - 6 - 7 - buzz - 9 - 10 - 11 - buzz - 13 - buzz - 15 - buzz - 17 - …
You can choose any number that might be relevant and replace the buzzwith another word. This game is great when teaching the time tables, or teaching how hard it is to do two things at the same time (thinking while listening for your turn).
Small/Large Group20-30 MinutesElementary Schools
99
Reletionship SkillsTeamworkArt Reproduction Puzzle
Divide students into groups of six or eight (or larger if you want to make the task more difficult). Provide each team with an image and blank pieces of white card stock, one per team member. First, each team must cut up the image into the same number of pieces as there are group members. Then, each player will take one of the pieces of the image and reproduce it onto their blank piece of card stock with pencils, colored pencils, or markers. (If the team cuts the image into irregularly shaped pieces, each team member must then cut their blank paper into the same shape.) When every team has created the pieces of their puzzle, they will switch pieces with another team. The team will work together to solve the puzzle.


Small/Large Group20-30 MinutesMiddle/High School
100
Reletionship SkillsTeamworkHot Seat
This fun game is a lot like the game show Password. Split your class into two teams and have them sit together in teams facing the white board or chalk board. Then take an empty chair—one for each team—and put it at the front of the class, facing the team members. These chairs are the “hot seats.” Choose one volunteer from each team to come up and sit in the “hot seat,” facing their teammates with their back to the board.
Prepare a list of vocabulary words to use for the game. Choose one and write it clearly on the board. Each team will take turns trying to get their teammate in the hot seat to guess the word, using synonyms, antonyms, definitions, etc. Make sure team members work together so that each member has a chance to provide clues.
The student in the hot seat listens to their teammates and tries to guess the word. The first hot seat student to say the word wins a point for their team. Once the word is successfully guessed, a new student from each team sits in the hot seat, and a new round begins with a different word.
Small/Large Group20-30 MinutesMiddle/High School
101
Reletionship SkillsTeamworkCommon Ground
This activity helps students discover fellow like minds in their class. Make these four labels and put each in a different corner of the room: Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree, Strongly Disagree. Students start in the middle of the room or in their seats. The teacher reads a statement, and students move to the corner of the room that represents their opinion on statements, such as “students should get longer recess,” or “cats are better than dogs.” An alternative way to play this game for students who may have difficulty moving around the room is to have students remain seated and raise a piece of colored construction paper to show their response. For instance, red = strongly disagree, orange = disagree, blue = agree, and purple = strongly agree.


Small/Large Group20-30 MinutesMiddle/High School
102
Reletionship SkillsTeamworkMarshmallow-and-Toothpick Challenge

Divide students into groups of equal numbers. Pass out an equal number of marshmallows and wooden toothpicks to each group. Challenge the groups to create the tallest, largest, or most creative structure in a set amount of time, each member taking turns doing the actual building. Afterward, have each group describe what they made.
Small/Large Group20-30 MinutesElementary Schools
103
Reletionship SkillsTeamworkDetective
This game requires teamwork and close observation. Students stand in a circle. One student (the detective) steps outside. While out of the room, another student is chosen as the leader to start the motion. The leader begins a motion, for instance, tapping the top of their head, while the rest of the students in the circle follow along. The student in the hallway returns to the room and goes to the center of the circle. After a couple of minutes, the selected student changes the motion, for instance clapping their hands, and the rest of the students follow along. The detective has to figure out which student is the leader. The detective gets three guesses. Then a new leader and detective are chosen for the next round.


Small Group20-30 MinutesMiddle/High School