Families!
In this unit, we explore the problems in relationships that
children often experience at this age associated with the
move towards greater independence. This unit and the
complementary units closely support Unit 1 of Interactive
Sarah and the Whammi and its emphasis on empathy.
Personal Development and Mutual Understanding: Key Stage 1, Year 3
Strand 2: Mutual Understanding in the Local and Wider Community
Unit 4: Families!
Complementary Units: Getting to Know Me
Feeling Good, Feeling Sad
Take Care, Be Safe
Why Should I?
Teaching approaches
Questions to Encourage Empathy
Identify the Problem
-
-
-
-
-
Often, when we voice a concern, we don’t really identify the
problem. For example, if a child says, ‘My baby brother cries all
the time,’ the real problem may be that they have less time with
their mother. The child really wants to say, ‘Mummy and I have
less time together.’
How did you feel about this?
How do you think (name separately) each person
involved feels?
What do you think we should do about the situation?
What could make the situation better?
How would you know if the situation was better?
Encourage a Range of Friendships
When we know each other well we are better able to accept
each other’s idiosyncrasies and faults. Use fair pair and fair
group strategies (see Resource B) to give children
opportunities to work with all class members. This will help
you avoid competitive situations and remarks.
Ask the question, ‘What would you like to happen instead?’
You may need to give further prompts for example, ‘What would
happen then?’
Be Aware
Children need to be self-aware. Some ways to develop
positive results are:
- use and encourage realistically positive comments of
self and others;
- try to treat misdemeanours and non-compliance
as opportunities for change not reprimand;
- ask the child, ‘What can I do about this?’ and
‘What can you do about it?’;
- comment on suggestions and ask, ‘How could we do this?’
- use a good dash of realistic encouragement and
inconspicuous support to inspire effort, resourcefulness,
persistence and resilience; and
- celebrate success, for example ask the children for ideas
of how to celebrate the completion of a topic and invite others
to see it. Have a party or organise an educational visit.
Key Experiences
in initiating and developing
mutually satisfying relationships
Building on Foundation Stage
Explore and discuss their relationships
with family and friends:
-
-
-
-
-
finding out about their own families;
talking about what families do together;
beginning to recognise how they relate to adults and other children;
identifying who their friends are; and
exploring what they do together.
Working at Key Stage 1
Explore initiating and
developing mutually
satisfying relationships:
- knowing how to be a good friend; and
- understanding that they can take on some responsibility
in their family and friendship groups.
Moving towards Key Stage 2
Explore initiating, developing
and sustaining mutually
satisfying relationships:
-
-
-
recognising the benefits of friends and families;
finding out about sources of help and support for individuals,
families and groups; and
considering the challenges and issues that can arise at home, at school
between friends, and how they can be avoided, lessened, or resolved.
Progress in learning
I try to think how someone else is feeling.
I try to understand why someone feels the
way they do.
I know that sometimes I need to check with the
person that what I think they are feeling is right.
I try to think of ways to improve a situation.
I try to understand how others in my home are
feeling and of ways I can help.
I can talk about my own feelings.
I know that there are things in my life that
I can change.
I can name things in my life that I cannot change.
I understand when a change affects my behaviour.
I know how to be friendly in the classroom.
I know how to be friendly in the playground.
2
Key Stage 1, Year 3
Strand 2: Mutual Understanding in the Local and Wider Community
Families!
Learning intention:
Understand how to make
friends and develop
relationships
Learning together
Children will learn best,
feel most involved
and have a greater
sense of mutual
understanding about
their learning when
they are involved in the
planning process.
Being involved helps them
develop:
- good working relationships;
- a sense of responsibility for their
learning especially when they
contribute to ideas for topics,
planning or activities;
- a sense of similarities and
differences as they listen to
each other’s ideas; and
- a sense of community within the
classroom and within the school
as they work with others.
By allowing children to interact
in the planning process and the
refinement of ideas in a real-life
setting, you can help them develop
the skills of negotiation, necessary
in the management of conflict.
Remember to involve the other
adults who work in the classroom
in planning. Their involvement
gives a shared understanding
of the learning intention, of the
suggested success criteria and of
how best to support the children in
their learning.
Thinking Skills and Personal Capabilities by the end of Key Stage 1
Managing information
Ask more focused questions about the task, clarify
purpose and what needs to be done;
Recognise where similar tasks have been done
in the past;
Use their own and others’ ideas to identify, locate
and select various sources of information;
Set goals for their work, break tasks into smaller
parts and plan their next steps;
Suggest possible solutions to problems;
Be systematic and work through the stages in a task;
Explain their methods and opinions, and the
reasons for choices and actions; and
Recognise the differences between why, what,
where, when and how questions.
Being creative
Show curiosity when approaching new tasks
and challenges;
Begin to identify audience and purpose when
communicating.
Have experiences with all the senses;
Show their ability to organise and summarise
to show understanding;
Sequence, order and rank information along
different dimensions;
Identify similarities and differences by making
simple comparisons and connections;
Begin to test predictions and to look for evidence;
Make decisions and generate options;
Show the ability to learn from shared and
modelled activities;
Adapt behaviour and language to suit
different situations;
Show fairness to others; and
Record information in a variety of formats; and
Thinking, problem solving
and decision-making
Decide what needs to be done in a group and take
responsibility for aspects of the work;
Listen to and share ideas and experiences;
Generate as many ideas as possible, building
and combining ideas;
Take time to use the imagination. Enjoy the
unexpected, unusual and surprising; and
Experiment and investigate real life issues.
Working with others
Develop further habits of collaborative learning;
Become more adept at turn-taking, sharing and
co-operating when working in a group or team;
Recognise and respect other people’s feelings
and ideas.
Self-management
Check that they are achieving their purpose by talking
about what they are learning, how the work was
carried out and some aspect that might be improved;
Check work routinely for accuracy and precision;
Persist with tasks until an appropriate end point,
with teacher prompting;
Seek help from other people;
Work towards personal targets identified
by teacher; and
Develop an awareness of what they enjoy, what they
find difficult, their personal strengths and limitations.
3
4
Across the Curriculum: Connecting the learning
Drama
Art and Design
Using I.C.T.
Taking on a role and
working with others in
an imaginary context
Use a variety of media
to make a poster
Thinking, problem solving
and decision-making
ies
Words and
phrases I will
hear and use
Adults
sibilit
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Relationships
Feelings
Dependence
e
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Jealousy
Opinions
Learning activities
Decisio
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Body
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Org
Activity 1
I have opinions
Activity 2
I have a family
Activity 4
Say the right thing
Children learn that we need to listen
to and respect the differing opinions
of others but we do not have to
agree with them.
Children explore the changes that
family life can bring and the need
for everyone to contribute to making
it a fair and happy place to live.
Being able to talk about matters
that are important to us, and being
listened to, gives us coping skills
when we have problems.
Activity 3
Reading thoughts
Activity 5
Finding friends
Being able to think and care about
how someone else is feeling helps
develop positive relationships.
Friendship plays a key role in
sustaining us and building and
developing friendships is an
important skill.
5
Learning activity 1: I have opinions
CORE CONCEPT
We meet many people in life who do not share
our viewpoints or opinions. People who love us
and are close to us do not always agree with
us. This is ok. We need to listen to and respect
the differing opinions of others but we do not
have to agree with them.
SUGGESTED SUCCESS CRITERIA
We will discuss how to disagree in a safe way.
We will express our opinions with confidence.
We will express the difference between
a fact and an opinion.
POINTS TO NOTE
To inform parents of the content of
this unit, send home the Letter to
Parent(s)/Carer(s) (Resource A).
Fair Pairing and Fair Grouping
(Resource B) includes strategies
on how to fair pair and fair group.
A number of questions are listed
below for use in the activities.
These are suggestions only and
you should adapt them to the
interests of the children and to
whatever is topical at the time.
A number of discussion topics
are listed but you should also
encourage the children to suggest
their own topics. Issues arise all
the time in the classroom, many
of which might best be explored
using this strategy of discussion.
6
WHAT YOU NEED
- Letter to Parent(s)/Carer(s)
(Resource A)
- Fair Pairing and Fair Grouping
(Resource B)
- Speaking object for circle work
- Several questions, written on
card and placed in a box
- Blank cards
- A container with a lollipop stick
showing the name of each
person in the room
- AGREE and DISAGREE (each
written on a large card)
WHAT TO DO
- Fact or Opinion?
- Discussion
Fact or Opinion?
Ask the children to sit in a circle. Begin by
explaining that some questions have one correct
answer and other questions have no right or
wrong answer. Write the following questions
onto individual pieces of card:
Who is the Principal
of this school?
ost
m
e
h
t
end
s
p
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s
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o
a
t
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t
import he most
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in the nt person
school
?
What is t
he tasties
t
treat you
can eat?
7
Learning activity 1: I have opinions (continued)
Read the questions aloud and allow the children to
decide if there is one correct answer or if the question
leaves room for opinions. If you wish, sort the question
cards into those that have a definitive answer and those
that are a matter of opinion. Discard the questions with
the definite answers. Spread out the remaining questions
on the floor. Put the named lollipop sticks in a container
so that no one can see the names. Ask the first remaining
question. Pull out one lollipop stick from the container.
Read the name written on the lollipop stick and ask that
person to answer the question. Write their response onto
a blank card and place it beside the question. Repeat this
procedure for each question, for example:
Question
Opinion
What is the best
musical group?
Girls Aloud (or other
suitable opinion)
What is the best children’s
T.V. programme?
The Simpsons
What is the tastiest treat
you can eat?
Ice cream
Discussion
Explain the words agree and
disagree. Read aloud the first
question and opinion. Pass the
speaking object around and
offer each child an opportunity
to say I agree or I disagree.
Place the AGREE card at one end
of the room and the DISAGREE
card at the other. Discuss with
the children what a range of
positions in between the two
words may represent.
Then read each of the other
questions and opinions in turn
and ask the children to walk to
the sign that is most appropriate
for each of them. A number
of children could be invited to
explain why they have chosen
to Agree or Disagree with the
opinion given. Encourage them
to give evidence of something
they have seen, heard or read
to support their opinion.
Have the children reform a circle
and talk to each other in pairs
to compare opinions on the
questions asked. Reflect on the
variety of opinions in the class
and how often we find ourselves
disagreeing with our friends on
such things without it causing
any problems.
8
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9
Learning activity 2: I have a family
CORE CONCEPT
Everyone in the home has an important role
in making it a fair, happy and comfortable
place in which to live.
SUGGESTED SUCCESS CRITERIA
We will discuss the advantages and
disadvantages of family life.
We will explore ways of making positive
contributions to our families.
POINTS TO NOTE
This activity is independent from
but links closely with Interactive
Sarah and the Whammi and with
Unit 5: Why should I? You can
access Sarah and the Whammi at
www.nicurriculum.org.uk
This activity can take place over
a few days in school. Resource
C: Changes and Resource D:
Let’s Talk Together are home
learning activities. Have the
children complete them with
their parent(s)/carer(s) on two
consecutive evenings.
You may need to adapt aspects
of this activity to suit the needs
of only children, fostered or
adopted children, or children
with adopted siblings.
Show sensitivity also to refugee
children or those whose culture
does not encourage photographs.
10
Promote inclusion by creating
supportive strategies for those
children from home backgrounds
where help for home learning is
difficult. For example, if you take
regular photographs of celebratory
occasions in the classroom
and of the children’s individual
achievements you will have a supply
of photographs for those children
who cannot bring from home.
WHAT YOU NEED
- Letter to Parents(s)/Carer(s)
(Resource A)
- Changes (Resource C)
- Let’s Talk Together (Resource D)
WHAT TO DO
- Memories
- Changes
- Reflect
Memories
Ask the children to bring in a
photograph or object that reminds
them of a happy time in their
lives. Encourage each child to
share the meaning of what they
have brought in with other class
members. Explain that you and the
class will be talking about families
and changes. You may decide to
introduce the activity by watching
extracts from the Sarah and the
Whammi television series. You can
access this from the learningni
website at https://learningni.net/
Alternatively, you can refer to
previous work that you may have
done concerning Interactive Sarah
and the Whammi. This is available
at www.nicurriculum.org.uk
Discuss changes that the children
know will happen, for example:
- seasons;
- new class at school;
- night and day;
- rain and sun; and/or
- learning new things in school.
Next, discuss changes that they
can choose, for example joining
a youth organisation or learning
a new skill such as swimming.
Finally, discuss changes that
they will have no control over,
for example illness or when
a parent’s job changes.
11
Learning activity 2: I have a family (continued)
Changes
Ensure all the children receive a copy of
Resource A: Letter to Parent(s)/Carer(s) to
take home. In Sarah and the Whammi, Sarah
experiences the introduction of a new baby
brother to the Boyd family. Her mum and dad
have less time for her and Sarah feels this is
unfair. She can’t watch her favourite television
programme. Also, her mum doesn’t have time
to walk her to the bus any more and she has
to go with someone she doesn’t know very
well. There are times in all our lives when we
feel that family life can be unfair. This is often
as the result of a change. Change can give us
uncomfortable feelings of fear and doubt.
Discuss the changes in your own life
that you didn’t like, as a result of:
- moving away from home;
- marriage;
- change of job;
- birth of first child;
- additional children; and/or
- moving house.
Balance the disadvantages with
the advantages of each situation.
Invite other classroom adults to
give examples of changes in
their lives. Give each child a copy
of Resource C: Changes to take
home and complete as home
learning. This will help prepare
them for a class discussion about
change. The next evening, give
each child a copy of Resource D:
Let’s Talk Together to take home
and complete as home learning.
Following both home-learning
activities, ask the children for
examples of changes in their
own lives and the associated
disadvantages.
12
Reflect
Make a class list of all the changes experienced. You could further refine
these as, ‘Changes Liked’ and ‘Changes Not Liked.’ Ask the children
what they have to do now that they didn’t have to do before the change.
As a class, discuss strategies that the children may have developed to
deal with change. Start with the change situation and look at what was
new for them. Then talk about what thoughts they had and what they
did to help themselves.
Examples are given below but you may prefer to use some of the
examples that the children come up with:
Invite the children to reflect on the activity. Use the
following questions to prompt their thinking:
- Why does change happen?
- Why do some people have more changes than others?
- Should we ever make changes ourselves?
- Are all changes good?
- Can change be bad?
- What can we do to help us during a time of change?
Change situation
What was new for me
Thoughts I had
What I did to help myself
Gran became ill and
couldn’t have me at her
house after school.
I had to go to a child-minder.
I was frightened of going
somewhere new at the start but
now I have made new friends.
I told Mum that I was frightened of
being looked after by someone I
didn’t know. She took me to meet
Mrs Thompson before I went to her
house after school. I tried to just
think about the first day I would go
and each day got better.
I have lived alone with my mum
since I was five. Now she has
got married again and Peter’s
two boys come to stay at the
weekends and holidays.
I don’t get much time with mum
to myself, and when the boys stay
the house is very noisy.
I thought the boys wouldn’t like
me because I’m a girl. I was
angry that they took up my mum’s
time and that I had less time
with her on my own. Sometimes
I enjoy having other children to
play with and talk to.
I thought about the time my dad
left and that got better. I thought
about going into a new class and
that got better. Sometimes
I just went to my room and read
my favourite book. I talked to my
friend about it all.
13
Learning activity 3: Reading thoughts
CORE CONCEPT
Being able to think about how someone else
might be feeling is the ability to empathise.
How well we do this depends on:
- how well we know the person and their
circumstances;
- how well we listen to the words they use, their
tone of voice and their body language; and
- the opportunities we have to check our
assumptions.
We cannot assume someone else will feel how
we would feel in the same circumstances.
SUGGESTED SUCCESS CRITERIA
We will work together to learn more about
each other.
We will discuss if our assumptions about each
other are correct.
POINTS TO NOTE
Before we can empathise with
others we need to have a good
‘feelings’ vocabulary that is regularly
referred to and built upon.
This unit builds on work from Year
2, ‘Getting along with others’ and
‘How do I feel?’
Whether we are adults or
children, our emotional wellbeing and our ability to verbalise
our own thoughts and feelings is
central to our ability to empathise
with others.
Be aware of cultural differences
involving looking directly at others,
hand shaking or gender attitudes.
WHAT YOU NEED
- Remote Control (Resource E) one
labelled and some blank copies
WHAT TO DO
- If Only I Could!
- Talk About It
- Time To Talk
14
If Only I Could!
Explain to the children that reading thoughts is about
trying to think really hard about what someone else is
feeling and thinking. Ask the children for examples of
what we can do to help us know how someone else is
feeling or what they are thinking. Answers might include:
- we need to listen and remember what the
person is saying;
- we mustn’t interrupt;
- we shouldn’t say things like, ‘Don’t be silly’ or laugh;
- we need to look at the person but respect our
cultural differences; and/or
- we need to try to forget about our
own feelings for a short while and
think how the person we are
talking to is feeling.
Label one copy of
Resource E: Remote
Control, for example:
Fast forward
- Finish work
- Educational visit
- Cleaning your house
- Staff meeting
- Break duty
Mute
- Child (Name and
reason. Keep a sense
of humour!)
- Adult (Name and
reason. Could be
someone from
television/radio)
- Noise (Scrambler
bikes. Give reason.)
Help
- School (Filing work)
- Home (Washing dishes)
- Outside school
(Lower golf handicap)
Rewind
- An occasion you would
like to revisit and why
Start
- Sun
Stop
- Rain
15
Learning activity 3: Reading thoughts (continued)
Adapt the suggestions as necessary. Show the children the labelled
remote control. Explain that someone wrote the labels about you but they
didn’t know you very well. Organise the children into small groups and
give each group a blank copy of Resource E: Remote Control. Ask them
to put themselves ‘in your shoes’ and list the things you might really want
to fast forward, mute, rewind, start and stop, and things you might want
help with. Label the completed version, ‘Adults’ Remote Control’.
Explain that you and the other adults in the room will put yourselves ‘in
the shoes’ of the children and complete a remote control that you think
your class would complete. It will be labelled, ‘Class Remote Control’.
The further on in the year that you do this activity the better the children
will know you and the other adults in the room. At that stage it may
be possible to extend the activity by asking small groups of children
to work together to produce their own children’s version of a Class
Remote Control and then to compare it with the version compiled by the
classroom adults.
Empathy
Talk About It
Use the following definition to explain the
concept of empathy: trying to see what is
happening ‘through the eyes’ of someone
else; trying to think the thoughts and feel the
feelings the other person has; checking that
what you think is right!
Ask the children what they think
of the Class Remote Control
compiled by the adults and how
well it reflects what they think.
Ask the adults what they think
of the Adults’ Remote Control
compiled by each group and how
well it reflects what they think.
Remind the children of the definition
of empathy and together discuss:
- How well did you know
each other?
- How empathetic was
each group?
- What changes need to be made
by each group to recognise the
feelings of the other group?
- How will these changes
be organised?
- How will they be monitored?
- What did you each learn?
16
Time To Talk
Talking about what is important
to us in a way that promotes
mutual understanding helps
develop positive relationships
within the family, class, school and
community. When we understand
what is important to us and
can articulate those feelings
and thoughts we can develop
constructive strategies to
manage conflict in our lives.
Dedicate two minutes each day
or a few times a week to allow
a child or adult volunteer to tell
others how he/she is feeling. If
they wish to do so they can tell
others why they feel that way and
what their thoughts are about
the situation. The speaker can
choose to say why he/she is
sad/angry/excited/happy and
so on. The role of everyone else
is to listen and to show they are
really listening by looking at the
speaker, not interrupting and
nodding appropriately to show
they understand what is being
said. If time permits the speaker
may ask for questions or ‘Would it
help if you ...?’ suggestions from
the listeners. If the sessions go
well, you may suggest that names
are drawn in advance to give the
children a few days in which to
prepare what they will talk about.
This gives every child a ‘voice’.
Teachers need to be attentive to
the subject matter discussed and
if it becomes too sensitive thank
the speaker for talking about
his/her feeling and change the
activity. Do not make the speaker
feel that they have done anything
wrong. Sometimes you can
suggest he/she talks with you
or if necessary the designated
teacher. At other times it may be
appropriate to suggest that the
child talks with his/her parent(s)/
carer(s). Sometimes school is the
only place where someone listens.
Such situations are rare, however,
and children have an innate sense
of what they can openly or in
generic terms, discuss. It is always
good to find a way of encouraging
children to talk about their
problems and their successes
with those who listen. If you are
watching Sarah and the Whammi
encourage the children to suggest
how Sarah and her family could
understand each other better.
Many children will be able to give
suggestions drawn from their
own experience.
*Would it help if...? suggestions
are adapted from the Jenny
Mosley Quality Circle Time model.
See suggested resources section
for further details.
17
Learning activity 4: Say the right thing
CORE CONCEPT
Children need to be empowered to find a
voice to enable them to speak about their
concerns and problems.
SUGGESTED SUCCESS CRITERION
We will suggest a number of ways to
manage problems.
POINTS TO NOTE
The following scenarios are
suggestions. Adapt them to
suit the individual needs and
possible concerns of the class.
These scenarios can be used
independently and are also
designed to complement the ‘Say
the Right Thing’ section of Sarah
and the Whammi.
The scenarios in this activity link
with Learning activity 3. The children
need to empathise with the adult
and suggest what they could say to
help the child move forward.
Scenarios
Read one of the following scenarios to the class
and explore Year 3 reactions to the identified
situations. Use the other scenarios over a
period of time.
WHAT YOU NEED
- Dressing up clothes
- A special chair to be a hot seat
WHAT TO DO
- Scenarios
- Talk About It
- Role-play It
- Hot Seat It
18
ther
w baby bro
e
n
a
s
a
y
h
Sarah
is very bus
m
u
M
.
m
a
nger
called Willi
She is no lo
.
im
h
r
e
ft
bus stop
looking a
rah to the
a
S
lk
a
w
e fed
able to
needs to b
m
a
li
il
W
e
s
as
becau
time. She h
t
a
th
t
a
d
h
and bathe
to walk wit
h
ra
a
S
r
fo
Sarah
arranged
ed David.
ll
a
c
y
o
b
r
.
an olde
with David
lk
a
w
to
t
n
doesn’t wa
is
near h
y
r
e
v
s
hen he
live
w
s
y
e
e
l
n
im
et
Sta
oys
nd som m school, b
a
l
o
o
h
o
sc
d jump
to or fr
n
g
a
in
e
lk
g
is wa
ive
e hed
hind th says just to g
e
b
e
it
hid
d
im. Da
on’t do
h
w
n
y
o
e
t
h
ou
dt
kick an
a
m
e
h
t
ore.
any m
Daniel lo
ves schoo
l and his
teacher is
helping h
im to rea
really we
d
ll. Mum d
id
n’t like
school. S
he doesn
’t read bo
or magaz
oks
ines. She
finds it ha
to read n
rd
otes that
are sent
from scho
home
ol and ha
rd to writ
notes to th
e
e teacher.
Daniel w
like to he
ould
lp her.
lder
er father, o
h
h
it
w
s
e
v
r. Dad
Katie li
unger siste
o
y
d
n
a
r
e
the
broth
help a lot in
to
m
e
th
s
d
no
nee
se he has
u
a
c
e
b
d
n
.
house a
uch money
m
t
o
n
is
re
job the
ot go to
atie does n
K
s
e
m
ti
e
ies
Som
thday part
ir
b
’s
n
re
d
for a
other chil
no money
is
re
e
th
e
ocket
becaus
rely gets p
ra
e
h
S
t.
n
prese
local
tings to the
u
o
r
o
y
e
she
n
mo
sometimes
d
n
a
e
tr
n
sports ce
ool trips.
misses sch
John‘s old
er brother
has been il
Mum and
l.
Dad have
been very
worried an
d have bee
n spending
a lot of tim
e with him
a
t hospital.
John has b
een spend
ing time
with variou
s aunts, gra
ndparents
and neigh
bours and
h
e
is fed up!
Nobody is
telling him
anything.
19
Learning activity 4: Say the right thing (continued)
Ethan has had lots of sore throats
and now he has to go into hospital
to have his tonsils out. Dad says
he has to be a big boy and it’s
nothing to worry about. But Ethan
is worried.
into
her has to go
Caitlin’s teac
her
bstitute teac
u
s
a
d
n
a
l
a
hospit
itlin
the class. Ca
will be taking
ause
r teacher bec
e
h
s
e
lik
lly
a
re
ding
r with her rea
she helps he
ges her to try
ra
u
o
c
n
e
lly
a
and re
she’s
’s not sure if
e
h
s
n
e
h
w
n
eve
ther
esn’t let the o
o
d
e
h
S
t.
h
g
ri
akes a
h if Caitlin m
go
children laug
oesn’t want to
d
lin
it
a
C
.
e
k
mista
.
to school now
just
d. He has
n
la
o
P
m
o
h
Janusz is fr
Ireland wit
rn
e
h
rt
o
N
g is
moved to
d. Everythin
a
d
d
n
a
, the
his mum
the houses
–
re
e
h
t
n
differe
ecially
es and esp
ic
o
v
e
th
tand
,
food
sn’t unders
e
o
d
e
H
l.
doing
the schoo
d, he was
n
la
o
P
In
.
uld do
anyone
ool. He co
h
c
s
t
a
ll
e
im
very w
er asked h
h
c
a
te
e
th
ds.
everything
many frien
d
a
h
e
h
.
d
to do an
ern Ireland
h
rt
o
N
in
ly
ne
he
He is so lo
to anyone,
lk
ta
t
o
n
n
a
He c
at the
verything th
e
o
d
t
o
ls
n
n
ca
and he fee
s
s
la
c
in
o
busy
others d
nd Dad are
a
m
u
M
.
ll him
stupid
jobs and te
w
e
n
ir
e
le.
th
with
is miserab
e
h
t
u
b
y
rr
not to wo
Sophie has
two sisters.
She used
to share a b
edroom wit
h her older
sister but n
ow her olde
r
sister
is going to
have a roo
m
o
f her
own. Sophie
is going to
share her
bedroom w
ith her youn
ger sister.
Sophie wou
ld love to h
a
ve a space
to call her o
wn and som
ewhere
to escape to
for peace a
nd quiet.
Dad goes o
ut to his ga
rd
en; Mum
goes to the
bathroom w
it
h
book and c
a
andles but
Sophie has
nowhere to
go.
20
These scenarios deal with difficult
but realistic circumstances for
some children. For those who
have not had these experiences,
it may be interesting to explore
their empathy for those less
fortunate. Children need
opportunities to experience
difference so that they can
develop positive attitudes and
behaviours for diversity in all
its forms. Teachers should note
that self-belief, high self-esteem
and good, creative problemsolving skills along with sensitive
and supportive teachers and
friends can make a tremendous
difference to children experiencing
problems, especially when they
have warm and loving support
at home. (Olsson et al, 2003).
A positive, inclusive classroom
ethos involving praise and
rewards and tailored to the
individual needs of each
member of the class contributes
much to the support of children
in difficult circumstances.
Talk About It
Role-play It
Hot Seat It
Have the children explore the
scenarios and talk about the
needs, wants, thoughts and
actions of the characters identified
in bold. Ask the children the
following questions:
- What can the characters in
each scenario do to improve
their situation?
- What can they each do and/or
say to ensure that the needs
of each character are met
fairly to enable the situation
to move forward?
Use Resource B: Fair Pair and
Fair Grouping to fair group the
children. Invite them to choose
one scenario and identify all the
possible characters involved.
Inform them that you want them
to carry out a role-play to depict
the scenario and how it could be
successfully resolved. Remind the
children to show empathy and to
think about how all the characters
in the story are feeling. Have
the children allocate roles fairly,
with some in the group acting as
plausible ‘extras’ or script advisors.
Provide a range of suitable props
and clothes to help the children
identify with their character.
Choose a scenario and ask
for volunteers to role-play the
characters. Have the rest of the
class ask each character questions.
Encourage the person in the ‘hot
seat’ to respond in character.
Below is an example discussion
structure for Scenario 1:
Character
Thinks
Acts
What could the character say
to improve the situation?
Mum
I wish Sarah would
do more for herself.
Annoyed and
impatient
Sarah, I know you’re nervous going
to the bus without me but I need you
to be brave and to go with David.
Sarah
Mum thinks more of
William than of me.
Sulky and
fearful
OK, I’ll go with David but I would also
like us to have some time together.
21
Learning activity 5: Finding friends
CORE CONCEPT
Having friends is an essential part of
being happy. Friends sustain us when
we have problems.
SUGGESTED SUCCESS CRITERION
We will suggest ways to get along
with others.
POINTS TO NOTE
Some children find it difficult to
make and sustain friendships.
Teachers have an important role
in helping these children learn
how to initiate and develop
mutually satisfying relationships.
Remember to consider any
cultural or ethnic differences.
Adapt any of the activities
below to suit the individual
circumstances of your class.
This activity links with ‘Finding
Friends’ in the Bullying section
of Interactive Sarah and
the Whammi.
Getting To Know You
1-2-3
This activity enables the children to find out more about each other.
Give each child a copy of Resource F: Find Someone Who. Ask them to
find a different person to match each of the descriptions outlined on the
resource. Have them ask each person to sign their name in the relevant
box. For example, if John finds out that Sarah likes dogs, he asks her to
sign her name in the ‘Likes dogs’ box.
Have the children find a partner
and take two minutes to share
three things they found out about
their classmates during the
previous activity.
22
WHAT YOU NEED
- Find Someone Who...(Resource F)
- Large sheets of paper to
make posters
- Space for all the children to line
up in the room
WHAT TO DO
- Getting To Know You
- 1-2-3
- Fair and Unfair
- Feeling The Words
- Make A Poster
- If....
- I Could....
- Looking And Sounding
1
2
-
3
-
Fair and Unfair
Fair group the children into groups
of four. Have them work together
to construct a list of fair things they
have heard and seen people say
and do to each other. Examples
might include, ‘Would you like to join
our team?’ or, ‘I’ll show you.’ Next,
have them make an unfair list, for
example, ‘We don’t want to play
with you’ or, ‘Go away.’ Sensitively
try to find out where the children
have heard or used these words
and phrases. Briefly discuss the
consequences of these statements.
Feeling The Words
Remind the class of the Fair and
Unfair activity, if they completed
it earlier. This is a practical way
of experiencing fair and unfair
comments.
Ask for a volunteer to call out two
numbers between two and the total
number of children in your class.
Using the volunteer as number one,
have him/her count the children.
When they get to the two children
with the numbers that were called
out, ask these children to ‘Feel the
Words.’ Have them leave the room.
Then explain the process to the rest
of the class. Organise the children
into two lines facing each other. Ask
them to think of unfriendly words or
phrases, for example, ‘Go away’,
‘I’m not playing with you’ or ‘No, you
can’t.’ Bring the two chosen children
back into the classroom. Have them
run between the two lines while the
children shout unkind comments.
Ask the two children to discuss how
this felt. Repeat the process with
only kind words and phrases being
shouted for example, ‘Well done’,
‘Play with me at break’ or ‘You’re
a great friend.’ Have the children
discuss how this felt.
Make A Poster
Fair group the children. Have them
make and design a poster with the
words, ‘Friendly Things to Say and Do’
at the centre. Invite each group to share
their poster with the rest of the class.
Draw together the common elements
and discuss the following issues:
- What makes a good friend?
- What sort of things do friends
do for each other?
- What makes a person a friend?
If....
I Could...
Ask the children to think about
finding friends. Invite them to
respond to the following situations
by starting their reply with the
words, ‘I could...’
For example, ‘If I am late arriving
in the playground at break I could
ask if I could join in a game.’
Ask the children to think about
finding friends. Invite them to
respond to the following situations
by starting their reply with the
words, ‘If...’
For example. ‘I could join in a game
in the playground if people invited
me to.
- I could talk to someone at the
swimming/afternoon or other
club if...
- I could join the Cubs/Brownies
or other organizations if...
- I could try new things without
worrying if...
- I could tell someone they have
done something well if...
- I could be depended on if...
- I could help others in the
classroom if...
- I could ask for help if...
- I could tell someone they were
annoying me if...
- I could make up after having
a disagreement with a friend if...
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
If I go to an organisation like the
swimming/afterschool club for
the first time I could...
If I sit beside someone I don’t
know very well I could...
If I work with a new group
of people I could...
If a new family comes to live
beside me I could...
If I move to a new house I could...
If I need help with my work
I could...
If someone in my group needs
help I could...
If a new pupil who doesn’t speak
my language joins our class
I could...
If we have a substitute teacher
I could...
Looking And Sounding
Have the children work in pairs to
suggest ways in which others look or
sound friendly. Record all suggestions
and have the children develop short
scenarios and act them out in front of
the class to depict their suggestions.
23
Resource A
24
Personal Development and Mutual Understanding Green Unit
Learning activity 1: I have opinions; Learning activity 2: I have a family
Letter to
Parent(s) /
Carer(s)
l
o
o
h
c
s
y
m
25
Class Teacher
Best wishes,
A copy of the materials being used is available in school. Please feel free to discuss these
with me or to talk to me about any concerns you may have.
We are doing this work to help children learn to think about matters that concern them,
so that they can stand up for themselves and make sensible choices in situations when
adults are not there. To help the children talk about these things we will have some home
learning activities for you to complete with your child and, as always, it will be helpful if
you discuss the various activities that your child is also doing in school.
In this unit of Living.Learning.Together our work will be closely linked to an interactive
learning resource we have in school called Sarah and the Whammi. This is the story of a
little girl called Sarah. She is about the age of your son/daughter and her mum has just
had a baby boy. We will be thinking and talking about the changes that happen in our
families; some changes we like and some we don’t like. We will be thinking about how
Year 3 children are trying to become more independent and to take more responsibility
at home, in school and in the community. We will also be thinking and discussing how
sometimes our opinions differ from our family or our friends but that it is all right to have
a different opinion so long as we listen to and respect the opinions of others. We will be
learning that it is all right to change an opinion when we experience, read or listen to
something that we had not known or thought of before.
Dear Parent(s)/Carer(s)
Date
my school
Insert school logo or letter head
Resource B
Personal Development and Mutual Understanding Green Unit
Learning activity 1: I have opinions
Fair Pairing and
Fair Grouping
26
Fair Pairing
Fair Grouping
- Make a set of snap cards matching class photographs to names.
Decide the number of groups you wish to have. Have a different sticker
for each group. As children arrive, give each child a random sticker and
when it is time to work in groups have each child look for those with
similar stickers.
- Make a set of snap cards using the names of those connected to
the school, for example Mrs Blair/secretary, Mrs Black/Principal or
Mr Thompson/teacher.
- Make a set of snap cards connected to your mathematics topic,
for example 2/two;
triangle.
- Keep a box with pictures of matching sets for example, a hat and
scarf, knife and fork or collar and lead. This is even better if children
can take the actual articles from a hole in the top of the box.
- Make a list of words that sound the same but are spelt differently,
for example to/two, there/their, here/hear, one/won, bare/bear,
would/wood, hole/whole, right/write and so/sew.
- Make a list of words that are opposites, for example hot/cold,
up/down, in/out, under/over, top/bottom, rich/poor, dark/light,
big/small, dirty/clean, fast/slow, and wet/dry.
e
l
g
n
a
i
Tr
Draw one basic scene and make one difference on each of four other
cards. You will now have five different cards to use to form five groups.
Photocopy equal numbers of each card to ensure each child in your class
can receive one card. When children compare their cards they will have to
look for the small differences before they can form their correct groups.
Decide on the number of groups you wish to have and provide a picture
of a farmyard animal for each group. For example, if you have 24
people in your class and want six groups with four in each then provide
six different animals and four copies of each. Have the children pick an
unseen card and walk around the room making their animal’s noise to
find others who are making the same noise. They can then show each
other their cards to check they’ve got it right.
As a special treat, providing there are no allergies in your class, obtain
a box of wrapped sweets with a wide variety of textures and flavours.
Fill the box to ensure you have the same number of varieties as the
number of groups you want and, the same number of each variety as
the number you want in your group. Have the children hold their sweet
until everyone else has received one. Then have them find their group
according to the variety of sweet. This could work equally well with a
plate of strawberries, apples, oranges, raspberries, kiwis and mango.
If you needed five groups,the number of pieces of each fruit would be
determined by the number of children in your class. When the groups
are found the treat can be eaten.
27
Resource C
Personal Development and Mutual Understanding Green Unit
Learning activity 2: I have a family
Changes
(Home learning activity)
Think of a change in your life. In each of the clouds, write a thought
about the change. Draw a picture of your face that shows how you felt
at the time and what you were thinking about. In each point of the star,
ask a family member to write one positive thing about you at that time.
28
29
Resource D
Personal Development and Mutual Understanding Green Unit
Learning activity 2: I have a family
Let’s Talk Together
(Home learning activity)
Sit with a family member and talk about the
things that are happening in your life at this
time. You do not have to write in the spaces but
you do need to talk about what you could write.
30
Things I’m...
Really
happy
about
Confused
or annoyed
about
Worried
about
31
Resource E
Personal Development and Mutual Understanding Green Unit
Learning activity 3: Reading thoughts
Remote
Control
32
33
Resource F
34
Personal Development and Mutual Understanding Green Unit
Learning activity 5: Finding friends
Find Someone Who
Has a sist
er
s
n
e
t
Lis
u
o
y
o
t
En
j
sch oys
oo
l
s
g
L
i
k
e
s
n
c
i
a
ts
S
Likes dogs
Likes cats
Has a pet
Plays football
Sings
Can skip
Walks to school
Comes to school
by bus
Has a
brother
Has no brothers
or sisters
Can tell you
a joke
Has a sister
Smiles at you
Asked you to join in
a game this week
Shared something
with you this week
Tells you their
favourite meal
Says kind things
about others
Tells the truth
Listens to you
Goes to an outside
school activity, for
example Brownies,
Cubs or a sports club
Likes to cook/bake
Enjoys school
Will wait in the
playground to play with
you at next break time
Lives near you
35
Suggested stories
Gravett, E. Meerkat Mail
(2006 Macmillan Children’s Books)
1405052155
Hedderwick, H. A Walk With Grannie
(2004 Hodder Children’s Books)
0 34087353
Rosen, M. This Is Our House
(2007 Walker Books)
9781406305647
Graham, B. Oscar’s Half Birthday
(2005 Walker Books)
1 844280292
Cooke, T. So Much
(1996 Walker Books)
9780744543964
Cole, J. I’m a Big Brother
(1997 Eos)
0688145078
Cole, J. I’m a Big Sister
(2000 Eos)
0688145094
Cole, J. The New Baby at Your House
(1999 William Morrow)
0688166989
Suggested
further reading
Sheldon, A. Big Sister Now: Story
about Me and Our New Baby
(2005 Magination Press)
159147244X
Child, L. Clarice Bean, That’s Me
(2000 Orchard Books)
184121583X
Child, L. You Can Be My Friend
(2007 Grosset and Dunlap)
0448448408
Ideas for Connecting Learning, Years 3 & 4
Let’s Celebrate; Houses and Homes.
(2007 CCEA)
Weir, L. Helping Nova
Wise Up and Think! Series (2007 CCEA)
Kaltman, G. Help! For Teachers of Young
Children: 88 Tips to Develop Children’s
Social Skills and Create Positive
Teacher-Family Relationships (Help!)
(2005 Corwin Press) 9781412924436
Blume, J. Cool Zone With The
Pain And The Great One
(2008 Random House)
9780385733069
Brown, L. K and Brown, M.T.
How To Be A Friend: A Guide to Making
Friends And Keeping Them
(2001 Little Brown Young Readers)
0 316111538
Blume, J. Soupy Saturdays With
The Pain And The Great One
(2007 Random House)
9780385733052
Duke, M. P., Martin, E. A., Nowicki, S.
Teaching Your Child The Language
of Social Success
(1996 Peachtree Publishers) 1561451266
Kann V. & Kann E. Pinkalicious
(2006 HarperCollins)
97800607760398
Borba, M. Nobody Likes Me, Everybody
Hates Me: The Top 25 Friendship
Problems And How To Solve Them
(2005 Jossey-Bass) 0 787976628
Williems, M. Knuffle Bunny Too:
A Case of Mistaken Identity
(2007 Hyperion Books for Children)
9781423102991
Stanley, S. and Bowkett, S.
But Why? Developing Philosophical
Thinking In The Classroom
(2004 Network Educational Press)
1 85539 172 4
Olsson, C.A., Bond, L., Burns, J.M.,
Vella-Brodrick, D.A. and Sawyer, S.M.
(2003) ‘Adolescent Resilience: a concept
analysis’, Journal of Adolescence, vol
26, no 1, pp1 - 11
Heubner, D. & Matthews, B.
What To Do When You Worry Too Much:
A Kid’s Guide To Overcoming Anxiety
(2005 Magination Press) 1591473144
Suggested Additional
Resources
Active Learning and Teaching Methods
www.nicurriculum.org.uk
Childline 0800 1111
www.childline.org.uk
Community of Enquiry/Philosophy
for Children P4C
www.sapere.net
Northern Ireland Commissioner
for Children & Young People
www.niccy.org
Quality Circle Time
www.circle-time.co.uk
Useful resources for PDMU
www.incentiveplus.co.uk