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MONSTERS’ INC activity
The DVD short film ‘Mike’s New Car’ (a DVD extra on ‘Monsters’ Inc) provides a wonderful look at conflict between two friends. Mike has bought a new car; Sully, his best mate, does lots of ‘exploring’ whilst in it – just like a toddler, with his fingers touching everything. Mike becomes increasingly annoyed with Sully, who himself becomes more and more flustered and anxious. The result is the two characters falling out – with hilarious results.
Below are a couple of examples as to how, through this DVD, pupils can explore the specific themes related to social and emotional development, looking at the links with both specific developmental stages and tasks and also the affirmations.
One way of doing this would be to have enlarged copies of Mike and Sully (pictures can be sourced on the internet) and ask the children to place affirmations around them – “Which of these messages do you think Mike could do with hearing?’
DVD Material Theme Developmental Stage and Tasks – Some ideas
Affirmations - Some ideas Some Questions
Mike becoming increasingly annoyed with
Sully
Sully fiddling with the car controls
Getting on and Falling
Out
Expressing wants and needs appropriately
Self-Control
Thinking:
To express anger and other feelings
Identity and Power:
To learn to exert power to affect relationships.
To practice socially appropriate behaviour.
Skills and Structure:
To develop the capacity to cooperate.
Thinking:
To use all senses to explore the environment
To develop sensory awareness using all
It’s Ok for you to be angry, and we won’t let you hurt yourself or others.
We still want to be with you when we differ and we can learn together.
You can learn the rules that help you live with others.
You can use all of your senses when you explore.
You can be interested in everything.
You can know what you need and ask for help.
At what point do you notice Mike becoming annoyed with Sully?
What other feelings do you think Mike has apart from being annoyed?
Which of the developmental stages do you think Mike is visiting/exploring?
Which of the developmental/growing up jobs is he struggling with?
Do you think he will always struggle with them?
Which of the affirmations do you think he needs to hear to help him?
How might they be expressed to him?
Which of the developmental stages do you think Sully is visiting/exploring?
Which of the developmental/growing up jobs is he struggling with?
Do you think he will always struggle with

behaviourwall.com senses. You can think before you say ‘Yes’ or
‘No’. them?
Which of the affirmations do you think he needs to hear to help him?
How might they be expressed to him?
What could he do to be less fidgety?