Component Description:  Examining your actions and knowing their consequences; knowing if thought or feeling is ruling a decision; applying these insights to issues such as sex and drugs.

GRADES K-3
Specific Session Objective: Students will identify emotions that precede actions, explore the consequences of those actions, determine whether thought or emotion ruled those actions and investigate alternative actions and their consequences.

Session materials
    Anansi's Good Day - following lesson plan

Session Content
1. Introduce the topic of consequences.  Share an action you took and the consequences that followed.  Solicit examples of actions and consequences from the players.  Introduce the character Anansi who is always getting into trouble because of his actions.

2. Share the story Anansi's Good Day.

3. Discuss how Anansi felt to be having a good day and helping Granny. What happened when he smelled Granny's famous beans?  What did Anansi feel when he heard the farmers coming? What did Anansi do with the beans that he was holding in his hat?  flow did Anansi feel when he was caught in the lie?

4. Each player finds her/his own space in the room to work.  Instruct each player to transform her/his body into Anansi the spider.  The leader narrates as the players pantomime/improvise Anansi's role.  Start with Anansi planting in the field (after Grandma returns to the field) and narrate through to the end of the story.  It will be necessary for the leader to side coach Anansi's dialogue.

5. Discuss Anansi's actions and their consequences.  Brainstorm what other actions Anansi could have taken when the farmers came running up to the house.  What might the consequences of those actions be?

6. The players spread out around the room.  Each player transforms into Anansi again. Dramatize some of the new actions and consequences.  Use leader-in-role to facilitate as necessary.

Session Assessment
1. Bring the players into a circle.  Discuss times in the story where Anansi acted on his emotions without considering the consequences.
2. Ask players to discuss times in their lives when they listened to their emotions without consulting their minds.  For instance: Your younger brother breaks your favorite toy. You are furious so you hit your brother really hard.  Your brother falls down arid hurts himself. You didn't mean to hurt him but you were just so mad!  If you had stopped to think about your actions, your brother wouldn't have gotten hurt.

Relevant References in Goleman's Emotional Intelligence: pp. 27-29, 143.
                                                                    Designed by: Michelle Renee White

 Anansi's Good Day
People say that all the stories about Anansi the spider come from Ghana, Mrica. Anansi was the first spiderman who ever lived. He was very, very greedy, and he loved to eat.
Anansi was lazy too. Instead of planting and hunting his own food, he would use trickery to get other people's food. But every once in a while he would have a good day. That means that the little bit of goodness deep in his heart would come bubbling up, and for one whole day he would be kind and helpful to people. Today is one of those days.
Anansi woke up with the sunlight streaming through the window of his banana leaf house. He opened his eyes and smiled and said, "I feel great! This is one of my good days. I'll do something good for... let's see. I know, Granny Spider!"
He got dressed. He went into the kitchen and surprised his wife, Aso, who was cooking over the fire. (mime putting on trousers, a shirt, a hat)
"Aso!" he shouted. "I woke up this morning, and I said, 'I feel great!' I'm going to help Granny Spider plant her field."
Aso was delighted. She said, "Anansi, I just made a seven-layer chocolate cake. You can take it to Granny." (look down at the cake with a gleam in your eyes)
"I will," said Anansi, "but first I would like my breakfast." (sit down, and pretend to tuck a napkin in your collar)
Anansi ate a delicious breakfast. He started with______ ,and then he went on to _____ and _____ and ______. (let the children supply the names of breakfast foods, mimic eating them)
“That's enough!" said Anansi. (hold your full stomach)
He put on his hat, picked up the cake, said goodbye to Aso, and off he went. He walked over and under rocks, through tall grass, around trees, and up the hill, and by then he was ______ (hot), and he was ______(hungry). (gesture being hot and let the children guess hot and hungry. then pretend to look at the cake hungrily, and let the children guess "He ate the cake")
So what did he do?
Not today! Remember, today is a good day. Later on, you might have to remind Anansi about his good day.
Finally he got to Granny's farm. "Good morning, Granny!" he said. (use a creaky old spidery voice each time she speaks)
"Anansi, is that you? What a surprise - a cake for me. You must be having one of those good days."
"Oh yes. When I woke up this morning, I said, 'I feel great!' So I've come to help you plant your seeds," said Anansi.
"That's wonderful. You plant over there. I'll plant over here. But first I'll go into the kitchen and make a pot of Granny's famous beans." (gesture by pointing)
She took out her biggest pot and put in the beans. (mime the activity)
On top of the beans she added ______ (let the children offer possible ingredients and mime preparing and putting them in.  For ex: if someone suggests onions, mime cutting them and crying)
Granny put on the lid and set the pot over the fire to simmer. Then she went into the field to work.
Anansi was very good for a while. He planted seeds and sang this song:

One, dig a hole.
Two, plant a seed.
Three is a spider
Who is good indeed.

(sing or say the words. You say each sentence first, and have the children repeat after you)

Anansi did fine until the smell of the beans came across the field and into his nose. As he worked, his planting got closer and closer to the kitchen.

One, dig a hole.
Two, plant a seed.
Three is a spider
who is good indeed.

(sing or say the words together)

He could not resist the delicious smell of the beans. So he ran into the kitchen and took the lid off the pot. (mime lifting off the lid, and remind the children to shout, "It's your good day!")
"Oh, I know-I know it's my good day. I need to taste the beans for Granny to make sure they're good."
He took the long-handled spoon and tasted the beans. (mime tasting the beans)
"Mmm. I need another taste." (the children will yell, "No! No! It's your good day." Ignore them)
"Mmm," said Anansi. He took off his hat, filled it with beans, and found a comer of the kitchen where he could sit and eat them. But do you think one hatful of beans is enough for a greedy spider? No! He filled up his hat a second time-and that's when it happened.
The farmers, who were outside working on their farms, began to sniff the air. (sniff together)
Then they all shouted together, "Granny's famous beans!" and they ran to Granny's farm to get their share. Granny always made enough for everyone. Anansi saw them coming, and there he was with a hatful of beans.
"Oh no!" said Anansi. "This is my good day, and they're going to find me with my hat full of beans."
What should he do? Finally he... he... he put his hat back on his head. (let children shout out some ideas)
Yipes! It was hot! The beans on his head felt hotter and hotter and hotter! Anansi began to shake his head in a funny way. (shake your head from side to side and up and down)
The farmers said, "What are you doing, Anansi?"
"What am I doing?" he said. "I know-I'm doing the bat-shaking dance!"
"Teach it to us! Teach it to us! Is this right?" (have the children shake their heads with you)
Anansi couldn't stand it any longer. He took off his hat, and everyone laughed. He had beans everywhere.
Granny came running in and said, "Anansi, this is your good day." (shake your head, tsk-tsk)
Anansi was so ashamed that he said, "Please, tall grass, hide me."
The tall blades of grass separated so that Anansi could hide between them. And do you know something? To this day spiders hide in tall grass, and now you know why.
 

GRADES 4-6
Session Objective
    Students will role-play the differences between minimized, exaggerated, and substituted feelings using masks.
Session Material
    three paper plates and three popsicle sticks per student, glue or tape, markers
Terms
    feelings, cultural rules, minimizing, exaggerating, substituting
Session Content
    Discuss cultural rules which affect our emotions.  How do we minimize, exaggerate, and/or substitute a real emotion for another to protect another person or ourselves?  Example: How do you react when Grandma gives you a sweater at Christmas time - again?
Masking Our Emotions
1.    Make three masks showing an exaggerated expression, a minimized expression, and a "blank" expression.
2.    In a group (with the teacher in role as Grandma) use the mask which would best express how you would react to receiving yet another sweater from Grandma.  Teacher should point out that there are (most likely) all three styles of masks being shown.  Why might some choose one mask over another?
3.    In pairs develop a short (1 minute or less) improvised scene creating a different time that a mask would be used.  Perform these scenes for the class. (If scripting is a focus for you, short scripts can be written on the back of the masks.)
4.    Perform them a second time without masks and using the real emotion felt.  How is the other person affected by the true emotion?

Discussion
    Are masked emotions necessary?  When is masking beneficial and when is it damaging?
Session Assessment
    Write a "split script" showing a masked scene. Cartooning can also be an option.
    Example:
    Grandma: How do you like your sweater, Tina?
    Tina's Mask: Thank you for making the sweater.  I know it took you a long time.  I will put it on.
    Grandma: I'm glad you like it.  I can't wait to see it on you.

    Grandma: How do you like your sweater, Tina?
    Tina's Mask: Well, I'm tired of getting sweaters Grandma.  I don't even like the color pink.
    Grandma: I put a lot of effort into making the sweater Tina.  I'd like to see you wear it.
    Tina: I wouldn't be caught dead in this!
                                                                        Created by Cari Rodden
 
GRADES 6-8
Session Objective
    Students will create a tableau to demonstrate toxic emotions.
Session Materials
    index cards, worksheets (following plan) - 1 per group, pencils
Terms
    toxic emotions, tableau(x)
Session Content
    Creating a Toxic Character Profile
1.     On index card, write a brief description of a person who either has a toxic emotional problem or is affected by one.  Needed: problem, gender, age, how others are affected by this problem.
Example:  13 yr. old female picks fights when in the hall at school.  She escalates into anger when someone appears to be looking at her; she thinks they are staring.  She often hits, shoves, or trips others when they are "staring".  She is nicknamed The Bomb because no one knows when she will be set off; some purposefully set her off.
2.    When cards are completed, collect them, mix them up and pass them out.  Inform students that the character on the card is now his or hers. Change gender if you want and give character a name.
Tableaux
1.    Form groups of 3-4.  Groups discuss the cards, selecting the one which best shows a toxic situation which could be dramatized by the group.
2.    Complete the worksheet together.
3.    Practice making a tableau (a still picture) that others in the class can view.
4.    Take turns viewing the tableaux.
Side coaching: What toxic emotion is displayed? what are the relationships presented?
5.    Have all groups begin their scenes.  Use spotlighting so that all groups can hear portions of the others.
Follow-up: What measures could be taken to prevent the toxic behavior?  Have students with suggestions replace one of the players and try the suggestion.
6.    Return to the original tableaux.  Try a realistic de-toxing suggestion to create a less toxic scene.  Watch one group at a time.
Session Assessment
    Journal Writing
A.    Write about a personal toxic moment.
B.    Use the character card and show how this person could change toxic behavior and emotions.

Refer to Goleman's Emotional Intelligence Part 5, specifically 276, 283-4
                                                                                                Created by C. R.

WORKSHEET

                                                                Toxic Tableau

  Group Members:
   Date:

Directions:
    Read through all character description cards  in your group.  Choose one card that gives everyone a playable role.  Complete this sheet together.

Casting:

Setting:

Describe the situation:
 
 

Sketch how the scene will look when frozen:
 
 

Briefly describe what happened just prior to this moment:
 
 

Briefly describe what happens within 5 minutes of this moment:
 
 

Note: Do NOT determine how the scene will end.
 
 

Grades 9-12
Specific Session Objective
Students will identify factors which affect personal decision making, and how these factors are important to them as individuals.  Through role-play and other drama activities, they will explore and gain insight on how their decisions affect themselves, others, and how they come to those decisions.

Session Content
1. The Human Knot - Instruct students to stand in a circle, and then place their right hand in the center and take another's hand, then follow suit with the left.  This creates a human knot that can only be untied by careful decisions on everyone's part. Start the untying with everyone verbally cooperating and offering suggestions, then, about when the knot is quite loose, prohibit any verbal interaction. Instruct students to safely concentrate on themselves as part of the knot and to allow themselves to deduce a method to become free. The knot, in most cases, should end up as a circle with all hands joined.
2. Living Continuum- Start out by explaining the idea of a continuum, and then adding that the continuum that your group will be using will be the length of your room, space, etc. Each wall will be the extreme ends, and students will travel between these two opposites. Start by asking a few basic questions to test out this exercise and get the students warmed up, some examples:
* Want to go to college.... Do not want to go to college*
* Would move to the other side of the globe to be with family.... Would not move*
*Would turn in a friend who has gotten themselves in trouble with drugs... would not get involved*

    Allow students to physically place themselves on the continuum after you have designated which end applies to each choice. If these questions don't feel quite appropriate, feel free to alter them.
3. Continuum with Conflict: Tell students they will still be placing themselves according to their decisions or beliefs but add these directions: When you move to your place on the continuum, decide whether logic and thought govern your decision or is it driven more by feelings and your "heart." If logic and thought is the ruler, stand straight without movement, if it's feelings, allow the body to take on an expressive position which best reflects why or how your feelings brought you to this decision.
(ex. Would support an abortion by yourself or someone close to you? The position may be cradling a baby or holding someone's hand.)

 SOME QUESTIONS TO USE:
* Would support an abortion for yourself or someone close to you?*
* Would sell illegal drugs to aquire money for your needy family?*
* End a friendship if you found out a friend has committed a serious, violent crime?*

    Divide students into groups of three, have them decide on one of the 3 questions and have them create a short presentation of how one of the students came to that decision. One student plays themself, the others play thought/logic and feelings respectively. Instruct them to show the rest of the class with movement and vocalizations,(dialouge, sounds) how one of them chose their place on the continuum.This will work best if the student playing themself, "directs" the others into how their decision was made. (As in the introduction, if these questions are not appropriate, adjust for your group.) After a few minutes of preparation, read the three questions and have each group present
their work while taking their place. Have the whole class view placement and actions closely.

SESSION ASSESSMENT:
1. Were there any instances where you didn't seem to connect with a question, why was it difficult with some questions more than others?
2. With regard thoughts and feelings, how much of the time did you find that feelings governed? Thoughts and logic?
3. By working with others on their decision-piece, did you learn anything about your own? What? What factors contributed to the ease/difficulty of the last exercise?
4. While in the human knot1 what were some observations about how decisions were made; when talking was allowed? when you were silent?
                                                    Created by: Tommy ]armiolowski