GRADES K-3
Specific Session Objective:  Students will:
     -make decisions during the puppet construction based on time as well
      as personal preference, and then discuss the results and their feelings.
     -explore consequences of decisions and actions.
Session Materials
     glue, sequins, glitter, colored construction paper, paper bags, paper
     plates, yarn, buttons, markers, crayons, foam, scissors, material, old
     magazines, popsicle sticks, scraps of fake fur, socks, metallic wrapping
     paper, foil, cotton balls, cardboard, cereal boxes, fabric paint, etc.
     -Use any combination of these materials and add as many available  items
     as possible.
Session Content
1.  PUPPET CONSTRUCTION
     Provide a wide variety of materials.  Rather than giving out specific puppet patterns, offer ideas and present different options.  Discuss possibilities for the body and head of the puppet, i.e., a sock, paper bag, paper plate, cardboard box, etc.  (Give younger children more examples and less options so they are not completely overwhelmed.)  Encourage students to be creative and to use as many or as few materials as they desire.
Inform students that they will have a certain amount of time for each step in the puppet making process and when the allotted time expires they must move on to the next step.  This component is designed to require students to make decisions in a timely fashion and to come up with alternatives for  construction designs that become too lengthy.   The amount of time for each step will be determined by the age of the students and your knowledge of the class.  It is important to challenge students without causing too much stress or frustration, so keep it to the level of “just manageable difficulty.”
2.  PUPPET DISCLOSURE
     Ask students to bring their puppets to a circle and be seated.  Ask each of the puppets in turn to talk about themselves.  Have the puppets introduce themselves and then ask the puppets questions about why they think their student chose various materials, how they feel about their looks, any input they had in the decision making process, design elements that flowed nicely or posed problems, etc.  Encourage the other students to ask the puppet questions as well, or to have their own puppet ask questions.
3.  ALTERNATIVE TO THE PUPPET DISCLOSURE
     The differences between children in kindergarten and third grade are so immense that I am providing an alternative to the puppet disclosure for younger students.  I highly recommend a discussion regarding decisions and feelings about the students’ creations before beginning this activity.  I believe this is an essential assessment component.
 This activity get students moving.  Ask students if they are familiar with the story of The Three Little Pigs.  Refresh memories if necessary, and then explain that we are going to act out the story of the (number of students in the class) little puppets.   Ask for a volunteer to portray the great big puppet muncher or take the role yourself.   Narrate the story.  Begin by waving good-bye to mom and then discover a large pile of straw in the road.  Build a straw house together and rush inside after catching a glimpse of the great big puppet muncher.  The puppet muncher will ask to come in, the puppets will refuse, the muncher will blow down the house, and the puppets will run away.  Same scenario for the stick house.  After the puppet muncher tries to blow down the brick house and falls on the ground exhausted, and the puppets jump about excitedly.
4.  DISCUSSION
     Talk about the consequences of the actions of the puppets and the
     puppet muncher.
     Ask students what feelings they experienced during the activity.

Session Assessment
     The puppet disclosure or the pre-activity discussion will reveal a lot about how students dealt with feelings toward their puppets and consequences of decisions.  Additionally, students are given a time frame for the puppet construction and their behavior during this activity demonstrates their ability, or lack thereof, to follow through on commitments and take responsibility for decisions effected by the imposed time restraint.  If students are blaming others for using materials or you for not giving them enough time, additional discussions and demonstrations may be necessary to help students modify their behavior.

Relevant References in Goleman’s Emotional Intelligence:  pp.  40-44,
46-55, 78-83, 303
                                                          Developed by S. R.
 

GRADES 4-6
Specific Session Objective:
    Students will recognize that the results of decisions may have long term consequences and that it is important to weigh decisions carefully and avoid acting on negative impulses.
Session Materials:
    construction paper or plain white paper
    assorted crayons
    writing utensils
Session Content:
1.  "IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE"
    Students are cast in the roles of script writers and movie producers.  They have been commissioned to do a play about a kid that is similar in theme to "It's a Wonderful Life" with Jimmy Stewart.  They are to decide how the kid has transgressed.  Guide them in keeping this a simple, real thing from their own lives (e.g., didn't do his/her homework, chores, didn't make curfew, etc.)  They are then to decide what happens to the kid and all the people in the kid's life as a result of his/her transgression.  These should get as big as possible. (e.g., The cat died because the kid did not clean the bowl.  They had a funeral for the cat and when they were digging the hole, a sister fell in and broke her leg, which means she did not make it to cheer tryouts, so she did not get accepted to college....)
2.  TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES
    Leader will now guide students in a story drama about the protests that are staged at the movie premiere.  Some students should be the audience and others should interview the audience.  "Spotlighting" and frozen pictures should be used to focus the action.  At the climax, the "real person" the movie is about should be brought forward.  (Have a pre-determined volunteer.)  Encourage a question and answer period between the movie person and spectators.
Session Assessment
1.  Discuss with the group the results of decisions, and consequences of actions.  Strategize possible alternatives to acting "in the heat of the moment" by weighing alternatives first.  They may draw a picture of either something that happened in class, or may choose to draw several pictures showing a decision they have made in the past and its consequences.
                                                             Developed by L. Hager
 

GRADES 6-8
Specific Session Objective:
    Students will play scenarios that deal with following through on commitments.  Students will discuss and journal on the topic of taking responsibility for their actions and the potential consequences of those actions.
Session Content
1.  Introduction
    Ask students the following questions and have them journal their responses.
    -Did you ever break a promise?
    -What was the situation?
    -Why did you do it?
    -How did it make you feel?
    -How do you think others felt?
2.  Divide the class into groups of 4-5.
    Give each group a scenario in which at least one character must make a choice that will have consequences on themselves or someone else.
For Example:
    The group is playing basketball after school but character A promised his/her parents that she/he would mow the lawn after school.  The rest of the group wants character A to finish the game.
    The group is at a party were there are some older kids drinking.  The older kids want them to have a drink.  The character(s) know they are not supposed to drink, but they do not want to look stupid in front of their friends.
    Character A is supposed to hang out with one friend, but another group of friends come over and try to convince Character A to hang out with them.
    The group is fooling around in Character A's house when somehow a vase belonging to Character A's mother gets broken.  How do they deal with the problem?
*These are just suggestions.  Exploration will be more effective if students can identify with the scenarios.

Give the groups 10 minutes to practice improvising.
Have groups play their scenes one at a time.
    As the leader, freeze scenes as the characters are making decisions or as the scene comes to a climax and ask individual characters how they are feeling at that moment.
    After each scene, discuss decisions made by the characters.  Discuss consequences of the decisions and alternative decisions.  If time permits, the group can replay a scene using one of the suggestions offered as an alternative course of action.
Session Assessment
    Ask students to journal on the topic of personal responsibility and the importance of following through on commitments.
                                                            Created by J. Goodstone
 

GRADES 9-12

SPECIFIC STUDENT OBJECTIVE
    Students will experience how situations and moods fit in with responsibility. Through dramatic play, students will perform specific tasks while searching for alternative ways to achieve self-motivation.

SESSION MATERIALS
    A "Scavenger Hunt"/ Task sheet, 1 per student stick-on name tags

SESSION CONTENT

1. The human bench- For this exercise, have students stand shoulder to shoulder in a circle. Then have them turn so their right shoulder is inside the circle, making sure that they do not move from their spot in the circle. Slowly, have the students sit down. They will be sitting on each other's laps. It is imperative that no one moves from their spot!
Seating may not be solid or completely comfortable, but if the seating is done together and slowly, there will be support for all people to rest on the "human bench." If this is achieved, try to sit, then lean forward, then back; stand up and switch directions. Each participant has the responsibility for keeping themselves focused and still, if one person falls, everyone does.

2. This activity requires a task-based element. What may work best is
a scavenger hunt or list of specific things to achieve in class time.
Whichever element is used, they should be short enough and varied
enough so that it can be done twice as half of the class can only do this
activity at once.
Divide the class up into four parts. Two groups will be "moods" and the others will be the teams designated to perform the "tasks." Assign the "mood" groups stick-on name tags with labels like: Tired, Annoyed, Excited and others. (Depending upon the number of students in these mood groups, you may want to adjust which moods get assigned. For example, try not to have too many hindering emotions in one group.) These "mood" groups will be assigned to affect the "task" teams while they are working towards their goal. You may want to assign a specific mood to each task member or, allow them to float from person to person. This would allow for a wider dynamic within the  task teams. You should make the decision that works best for your group. Instruct students on the task teams to complete their tasks in the most efficient way, with all members participating. Introduce the mood group. The mood groups will be affecting how each person performs their share of the tasks. The mood group has total control of the task members actions and can hinder or help the advancement of the team, ( ex. a frustrated mood group member would not allow the person he is affecting to work well in a group. The "mood" member is merely acting as a voice following a task member, not partaking in the tasks.)
Have both teams go to work with their respective mood groups working with them. After this first section is completed, switch the moods and task teams, repeat the exercise.

SESSION ASSESSMENT
1. When creating the human bench, how did your mood toward the exercise or others in the circle affect your performance? What kind of observations do you have about what your personal importance was in this activity?
2 When you were performing tasks, what moods were most beneficial in getting things done? Least beneficial?
3. While acting as a mood, how did you decide to affect your counterpart performing the tasks? Were there any moments where a mood and a task member worked together? How may it be possible to allow a mood to work for you?
                                                    Created by Tommy Jarmiolowski