Big Bees Week 11/18

Week 11/18/2013: Big Bees
We have transitioned from friendship into understanding giving. With the Thanksgiving holiday season rapidly approaching, we wanted to review the meaning of giving thanks and that giving comes in many forms. We read the book "The Giving Tree." During reading, we analysed the positioning of the tree to express emotion, we pondered why the tree is happy when the boy seems to get everything and the tree is often left alone. As a reinforcing activity I asked each of the students the following. Who is your favorite person, someone you love very much:

Isabella: Grandma
Ari: Dad
Shailen: Mom
Gabriele: God
Elisa Oh: Mom
Elliott: Mom

Then I gave them the following scenario: "I'm a magic genie, you can wish to give your favorite person anything you want to make them happy":

Isabella: love
Ari: love
Shailen: hug
Gabriele: God
Elisa Oh: love
Elliott: hugs & kisses


Then I gave them the following scenario: "I'm still a genie, but now your favorite person is very sad, if you could give them anything to make them feel better and happy what would you wish for":

Isabella: pajamas
Ari: love
Shailen: music CD
Gabriele: love
Elisa Oh: hugs
Elliott: hug & kiss

I'm not going to analyze the responses, but its interesting that when they could give anything, none of them chose a materialist item and for some of them, it was only when they thought they wanted to cheer someone up that they needed a gift.  Regardless, it was a good exercise for them to take the lessons in the book and apply them to their lives.