Being My Very Best

How can your class become a community of learners? These self-portrait paper dolls encourage everyone to become better friends.

• 1.

  With your classmates, read books about getting along with others, such as "When I Feel Good About Myself" by Cornelia Maude Spelman. As a class, make a list of ways that people act when they care about each other.

• 2.

  On construction paper, draw a miniature version of yourself with Crayola Twistables® Crayons and Washable Markers. Add details such as hair, eyes, and clothing. Use Crayola Scissors to cut out your paper doll. On the back, list two or three ways you can be an even better friend with your classmates, team members, and family.

• 3.

  Divide into small groups. Together, write a skit about a situation you might face at school. How would you react if a friend won a poster contest? How would you deal with a bully? What would you do if you found lunch money on the playground? Make sure you use correct grammar and whole sentences in your skit—and give it several different endings! Use your paper dolls to act out possible solutions. Choose one of the best resolutions to share with your classmates.

Benefits

• Children listen carefully to a story about getting along with others and identify pro-social behaviors.
• Children create a replica of themselves and list two or three social skills they can improve.
• Children use their paper dolls to generate solutions to interpersonal problems and role play possible solutions.

Adaptations

• Glue cut outs on a mural. Add speech bubbles to highlight good manners, conflict resolution strategies, school rules, helping others, being safe, and other skills that help you be your best.
• Chart information about your classmates using the cutouts. How many have curly brown hair? Blue eyes? Are wearing sneakers? Change the question every day.
• Create a chart in which you use your cut outs to mark attendance, sign up for responsibilities, or record books read, for example.
• Children with fine motor difficulties may appreciate help to cut out their figure.
• Assessment: Students make realistic replicas of themselves, list two or three pertinent behaviors to improve, and work cooperatively with classmates to role play solutions to challenging situations.