Page Descriptions Min Resources
Introduce Facilitators
Introduce yourselves to the group stating your name and something interesting about you.

Greeting participants

Invite participants to sit around the table/or on the floor in a circle, give each participant some playdough and ask each participant to say their name and share with the group one of their hobbies. Complete and hand out the nametags.

Group Rules
On a large sheet of paper or on the blackboard, and together with participants come up with rules that participants think are important for everyone to get the most of the program

If participants have trouble coming up with ideas, suggest rules that relate to privacy, safety, turn-taking, listening to others, etc.

Time: 7 to 10 minutes
Resources: Name tags, Pens, Playdough, paper sheets, chalk, textas

7-10 Name-tags

Pens

Playdough
Large sheet of paper

Blackboard/
Whiteboard

Chalk

Textas

Introduce the BoF Workbook

 

Hand each participant their own workbook, allow for some exploration. Direct participant to write their names on the first page. Explain that this is their very own workbook and that as a group we are going to get ready and complete many fun activities.

 

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Self-Evaluation

 

But before you start with story one, ask the participants to complete the self-assessment, located at the very end of the workbook. Explain this is to record how they rate their social-emotional skills today.
Explain that the answers are private and later on, at the end of the program, they will be invited to answer those questions again to see if and how their social-emotional skills have changed and how they would like to improve.
Young participants  may need extra time to complete this evaluation and they may require you to explain the survey options in details. You may want to write down an example first and show how you would complete it.
Focus on self-management by highlighting the importance of self-evaluation to help in setting new goals, developing plans and becoming more disciplined. You can ask:
What would you like to do better after completing this program? How will that make you feel? Can you think of 3 things you can do to make this possible?

7-10 Pens and glue
Six to Nine

 

Introduction of Chapter 1

 

Ask the participants to turn to page 6/7 and read aloud the different questions. Ask participants to contemplate quietly each question. Ask for some quick answers, listen attentively and record some of the answers on the whiteboard or butcher paper.

 

Head to page 8 and 9. Read each question out loud once.
Participants can write, draw or share the answers here as some participants may not write well. Make this clear.
Allow some time for participants to draw, write or think.
Start to draw some attention to their self-awareness with questions that help focus on recognising their emotional responses and comparing it with their peers. For example:

 

How do you feel when you meet someone new? How is it different then when you meet someone you know?
(compare answers among participants drawing attention to differences and similarities)

 

You can also focus on social awareness by encouraging an appreciation of diverse perspectives.  This can be achieved by inviting participants to describe or highlight the differences between themselves and others in the group and/or community. For example:


Do you know someone at your school that loves meeting new people? How similar or different are you from that person?

 

You can also focus on social management by exploring how we may communicate differently with people we know and people we don’t.


How does your body react when you meet someone you really like?( you may need to give and example for young participants eg: Sometimes I blush when i introduce myself to someone new” or “Sometimes I feel butterflies in my tummy when I approach someone I have never met”

How do you react when you meet someone for the first time? What about when you meet another child? or adult? or a dog?

5 Pens
10-14 Story starts

Now it is time to introduce the 4 characters and set the scene by reading pages 10 to 14. After reading each page, stop to quickly reflect on the information provided. For this section of the story, focus on the personal details of character while asking participants to share something about themselves. For example:Do you have any pets? How do you get to school? Is there anything you like to collect? How would you describe yourself?
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Project: Greetings – Acknowledging and Meeting People

The next activity is the first one involving group cooperation. Start by explaining the activity in general and help participants to prepare by reviewing all the materials you will require to complete this task.

Encourage participants to check in with each to make sure they have everything they need and if help is needed. You may delegate this task for a participant (this can be a useful way to manage behaviour issues ). Model this with an example:

Are you ok? Do you need anything else?
Continue to review the ‘in a nutshell’ section together. Answer questions related to the activity. Confirm all participants understand the meaning of ‘nutshell’

 

It is ok to allow participants to explore the upcoming pages as they review the instructions.
Start on step 1.Read the instruction and prepare to circle and cut the words for the activities.

This step allows for individual or work in pairs, depending on the level of excitement. Focus on social awareness by asking participants to reflect on the role of greetings have on making or keeping friends. Continue by helping participants to identify any particular strength or weakness relating to greetings.
Why is greeting people important?  Does it matter how you greet people? Is there a particular greeting you are really good at?  Is there a situation you would like to develop better greetings? At a party for example?
Some participants may require more help with cutting the words.
If time is limited you can have the greetings already cut out. Recommend that participants complete the cutting task with parents at home. Remind parents about this at the end of the group.
If necessary, encourage participants to practice some ‘to and fro’ conversation while completing this task. Give some ideas of topics they could talk about while completing the cutting.


Take the opportunity to observe how participants communicate and how they may be feeling in the presence of others
Continue with step 2. Ask participants to form pairs. Review the steps together and draw out the participants own experiences. Play the greeting activity together.
Have you ever been to any of those places? What was it like? Do the ‘feel’ the same? Do you behave the same when you are in each location? How is it different or alike?
Encourage and acknowledge positive social skills, like eye contact, turn taking and positive language throughout the exercise but don’t overdo it. Ensure you praise all participants at least once.
After the initial instructions, ask participants to decide on the most appropriate greeting for each section. In pairs, invite participants to present their findings.
Focus on social management by asking participants to name and identify what cooperative behaviours they are using while completing this activity:


Can you list or tell us 2 helpful things you did during this activity?  What about your friends? How did it feel like? How did it help you? What decisions did you have to take? How do you decide what to do?
Focus on social awareness by asking participants to explore how greetings can contribute to a healthy classroom, home and community.
What would it be like if people did not greet each other?

What are the positive consequences of greeting people regularly around town?
Continue to step 3.  Read the activity instructions together. Continue by introducing each character.
Mix up the pairs and ask participants to decide on the appropriate greetings they should be using with each characters. Ask the pair to present the findings and explain the reasons for their choices. Take some questions from the other participants.
Continue to step 4. As a way to keep all the cut outs together, ask individual participants to arrange each greeting under the categories provided.
You may skip this step for younger participants but confirm they understand what verbal and non-verbal greeting is. Older children may just glue 4-6 words and keep the other on an envelop.
Invite participants to check each other’s answers and decide if any changes are required. Encourage appropriate conversation skills by reminding participants to take turns, pause, listen and reply. After they are satisfied and you are able to quickly check, glue cut outs in place. Encourage to and from conversation.

 

Focus on social management by encouraging and practicing decision making when the pair or group can’t agree on a choice?
Is this the only possible choice? Why? How can we make a decision when do not agree on the answer? Can we ask for help? Can we research?
Since there is a correct answer to the last exercise, it would be useful if you could have prepared a template with the correct categorisation. Clarify any questions.

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Story

After reading each page, stop to quickly reflect on the information provided. For this story, focus on the emotions the Quirky Lane Kids experience when they meet the new student. Talk about their individual reactions.  Ask:How do you react to meeting a new person in school? Do you get easily excited or shy? How do you think the new student may be feeling? How can you tell?Take this opportunity to discuss what inclusive behaviour looks like. Do you often include others in your group?  Ask participants for suggestions of ways to include a new person (e.g. introducing names, ask questions to get to know them better, use open body language and positive facial expressions). Record and keep answers for future reference.  Focus on self-awareness by asking participants to reflect on an instance when they have been included to a group or not included. 

What have you learned from those experiences?  Did you considered trying something different next time?

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Role Play: How to Start a Conversation

In general you can focus on social awareness during this activity by helping participants to understand how relationships work, how we can care for others and how conversation skills can help us to make and keep friends.
Turn to page 28 and explain how this activity will be played. Ask participants to read out the ingredients for how to start a conversation and discuss each one.  You can act out the ingredients wherever possible. For example show the participants what it looks like to be enthusiastic or what body language to use to show you are listening. If you need extra time, instead of reading the ingredients you can instead highlight those characteristics as they are displayed during the role play. You can Ask:

What is the most courageous thing you have ever done?
Did you need to whisper something to yourself to help you to be courageous?  What is the longest conversation you have ever had? How can you show you are listening (eye contact, nodding, body language and facial expressions)? How quickly can you think of 5 topics to talk about with a friend?

Next, turn your attention to page 29. Read out the method, stopping occasionally after a each step to ask relevant questions. You can demonstrate or role play each of the steps along the way. You can also invite volunteers to play our individual steps.
Focus on social awareness by asking participants to reflect on the role of greetings have on making or keeping friends.

 

Do you think other people feel this way when they start conversations? How do you know when to stop talking and let the other person speak?

 

After Step 2 ask:
What are some other greetings you could use? (Review from activity 2)

After Step 3:
Give some more examples about relevant topics to use in specific situations

After Step 4 ask:
What strategies do you use to help yourself relax?
Turn to page 30 and read the introduction. You can encourage participants to complete this activity individual or as a group. If working as a group read the  scenarios together and brainstorm ideas as to keep the conversation going in the following role plays.


Remind participants about the ingredients and steps we demonstrated before.

 

Read aloud the scenario 1. Give each participant time to write their answer or discuss as a group. After writing or discussing answers, encourage students to pair up and role-play this scenario. Focus on self-awareness by encouraging participants to describe personal interests, skills and achievements ask:
How can you use your personal interests to help you start a conversation? How does it feel to start a conversation? What are some good opening questions to use when meeting someone new?
Does anyone else have similar interests to you?

 

Repeat with Scenario 2 and as you complete this scenario, focus on self-management by highlighting how each participant is becoming more confident, more resilient and adaptable as we practice more.

How would you feel if the person didn’t want to talk to you or if conversation didn’t go to plan?

Repeat with scenario 3 and focus on social management by practicing a ‘to-and-fro’ conversation to better understand the importance of turn-taking, listening, eye contact and staying ‘on topic’.

How does it feel when the person you are talking to isn’t looking at you? What about when they can’t stop talking and give you a turn.

10-15 Pens
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Story

Turn to page 32. After reading each page, stop to quickly reflect on the information provided. For this section, focus on self-awareness by recognizing the emotions that may be present when being in a new environment with new people and how they compare with peers.How do you think it would feel to be at a new school? Why did Coco’s ears turn bright red (page 35)? How does your body react when you are embarrassed? It is useful to draw on the butcher paper a picture of your body and record how individual emotions are displayed on your body when, from example, participants feel fear/angry/embarrassed.Focus on social awareness and social management by encouraging participants to think of ways they can care for others and how to include new friends and how to cooperate to make things better for everyone.
Has anyone in this group moved to a new school?
How could you help a new person to feel comfortable during this situation?  What can you do if you see someone you know, not being inclusive ror nice to someone new?
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