Craft Lesson 3 - Teaching Children about Feelings

Discussion:

Every child has good and bad days. It is simply part of the life cycle. Oftentimes, children do not know how to deal with disappointment or trauma, so it is a good idea to offer suggestions for dealing with these situations. Author, Janet Wong wrote a book, “Minn and Jake,” that deals with failed friendships, disappointments, and awkwardness. It is a story about two children who are very different from one another, yet they share many common traits. Utilizing this book, a teacher can prepare a lesson plan for children that offer helpful suggestions for dealing with these emotions and situations. This lesson could be utilized for grades 3-5, dependent on the maturity of the students.

How To Teach It:

At this point the teacher reads chapter one of “Minn and Jake.” This chapter ends with Minn feeling despondent over the loss of her best friend, Sabina. The chapter ends with Minn wishing for a new best friend. After this opening chapter, the teacher can open a discussion with her students, asking them if they have ever felt lonely or sad about losing a best friend. After obtaining her students’ input, the teacher will then read chapter two, which introduces the new kid in the school, Jake. This chapter explains how Minn and Jake are paired together. Minn simply helps Jake by getting a book off a high shelf. Yet, this scenario makes both children feel very awkward, because Minn is a very tall girl and Jake is a very short boy. The teacher can then ask the children how they would feel if they were paired with Minn or Jake. She would ask them if they would give them a chance to be their friend. Why or why not? At this point, if there is enough interest, the teacher could possibly have each student write a paragraph or two explaining how they would deal with the situation. Dependent on the students’ responses, this book could actually lead to a series of lesson plans dealing with friendships.

Resource Material:
“Minn and Jake” by Janet Wong