Craft Lesson 7: Anxious Moments

Discussion:

Changes can be scary, especially to small children. In their short existence, they sometimes do not have the ability to deal with traumatic events like moving to a new town or starting a new school. Story books can sometimes help children deal with changes. The book, Stuart's Cape, by Sara Pennypacker could be used to teach children how to cope with these changes. In the book, Stuart had just moved to a new town, and he had no friends or siblings to play with. He was also worried about going to a new school. He was afraid that he could be the shortest kid in the third grade, or that he would not be able to make new friends. Thus, he came up with the idea of wearing a cape to entertain himself, and to help him make new friends. His cape gave him special powers. He could fly, and he could grow toast. In addition, his cape gave him the courage to contend with school. He felt that Kids would want to be his friend because he had a cape with special powers. Of course, all these ideas were imaginary, but they helped Stuart to deal with his fears.

How to Teach It:

Children can have anxious moments when it comes to moving to a new town or beginning a new school. As a read aloud, the book, Stuart's Cape could be used to introduce these anxieties. The teacher could explain that Stuart came up with the idea of wearing a cape to deal with his fears. The teacher could then prompt his/her pupils to speak about similar experiences. If the children are hesitant to discuss these fears, then the teacher could spur the discussion by recalling an experience from his/her childhood and how he/she dealt with it. In addition, the teacher can explain that if fear causes them to feel anxious or afraid that sometimes words can take some of the power out of the negative feeling. If you talk about it, it can become less powerful. This could be a great teaching moment! The lesson itself could bond children who may share Stuart's anxieties, or else it could be an opportunity for a child who does not have these fears to interact with children who do. These confident individuals can perhaps befriend these lonely children, or else offer them some helpful suggestions to help them overcome their anxieties. If there is enough interest, the teacher could also turn this lesson into a writing opportunity. The children can write about one of their fears and how they overcame it or can best deal with it.

Resource Materials:
Picture book, Stuart's Cape, by Sara Pennypacker.