Web of Compliments
By Caroline Wyman
Objective: The children will be able to understand the importance of giving and receiving a compliment. Grades K-5
Initiation: Read a story to the class that emphasizes friendship. After the story discuss friendship and then discuss bullying. How does both make you feel? Have you ever been bullied? What's the meanest thing someone has ever said to you? What is friendship? How do you treat a friend? What is something nice that a friend said to you? Chart all of the responses. You can make a friend chart and a bully chart. Make sure that you are clear with the distinction between the two.
Development: After completing the discussion and the chart have the students sit in a circle in the center of the room. Push the desks aside. Begin by holding a ball of yarn and explain that you the teacher are going to begin by giving someone a compliment. Then pass the ball of yarn to that person after you have wrapped the yarn once around your hand. You might say..."John, you are such a great writer." or "Beth, you help by cleaning up so well." Then that person will pass the ball of yarn to another person after wrapping it around their hand and give a compliment to that person. This will continue until everyone has had the opportunity to give and receive a compliment. Continue until you have a wonderful web of compliments. Once this is accomplished, cut the yarn and give each person a piece for them to wear around their wrist as a yarn bracelet to remind themselves how important compliments are and how it made them feel.
Closure: Ask the class how this exercise made them feel. Happy? Sad? Is it hard to give a compliment? Discuss...
Materials: Friendship book, chart paper, ball of yarn.
Time: 30 minutes
Caroline Wyman has a degree in Sociology and a Masters in Elementary Education and is the administrator for TeacherNet.com.