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Life Skills Curriculum (Grades 6-8)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SESSION DESIGN: 3

STRUCTURED SESSIONS 3

UNSTRUCTURED SESSIONS 3

  • GOALS AND AGREEMENTS 7
  • WALK INTO THE CIRCLE 11
  • CLAP TOGETHER 9
  • BREATH STAR 10
  • YES GAME 14
  • FOLD UP MONSTER 15
  • STATUE GARDEN 17
  • MAGIC FINGER 19
  • STORYTELLING 20
  • TOM AND JERRY 17
  • PAPER DROP 24
  • FACE RACE 19
  • AB MIRRORS 20
  • SELF ESTEEM QUILT 27
  • BEAUTIFUL YOU 29
  • TRAINS 31
  • PASS THE BALL 32
  • DUCKLINGS 34
  • I TELL YOU DANCE 36
  • BEAR FISH MOSQUITO 28
  • JUNK MUSIC 38
  • NIKI TIKI TAVI 31
  • WHAT ARE YOU DOING? 32
  • FREEZE TAG 33
  • PAPER BAG PUPPETS 44
  • PAPER BAG PUPPET PLAY 46
  • LOVE YOURSELF 50
  • MIND MAP 40
  • GRADUATION 53

PREFACE

Dream a Dream is an Indian non-profit organisation in India working to transform the experience of education for the 130+ million children living in poverty in India. Our aim is to change the purpose of education towards the idea of Thriving for every child.

The core of our philosophy is the belief in the inherent potential of every child. At the same time, we recognise that children and young people facing adversity, such as poverty, violence and social exclusion, often experience significant challenges in their personal, social and educational development. The Covid-19 pandemic has also highlighted the struggles of young people and the challenges they face. Hence it is important for government systems, educators and teachers to recognise and work towards mitigating the long-term impact that adversity has on the lives of young people.

We believe education is no longer merely about developing skills, but about holistic development of children, including their social-emotional well-being and life skills. Educators can play a pivotal role in breaking the cycle of generational disadvantage and equip young people with the skills and mindset necessary to lead fulfilling and successful lives. To address these unique needs and challenges, the Life Skills Curriculum and Facilitator Handbook will guide the facilitators to create safe, supportive environments and provide opportunities for children and young people to amplify their strengths, nurture positive relationships, develop self-expression and other life skills.

The 4 Levels of the Life Skills Curriculum were developed based on the educational format and skills mentioned in the National Education Policy 2020. The Facilitator Handbook provides a comprehensive overview of the curriculum framework, pedagogies and session designs that support in conducting engaging sessions for the learners.

With this curriculum, we look forward to a future wherein well-being and life skills are at the core of our education systems both nationally and globally. We hope to redefine success in education systems from narrow academic or economic outcomes to preparing students to thrive at an individual, societal and planetary level. Fuelled by support from teachers, committed donors, strategic partners, governments, longtime supporters, and a global call to action around SDG4- we look forward to changing narratives and shifting mindsets until all young people, have a more equitable and inclusive society to live in.

Suchetha Bhat CEO, Dream a Dream
Date: July 2023

Session Design

Structured Sessions

What are “structured” sessions in Life Skills Curriculum?

The curriculum outlines structured sessions that focus on building specific life skills and include clear activity steps, discussion questions, personal story instructions and reflection prompts.

CHECK-IN (5 MINUTES)
Instruct the learners to quickly check-in with themselves about their moods using several, fun questions.

LIFE SKILLS ACTIVITY (15 MINUTES)
Facilitate given activities focused on developing healthy behaviours related to one targeted life skill. Note that each life skill activity includes activity steps, discussion   questions and a space for facilitators to prepare personal stories to share with the learners.

REFLECTION (10 MINUTES)

  • Lead a discussion on key messages or life skills focused on that day's session. Ask the learners for feedback on what they learned during the session and how they can connect lessons to real life.
  • Address any conflict that occurred during the session and how the group can resolve it.
  • Praise a participant for at least one strength that they demonstrated during the session.

CHECK-OUT (10 MINUTES) Instruct the learners to quickly check-out with themselves about their moods using several fun questions.

Unstructured Sessions

What are “unstructured” sessions in the Life Skills Curriculum?

Unstructured sessions are space given to facilitators to design and deliver the life skills activities and interventions based on the need of their learners. This curriculum does not outline the steps for unstructured activities, but you (facilitator) should use many of the same rituals as in your structured sessions. Begin each session with check-in activities, conclude with a Reflection Circle, and make the most of your Caring Facilitator Time. Use kilos, churmuri to grab group attention, refer to the Team Agreement, praise the learner and utilise any tools you find useful from the structured sessions.

How should a Facilitator balance structured and unstructured sessions?

Take support of co-facilitators, other class teachers and staff, headmasters, principal, volunteers and learners to decide how to integrate and schedule structured and unstructured sessions into your school calendar. You should complete all structured sessions at least once in a year and use the rest of the time for unstructured sessions.

How can a Facilitator lead a Reflection Circle in an unstructured session?

Praise at least one learner every Reflection Circle and ask some of the following questions:

  • How did today’s session make you feel?
  • What did you learn in today’s practice?
  • What was your favourite or least favourite part of today’s session?
  • Were there any conflicts in today’s session? How can the team resolve the conflict?
  • Is there anything important going on in your life that you would like to share?

USING THE LIFE SKILLS CURRICULUM

  1. Please read through each session twice, a day before facilitating, so that you are properly prepared.
  2. Refer to the Facilitators handbook as a guide while you work with learners and keep in mind that the:
    • Words in italic font are instructions for learners which you need to read to learners as it is.
    • Words in normal font are instructions for you to read on your own.
    • Outcomes are for your reference and you need not share them with the learners.
    • Reflection questions are just guiding questions. You can refer to them based on where your learners are at.
    • Check-In and Check Outs questions are mapped considering the main activity and age appropriateness.
  3. Identify your learners' learning needs and use unstructured sessions to meet those learning needs in case they are not covered in the curriculum.

GOALS AND AGREEMENTS

OUTCOMES

  • Understand and name the goals of the Life Skills programme.
  • Understand and name the team agreements.
  • Understand the importance of goals and agreements.

MATERIALS: A flip chart or piece of chart paper to write a goal that you can stick on the wall and markers/sketch pens.

FACILITATOR NOTES: Since it is a first session ensure it is fun filled and safety was created in the session. Write down the goals before you are entering the classroom.

CHECK IN: Tell your name and What makes you happy and why?

Ex: When it is a Sunday, I feel happy because I can go out and play, when I buy new things or toys.

INSTRUCTIONS

Goals:

To the chart paper add the following goals (don’t forget to decorate it a little! Make it attractive and fun) with the:

  • BE KIND TO ALL
  • SHARE
  • JUST TRY IT
  • TO HAVE FUN!

Go through each goal with the group. Show lots of curiosity and positivity while you explain the goals of the programme:

Be Kind to All
Sometimes we meet people who are very different from us. They may look different, speak differently, or have different ideas. To be kind to all means to accept someone just as they are without judging them and trying our best to support them.

Share
You all know how important it is to share our things and make sure everyone has equally what they need. But what does it mean to share ourselves? It means that we are open hearted, we share our smiles, our stories and even our struggles. This group will be a place where you are welcome to share yourself and whatever is important to you. We will all be listening ears for each other.

Just Try It
If you want to learn something, anything, what is the first thing you should do? Just TRY it! So here in this group we will encourage you to try new things very often, so you can discover what you enjoy and care about. Sometimes trying new things can be difficult. We might be scared and hear a voice that says, you can’t do it. Do you ever hear that voice? Sometimes it says, everyone will laugh at you, or you are too stupid for this. Everyone hears that voice some days. That is the voice that stops us from trying new things. Everyone raises one hand high in the air, now reach to the back of your head, like this. Now pluck out that voice! Together, we will throw it out the window! Okay, one, two, three throw! Now those voices will be outside. If you hear it, remember to throw it outside with the rest of the voices.

Have Fun

This is the most important goal! You should have lots of fun in this group. It’s a place for you to enjoy yourself, learn new things and make friends. Now to achieve these goals together, we are going to need to agree on how we will work together as a group.

Agreements:

(Turn to another Chart paper where you have written these agreements: NO PUTTING DOWN OF SELF OR OTHER, PARTICIPATE FULLY, BE WILLING TO TRY NEW THINGS, and LISTEN WELL)

Explain each one, using questions and giving examples.

  • NO PUTTING DOWN OF SELF OR OTHER
    • What does put down mean?
    • Let all the learners know that it is important not to put each other down, and you are already doing a great job of that. We are going to help each other remember this agreement by gently reminding people who accidentally use put downs.
    • It can be a hard habit to break, since we hear a lot of put downs in our lives.
    • The other part of this agreement is not putting ourselves down. That can sometimes be even harder.
    • What are some put downs of yourself that you might notice? (I’m too stupid, I can’t do this…) Okay, now everyone put one hand in the air, and reach back behind your head (show them).
    • Back here is where that little voice tells you that “you’re not good enough” lives. Yank it out! Good!
    • Now, on the count of three we’re going to throw them all out of the window, okay? Then they can all hang out outside and have a boring time together. One, Two, Three! Nice Job! They’ll be waiting outside for you when you’re done. But if you like being without them, try to keep it going even outside of this space.
  • PARTICIPATE FULLY

Does this mean that you must talk all the time? It just means being as present as you can be at any time. It is okay to say no, and it’s great to take care of you. What are some ways you can participate fully even when you don’t want to be in the activity? (By being present, listening, witnessing and letting others know what’s going on with you.)

  • BE WILLING TO TRY NEW THINGS

Why is it important to try new things? (So, we can learn, so we can know what we like and what we do not like, to gain courage, etc.)

  • LISTEN WELL
    • How do you know you are listening well? Take all their answers.
    • Then say, you are listening well when the other person feels heard. How do you know when someone feels heard? List the behaviours that they might see.

These are my suggestions for our community agreements. Thank you for listening so well! Now I’d like to know what you need to reach our goals. List everything that the learners say. If you need to change their words, ask for permission. When they are done, ask them to stand in a circle with one hand out and one hand up. Look carefully around the circle to see if anyone is not yet ready to agree.

Then, one the count of three, have everyone clap and yell YES as loud as they can to seal the deal

REFLECTION: Have a conversation with the group about what they might do if the agreements aren’t working out and are broken. Steer them away from any punishments and towards ways of working together, supporting each other and taking responsibility for themselves and each other.

CHECK OUT: What is one thing you learn from this life skills class?

2 WALK INTO THE CIRCLE

OUTCOMES

  • Building Community
  • Self-Expression
  • Feeling Seen and Heard
  • Taking Responsibility

CHECK IN: If the way you feel right now is an animal, what animal would it be?

INSTRUCTIONS

This is a good game to start with because it decreases self-consciousness and generates a lot of laughter. Begin by warning people that there is a part of this activity that might seem very funny and stupid but encourage them to get into it anyway. Model the activity by doing it yourself first. Be sure to use a walk that is creative but easy to copy.

  • Form circles of 6-10 learners.
  • The first learner walks into the centre of the circle doing a special walk he/she makes up. The walk can be simple or fancy. A simple example would be skipping into the centre.
  • Once in the centre, the person looks around the entire circle and says, “Hi, my name is (name).” She/he then returns to his/her place doing the special walk.
  • The rest of the group then walks together into the centre of the circle copying the walk they just saw. Once in the centre, they turn to the first learner, who is still standing at the edge of the circle, and together say: “Hi (person’s name). You are special!” They then return to the outside of the circle using the same walk.
  • Repeat this one at a time going around the circle to the left.
  • Remember, that everyone must do a different walk and that the others must copy the walk they see.

REFLECTION:

  • How was the class? Did you have fun?
  • What did you feel when you came up with your different walks?
  • Was it difficult or easy? What made it easy or difficult?
  • What can we learn from it?
  • How will this be learning help you in your life?

CHECK OUT: Remember the animal you named in the beginning. If you were that animal right now, what would you be doing?

3 CLAP TOGETHER

OUTCOMES

  • Group to tune.
  • Eye contact.
  • Rhythm.
  • Focus.

MATERIALS: Not Required

CHECK IN: If how you feel today was a kind of food, what kind of food would you be and why?

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Ask Learners to form a circle, one learner from the circle(A) begins by turning to the learner to their left (B) and clapping at the exact same time.
  • That learner turns (B) to the next learner (C) and claps at the exact same time. Let the learners try to pass that clap all the way around the circle by making eye contact and clapping.
  • Then ask them “How can you clap together with each other even better?” Encourage them to make eye contact with the learner, take a breath together and then clap.
  • Pass claps around the circle one more time.
  • Now, tell them “I will be adding more claps, and that you need to clap at the same time not only as your partner but as the other claps in the group as well”
  • Ask them “What might help you to do this”. They can listen carefully and use a rhythm to expect when to clap.

REFLECTION

  • How did we create rhythms?
  • What made rhythm looks same sound?
  • Why teamwork is important?
  • Where did you see teamwork in your life?
  • What is teamwork?

CHECK OUT: Tell us a nice thing that you will do just for yourself this week.

4 BREATH STAR

OUTCOMES

  • Learners should focus and bring attention to inhaling and exhaling.
  • Listening to instructions

CHECK IN: Describe the way you are feeling right now through thing in sky.

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Tell the learners that they may sit in a comfortable position.
  • Ask the learners to spread five fingers of one hand. This way, the hand will look like a star. This is the learner’s star hand.
  • Ask the learners to use the index finger of the other hand to draw the outline of the star hand.
  • Now the learners should take a deep breath and while inhaling they should take the index finger of the second hand through the bottom to top of the thumb of the star hand.
  • Now, while exhaling, the learners should be asked to bring the index finger of the other hand from the top of the thumb of the star hand to the space between the thumb and the index finger.
  • Now, ask the learners to inhale deeply and make the outline of the index finger of the star hand in a similar manner.
  • Now, ask the learners to exhale and while exhaling they should make the outline from the top of the index finger to the base of the second finger.
  • Ask the learners to repeat this pattern and trace the fingers of the star hand for five slow, deep breaths.
  • Now, ask them to repeat this process with the other hand too.
  • Now slowly concentrate on breathing, take a deep breath in and breathe out, slowly open your eyes.

REFLECTION

  • During the activity, did you focus on the breaths you inhaled and exhaled?
  • What was the difference between breathing like this and breathing normally?
  • What are the advantages of breathing mindfully and deeply?

CHECK OUT: Tell us a one thing that you are fond of in the session.

5 YES GAME

OUTCOMES

  • Understand the importance of providing support and encouragement.

MATERIALS: Not Required

CHECK IN: If your day today was a kind of weather, what would it be?

INSTRUCTIONS

This game helps a group work together to reach a common goal by supporting and encouraging one learner. For the learners it’s a chance to feel that support and to do some creative thinking on the spot.

  • Ask a volunteer (A) to leave the room. You might send someone with them “to make sure they aren’t listening” but also to keep them company.
  • Then instruct the rest of the group that they will help (A) to do a simple task using only the word YES.
  • If (A) does anything that is in the direction towards the task assigned, the group says yes. Otherwise, they say nothing.
  • Choose a task with the group, something very simple, like going and sitting on a chosen chair or writing something on the board.
  • The whole group call A’s name to invite them into the room.

FACILITATOR NOTES

  • You might have to remind the group to only say yes, people often want to say no.
  • Don’t give ‘A’ hints. You can encourage them to “try something different” or “try turning around in a circle” or “try different levels”, but don’t help.
  • Even if they don’t get it (they almost always will, it’s amazing), there will be lots to reflect on.

REFLECTION

  • Ask the learners, and then the individuals who volunteered to follow the group. There are many possible outcomes of this game so listen carefully to what they say. Listen for insight and be curious about their experience.
  • Ask the whole group to think about ways that the insights from the volunteers might apply to their lives.
  • What have we learned from this game that we can try in our homes, schools and communities?

one action demonstrating how you feel right no

one action demonstrating how you feel right no

6 FOLD UP MONSTER

OUTCOMES

  • Understand how to build on each other’s ideas.
  • Accepting suggestions from others

MATERIALS: Paper and Colour sketch pens for all learners

FACILITATOR NOTES: This game comes from the French Surrealists in the 19th century. You can tell the learners that this game was used by artists and is a way of drawing with the heart, instead of with the mind. Let them know that whatever they add to the drawings will be part of a bigger whole, a bigger picture.

Remember, that each learner must add a part to something that has already been drawn before.

CHECK IN: If you could have any superpower, what would you choose, and why?

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Give each learner a piece of paper. Show them how to draw just the top part of the head of a monster, and then fold over the paper. Draw one part, fold the paper and the next person must draw from the folded line onwards. Make lines where their contribution will connect to the next persons drawing. Only the lines should be visible and not the previous drawing. Have the learner pass their folded drawings to the right. The next person will start their drawing from the folded lines, drawing the bottom half of the head or face of the monster. Then fold over the paper and draw lines that go over the fold where the neck will begin.
  • Continue like this until you get all the way down to the toes, or even the ground under the feet.
  • Pass the papers one more time and then open them. Each learner can name their monster and tell a short story about it.

FACILITATOR NOTES: Let the learners talk about their experience until you hear an insight of some kind. That can be something like, “it’s hard to connect with what came before if you can’t see it,” or “It’s exciting to make up stories if the drawing comes from so many people” or anything else that they notice in this game. Be curious and listen to their emotional experience while they are playing the game.

REFLECTION

  • Were you surprised by the drawing?
  • What was it like to draw just a section and then pass it on?
  • Was it easy or hard to make up the stories?

CHECK OUT: If your creature could make a sound to say goodbye to the group, what sound would it make?

7 STATUE GARDEN

OUTCOMES

  • Understand the ways in which each of us are like each other.
  • Have a sense of belonging to the group.

MATERIALS: Write the words for Systems on little chits.

FACILITATOR NOTES: No set up needed, but if you have speakers, you can bring soft music for the closing activity. It is not necessary, but it adds to the mood.

CHECK IN: If you could swim in a huge pool of anything other than water, what would it be, and why?

INSTRUCTIONS

Demonstrate by Choosing a volunteer to be your clay as you demonstrate the three ways to shape human clay: “1. Imitate me – the person who is clay will take a shape as facilitators shows, 2. Is it okay if I touch you – the facilitators touch person and make a shape, and 3. gently moving the magic string – the facilitator makes the shaper without touching but through using magic string.”

  • Ask the learners to get into pairs and choose partner A and partner B. Partner B will be the clay first. “Remember, clay cannot speak!”
  • Partner A, you will shape your clay into a Dancer.
  • Give the potter a few minutes then ask them to leave their statues and walk around the statue garden.
  • Ask them to try to see if they can see what some of these statues have in common, then return to the partners. Remind partner B to shake off the last pose.
  • Now Partner A will be the potter. Shape Partner B into a Dog. Do the same as last time.
  • Do two more rounds, shaping Warrior and Doctor.
  • Every time you switch, remind the clay to shake off the last pose. You can now move the activity to another level by asking the partners to shape the clay into different emotions like ‘happiness’, ‘sadness’, ‘anger’ etc. The muscles can get sore, but more importantly it’s a chance for you to shake off the emotions that are in the body language they are holding.
  • At the end of the activity, let them do ANYTHING they want to, to allow them to think broadly.

REFLECTION

  • What was it like to be shaped, or to shape? Go through the emotions - happiness, anger, sadness one by one.
  • What similarities did they see in each?
  • Do our body shapes and faces tell us how someone feels?
  • How can we notice more of what someone is feeling?

CHECK OUT: What is one thing you are taking form this session.

8 MAGIC FINGER

OUTCOMES

    • Taking Initiative,
    • Personal Story,
    • Working Together,
    • Awareness,
    • Connection,

MATERIALS: Not Required

CHECK IN: Choose a word that you feeling right now?

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Instruct everyone to stands in a circle, with their right palm facing up, and their left index finger in the palm of the person beside you, to your left.
  • Ask and choose a “magic” word together. Start telling a story using that magic word.
  • Whenever you say the magic word, everyone must grab the finger in their palm without letting the other finger getting caught!
  • Encourage them to reset right away so the story can continue. After a few rounds, see if one of the learners wants to try telling the story.

REFLECTION

  • How was the game?
  • What do you like about story telling?
  • What do you learn from it?
  • How will you use this learning in your life?

CHECK OUT: Think of a word that describes how you are feeling right now. Take a second to spell it backwards. Tell us the backwards word.

9 STORYTELLING

OUTCOMES

  • Learn to work together as a team.
  • Learn to use their imagination and creativity to create something new together.

MATERIALS: Not Required

CHECK IN: Choose an animal for how you feel. Without telling us what it is, act out how you would behave if that animal was feeling like you right now.

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Invite learners to make small groups of six or seven, and in the smaller group learners will tell a story together.
  • One person tells the beginning of the story, then the next person adds on by saying

‘Yes and’, and then continues the story.

  • Remind them: “Whatever the person before them has said they are to use in the story, even if it’s something they weren’t expecting.”
  • Most importantly, each person must accept and include what the person before them said.
  • Once they are comfortable with small groups invite them to big group to tell a one- word story.

FACILITATOR NOTES: Also, challenge them to tell stories without any violence or putdowns in them. After ten minutes have one person in each group attempt to retell the story!

One Word Story big story

  • In a large circle, have each person add one word at a time to make a story.
  • It does not matter if the grammar doesn’t make perfect sense, just say the word that comes to mind and try to work together to make a story that makes sense overall.

As an extra challenge, see if the group can retell the story afterwards. As the facilitator, you can jump in when the story seems to have ended, and say, “Good Job,” and then ask who wants to start the next one

REFLECTION

  • What was it like to make up a story together?
  • What did you have to do to make it work? (Listen, compromise, work together, be flexible, be generous, speak loudly etc…)
  • Was it ever frustrating? Did you find it hard to let everyone control the stories together?
  • You can ask the whole group, or you can directly ask one learner who had a particular comment about the game. Focus on helping them to connect what happened in the game to a dynamic that occurs in their lives.
  • When do you use these same skills in your own life?
  • When do you see others using them? Do not lead them in this direction but listen carefully for the direction they want to go.

CHECK OUT: What is the most magical word you know and why?

10 TOM AND JERRY

OUTCOMES

  • Working Together
  • Active Listening
  • Compromise
  • Communication
  • Imagination

MATERIALS: A safe space where learners can run freely.

CHECK IN: Choose an animal for how you feel. Without telling us what it is, act out how you would behave if that animal was feeling like you right now.

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Invite all the learners to find one partner.
  • Partners should link arms at the elbows and have both hands on their hips.
  • Ask for two learners as volunteers and assign one of them to be Tom and the other to be Jerry.
  • Demonstrate safe tagging: Light touch, like a butterfly wings, on the back or shoulder.
  • Unsafe tags: hard contact that might cause the person being tagged to fall.
  • Have the learners practice how to detach, who becomes the runner and who stays linked at the elbow.
  • One person volunteers to be the cat, and another to be the mouse.
  • Everyone else finds a partner and links arms with that person so that both partners face different ways. Each pair stands somewhere random in the space.
  • The cat must catch the mouse. If the mouse links arms with someone, then that person’s partner is the new mouse.
  • If the cat catches the mouse, they switch roles immediately.

REFLECTION

  • Did you have fun?
  • How much fun you had?
  • What made you to have so much fun?
  • What was like you feeling being Tom?
  • What was your feeling being Jerry?
  • How did you feel when you could not change and run around?
  • What would you have done differently e?
  • How many of you did not get to change into Tom or Jerry?

CHECK OUT: What is the most magical word you know and why?

11 PAPER DROP

OUTCOMES

  • Active Listening
  • Taking Initiative
  • Collaboration
  • Focus

MATERIALS: A sheet of Paper to teacher to facilitate this activity

CHECK IN: What is a song that you love? How do you feel when you hear it or sing it?

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Show the learners a single sheet of paper.
  • Instruct them “Please close your eyes and lift your hand when hear the paper touch the floor”. Then look around to see who else heard it.
  • Now tear the paper in half. Ask them to close their eyes again and lift their hand when it touches the floor. Look again to see who else heard it.
  • Tear the paper in half again.
  • Continue to do this until they can no longer hear the paper drop.
  • Explain that this is a different kind of listening, where instead of waiting for the sound to come to us, we go to the sound.

REFLECTION

  • What was your experience through this activity?
  • Did anyone have a a different experience?
  • Why is it important to focus? How does it help?
  • What are you learning from it?

CHECK OUT: If the way you feel was one thing that you can see around you, what would it be and why?

12 FACE RACE

OUTCOMES

  • Working Together
  • Imagination
  • Collaboration

CHECK IN: What is the happiest thing in nature? Why do you think so? Do not repeat the answer of someone before you.

INSTRUCTIONS

  • In pairs, line up on one side of the room. Stand facing each other.
  • One person walks forward, the other walks backward, very slowly.
  • The person walking forward must make funny expressions, but they must continuously change their face, very slowly.
  • The person walking backwards must copy that expression and make it bigger. The challenge is not to laugh!
  • If one of the partners laughs, they both go back to start again

REFLECTION

  • What did we do today?
  • Was it hard or easy to do?
  • Were you able to not laugh? How did you manage?
  • How will this help you in your life?

CHECK OUT: If the way you feel right now was any machine, what would it be, and why?

13 A B MIRRORS

OUTCOMES

  • Self-Expression
  • Collaboration
  • Body Image
  • Encouraging each other

MATERIALS: Not required

FACILITATOR NOTES: Make sure learners have fun without putting others down. Use your own creativity to make this activity more effective.

CHECK IN: What colour was your day today and why?

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Ask learners to get into pairs.
  • Choose who is partner A and Partner B
  • Partner A will move slowly, and partner B will imitate exactly as if they are looking into a mirror. Let it continue few minutes
  • Now switch leaders.
  • Now try to move together without knowing who the leader is at any time. Sometimes A will lead sometimes B will lead without communicating which is which.
  • Give some time to imitate and continue few minutes.
  • Then call the groups and do small discussion on how they can make it more perfect.
  • Send them back again and ask them to start the mirroring game.

REFLECTION

  • What did you feel while following your partner?
  • Was it easy or difficult? What was easy? What was difficult?
  • Where else do we mirror in our life?

CHECK OUT: Name something in nature that dances. Try not to repeat the answers before you.

14 SELF ESTEEM QUILT

OUTCOMES

  • Identify qualities in themselves which they like.
  • Understand the importance of loving one’s own self.
  • Understand the concept of self-esteem.
  • Explore how to build one’s self esteem.

MATERIALS

  • A4 Paper for every learner
  • Crayons or Pastels
  • Tape 4 rolls (Cello tape)
  • Flip Chart and Marker

CHECK IN: What is one kind and nice thing/behaviour you did or saw someone else do this week?

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Ask learners to take out a sheet of paper and sketch pens or pencils.
  • Instruct them to first draw a circle in the middle of a big piece of paper. Inside the circle write the words "I Love Me!"
  • Ask the group, why is it important to love yourself?
  • Write the answers in circles around the middle circle. They might give any answer, like: To feel proud, to have energy, to make friends, to do well in school.
  • If they don't understand why, it's important to love yourself, help them think as a group by asking questions.
  • Then, ask the group, where does love for yourself come from? Write these answers in different colours on the paper and ask them to help you connect them to the ones from the previous round. They might give answers like parents, friends, nature, pets, teachers, hobbies. Write everything down.
  • Ask each learner to position their paper horizontally. It is very important that everyone’s paper is placed the same way.
  • Ask everyone to think of one message that they have received that helps them to love who they are. This might be: You are Smart, you are Friendly...etc. If they cannot think of anything, help them individually as they are drawing.
  • Ask everyone to draw images that show that message. For the piece to work in the end, each individual needs to fill the whole page and use lots of bold bright colours.
  • Count the number of learners to decide how big your quilt will be. If you have 30 learners, you might have 6 rows of 5 pictures. If so, make 6 groups of 5 and have them share their pieces.
  • Have each group decide how to tape their pictures into a strip, keeping the tape on the back only.
  • Tape all the strips together, keeping the tape on the back, only.
  • Display the quilt where everyone can see it!

REFLECTION

  • What was it like to draw your self-love?
  • Do you think that everyone in your community has self-love?
  • How would the community be different if they did?
  • What can you do to create more self-love for yourself and the people in your community?

CHECK OUT: Think of a person in your life that you would like to give a compliment. What would that compliment be?

15 BEAUTIFUL YOU

OUTCOMES

    • Identify their positive qualities.
    • Learn to appreciate the positive qualities in others.

MATERIALS

  • A4 size white paper per learner to trace their palm with all fingers.
  • Thick black crayons
  • As facilitators, bring an example of your own body tracing with your positive qualities, talents, passions etc. to show them. Make it as colourful as you can.

CHECK IN: If you could change one thing about the world right now, just by clicking your fingers what would it be?

INSTRUCTIONS

This activity is an opportunity for young people to reflect on their positive qualities and develop self-esteem.

  • Ask learners to place one of their palms on the blank white sheet of paper and draw over the palm.
  • Now ask them to think about 5 big strengths which they have and draw, if possible, on every finger of the drawing.
  • To help them understand more about strengths, ask them with all the aspects of their inner beauty, what lies within them (Your positive qualities, your interests, passions, talents and hobbies. Draw what is best in you)If they have more than 5 strengths, then they can draw it in the centre of the palm. Encourage them to draw rather than write.
  • Give them 5 to 7 minutes. to draw. Ask everyone to bring it to close. After 7 minutes, ask the learners to stop drawing.
  • Divide people into groups of 3-4 members and then allow each person/learner to talk for at least 1 to 2 mins about their drawing.

REFLECTION

The reflection circle of this activity would be more around sharing about each one’s drawings, rather than asking questions. Ask the learners to talk about their drawings. Whoever is comfortable sharing; give them 1-2 min each. 5 or 6 learners can share. After that you can ask the following questions for the entire group.

    • How did it feel to draw yourself and share your drawings?

FACILITATOR NOTES: If you noticed any insights as the learners were sharing, you can ask them to elaborate now. This can be an intimate time for people to talk about their bodies and their inner lives.

CHECK OUT: Pass out magic clay to everyone and have them make a gift for themselves.

What’s the gift you would most like to have? Go around the circle and show off the gifts!

16 TRAINS

OUTCOMES

    • Develop leadership skills to lead others in a particular direction while keeping them safe.
    • Follow the instructions.
    • Work creatively and together.

MATERIALS: Not Required

CHECK IN: Who is a leader that you look up to or respect in your school, home or community and why?

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Ask learners to find a partner.
  • One partner has their eyes closed. They also must cross their arms over their chest as a safety measure.
  • The person with eyes closed stands in front of their second partner facing in a different direction.
  • The second partner can guide the blind person by tapping once on the right shoulder for turning right, once on the left shoulder for turn left, and tapping both shoulders for going forward.
  • Play for a while and then change roles.
  • After both partners have played, make teams of three. Now, the person in the end is the only one who can see. The person in the middle must pass the directions from the person at the back as well as move in the direction they were given.
  • Keep adding people, making groups of four, five…until the whole group is moving in a chain together (or until it erupts in chaos!).

REFLECTION

  • How was it to follow?
  • How was it to lead?
  • What was hard or easy about it?
  • Does this kind of leadership remind you of anything in your life?
  • How does it work?
  • What do we lose or gain from this kind of leadership?

CHECK OUT: When are you a leader? It can be something big or small. Tell us in three or four words.

17 PASS THE BALL

OUTCOMES

    • Awareness
    • Expressing Emotions
    • Creativity
    • Focus
    • Concentration
    • Connection

MATERIALS: Not Required

CHECK IN: Show how you feel today by making up a nonsense word that sounds how you feel. Now tell us the definition of your word

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Ask learners to stand in a circle. You can play this in small circles of 8-10 or in larger circles. The leader stands outside of the circle(s) and calls out the directions. The leader hands an imaginary ball to one person in each circle and then says, “Please pass this imaginary ball around the circle. It’s about the size of a tennis ball.”
  • After the ball has gone around the circle, the leader calls out changes in the quality of the ball by saying, “The ball is slowly getting lighter…now it’s getting lighter and bigger…. now it’s a very large and light like beach ball…. keep passing it around.”
  • The leader continues to change the quality of the ball: “And now it’s slowly getting heavier….and heavier….and heavier…until it’s very heavy. Help each other pass this rock-heavy ball around. And now it is the size of a football. Keep passing it around…It is getting sticky. It is very sticky…and it STINKS! Keep passing it. Now it is very hot. Now it is a very special little thing.”
  • After calling out several changes you can give the group the power to transform the object by saying that “anyone in the group can now call out a new quality when the ball comes to him or her.” Remind them to let the ball go around for a bit with its new quality before someone transforms.
  • Eventually the leader calls a halt to the game. A fun way to end the game is to say, “Now the ball has turned into a fine piece of chocolate.”

FACILITATOR NOTES: Watch the learners' group carefully as you call out new qualities for the ball. Be sure to give time for them to get into each quality.

REFLECTION

  • What all we did today?
  • What did we learn today?
  • How will it help in your life?

CHECK OUT: If you were a kind of weather right now, what would you be?

18 DUCKLINGS

OUTCOMES

    • Understand how important and difficult it is to build trust.
    • Learn about creating safety for themselves and for others.

MATERIALS: Not Required

CHECK IN: What was the high point of your day so far? Tell us the story using gibberish words.

INSTRUCTIONS

Ducklings is a trust exercise. It gives learners an opportunity to lead and depend on each other. This game will be played in two levels.

Level Ducklings 1

  • Ask learners to find a partner.
  • With that partner invent a secret sound
  • Choose who is Partner A and Partner B
  • Partner A will close their eyes, and Partner B will lead Partner around, only by the sound. Remember to stretch your arms out in front of you to keep yourself safe and not bump into anything.
  • Do this for 3 minutes and then switch partners to do the same exercise.
  • Talk briefly with your partner about how that experience was.


Level Ducklings 2

  • All Partner A’s will now make a circle around all the Partner B’s.
  • All partner B’s will close their eyes.
  • Partner A’s will quietly shift places in the circle so that Partner B’s do not know where the partner A’s are.
  • Partner A will use the secret sound to call partner B to them. Remember to use your arms outstretched as bumpers.
  • Do this for 3 minutes and then switch partners.

REFLECTION

Let the learners share their stories of what happened to their pairs.

  • How many of you felt safe all the time?
  • How many people did not? Why or why not?
  • What did you do to make sure your partner was safe? What else could you have done?
  • When do you feel safe in your home, school or community? Why or why not?
  • What can this game teach us about developing safety for ourselves and each other?
  • What have we learned from this game that we can try in our homes, schools and communities?

CHECK OUT: Share one thing you have done that took courage.

19 I TELL, YOU DANCE

OUTCOMES

    • Understand themselves as a leader
    • Understand the relationship between a leader and a follower

MATERIALS: Not Required

CHECK IN: What colour was your day today and why?

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Invite two learners and instruct these two. One will tell a story and one will dance according to the story.
  • In partners, one person will tell a story that they are making up.
  • Make sure the story has different emotions, different characters and is set in a certain place. The partner will dance to whatever they hear. Be supportive of each other. Sometime the dancer leads the story; sometimes the story leads the dancer. Sometimes the dance can be very small, just facial expressions or hand gestures. Sometimes it can involve the whole body, or even the whole room.
  • Whenever you feel like stopping, stop and invite new two learners to perform the same.
  • Continue until everyone gets a chance.


REFLECTION

  • What was it like to lead each other?
  • What was it like when the leader disappeared?
  • Was it easy or hard to dance with the story?
  • What does this teach us about leadership in our communities?
  • What about your own leadership style, did you learn anything about yourself as a leader or as a follower today?
  • What have we learned from this game that we can try in our homes, schools and communities?

CHECK OUT: Name something in nature that dances. Try not to repeat the answers before you.

20 BEAR, FISH, MOSQUITO

OUTCOMES

    • Teamwork
    • Awareness
    • Initiative
    • Encouragement
    • Understanding Instructions

MATERIALS: Not Required.

CHECK IN: If your day today was a kind of weather, what would it be?

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Split the learner group into two teams.
  • The game rules are – “Bear eats Fish, Fish eats Mosquito, Mosquito eats Bear”.

Show an action for each.

  • Each team needs to decide as a group which of the animals you will be(please select one animal as a team). You have 2 minutes. Make sure everyone knows.
  • Both teams line up on either side of an imaginary river. On the count of three, everyone from both teams must do the action of the animal you have chosen together.
  • Depending on the animal they have chosen, they either get eaten i.e. chased by the other team or must eat the other team i.e., chase them. For example, if one team chose Bear and the other team chose Fish, the team that chose Bear must chase the team that chose Fish.
  • Anyone who is caught during the chase joins the opposite team.
  • Repeat the activity 3 or 4 times. In every round be sure that new people are choosing the animal. Everyone on the team must agree on the animal before they step up to the river.

REFLECTION

  • Did you have fun?
  • In what situation you had more fun?
  • What made it more fun?
  • What are the skills we used in this game?
  • Why is it important to use skills and strategies in play?
  • What are the strategies you used in this game?
  • Does anyone have a story where you made strategies and how it helped?
  • Did anybody else had similar situation?
  • Does anybody else have story?

one action demonstrating how you feel right no

21 JUNK MUSIC

OUTCOMES

    • Use learners’ imagination to create something new
    • Practice active listening
    • Learn how to work in a team to achieve goals

MATERIALS

  • Bring what you can in terms of empty bottles, string, rubber bands, tin cans, plates, cups etc.
  • Strong tape, paper clips, glue etc.

CHECK IN: What is a song that you love? How do you feel when you hear it or sing it?

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Each learner can pick one item of junk (cups, plates, boxes, tins etc.) that you have brought.
  • The idea is to make an instrument that has a unique/different sound.
  • Take ten minutes to make your instrument and come back to the circle.
  • Allow learner to think of creative ways to make their instruments.
  • Once the 5-6 minutes are over, invite learners to come back to circle or their place.

FACILITATOR NOTES: While learners were engaging in making their musical instrument, go around and observe the learners. If they do not have any ideas about it, support them with examples. Encourage them to take creative risks.

When they return, do a sound circle:

  • Begin by walking together on a 1-2-3-4 beat.
  • The first person will add a repeating sound on the beat with their instrument. Let the person get comfortable with their sound and the group beat. Only then the next person should add the next sound. Move towards the right.
  • Once the last person has added a sound, the first person can change theirs or join onto someone else’s, but not until everyone’s first sound has been added.
  • After the first round with the sound of the instruments is done, encourage the learners to now use sounds only from their mouth.
  • The first person makes a sound from the mouth on a repeating rhythm
  • Then the next person adds on their sound. Encourage everyone to make different sounds and try something new.
  • Encourage them to put their sounds on different parts of the rhythm, at different levels (loud or soft) or in different pitches (high or low sound).
  • At the final level, challenge the group to use a combination of the sounds from the instruments and the mouth to create music.
  • Ask them to listen not only to their own sound, but to the whole group at once.

That’s where the music is!

  • The teacher can step into the circle to work with the sound levels (soft or loud) using their hands and finally use their hands and gestures to fade the sounds to nothing. Have a round of applause when you are done!

REFLECTION

  • What was it like to make junk instruments and play them?
  • Did you have fun?
  • What was it like to make music with the junk instruments and then add sounds to them?
  • Who found it easy or hard? Why?
  • What was it like to combine them with other people’s sounds?
  • Does this remind you of anything in your life? When are we working together?
  • What is something else you might try to invent or practice that will not cost money, but will bring you lots of joy and fun?

CHECK OUT: If the way you feel was one thing that you can see around you, what would it be and why?

22 NIKI TIKI TAVI

OUTCOMES

    • Self-Awareness, Active Listening, Observation, Self-Esteem
    • Creative Risk, Self-Reflection, Witnessing, Risk Taking, Releasing Control.

MATERIALS: Safe space to conduct the activity for learner to run and walk around.

CHECK IN: What will you do if you have superpower?

INSTRUCTIONS

  • This is a silly game that everyone seems to love. Every learner finds a partner and stand facing each other’s.
  • Facilitator will call out two body parts, for example Head and Shoulder
  • Partners must touch those two parts as quickly as possible. One partner’s head touches the other partner’s shoulder.
  • Whoever is the last pair to touch is now part of the “watchers” watching to see who was last.
  • Play until there’s only one pair left. They win!

REFLECTION

  • How was today’s Class?
  • What all did we do today?
  • What did you learn today?
  • How will you use this learning in your life?

CHECK OUT: What is your highlight of the day? (Each learner shares in the class)

23 WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

OUTCOMES

    • Confidence
    • Imagination
    • Fun
    • Innovative suggestions

MATERIALS: Not Required

CHECK IN: If you could have any superpower, what would you choose, and why?

INSTRUCTIONS

  • All learners stand in a circle.
  • Ask One person starts by doing an action. The next person to their left asks them “(by calling out their name) what are you doing?”
  • The person can answer with any activity EXCEPT the one they are currently doing at that moment. They must answer while continuing to do the action. For e.g.: Ravi, what are you doing? Even if Ravi is doing the action of sweeping, he will say something different. He will say, “I am jogging!”
  • The person who asked begins to do the new action that was given.
  • Continue in a circle.
  • Remember, every time you have to say new things and do new actions. No repeating
  • Continue the activity for multiple rounds.

REFLECTION

  • What all we did today?
  • What did we learn from it?
  • How will this help you in your life?

CHECK OUT: If your creature could make a sound to say goodbye to the group, what sound would it make?


24 FREEZE TAG

OUTCOMES

  • Learn about accepting and building on their team members’ suggestion andideas
  • Learn to act spontaneously without putting down self/others
  • Learn to use their imagination to work as a team

MATERIALS: Not required

CHECK IN: Tell us about one time you smiled since the last time we met.

Instructions for Non-Verbal Freeze Tag:

This game enhances the imagination while demonstrating the power of non-verbal communication. This is a good warm up for moving into improvisation scenes with dialogue. Ask your group to form a circle or sit in an audience facing a playing area.

  • Learner #1 steps into the playing area and takes a shape and freezes.
  • Learner #2 steps into the playing area and takes a shape in relationship to person #1 that tells a story.
  • Learner #3 comes in and taps out either #1 or #2. The untapped person remains frozen in his shape. #3 then takes a new shape in relationship to the person left in the playing area to tell a completely different story.
  • Learners continue to come into the playing area, tap out one of the players and take a shape in relationship to the remaining player that implies a new story.

FACILITATOR NOTES: Encourage learners to hold their shapes with an unmovable freeze. Ask learners to fully appreciate each new shape before jumping in and tapping someone out.

Tapping means touching the person softly on the shoulder. Make sure no one gets hurt.

INSTRUCTIONS

VERBAL FREEZE TAG:

This activity is an all-around creativity stretcher. Once learners let go of self-judgment, it is lots of fun and makes great entertainment. Ask your group to form an audience with a specified playing area.

  • Learner #1 steps into the playing area and takes a shape, any shape, and freezes
  • Learner #2 steps onto the playing area, takes a shape in relationship to person #1, and starts a verbal scene, a dialogue. In their opening dialogue they give person #1 some information to work with by letting them know things like who they are (mom, dad, friend, teacher), how old they are, and what they are doing. They simply work this into the dialogue. For example, “Mom, I’m sorry I stayed out so late without telling you.” Or “Hey Alisha, you want to race?”
  • Learner #1 joins in the scene using both dialogue and movement. The pair continues their scene until the facilitator yells out “Freeze.” They then freeze in the moment and wait for the audience member to come in and tap one of them out.
  • The learner, who is not tapped out, remains frozen on the stage. Learner #3 then takes the exact same pose as the person she tapped out. From that pose she now starts a completely new scene. Her partner responds and they make a scene together until another audience member yells, “Freeze.”
  • Person #4 then comes in, taps out one of the players, takes the exact shape of that player and starts a whole new scene.

FACILITATOR NOTES

  • Be sure learners let the scenarios go long enough to have some meaning.
  • Look for interesting moments to call “Freeze.”
  • Remind them to take the exact pose of the person they tap out.
  • Let people know that they don’t have to have an idea before they call “freeze” and tap a player out. They can simply get into the position of the person they tap out and see what idea comes to them in the moment.

REFLECTION

  • What was it like to create scenes together?
  • When do you have a chance to change what is happening in your life?
  • What does this tell us about how we interact with people in our communities?
  • Does it show us anything about the dynamics in our lives?
  • What have we learned from this game that we can try in our homes, schools and communities?

FACILITATOR NOTES: They can also talk about what happened in the scenes. Be curious and ask about the different dynamics in the scenes. There may be one specific scene the group wants to discuss, or they may want to talk about the process more generally.

CHECK OUT: Who is one person you feel you can talk to when you just need to connect, and why? Say this in one sentence.

25 PAPER BAG PUPPETS

OUTCOMES

    • Identify and be aware of strong negative emotions like anger, frustration, hurt, disappointment etc.
    • Understand the underlying needs that generate the emotions.

MATERIALS

  • Paper lunch bags for each learner.
  • Coloured paper that you have pre-cut into simple shapes like s, triangles, squares and rectangles.
  • Sketch pens.
  • Glue and tape.
  • You might also add things like pipe cleaners, coloured feathers, ribbon, or other craft supplies that you can find.

CHECK IN: Show how you feel today by making up a nonsense word that sounds how you feel. Now tell us the definition of your word.

FACILITATOR NOTES: Be sure you keep all the puppets. Don’t let any of the learners take them home until after the next session. If they get forgotten at home, it will be difficult to continue with Part 2.

INSTRUCTIONS

This is an activity for identifying and expressing emotions visually.

  • Give everyone a paper bag and ask them to hold the bag while they listen and imagine the next activity.
  • Everyone feels angry sometimes. Most of us have a hard time knowing what to do when we get angry. Sometimes we yell, sometimes we fight…what else do we do when we’re angry? Whenever we’re angry it means that we’re not getting something that we need. Today and next day we’re going to practice understanding what happens when we get angry, and making little skits that practice understanding what the need is that is not being met.
  • Think of a story of a time when you were angry. Make a puppet that looks the way you felt at that time. This is not a puppet of you! It’s a puppet of the way that you feel.
  • Think about the story. What colour did you feel? Red? Black? Blue? Did your eyes feel big, or wet, or hot? Was your mouth open or closed? Whatever you were feeling make it bigger. Make your puppet look angry.

Tips: As the facilitator, go around and help the learners translate their stories into puppets by asking questions about how they felt, and helping them translate those feelings into shapes and colours.

  • Put up a list of feeling words, like angry, hurt, sad, disappointed, frustrated, lonely etc. Make sure they know what each one means.
  • When they are done, ask if anyone can share their story (you may have to share yours, first. Be sure that you do not share a story that will frighten the learners and tell a story that they can relate to) using their puppet’s voice.
  • Listen to the volunteer’s story and then reflect to them. Do you feel hurt (or sad, or lonely, or whatever the feeling is that you hear in the story), and do you need some space (or a hug, or someone to listen, or whatever you hear in the story). If that is what they are feeling, they can say ‘Yes’, in their puppet’s voice, I am hurt and I need some space, or they can say, No. I’m not hurt. I’m angry, and I need to run away. It doesn’t matter what they say at this stage, just help them to identify the feelings and the needs.
  • Thank the volunteer for their courage in telling their story and tell the others

that “we will be using these puppets to make plays next day.”

REFLECTION

First ask WHAT happened. What was it like to remember your story and make a puppet out of it? Ask the learners to volunteer. “What was it like to tell your story to the group, and have your feelings reflected?” Listen carefully as they are sharing. Don’t push the SO WHAT section, since you might want to wait until the next session. Just let them share about the experience of making the puppets.

CHECK OUT: If you were a kind of weather right now, what would you be?

26 PAPER BAG PUPPET PLAY

26 PAPER BAG PUPPET PLAY

OUTCOMES

    • Express their feelings/negative emotions in a non-violent, non-aggressive way.
    • Learn the importance of listening to someone who is expressing such feelings
    • Empathise with each other.

MATERIALS

  • Bring all the Learners’ puppets, (the puppets made from previous activity)
  • One or two Bed sheets to for backdrops. Some strings to tie it up with.

CHECK IN: If how you feel today was a kind of food, what kind of food would you be and why?

INSTRUCTIONS

This is a way of practicing how to express strong emotions and to develop empathy.

  • Set up the sheet so that the actors can hide behind it and only their puppets are showing. You can tie it to two chairs if necessary, and the learners can crouch behind it. Have the players get into partners. The facilitator’s puppet will be a third person in the play, at least for the first few rounds. They will decide who will be the storytelling puppet and who will be the listening puppet for each round.
  • Make sure the list of feelings from last round is placed where the listening actor can see it. If they come up with feelings that are not on the list, add them after each round. The storytelling puppet will tell a story about a time when they were angry. The listening puppet will then respond with: Are you feeling…… (hurt, frustrated, lonely etc.) and do you need …… (a hug, some time to talk, a friend). If necessary, the facilitator’s puppet can help either one of the learners, but make sure you stay in character!
  • After each round, make sure the audience applauds! If there is time, the storytelling puppets and listening puppets can switch roles.

REFLECTION

  • What was it like to be the storytelling puppet?
  • What was it like to be the listening puppet? Make sure everyone who wants to, has a chance to share. Listen carefully for insights.
  • Where could this be helpful in our lives?
  • When are you the storytelling puppet?
  • How does it feel to talk about your feelings?
  • When are you the listening puppet? How does it feel to listen to someone’s story?
  • What kinds of things might we do differently at home or at school after this activity?
  • What would you be willing to try?

CHECK OUT: Tell us a nice thing that you will do just for yourself this week.

27 GRATITUDE WALL

OUTCOMES

    • Learners can understand the feeling of gratitude towards their classmates and teachers.
    • Learners will practice being grateful for their family and the person who supports them.

MATERIALS: A sheet of paper and pen to each learner, if possible, chart paper, double- sided tape. A space on the wall to stick their gratitude notes.

FACILITATOR NOTES: We are so busy in our lives that we forget to express our gratitude; most of the time, it is not even a priority. Through this activity, we will try to take learners' attention towards taking a small step towards gratitude. If the learner doesn’t want to express themselves through words, they can use drawing or abstracts images.

CHECK IN: Who is the person who brought a smile to your face today?

INSTRUCTIONS

  • First, the facilitator should create a comfortable environment by engaging the class in conversation. Tell the learners that “today, we will make a gratitude wall. You will write the names of the family members who helped you today on paper. We will write our gratitude on this paper and stick it on a wall, which will be known as a gratitude wall.”
  • Then, the facilitator will demonstrate by writing gratitude on the blackboard. For example – “Mother (Amma), you give me tasty and healthy food. Thank you” (can be in any language). Now give 10 minutes to learners to write their gratitude clearly and creatively. Whoever they want to express their gratitude for (give learners the freedom to use colours)
  • After this, invite and allow any interested learners to come forward share their gratitude card and ask them to read out their notes. After this, attach this paper to the wall using double-sided or any tape.
  • Now the wall will be covered with beautiful emotions of learners’ gratitude.

REFLECTION

  • When do you want to thank someone? Why? How will you do it? What are the other ways to thank someone?
  • What kind of thoughts comes to your mind when someone thanks you?
  • Are we able to understand the emotions of others without them expressing them? How are we able to do it?
  • Are others able to understand our emotions without us expressing them? How are they able to do it?
  • Why did we express our gratitude towards those not even present here?
  • What did you feel after doing this?

CHECK OUT: At the end of the class, ask learners to sit silently for 1-2 minutes and think about a person they wish to go and thank after this class.

28 LOVE YOURSELF

OUTCOMES

    • Brainstorming.
    • Self Confidence.
    • Self Esteem.
    • Empathy to self.

MATERIALS: A paper and pen for each learner.

CHECK IN: What is one kind and nice thing/behaviour you did or saw someone else do this week?

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Instruct the learner to take out a sheet of paper and a pen and draw a circle in the middle of the paper. Inside the circle write the words "I Love Me!"
  • Ask the Learners, “why is it important to love yourself?”
  • Ask them to write the answers in circles around the middle circle. They might give any answer, like: To feel proud, to have energy, to make friends, to do well in school.
  • If they do not understand why, it's important to love yourself, help them think as a group by asking questions.
  • Then, ask the group, where does love for yourself come from? Write these answers in different answers on the paper and ask them to help you connect the answers to the ones from the previous round. They might give answers like parents, friends, nature, pets, teachers, hobbies. Write everything down.

REFLECTION: Ask each learner to read their list of answer they have written on the paper.

CHECK OUT: Think of a person in your life that you would like to give a compliment. What would that compliment be?

29 MIND MAP

OUTCOMES

    • Express thoughts.
    • Recall previous sessions.
    • Come together and share their learnings.

MATERIALS: Blackboard and chalk

CHECK IN: What is one thing most people hate that you love?

FACILITATOR NOTES: Mind Map is placed toward the end of the year and the intention is to draw the responses from the learners, based on the experience they have had in these sessions. This is again, an interactive session, and not lecture driven.

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Invite the learners to think of the experience they have had over the past one year.
  • What are some of the activities that we have done over one year?
  • What all activities you remember which we did together, can you please name it? As they list out the activities start placing them in different parts of the blackboard. Once everything is listed, invite them “What are some of the things you learnt from these activities?”
  • Usually learners will spell out creativity (energizers), self-awareness (emotions), sharing (stories) etc.
  • Start putting down each of these life skills on the blackboard. Make a mind map of the responses on the blackboard.
  • You may have to lend the vocabulary of life skills related words. This is also a good opportunity to hear from the learners and build on that vocabulary
  • Once the mind map of the activities and the life skills learnt through these activities have been penned down, you could ask them to go back and reflect on the goals of this year.
  • You could then mark where all have each of the goals been worked upon and strengthened. This will then bring together the learning and a greater clarity of why we did what we did.

REFLECTION

  • How did you feel looking at the board?
  • What can we learn from this?
  • How will we keep this learning alive?

FACILITATOR NOTES: After emotions activity, for example, you might just ask at debrief something like, “How many of you learned emotions/emojis name and remember now? Reflection makes meaning out of activities and brings out learnings.

CHECK OUT: One thing you enjoyed the most this year?

30 GRADUATION

OUTCOMES

    • Express what they have learnt.
    • Express the connections and bond they have experienced.
    • Give gratitude to everyone who has supported them.

MATERIALS

  • A4 sheet and A per for each learner.

CHECK IN: Share whom you want to give gratitude in your life.

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Explain to learners that they have learnt a lot and grown as individuals. This is their time to share what they have learned and how it has helped them.
  • As your final session of the year, invite learners to form small groups and share one story in a small group. It can be a story about a friend you have made in session, their favourite activity, a change in school or at home, or anything else that is meaningful to them.
  • After everyone in their group has shared a story, select one story they would like to share with the entire team.
  • Allow each group to share a story in a bigger group. Encourage if anyone would come forward to share in the larger group.

REFLECTION

Once everyone shared do a small reflection and continue the below gratitude letter writing

  • Think of the people you want to give gratitude to. They can be your classmates, teachers, neighbours, parents?
  • Write gratitude letter to them.
  • You can write anything to them in a small note and make it colourful.
  • Give them time to write the letter.

CHECK OUT: Everyone must meet everyone in the class, shake their hand and say thank you to them.

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