Activity 1: (15 minutes) PYRAMID OF HAPPINESS

Review the Pyramid of Happiness anchor chart from the slides and practice the actions associated with each level of the pyramid:

• Basic Needs: Rub tummy and pretend to drink (food and water)
• Safety: Pretend to put on a helmet (safety) and make a roof overhead with arms (secure place)
• Connection: Hug yourself (love) and give a friendly wave (belonging)
• Believe in Yourself: Make a thumbs up and show off your muscles (esteem)
• Superstar Self: Jump high and land in a superhero pose (self-actualization)

Highlight the 4th level of the pyramid (Believe in Yourself) and its action (make a thumbs up and show off your muscles). Read aloud the correlating poem stanza together from the slides. When we are flexible with changes that happen in our lives, we will become more confident, resilient, and we will believe in ourselves!

Share the definition of the term “change” from the slides. Have a discussion: 

• What big or small changes have you experienced in your life? (EQ)
  • What did you learn from those changes?

Activity 2: (20 minutes) SHORT & LONG-TERM CHANGE

Explain that change is a normal part of life. It happens when something we see, do, or experience becomes different. Short-term changes are brief disruptions where things eventually return to normal. Long-term changes take time and often become part of daily routines. Go through the slides defining short- and long-term change. Have a discussion:

• What are other examples of short- and long-term changes? (EQ)

Designate sides of the classroom to represent short-term change and long-term change. Go through the slides showing pictures of change. Have students move to the corresponding side of the classroom.

Explain that there are things we can do to help us successfully and easily adjust to changes that will occur in our lives. Display the strategies slide. Have a discussion:

• Who can you ask for help if you need it? (EQ)

Activity 3: (20 minutes) FLEXIBLE THINKING VS. STUCK THINKING

Prior to this activity, gather the following items: a clear container filled with water, an empty clear container (different shape), and ice cubes.

Hold up a clear container of water. Pour the water from one container to another. Have a discussion:

• What do you notice about the water? (EQ) (Possible Answers: It moves, it flows, and it can change shape as it is poured into a new container.)

Hold up the ice cubes. Dump the ice cubes from one container to another. Have a discussion:

• What do you notice about the ice cubes? (EQ) (Possible Answers: They are hard, cold, and do not change shape as they move into a new space).

Explain that our thinking can be like water or like ice using the information on the slides. Have a discussion:

• Which type of thinking will help you adjust to changes easily? Explain. (EQ)

Sort students into 4 groups. Give each group a Flexible Thinking Scenario card. Students will read the card and have 2–3 minutes to discuss and create an ending to the scenario that shows flexible thinking. After sufficient time, have groups rotate their card clockwise and repeat the steps using a new card. Continue until each group has read and discussed all 4 cards. (Teacher Tip: Ring a bell when it is time for students to switch cards.) Have a discussion:

• What endings did you create for each scenario?
• What is a simple way you can use flexible thinking this week? (EQ)

Activity 4: (20 minutes) CHANGE OF PLANS

Prior to this activity, watch the video and see if it is the best fit for your students.

Explain that sometimes we make plans and they do not turn out the way we hoped. We can choose to use flexible thinking to help us adjust to changes in our lives. Read the book Are you Ready to Play Outside? by Mo Willems or watch the read-aloud video until 2:53. Invite students to pay attention to how Piggie and Gerald react to changes in the story. Have a discussion:

• What do Piggie and Gerald want to do at the beginning of the story?  (They both want to play outside. Piggie wants to run, jump, and skip.)
• What happens that changes their plan? (It starts to rain.)
• How does Piggie react to the rain? (Piggie is very upset. He pouts, shouts, and complains.)
• How does Gerald react to the rain? (He stays calm. He doesn’t worry or get upset. He uses his big ear like an umbrella to keep Piggie dry.)
• How do Piggie and Gerald adjust their plans? (EQ) (They decide to play outside in the rain and they have fun!)

Emphasize that Gerald had flexible thinking. On a piece of blank paper or in student journals, have students draw a picture of Gerald. Under their picture, have them write 1–2 sentences describing how they can have flexible thinking like Gerald. (Teacher Tip: Write a sentence frame on the board for students to use to support their writing: “I can use flexible thinking like Gerald when I _______.”) Invite students to share their illustrations and sentences with the class.

Activity 5: (20 minutes) FOCUS ON WHAT YOU CAN CONTROL

Explain that in any challenge, we can either focus on what we cannot control or what we can. Focusing on what is outside our control leads to stress and frustration. We cannot control what other people think, say or do. Focusing on what we can control—like our attitude, effort, and actions—builds resilience and confidence.

Draw a T-chart on the whiteboard with columns labeled “Things I CAN Control” and “Things I CANNOT Control.” Invite students to brainstorm examples in their own life of things they CAN and CANNOT control. Possible answers may include:

• Things students CAN control: Get my homework done, be kind to others, tell the truth, listen to my teacher and parents, take care of my toys, or do my best. 
• Things students CANNOT control: The weather, school rules, rules at home, what other people say and do, how much homework I have, or getting sick.

Give students 2 pieces of paper. On 1 piece of paper, have students write a sentence about something they CAN control. On the other piece of paper, have students write a sentence about something they CANNOT control. (Teacher Tip: Write sentence frames on the board for students to use to support their writing: “I can control __________.” “I can’t control __________.”)

Remind students that it is important to let go of what we cannot control, and focus on what we can. Invite students to pick up the paper describing what they cannot control. Have them crumple the paper into a ball and throw the crumpled paper into the garbage can. Explain that this represents us letting go of what we cannot control.

Invite students to reread the sentence they wrote about what they can control. Remind them that when we focus on what we can control, like our attitude, effort, and actions, we can build resilience and confidence. Encourage students to take their paper home and share what they learned about focusing on what they can control and letting go of the things they cannot with their families.

Activity 6: (20 minutes) THE INVISIBLE STRING

Prior to this activity, watch the video and see if it is the best fit for your students.

Explain that sometimes a long-term change like moving away from friends or a loved one passing away can bring sad emotions that feel very big. One way to deal with this kind of change is to focus on the connections that we have with others and lean on them for comfort and support.

Read the book The Invisible String by Patrice Karst or watch the read-aloud video until 4:32. Invite students to pay attention to what the twins’ mom shares with them to help them handle change in their life. Have a discussion:

• What did the mom teach her twins to help them deal with change? (EQ) (She told them that people who love each other are always connected. She told them about an invisible string to represent this special bond. She told them that the string can remind them that they are never alone because there are many people who love them.)
• What emotion was powerful enough to outlast anything else? (Love. The mom said that you cannot see it, but you can feel it. The string cannot be broken, it is always there.)

Explain that when we love others, we want to help them through changes that can be difficult. Give each student a piece of string. Explain that our class is like a family. We care for each other and can help each other through challenges and change. Invite students to think of a time when someone they loved helped them. Have a discussion:

• When did someone you love help you? (EQ)
  • Why did you appreciate their help?

Invite students to keep their string to remind them that they are not alone. They have many people who love and care for them and are ready to help them through changes that they may encounter.