Activity 1: (10 minutes) WORKING TOGETHER

Review the Pyramid of Happiness poster. Review the third level of the pyramid and perform that action (wrap arms around yourself in a hug). Make the connection about how working together is a way to show others that we care. It helps us feel connected to others. Remind students about the actions associated with each level of the pyramid. Have a discussion:

• Invite the children to share a time when they helped someone, or when someone helped them.
• How did they help?
• How did it feel?

Activity 2: (10 minutes) BALLOON RACES

Divide the children into pairs. Line the children up so that one child is on one side of the room, and the other on the opposite side of the room. Give the first child a large spoon and a balloon. The challenge is to get the balloon from one partner to the other as quickly as possible without dropping the balloon. Partners can call out suggestions to help each other, but they cannot touch their partner or the balloon. Encourage the children to experiment with different ways of moving to see which one is the most effective at moving quickly.

• What happens if they move too fast?
• What happens if they move too slow?
• Is it easier to move with the balloon if the tied end is up?
• Is going faster or slower a better strategy?

Repeat the activity with the other partner. This time, the partner can help, but neither can touch the balloon. They may use their spoons or other tools to move the balloon, but they cannot touch it. Encourage the partners to investigate ways to work together to get the balloon across the room as quickly as possible. After the activity, talk about how the balloon race went. Note that when we work together, it can make a task easier.

• Was it easier if a friend was helping? How?
• What did your partner do that was helpful?
• What did your partner do that was not helpful?
• How did you change your strategy if you were having problems?

Activity 3: (15 minutes) HELPING WITH OUR WORDS

One of the ways that we can work together and help one another is to use words to build each other up. When we hear others say nice things about us, or words that encourage us, it makes us feel good. When we feel good about ourselves and others, it helps us work together better.

Have the children think of words that they can use to help show caring and encouragement to others. Discuss how discouraging words do not help us do our best. Video tape each child sharing their encouraging words and create your own class video.

Activity 4: (15 minutes) WE ARE BETTER TOGETHER

Some things are better and easier when we work together. Read We Are Better Together, by Eileen Spinetti or watch the read-aloud video by Yogi Squad. Invite the children to share about activities they like to do with others. Have a discussion:

• Why do we like to do things together?
• Why are some things better when we do them together?
• When is it hard to work together?

One of the things that is better together is when we make music together. Music is something that can be enjoyed alone, or together with others. When we share music together, it helps us feel connected. Give each child a musical or rhythm instrument and play along to a favorite tune. Talk about how much more fun the experience is when we work together. We build connections when we work and play together.

Activity 5: (10 minutes) I AM A HELPER—A PART OF A TEAM

Everyone is an important part of working together. We all have unique ways of contributing to the world. Use the deck of working together cards to have a discussion about how working together helps one another, and how each child has unique skills and abilities that they can contribute. Make sure to read and discuss the cards in order. Another word for this is teamwork. We all help each other in order to do something together.

Encourage the children to identify ways that they are good at helping others. Have the children work together in small groups or teams to build block towers, or do another activity that requires teamwork.