A lesson allowing children in RISE programming to consider all they’ve accomplished in the months they’ve been learning alongside their families.
Group Meeting:
Gather your group to the meeting area and have them take a seat.
Explain to the children that today we’ll be discussing and considering ‘our story,’ “In many ways, our lives are each like a story we’re always writing. Consider yourself the main character of your story, you get to make decisions and choose where the story will go. Different events in your story may be a chapter—like your days here in RISE meetings.”
Make an announcement to the group. Their guardians have nearly completed RISE core programming, and it’s time to celebrate what the kids have accomplished. Congratulate the group for all the weeks they’ve participated and ask the following questions:
“How did you feel when you first came to RISE kids class?”
“How do you feel now?”
“What topic was your favorite to learn as a group?”
“What game or activity was your favorite to complete”?
“Did you learn anything new about yourself or others through the lessons?”
“Have you noticed any differences in your family since starting RISE?”
“Have you noticed any differences in yourself since starting RISE?”
Transition to the activity by telling the group, “The cool thing about where you are in life is you’re just getting started writing your story. For our activity today I want you to think about where you’ve been in life, where you are right now, and where you want to go next. You can think back as little as a few weeks ago and a few weeks ahead, or you can consider where you want to be years from now! It’s your story, make it however you’d like.”
Summary of Tasks/Activity:
What’s my Story?
Pass out five pieces of paper to each child, as well as writing and drawing utensils.
Have the children fold their paper in half ‘hamburger style’.
Staple the crevice of the halved paper vertically to make a ‘spine’ for the book.
Tell the group to start making their own real-life story with themselves as the main character. They may make a simple picture book, a chapter book, or a comic book. The only requirements are that they make the story about their life and that they think back to the past, in the present, and where they want to be in the future.
To encourage the children and provide ideas, make a story alongside them and share your ideas and thoughts on how they may develop theirs.
Have the children share what they’re making as they go and when they finish.
