I got most of my ideas for this lesson from the following websites:
Bambi idea & handout idea (I edited the handout to be just 1 stanza)
I started by having the girls color this super cute coloring page. It fits our theme of gossiping perfectly.
I have them color when they first arrive to keep them occupied while I get set up & wait for everyone to arrive. They love to color.
After opening prayer & our talent share we all sat in a big circle & we played a few rounds of the telephone game:
- The first person whisper something in the persons ear next to them.
- Then that person whispers what they just heard into the next persons ear.
- Then so on around the circle.
- By the time it gets to the end, what was originally whispered has changed and isn’t like it started.
- This happens with gossip.
- What is said starts as one thing and once it is passed from person to person it is completely changed into something else.
- Something that is usually not true & not nice.
What is gossip?
- How many people does gossip involve?
Most people think just 2, but it is actually 3
The person telling the gossip
The person listening to the gossip
The person being gossiped about.
Who has ever been gossiped about?
How did it make you feel?
Does it make you want to try & be better about not gossiping?
These girls are still a little bit young for texting & social media, but will be using it before we know it.
Gossiping, bullying & social media abuse has becoming a big problem in todays world.
I think they need to start learning these things now!
Gossiping & speaking unkindly to others is so easy on social media.
- When I say social media, do you know what I am talking about?
- Texting, FB, Instagram…
People get very brave about things they say about others on social media.
They sometimes say things that they would never say to someone out loud.
Who has seen the Disney movie “Bambi”?
There is 1 scene where Thumper the rabbit is saying something not very nice to Bambi & his mother reminds him of something his father told him just that morning.
Lets watch it.
What advice did he give?
“If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all”.
(Place an empty chair in the middle of the room )
A good way to avoid gossiping is to imagine the person who you are talking about is sitting in that chair.
- Ask yourself the following questions:
- Are you telling the truth?
- Is it kind?
- Is it necessary to tell?
- Do you have that person’s permission to tell this story or news?
- Would you really say these things if the person were sitting in the chair?
- If you can’t answer yes to all of these questions, then you are probably gossiping and should talk about something else.
1 more part of the lesson we need to do outside before we go work on our craft.
Go outside.
Pour glitter into a girls hand.
Pass all of the glitter into the next girls hand, but need to pass it all… not to lose a single piece.
Keep passing it down the line.
This can’t be done because the glitter sticks to hands & falls to the floor.
It is impossible to retrieve it all.
Gossip is like the glitter.
- We think we can control it, but once it leaves us, we no longer choose how the information is handled.
- Like the glitter, once gossip is passed on, it spreads and is impossible to get it all back.
- You always need to stop, listen to the words in your head, ask yourselves if they will help or hurt, and “does this really need to be said?” then make the right decision.
Now for the craft. We are going to make chapstick.
This recipe worked amazingly well & was super simple
I got little containers at Hobby Lobby in the art section. Little containers for mixing & holding paints. They each held about 2t each. I think they were 12 for $4. I’m sure I could of gotten them for less, but I didn’t have time to order anything online & didn’t have time to do much shopping around.
In a microwavable bowl put:
-1 tsp of coconut oil
-1 tsp of vaseline
(Amt depends on size of containers you’re filling.)
Microwave approx 60 sec or until melted together
Mix powdered drink mix into melted oil (½-1t to get desired color)
Stir until mostly dissolved (will continue to dissolve as it sits)
Pour into containers
Let gloss coolour it into your container.
They will get to make 2 pots of lip gloss. They can keep 1, then give 1 away. I will give them 2 of the little cards. When they give away the 2nd pot & card, they are to teach about gossiping. I edited the file I got from online. It was a bookmark & I didn't want it that big. I thought the first stanza of the poem was perfect for our lesson.
I also made a handout for the girls binders. It had the recipe, the "how to avoid gossiping" & a small picture of the Gossiping Mormonad on it.
