Activity Title: Keep Telling | |
Suggested Grade/Age Range: Grades 2-3 (ages 7-9) | |
Activity Objective: The goal of this activity is to emphasize to children the importance of continuing to tell until they get the help they need. This might mean telling more than one person what is happening. | |
Materials Required: | |
Prep Time: 10-15 minutes Photocopy and cut out activity cards so there are enough matched pairs for the whole class (in case of an odd number of children, the same card can be given to more than one child and 3 children can match) Task Time: 40 minutes
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Activity Description: Opening Discussion: 1. Tell the class that they will be playing a game where some of them will get activity cards that describe something they need help with and others will get cards that describe the solutions For example, someone might get an activity card that says someone scraped their knee. They will need to find an activity card that shows a box of Band-Aids. They are to walk around and tell what they need help with to one another until they find the individual with the card that matches their need 2. Explain that the goal is to meet face to face with a peer and tell them verbally what they need help with instead of just showing each other their cards. This is to emphasize the importance of clear, verbal communication Activity: 3. Once all the children have activity cards, have them begin the activity by walking around the classroom, verbally telling each other what their card says and try to match up with each other 4. Once an individual has found their match, they can come show the facilitator and then come and take another activity card to continue the activity 5. Once most children have found a match (or when around 10-15 minutes have passed), collect all the activity cards and have the children gather for a whole class discussion Wrap-up Discussion: 6. Go through the following discussion questions with the children: Who was able to find a match on the first try? How did that make you feel? Who was able to find a match rather quickly? How did that make you feel? Who took some time before they were able to find a match? How did that make you feel? How did it feel to finally find someone who matched your need? Who was not able to find a match? How did that make you feel? Encourage children by telling them they did a great job for continuing to try. Remind them that they only had a limited amount of time to play the game, otherwise, they would have found their match Why is it so important to find the right person (card) to match with instead of just compromising and matching with just anyone? Why would that not work? (Example answer: Because they would not be able to help you with what you need) When you could not find the right match right away, what did you have to do? (Example answer: keep looking until you found the person who matched your need) Why is it so important to do so? (Example answer: to make sure that you get the help that you really need) 7. As a conclusion to the discussion, make sure to emphasize that when we are getting help for a problem or worry, it is important to keep telling until we get the help we need. Maybe the first person we talk to cannot provide us with the help that we need, but we need to keep telling until we find the individual who can help us the way we need them to | |
Activity Extensions: After the discussion, have the children reflect in their journals or writer’s notebooks about a situation from the past or a possible future situation where it is important for them to keep asking for help until they get the help they need. Have them write down 3 or more people who they can get help from | |
Additional Comments: This activity can be adapted for Grade 1 students whereby illustrations replace the written content on the activity cards or illustrations with writing | |
Additional Resources: You may also choose to review the Getting Help Literature Review before implementing this activity. It can be found here. |

