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Classroom Activities: Facing the Dragons
  


Who Am I? - Courage

Facing the Dragons

Objectives:
To identify increasing competence in handling nightmares.
To appreciate that others face the same challenge.
Key Vocabulary/ Concepts /Skills:
nightmare, safety "real" vs. "make believe" and sleep required for growth

Modifications to the Baseline

Background for Teachers
Many young children experience sleep disturbances - ranging from reluctance to go to bed, to waking up in middle of night with terror. Some children have experienced stress that promotes nightmares. Some children do not have a regular routine for sleeping that may assist them in preparing to handle sleep disruption. Young children require the reassurance of parents and teachers that they are safe and secure and can rest. Facing the challenge of going to sleep with a routine and possibly a cuddly toy can show children that they possess courage.

Set-up   Age range: 4-6
Story circle or rug   15 minutes
Materials   15-30 children and one adult
Storybook about sleeping

Description of Activity
Teacher selects a story to read, asking children to be thinking about how they prepare to rest.
While the book is read, the teacher promotes interest in the pictures, and the concepts.
At the end of the story, the children are invited to share their own experiences.
Teacher concludes the activity by highlighting the demonstration of courage where it is appropriate.

Suggested Questions and Procedures
Share the story. Prompt reflection by asking children about how they prepare to rest.
Follow the children's lead. Leave the dialog open.
Relate the story experience to the concept that development of competence occurs with different children in different ways.
Tell children that one demonstration of courage on their part is being able to recover from a nightmare. Courageous children can accept help from family members.

Child Products
Contributions to the discussion

Assessment Procedure
Observe participation and note on the checklist whether children can identify the concept of courage.
Observe verbal and non-verbal responses to the story and the content. Make anecdotal notes of any unusual responses or concerns. Plan to share these with parents if a pattern of concern is emerging, e.g. absence of routine for bedtime.

Extensions of Activity
Make charts of favorite cuddly figures.
Record of children's dictated stories regarding courage at bedtime either through writing or an audiocassette.
Develop skits: Our Class Is Courageous. Share these with the class across the hall.
Link the discussion to pets and animals. How do they sleep? When?

Parent Collaboration
Invite parents to share routines, favorite bedtime stories, and poems. Add these as illustrations to the charts in the room. Add the books and poems, if available.

Suggested Books
Hesse, Karen. Carpenter, Nancy, Illus. Lester's Dog.
Johnson, Angela. Soman, David, Illus. Tell Me a Story Mama
Mayer, Mercer. There's a Nightmare in My Closet.
McCloskey, Robert. Time of Wonder.
McCully, Emily. Mirette on the High Wire.
Schwartz, Alvin. Zimmer, Dirk, Illus. In a Dark Room.
Sendak, Maurice. Where the Wild Things Are.
Waber, Bernard. Ira Sleeps Over.
Waddell, Martin. Can't You Sleep Little Bear?

From Gayle Mindes and Marie Ann Donovan, Building Character: Five Enduring Themes for a Stronger Early Childhood Curriculum, ©2001, Allyn & Bacon, pp. 28 -29.

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