Cover Up
Value: Honesty
Concept: Telling a lie seems simple enough to do. We lie to keep us from
getting in trouble, to exaggerate something we did to make ourselves look
better, to get others in trouble, to get out of certain situations, etc.
However, one of the problems with telling a lie is remembering what we have
said. The truth is easy to remember because it really happened. If we make up a
lie to meet our needs in a certain situation, then we have to remember what we
said later on if someone asks us about it. As we try to cover up our first lie
we end up telling more lies. Now our story becomes even more complicated and we
have to keep more lies straight. We have to remember what we said to whom and
think about who might compare stories with each other. If we don't keep
everything straight, someone will catch us in our lie and expose the truth.
Rather than spend a lot of time and energy trying to cover up our first lie with
other lies, wouldn't it be easier to just tell the truth? Once you have a
reputation as a liar it is hard to get people to trust you. Trust is hard to get
back once you have lost it.
Key Words: Honesty, Lying, Truth, Cover Up, Trust
Location: In your home
Time Estimate: 15 minutes plus discussion time
Materials Needed:
A container (such as a cooking pot or a bucket) that you can put six to eight
inches of water in. It should be at least eight inches across
A quarter
10 pennies
Activity: Fill a container with six to eight inches of water. Begin the
activity by placing a quarter on the bottom of the container right in the
middle. Give the first person ten pennies. Explain that their challenge is to
cover up the quarter with the pennies. The pennies must be dropped one at a time
from a height of two inches above the water. After they have dropped all ten
pennies, count how many pennies landed and stayed on the quarter. Estimate what
percentage of the quarter they covered. Retrieve the pennies and let the next
person have their turn. When everyone has taken a turn, repeat the process again
to see if they can improve.
Discussion Ideas:
"What" Questions
How well did you do covering the quarter?
How many pennies did you get to land on the quarter?
How easy was it to get the pennies to land on the quarter?
What techniques did you use?
How successful were these techniques?
"So What" Questions
How can we compare this activity to trying to cover up a lie that we told?
Do you sometimes have to tell more than one lie to cover up the first lie?
Why or why not?
How hard is it to remember which lies you told to which person? Explain.
How can we keep from having to tell more lies to cover up the first one?
How much control do we have over others passing on our lies?
Describe a situation where someone may have to tell more lies after they told
the first lie.
What happens when someone catches you in a lie?
How easy is it to convince someone you are telling the truth after they have
caught you lying?
How can you get that person to trust you again?
"Now What" Questions
Why is telling the truth easier than lying even if the truth may get us in
trouble?
How does being honest help people trust us?
Copyright 1999 by Tom Jackson and Red Rock Publishing
Hands
Value: Cooperation
Concept: Many times we try to accomplish tasks by ourselves instead of
working together. Most jobs would be completed faster, easier and with less
effort if we cooperated with each other. There are times when we need to compete
and times when we need to work together. Knowing when to compete and when to
cooperate, will help each of us succeed in today's society. Some people believe
that asking for help is a sign of weakness. The truth is that asking for help
when you need it and working together on a project is an example of working
smarter, rather than harder.
Key Words: Cooperation, Working Together, Competition
Location: In your home
Time Estimate: 15 minutes plus discussion time
Materials Needed:
A jar of peanut butter
A jar of jelly
A table knife for each person
Two pieces of bread per person
Activity: Begin by giving each person one piece of bread and a table
knife. Explain that their job is to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
There are two rules. First, they are to use only one slice of bread, so the
sandwich is really only half a sandwich. The bread may not just be folded over
to make the sandwich. The piece of bread must be cut in half to form the two
sides of the sandwich. Second, they can use only one hand. The other hand must
be kept behind their back at all times. Now have them make the sandwich.
When the sandwiches are completed you are ready for round two. Have everyone
get a partner. The partners will now cooperate to make a sandwich. If you have
uneven numbers one person can repeat the activity with a second partner. Give
each pair a new piece of bread. The challenge is the same: create a peanut
butter and jelly sandwich. Once again, the piece of bread must be cut in half to
form the sandwich and each person may only use one hand. Give the teams one
minute to plan their strategy before starting. During the strategy planning
session, they may not touch the sandwich making materials.
At the completion of the activity, sit back and enjoy a snack of peanut
butter and jelly sandwiches.
Discussion Ideas:
"What" Questions
Which took longer: when you were working by yourself or with a partner?
What problems did you have when working by yourself? With a partner?
What strategies did you use in the second round to the overcome problem of
working by yourself?
How did you feel during the first round? The second round?
Which sandwich looked better: the first one or the second one?
"So What" Questions
How did working together affect your efforts?
What are some tasks where two or more people make the job go easier?
Are there certain jobs that have to be done by someone working alone? Give
examples.
How does competition affect cooperation?
Can we be both cooperative and competitive? Explain.
What happens when people aren't willing to cooperate with each other?
Why would cooperation be important to students at school?
Why would cooperation be important to people at work?
Why would cooperation be important to our family?
"Now What" Questions
How can cooperation help us in our daily lives?
In what ways can we show cooperation in our family?
Copyright 1999 by Tom Jackson and Red Rock Publishing
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