DR. SEUSS AND UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS

THE BIG BRAG

(NOTE: Please review the Introduction before using this Session Plan. Thank you.)

SETTING THE STAGE
STORY SYNPOSIS: The rabbit and the bear were arguing about who was better. A worm helped them answer the argument. (5 Minutes)

AFFIRMATIONS: Everyone is important.

THEME: Self-image. Be satisfied with who you are.

PREPARATION: Be aware of times when you or someone else has exaggerated in order to feel better about self-image.

NEEDED:
"The Big Brag" in Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories, Random House, 1950

SESSION PLAN
OPENING: Selected by the group. This can be used each session.

CHECK-IN: Welcome. Each person says his or her name briefly tells something that was important to them since the last time the group met, such as went well during the last week, or something that did not go well.

Leave an empty chair or space for someone who is missing from the group that day, or to recognize that others are welcome to be invited to join the group.

STORY
The Big Brag

EXPLORING:
Have you ever had someone try to make you believe that s/he could so something special, but s/he refused to show you? Have you ever done that? Why does someone need to exaggerate, or tell something that might not be completely true? Why did rabbit and bear need to be better than anyone else?
When someone says that they are better than you, how does that make you feel?

Options:
1. Boasting. Each participant tells something that they can do, or something that they have done that makes them feel good about themselves. Let the participant select what to share. (If a participant cannot think of anything, suggest that you will go on with others and come back to him/her.) After each participant speaks, cheer them or clap. The focus is on feeling comfortable talking about accomplishments, and knowing that they will be appreciated, without the need to exaggerate or be better than anyone else.

2. True or False. Think of two things about yourself, but do not say what they are. One thing must be true, and one thing is something that you made up. Others in the group will try to decide which thing about you is true and which is false. (The other variation is to think of three things, two that are true and one that is false. Guess which thing is false.)

3. Worms
--Make worms by gluing yarn balls onto the squiggly sytrofoam packing pieces.
--Make worm puppet by using white or plain-colored socks. Put the sock on so that the heel is down, next to the palm of the hand. Draw a mouth and eyes on the toe.
--Have gummy worms for snack.

CLOSING:
Each of us has things that we do well, but that doesn't make us any better than anyone else.
Each of us has things that we may not do as well as someone else, but that doesn't make us any worse than anyone else.
Each of us is who we are! And that's that! We are all important and all are special.

Group review
What did they like about the session? (theme, activities, someone special being there, etc.)

Announce the story for the next session and who will be the adult facilitator, or if there are special events in the time before they meet again.

 

Rev. Helen Zidowecki, May 2003