DR. SEUSS AND UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS
THE CAT IN THE HAT or THE CAT IN THE HAT COMES BACK

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

SETTING THE STAGE
STORY SYNPOSIS: This session plan can be used for either book. Both stories are about the cat that visits two children when their mother is not home and creates chaos, in spite of their protests.

AFFIRMATION(S): We have a say about things that are important to us.
We help take care of our world
THEME(S): We are responsible for our own actions.

PREPARATION: Reflect about times when everything seemed to go wrong. What 'turned things around'?

NEEDED:
The Cat in the Hat, Random House, 1957, or
The Cat in the Hat Comes Back, Random House, 1958
Card or paper with picture of the Cat (copy from the book) for each participant, markers, crayons.

 

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

CHECK-IN: Welcome. Each person says his or her name. Allow time for each person to briefly tell something that went well since the group last met, 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 Cat in the Hat, Random House, 1957, or
The Cat in the Hat Comes Back, Random House, 1958

EXPLORING
Reflecting
What do you do when someone does something that you do not like? How do you get the person to stop when s/he is younger or smaller than you? Can you understand why s/he is doing it?

What happens if the person is older or bigger than you are? Or threatens you? Can you tell the person that you do not like what s/he is doing, or that it makes you uncomfortable? What do you do if s/he does not listen to your request to stop? What happens if you tell someone about what the person is doing? Do they listen?
Concept: tell when there is a reason, like being hurt. Discuss also the idea of tattle-telling, and the difference.

When something that you are doing upsets another person, do you stop? Do you argue or fight? Do you try to see their point of view?
Telling a tall tale: Start a story with something unusual happening, and each participants adds to make things worse. At some point, stop the story and change to things that would make the situation better, coming to a neutral end.

Action
Activity might be to clean the room, just like the cat did (unfortunately without magic!) Give each child a special task to do, like put books in order, crayons in a box, etc. This can become a practice each time the group meets. Also ask the group for suggestions to make the space special for them.

The Cat in the Hat could use his magic, but the magic comes from seeing what needs to be done, then doing it! Talk about something that they can do this week that will be helpful, without being asked. Each child colors a picture of the Cat with a note of something that they are going to do this week

CLOSING:
Participants bring the Cat in the Hat cards or papers with what they are going to do this week to the closing. Invite each participant to read the card, such as:
"This week I'm going to do something special--my magic--at home, like picking up toys without being told to...."

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 the group meets again.

Rev. Helen Zidowecki, May 2003