DR. SEUSS AND UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISTS
GERTRUDE MCFUZZ

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

SETTING THE STAGE
STORY SYNPOSIS: Gertrude wanted to be like another bird and got more than she wished for (5 Minutes)

AFFIRMATIONS: Everyone is important.

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

PREPARATION: Consider times when you have wanted to have more to be more competitive or to have better appearance. What have you done when you have felt this way?

NEEDED:
"Gertrude McFuzz" in Yertle the Turtle and Other Stories, Random House, 1950

Cutout of a small bird, yarn and a feather for each participant.
Dress-up clothes

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
Gertrude McFuzz

EXPLORING:
Have you ever seen something that you really, really wanted (a toy that a friend had, something that is advertised on television)? What did you do about this?

Have you ever wanted gotten what you wanted and found out that it was not really as great as it seemed or that it took more effort than you thought (a toy that had to be picked up, a pet that needed care, new clothes that needed to be kept clean)?

Options:
  1. Make Gertrude. Cut out the body of a small bird. Add yarn to it for a tail. Keep adding feathers (tying them with yarn) until there is a long trail. How easy is it to lift the bird off the table with the long tail? After participants have tried to lift the bird, cut the yarn back just beyond the first feather, and give a feather to each participant.
  2. Dress up in play clothes and have a parade. How does it feel to be doing this? Are the dress-up clothes something that they can wear for their usual activities? After participants take off the clothes, talk about how it feels to be in clothes that are familiar.
 

CLOSING
Go around the group, telling each participant something that you like about him/her. Invite the group to respond each time with a true statement, such as "Thank you for being part of our group."

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 3003