What does a Mouse, Dog, and Elephant Have in Common?

This week's big theme is: Size of the Problem

We all have the tattler's. We all have the over dramatic students. We also have the students that just let the student hit them and they don't care.  

Teach size of the problem and your prayers will be answered (hopefully). Well, at least it will give you something to refer to when students still overreact to certain situations. 

We have mouse size problems (small), dog size problems (medium), elephant size problems (big).  When you introduce this lesson I suggest that you first discuss the size of the three animals.  And how there is a huge different between them all.  We look at picture of the animals and take the time to dicuss the size difference. 

Then I explain to them that we have a lot of problems occur throughout our day, but we react to all of those problems differently. Sometimes we just ignore, sometimes we need to tell a teacher, sometimes we cry and there is an emergency (hopefully you don't have an emergency every day).  

We go back and discuss how our problems can be small like a mouse, medium like a dog, and large like an elephant.  When I problems are small, you take care if it by yourself by ignoring or walking away.  When they are medium you might need a teacher for help. So, you explain why you need a teacher for help.  Now, the elephants size problems are emergency where you get a teacher right away.  

We put up the three pictures in the classroom and we complete a sorting activity.  I give the students scenarios and they tell me what kind of problem it is.  

*Please note: They students are introduce to this in Kindergarten. So this is very good review for them.  These three pictures will stay up in our classroom for the rest of the school.  I will point to the mouse often when they tattle on their friends.