Description

This activity increases awareness of how life can be like a roller-coaster especially concerning changes in a family. Students share feelings orally, in writing, and in drawing. Students learn and/or practice "I" messages.

Materials

-Drawing paper
-Pencils, crayons, markers
-Poster board and glue/tape unless you post student work on a bulletin board
-List for students to record feelings/ideas and "I" messages on (see attached file)
-Copy of rubric (see attached file)

Procedures

Note: This activity will increase awareness, but not show mastery of the benchmark.

1. Play carnival type music and have a poster or large picture of a roller-coaster to show (see weblink below for pictures).

2. Ask students if they have ever ridden on a roller-coaster.

3. Allow students to share their feelings about their roller-coaster experience or lack of experience.

4. Discuss how life can be like a roller-coaster. For example:

-It has ups and downs.
-It can be fun.
-It can be scary.
-It can get off track and need help.
-It needs to be taken care of like ourselves, etc.

5. Ask students to give their ideas about how life can be like a roller-coaster and write examples on the board.

6. Discuss how changes in a family can give you the same feelings that riding on a roller-coaster might. Example 1: My son is about to leave home to go to college. This makes me happy and sad at the same time. I know I will miss him AND his friends, but I feel JOY that they are doing so well. Example 2: Most people feel EXCITEMENT when a baby is born into a family. Distribute drawing paper and ask students to write or draw a way a family might change (divorce, marriage, birth, death, separation, incarceration, illness, siblings leaving home, moving, job loss). Allow sharing as time permits. Realize that some students may choose not to share.

7. Ask students to write or draw feelings that they might have about changes in a family. Have the students write and/or draw about the discussion in Step 6. Encourage sharing while they draw. Realize that some students may choose not to share.

8. Inform students that using "I" messages is a good way to communicate their feelings to others. Tell them that "I" messages tell others how you feel in a non-threatening and non-blaming way. Give examples:

I feel worried WHEN someone I love is very sick.
I felt like I was to blame WHEN my parents divorced.
I miss my dad WHEN he's not living with us.

9. Allow students to share their "I" messages and help them refine them as necessary.

10. Review how life can be like a roller-coaster especially when thinking about changes that families go through and the feelings that those changes cause (see 4, 5, and 6). Review "I" messages (see 8).

11. Distribute the list to be completed and allow students time to complete it. Provide feedback, answer questions, and allow sharing, as appropriate. Some students may need individual counseling.

12. Allow students who want to post their written/drawn products on a bulletin board or poster board (you may have to cut their work down to size). Some students may want to keep their products. Possibly, they will share them at home.

Web Links

This is a site with many pictures of many rides.
Joy Rides

The Families First organization offers a curriculum for children of change called Roller-coasters, 1997 & 2001. Their address is: P.O. Box 7948, Station C, Atlanta, GA 30357