The boy who loved everyone by Jane Porter and Maisie Paradise Shearring

I wrote this lesson plan to address social distancing as we return to school. We have to teach children to play differently to be safe. The aim of this lesson is to explore solutions.

Text: The boy who loved everyone by Jane Porter and Maisie Paradise Shearring                           lesson plan by Andrew Moffat www.no-outsiders.com

Learning Intention: To play safe games

Success Criteria: I know how to be a good friend / I know why we can’t play in the way we used to / I can think of safe games to play with my friends

Starter: Why is our playground and classroom different today? What has changed about the way we work together? How does it feel? What do you miss?

Main: Read “The boy who loved everyone” discuss: When Dimitri leaned on Liam and said, “I love you, Liam,” how do you think Liam felt? When Dimitri said, “I love you” to Sophie, Stella and Sue, they giggled and ran away, why? When Dimitri stands by himself in class, how is he feeling? Why do you think he is alone? Dimitri’s Mum is not embarrassed when he says, “I love you Mum,” why not? When Berthe smiles and gives Dimitri a big wave, how does it make them both feel?

Role play:  In the story, Dimitri learns to show friendship in different ways. In our class we also need to learn to show we are friends in different ways. We must think of games that are safe that we can all join in. Play “The cookie jar” rhyme: choose someone’s name in the room to start the rhyme (e.g. Mary) all children chant: Who stole the cookie from the cookie jar? Mary stole the cookie from the cookie jar! (Mary) who me? (Everyone) yes you! (Mary) Couldn’t be! (Everyone)  Then who? (Mary chooses a name e.g. Ahmed and she says,) “Ahmed stole the cookie from the cookie jar” (Ahmed) who me? ….  Continue with different children chosen each round. Are there any other rhymes we know?  Watch ‘a sailor went to see see see’ and practice together. What makes this a safe game for us? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28uNq8XQPK8

Activity: We need to show Dimitri how to be a safe friend. Dimitri wants to hug, but we know today there are other ways we can be friends. In four boxes draw a picture and write a sentence showing how we can be safe friends in our class (e.g. smiling and waving, talking while standing apart, cookie jar game and counting rhymes)

Plenary:  Look at the picture of Liam hugging Dimitri at the end of the story. How can Liam show he is friends without hugging? How can we help Dimitri to feel happy? How do we make sure Dimitri does not feel like an outsider? If working in upper KS2, the sevens clapping game is an activity children can do while sitting opposite each other socially distanced https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3knQAUN1kcY