Respect · Activity

Words Are Not for Hurting

Pre-K & Kindergarten

Activity: Students make faces on five different cut out circles. The teacher models how to make each one (keep it simple) - sad, mad, scared, left out, mixed up - or the teacher can provide kids with premade faces and let them decorate with colors. Prepare sticks with glued-on circles ahead of class or have the students do the gluing. When the props are ready, ask students to bring their sticks to circle time. Explain that you will read some words that a person says from the book. Tell them to imagine they are the one to whom the person is speaking. Ask them to hold up the stick that shows how those words would make them feel.    Materials needed: decorating materials (crayons, etc.), popsicle sticks, Elmer’s glue, premade faces or blank circles at least 5 inches circumference   Directions:  Day #1: Give directions on making or decorating the faces. One at a time, introduce each emotion, talk about it, ask them to express the emotion on their own faces, and look at each other. Tell them to draw the emotion on the circle.  Draw a model for each emotion if you think they need it: sad, mad, scared, left out, mixed up (or make your own list of emotions).    Day #2: Tell students to bring their “faces” to circle time. Review each emotion on the faces. Begin the activity:   
  • Teacher: “Who do your words belong to?” Students respond: “My words belong to me.” (repeat a few times, like a chant or in a singing voice to make it more fun) Then ask, what do you think that means? 
  • Ask students to fill in the blanks:  Your words can … (hurt) or your words can … (help). Again, have some fun with this and make it into a chant or song. 
  • Repeat the sentence examples on pages 10 and 11 (helpful words) and 12 and 13 (hurtful words). After each sentence, ask children to raise the face that goes with the picture. Students can also express the emotion on their own faces. 
  • Continue the exercise by making up scenarios that fit each emotion face - ask students to raise the correct face
  Guide a discussion with the following questions as students raise hands with responses:   
  1. How do you feel when you hear helpful words? 
  2. How do you feel when you hear hurtful words? 
  3. What can you say when you’ve said hurtful words? 
  4. What can you do when someone says hurtful words? 
  5. What are some of the important words you can use to show kindness? 
  Wrap it up: Remind students that their emotions, and everyone’s emotions, are very, very important. Now we know some helpful words we can say, and some hurtful words we don’t want to say. 
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