Definition:

Respect is acting with kindness, politeness, and consideration of the other, having good manners and treating all things carefully. 

In short:

Value others, honor differences.

Summary:

This adaptation of a well-known fairy tale by Hans Christian Anderson is about two kinds of respect: respect for others and self-respect.  When a mother turkey’s eggs hatch, one of the chicks looks different than all the others. The offspring of the turkey are cute and fluffy while the strange chick looks ugly compared to the other chicks. Finally the ugly “turkey” leaves the farm because he can’t stand the  teasing. He has some unfortunate adventures until he sees his reflection on the pond and finds out that he is a colorful, beautiful peacock, not an ugly turkey! He is happily reunited with a peacock family soon afterwards. 

Lesson Objectives: 

1. The students will be more empathic toward those who are being picked on, and even offer support when that happens.  
2. Students discuss why it’s important to have self-confidence and self-respect. They can be guided by a trustworthy adult to recognize their own strengths. They can learn how to deal with low self-esteem. 

Guiding Questions: 

1. How did the ugly “turkey” find out that he was  different from the other chicks that hatched? Could he see himself? 
2. Why did he feel rejected at the farm where he was born, and later on, when he met the goose family?   
3. How did he realize he was a peacock? 
4. Is it fair to tease people who are different from you? Why? 
5. Have you ever been teased? What happened? 
6. Have you ever teased anyone? What happened? 
7. Have you ever seen baby pictures of your parents? Do they look different now? 
8. Could the ugly “turkey” imagine what he might look like when he became an adult? Can you imagine what you might look like in five years when you are a teenager?
9. If the ugly “turkey” knew from the time he was hatched that he would become a peacock, how do you think he would have felt about himself? 
10.  What if the other turkeys knew that the strange one would become a beautiful peacock, would they have treated him differently?