The Bright Side | Stage 3 | PDH (Bounce Back program / part of Kids Matter suite)

Term 1, 2016

Summary

Duration

Themed lessons to support BOUNCE BACK program, following on from lessons taught as K-6 Peer Support in 2015

9 weeks

Teacher-led lessons for Stage 3 home class students (ie not Peer Support)

~ 35 minutes per lesson

Unit overview

Assessment

Using the Bounce Back, Level 3 program (by Helen McGrath and Toni Noble), teachers will continue
teaching the Bounce Back strategies for resilience and positive psychology. This terms whole-school
focus is The Bright Side.

Students will actively participate in group discussion and activities

The whole-school approach aims to develop a culture of positive psychology. There will be
ongoing evaluation as problems are resolved in the classroom and playground throughout the year.

PDH - Stage 3 Outcomes

Suggested Texts

PDHPE-COS3.3 communicates confidently in a variety of situations

PDHPE-INS3.3 acts in ways that enhance the contribution of self and others in a range of cooperative situations
PDHPE-PSS3.5 suggests, considers and selects appropriate alternatives when resolving problems
PDHPE-SLS3.13 describes safe practices that are appropriate to a range of situations and environments

The Red Tree, Shaun Tan, Lothian, Melbourne 2001 or via YouTube
The Angel with a Mouth Organ, Christobel Mattingly
The Boy Who Painted the Sun, Jill Morris
The Duck that had No Luck, Jonathan Long & Korky Paul, Bodley Head or via YouTube
Bushfire, Marguerite Hann Syme, Scholastic Australia, 2000

Date/Overview

Teaching, learning and assessment

Resources

Week 2

1. Welcome

Bounce Back, Level 3 Teachers Resource Book

Lesson 1 -

Teacher briefly reviews learning from last years program, in which students were introduced to the BOUNCE BACK acronym a program that the
school has put in place to teach resilience within the school community. Tch explains that this year students are being taught within home
classes. Discuss reasons ie build up trusted environment, age appropriate, etc.

Positive
Tracking

Introduce this terms theme The Bright Side.

2. Background information
Focus question: What is an optimist / pessimist?

Class read Become a Positive Tracker Today! BLM 5.1

BLM 5.1

3. Circle Time Discussion

Homework

What are positive and negative trackers?

What might be some of the effects of being a positive tracker versus a negative tracker?

How could someone become a more positive tracker?

Do you know anyone who is a negative or positive tracker (no names)? How do you react to them?
Each student to complete BLM 5.2 What Kind of a Tracker Are You?. Encourage them to discuss with parents as a
personal reflection.

BLM 5.2 Bring back school for next

lesson.

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Date/Overview

Teaching, learning and assessment

Week 3

1. Review

Resources

Discuss homework - personal reflection activity (BLM 5.2) was anyone surprised by their self evaluation?
Lesson 2
Positive
Tracking

Week 4

2. Activities
!

Students work in pairs to make a list of all the good things about Castle Cove Public School. Share ideas within class.

Paper and art paper

Students work in pairs to make a poster showing images of positive versus negative thinking.

Textas, coloured pencils

Students reflect on being grateful for the good things in their lives individually, students write out a bank statement in which they give
themselves $10 for everything they are currently grateful for. How much money would they get?

1. Review
Continuing the theme of positive versus negative tracking.

Lesson 3
Positive
Thinking

2. Suggested Activities
!

Using two pairs of glasses (one rose-coloured / one grey-coloured) students (in small groups) create short skits to demonstrate seeing a
situation in two ways (one positive / one negative).

Give students newspapers. Working with a partner, students rank five articles in terms of how much negative and positive tracking occurs.
Why is there so much bad press? Make the point that there is more negativity in the media because it sells papers. If time, students could
rewrite one article with a more positive focus.

Finishing off activity, if time. Students work in pairs. One student draws a shape using 5 triangles, 3 squares, 3 rectangles and 4 circles (or
other combination), all touching in various places. Without showing their partner the shape-drawing, the drawer then instructs their partner
how to draw it but can give only positive feedback. Corrective positive feedback may be given (eg Yes, thats right and you need to
add a line there or You have drawn the circle the correct size.) Students cannot use any negative words or phrases, such as no, not,
wrong, incorrect, youve put the circle in the wrong place, etc.

Glasses (or cardboard tubes) with red/grey

cellophane over lens or binoculars (use either
end)
Newspapers

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Date/Overview

Teaching, learning and assessment

Week 5

1. Activity
Lesson focus is hope. Ask students to draw images of hope. Then debrief and collate the categories.

!
Lesson 4

Resources
Paper

Typical drawings will include: lucky charms (four-leaf clover, rabbits foot, horseshoe); light (candles, stars, sun connects with light that
dispels darkness and the light at the end of a tunnel); religion (church, cross); nature (because of its continuity, predictability and beauty;
flowers, sunrise, spring, rainbows after rain).

Hope

2. Circle Time Discussion

!

What is hope? (the belief that a positive outcome or a brighter future is possible, sometimes despite the odds)

What were some of things that people did after terrorist attacks at the World Trade Centre buildings, Bali, Martin Place that helped them
to cope better and feel more hopeful? (eg lit candles, sent flowers, said prayers, wrote notes about peace and hope)

How does being hopeful help you to achieve what you want, solve problems or feel better? (it helps you to feel less sad and worried and
take actions that might help the situation).

What happens if you give up hope? (despair, lack of action or problem solving)

Have you ever experienced a time when you (or someone close to you) lost hope but things turned out well anyway (no names)?

How is persistence related to optimism and hope? (if you believe it is possible, you keep trying)

How can music sustain hope?

Students find examples of music that has sustained hope. What was the situation or context? Can discuss with
parents. Bring examples into class next lesson.

Homework

Week 6

1. Review

Lesson 5

2. Text

!
Hope

Discuss songs that the students have brought in. Why did they choose them?
Teacher reads The Red Tree by Shaun Tan (on IWB). (This powerful picture book has extraordinary images and few words.) Prompt
students to look for the red leaf on each page as it is the symbol of hope.

3. Suggested activities

Homework

eg War songs, Candle in the Wind Elton John

(reworked after death of Princess Diana)

Working with a partner, students write down the negative emotions they can identify in The Red Tree and the symbolism used by Tan.

Working with a partner, students relate one or two incidents to each other that people their age might experience that might leave them
feeling negative emotions (eg being left out of a team). How can positive and optimistic thinking help?

Make a class red tree of hope. Put a stick in a pot of sand or dirt and put florists oasis on the top or use branches. Each student writes
or two messages of hope they have for their future on leaves made out of red card. Students fix their red card leaf messages onto the
tree with pipe cleaners.

The Red Tree is on Youtube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PrmMFFpKx
gw or
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v/=wAsEq6EG
8jE (try playing without the music and read
off screen as this great music adds another
dimension!)

Find examples of people who demonstrate hope. Bring ideas in to share with class next lesson.

Week 7

1. Review

Lesson 6

Students share homework examples of people who demonstrate hope. What qualities did they demonstrate?

2. Background information

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Date/Overview

Teaching, learning and assessment

Optimism

What is optimism? (the belief that things are more likely to turn out well)

What is pessimism? (the belief that things are more likely to turn out badly).

How would optimism help you to bounce back from a difficult situation? (you dont feel so sad or worried; it gives you hope; it keeps you trying to
solve a problem). How would pessimism makes things worse? (you feel bad; you give up)

3. Activity
!

Students complete the cartoons in BLM 5.3 What would the optimist and pessimist say? Share ideas.

Resources

BLM 5.3

4. Circle Time Discussion

Focus question: Can you change the way you think to become more optimistic? (YES, look at BOUNCE BACK ACRONYM)
Discuss with class have they ever been in a situation they didnt like and thought it would never improve but it did? (bad times are usually
temporary). Why dont bad times last? (because situations change; time makes things seem less awful; other people help you along the way; time
helps you to see things in more perspective; more ways to solve the problem occur to you)
Discuss the following quotations:
"

Every cloud has a silver lining.

"

It is better to light a small candle than to curse the darkness. (Confucius)

"

Its an ill wind that blows no good.

"

If life gives you lemons, then make lemonade.

"

No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars or sailed to an uncharted land. (Helen Keller)

"

Optimist: One who finds an opportunity in every difficulty. Pessimist: One who finds a difficulty in every opportunity.

"

Optimists are right and so are pessimists. Its up to you to choose which one youll be. (Harvey Mackay)

"

Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns. I am thankful that thorns have roses. (Alphone Karr)

"

The world belongs to the optimist; pessimists are only spectators. (Francois Guizot)

"

There are no hopeless situations in life; there are only people who have grown hopeless about them. (adapted from Clare Booth Luce)

"

What seem to us bitter trials are often blessings in disguise. (Oscar Wilde)

"

When one door of happiness closes, another opens. Often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been
opened for us. (Helen Keller)

Week 8

1. Review

Lesson 7

Focus question: Do students believe that a good-luck charm can bring good luck? How? (it can change what you DO)
2. Text - Tch reads the picture book The Duck Who Had No Luck.

Making your
own good luck

Balloon burst quotes on sheet

Trying to get this text

3. Circle Time Discussion

!

What is good and back luck? (we all get some of each and it is random) Why do people have lucky charms?

When have you wished for good luck? Did you get it?

What role does luck play in gambling? How do people get addicted to gambling? (they get a payoff every now and then and so they
think it can happen again; machines are programmed to pay off occasionally)

Is anyone lucky all the time? (no; it is randomly distributed)

Why do some people think they are unlucky most of the time? (They focus too much on the times when things dont go their way and
underplay the times when things go well. They are therefore less likely to put in the work and look for opportunities.)

What does the statement The harder I work, the luckier I get mean?

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Program Builder contains NSW syllabus content prepared by the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW for and on behalf of the State of New South Wales which is protected by Crown copyright.

Date/Overview

Teaching, learning and assessment

!

How can we make ourselves luckier? (work harder, get information, find out what might get in the way and try to solve that problem, ask
people to help us)

When have students made themselves luckier? Share with a partner. Report back to class.

Week 9

1. Text - Tch reads to class Bushfire.

Lesson 8

2. Circle Time Discussion

Bad times dont

spoil everything

Have you ever had a fight with someone and thought it was for ever but it wasnt? Why? (people forget, their feelings reduce, things
change)

When you are at the dentist for example, does it ever seem as if you will be there having treatment for ever? Does it help it say, Ill soon
be out of here?

Have you ever been in a situation you didnt like and thought it would never improve but it did?

Why dont bad times last? (situations change; time makes things seem less awful; other people help along the way; time helps you to
see things more in perspective; more ways to solve a problem occur to you; you learn to cope; some good luck might occur)

When one bad thing happens to you, does it mean other bad things will happen to you? (no, but sometimes one thing can briefly affect
another)

When a bad thing happens, does it mean the start of lots of bad luck? (no)

Discuss BLM 5.4 Bright Side Cartoons

3. Suggested Activities
!

Students complete BLM 5.5 Cross-offs (message is: Bad times dont last and things always get better)

Game - students form two Inside-outside circles facing each other and rotate until music stops. Then share with the facing partner the
following:

The best time I have ever had with my family was when . . .

One thing that has happened recently that has made me feel great is . . .

A nice thing I did for somebody once was . . .

A nice thing someone did for me once was . . .

A time that someone I know lost hope but things turned out well anyway was when . . . (no names)

I am looking forward to . . .

One time I was lucky was when . . .

One thing Im hoping to do in the future is . . .

The best thing about the weekend / my house / my class / family / pet/ grandparent is . . .

Resources

This text is unavailable from Scholastic. May

need to substitute.

BLM 5.4 Bright Side Cartoons

BLM 5.5 Cross-offs
Music

Final review of The Bright Side unit. Has it been useful? Changed anyones thinking? Given them positive strategies? etc
A couple of Buddy
Activities we can
try with Kindies

1. Game Fortunately
Form two teams. One team is the POSITIVES and the other team is the NEGATIVES. Start a story and let the two teams take it in turns to provide
the next sentence. It could go something like this: One day when Sarah was out walking in the forest, she found a lost dog. Fortunately the
dog was very cute and friendly. Unfortunately it was also wild and it started to chase her. Fortunately it chased her into a cave where she
found lots of treasure. Unfortunately the pirates who had stored it in the cave arrived just at that moment to collect it. (add some realistic
scenarios related to the students lives).
2. Students can make positive and negative antennae (one of each) on headbands for younger students and develop drama activities with them.

Could have Fortunately / Unfortunately cards

Inexpensive headbands + pipe cleaners with

stars, happy / sad faces etc

Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW - Program Builder - pb.bos.nsw.edu.au
Program Builder contains NSW syllabus content prepared by the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW for and on behalf of the State of New South Wales which is protected by Crown copyright.

Date/Overview

Teaching, learning and assessment

Resources

They could also ask the children to say all the positive things about their school or class and help them make a poster of the information.
NOTES

Evaluation

Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW - Program Builder - pb.bos.nsw.edu.au
Program Builder contains NSW syllabus content prepared by the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW for and on behalf of the State of New South Wales which is protected by Crown copyright.