“Better Together”

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

This Retreat Program is part of a greater number of documents which have been generously supplied by a small number of schools prepared to share their resources and ideas with other schools for the benefit of students elsewhere.

This site is a growing space: If you find some of the ideas helpful, it would be wonderful if you could include your retreat/s in the Religious Education Leaders Collaborative Space.

Special thanks go to for submitting these initial retreats:

Dana Wedge (St John Fisher College, Bracken Ridge) Paul Towler (St Laurence’s College, South Brisbane)Sandra Allen (Clairvaux-McKillop College, Mt Gravatt) Jenny Cross (South Burnett Catholic College)Alison Stone (Mt Alvernia College, Kedron)Carmel O’Brien (Unity College, Caloundra)

Year 8 Formation ProgramFormation Retreat

Clairvaux MacKillop CollegeRationale

The Christian message of love for one’s neighbour means acceptance of other’s differences, and sharing with those who have less, forgiveness and making peace with those who have wronged you. This is a hard message to sell in a culture that seems caught in the cult of beauty and an obsessive quest for wealth; a world where those who are anything less than beautiful and wealthy are rejected. It is in this context that we are called to discover the ‘real’ world or ‘real’ character of the world, in contrast to flawed beliefs. We are invited to use all that we are to realise fully the true nature or essence of a thing as against it’s surface appearance.

This invitation finds resonance with St Paul’s appeal to the Christians in Rome in 49AD,

“Don’t live any longer the way this world lives. Let your mind, your way of thinking, be completely changed. Then you will beable to test what God wants for you. And you will agree that what he wants is right. God’s plan is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2

This warning is significant for all periods of history. Paul’s use of mind (nous - Greek) as mental perception affirms post modernity’s recognition that our understanding of reality is essentially perceptual. 1 However, this reading of nous also challenges the assumption that our understanding of truth is limited by our own perspective and experience. Paul probably didn’t refer to the renewal of individual minds but to the way a community perceived something. “Be united in the same mind so you can judge together what is 1 O'Hara, M., and W.T. Anderson.. "Welcome to the Postmodern World." Networker, September/October. 1991

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This program is designed to be informed by the life of the college community to shape our young people into men and women who have the capacity to develop a strong sense of identity based on Kingdom values of “love and compassion, peace and justice, mercy and forgiveness, freedom from all forms of oppression or exclusion, and freedom for living in right relationship with God, ourselves, others, and creation.” College Prayer 2007

right”(1Cor 1:10). Individual ethics must always be understood in the context of community 2 and in the light of one’s accountability to God, (Rom 14) Further to this, the post modern emphasis on the role of community in shaping of ones’ values and beliefs, is an important reminder that the renewal of the mind is a call for a shared perception and discernment.

The Year 8 Formation Retreat responds to this need for continual shared renewal of mind in our school community. Using the story “The Wrong Stone” as a stimulus, the themes of acceptance and tolerance, self-belief, celebration of diversity, and the ability of each student to make a difference, are explored. The conversation and activities undertaken around these themes are the building blocks for challenging assumptions made about who is “acceptable” and “welcomed” in our school community. Finally, students are called to transformation as a journey of walking with and being led by the Spirit.

Theological FrameworkEssentially, the aim of including such a program in our everyday lives, staff and students will develop a sense of ‘coming home’ to the pastoral work that is central to our mission as a Catholic College. The ethos of our college demands recognition that spirituality does not occur in isolation from other aspects of college life. In fact, the very word ‘catholic’ is from the Greek kata holos – according to the whole. The retreat is strongly committed to the mission of the Catholic church in promoting the reign of God in all places:

“The Reign of God aims at transforming human relationships; it grows gradually as people slowly learn to love, forgive and serve one another. It’s nature, therefore, is one of communion among all human beings – with one another and with God. The Reign of God is the concern of everyone: individuals, society and the world.”3

Philosophical FrameworkOur philosophy is underpinned by the symbiotic function of knowledge and action that was captured centuries ago by St Bernard of Clairvaux. Echoing Plato (c428 – 348 BCE), who proposed that all knowing should lead a person to a good and wholesome life.4 St Bernard wrote:

There are many who seek knowledgeFor the sake of knowledge,That is curiosity.There are others who desire to knowIn order to be known,That is vanity.Others seek knowledge in order to sell it,That is dishonourable.But there are some who seek knowledgeIn order to edify others.That is love.5

Essentially, as this type of faith work can only be undertaken in the context of community, forming healthy relationships will be the origin, locus and goal of all persons involved in this program.

2 Nisbet, Robert. “The Quest for Community: A Study in the Ethics of Order and Freedom” Oxford University Quest: New York 19733 Redemptions Missio 2 ‘Plato and his Dialogues”, http://plato-dialogues.org . Accessed 30 March 2005.3J R Sommerfeldt, ‘The Spiritual Teachers of Bernard of Clairvaux’, Kalamazoo: Cistercian Publications (1991):64 TH Groome, 'Shared Christian Praxis'. http://ceo-web.parra.catholic.edu.au. Accessed 16 April, 2005.4

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Pedagogical FrameworkTwo main paradigms operating within this retreat are:

→ That we learn from our lived experience (learn from our mistakes);→ That we learn from what we desire for our future (learn from potential outcomes).

The underpinning teaching methodology is one of critical reflection through the movements of 'Shared Christian Praxis':

What happened? - Naming your own reality; Why did this happen? - Reflecting on own life experience; What does the 'Wisdom of the Ages' tell us? – Listening to the Christian Story; Does this make sense to you? – Integration of ‘my story’ into ‘our story’ into ‘the story’; How will you live your life as a result of this knowledge? - Response; 6

Themes will be explored using:→ multimedia; → games;→ drama; → individual contemplation;→ symbol; → collective wisdom;→ guided meditation; → small group discussion;→ music.The sessions allow for and integrate visual, auditory and kinaesthetic learning styles and operate across the multiple intelligences.

Outline of SessionsSession 1 1hr 30 mins

Activity One Ice Breaker -Cooperative Musical Chairs

15 mins

Activity Two Stimulus - Triangles Are BestWisdom of the Ages & Reflection -Debrief - Intolerance

35 Mins

Activity Three Naming our Reality -InterviewsWisdom of the Ages & Reflection -Debrief - Tolerance

40 Mins

Session 2 1hr 30 mins

Activity One Integration & ReflectionMeditation

10 mins

Activity Two Integration & ResponseOnce Upon A Time

1hr 20 mins

Session 3 2 hrs 30 mins

Activity One Ice BreakerKnots of People

20 mins

Activity Two IntegrationDropping Ya Bundle

20 mins

Activity Three Integration 40 mins

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Pass the Great Things To Do Activity Four Integration & Reflection

Who Said It?30 mins

Activity Five ReflectionCentering Activity

10 mins

Activity Five Wisdom of the AgesThe Wrong Stone

10 mins

Activity Four Wisdom of the AgesStories of Wrong Stones

10 mins

Activity Five Wisdom of the AgesPrayer Reflection

10 mins

Session 4 30 mins

Activity One Integration & ResponseCulminating Ritual

30 mins

Session One“If we have no peace,

it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other. “7

Mother Teresa

Activity OneIcebreaker – Cooperative Musical Chairs Time: 15 mins Resources: Music, chairs

Instructions: Set up a circle of chairs with one less chair than the number of students in the class. Play music as the students circle around the chairs. When the music stops, the students must sit in a seat. Unlike the traditional game,

the person without a seat is not out. Instead, someone must make room for that person.

Then remove another seat and start the music again. The kids end up on one another's laps and sharing chairs!

DebriefStress the teamwork and cooperation the game took, and how students needed to accept one another to be successful.      

Activity TwoStimulus – “Triangles Are Best.”Time - 35 minutesResources/Materials: Assorted coloured construction paper cut into squares,

triangles, circles and rectangles. One shape for each student. Cards with the script for each shape.

7 www.quotedb.com/quotes/304 Accessed 20th March, 2007.

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Objective: To develop a sense of “shared humanity”.

Purpose: People can be categorized in many ways, such as by gender, race, religion, ethnicity, language, income, age, or sexual orientation. Unfortunately, these categories are sometimes used to label people unfairly or to saddle them with stereotypes.

Stereotypes are generalized assumptions concerning the traits or characteristics of all members of a particular group. They are frequently (although not always) negative and generally incorrect. Ironically, negative stereotypes discourage closer contact, preventing the perpetrator from discovering what the individual victims of these stereotypes are really like.

Stereotypes often form the basis of prejudice, a premature judgment about a group or a member of that group made without sufficient knowledge or thought. We can also develop prejudices towards a whole group based on a single emotional experience with one person. Prejudice demonstrates an unfair bias that does not allow for individual differences, good or bad. It violates the standards of reason, justice, and tolerance. 8

By not recognizing and teaching diversity, those who are different are devalued with theimplication that they are less significant. The message becomes “You are not okay ifyou are different from us.”

Instructions: Hand out the shapes randomly and ask students to group together according to the shape they have been given.

Read the following Script with the students dramatizing:

Here are the Squares. They live all by themselves in Square Town.Here are the Circles. They live all by themselves in Circle Town.Here are the Triangles. They live all by themselves in Triangle Town.Here are the Rectangles. They live all by themselves in Rectangle Town. The Squares do not like the Circles. The Circles do not like the Triangles. The Triangles do not like the Rectangles. The Rectangles do not like the Squares. They do not like anyone but themselves. They think the others are stupid, lazy, mean, and bad! Bad! Bad!

The Squares say this: (Have this on a card and have one of the squares read it out)

The Circles say this: (Have this on a card and have one of the circles read it out)

8 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stereotype Accessed 2nd March, 2007

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"If you want to be smart and beautiful, and good, you must have four sides exactly the same. If you don't have four sides exactly the same, then you are stupid, and ugly and bad! Bad! Bad!

"If you want to be smart and beautiful, and good, you must be perfectly round, and if you're not perfectly round, then you are stupid, and ugly and bad! Bad! Bad!

The Triangles say this: (Have this on a card and have one of the triangles read it out)

The Rectangles say this: (Have this on a card and have one of the rectangles read it out)

All the shapes sat down and began doing what they always did – they put their shapes together to make bigger shapes and designs. (Leave 5 minutes or so here for each group to make a collage picture using their shapes)

One beautiful summer day the little Squares, and the little Circles, and the little Triangles, and the little Rectangles went out to play. But not together.While they were playing, a terrible thing happened. The little Circles were playing on top of the hill. Some of them slipped and went rolling down the hill. Faster and faster, they rolled to the very bottom of the hill where the little Rectangles were playing.The Rectangles were very angry. They thought the Circles were very bad to roll into the Rectangles' very own playground. They called the Circles bad names, and threwrocks at them. The Circles were frightened. The Squares and Triangles heard the yelling and crying. They ran as fast as they could to see what was happening and they started yelling and throwing stones. There was more and more yelling and more and more crying. It was terrible!

At last one of the Rectangles became so angry that he leaped into the air and came down right on top of the Circles. Oh, Wonder of Wonder! Everyone was absolutelyquiet. No one said a word! They just looked and looked and looked. The Rectangles and the Circles had made a wagon! A lovely beautiful wagon! And then everyone became excited. They all wanted to make something. The Squares and Circles made a train. A Rectangle made the smokestack. Some Circles made smoke.The Triangles and Rectangles made trees. They all worked together and made a lovely house. They made things that were pretty. (e.g., sun, boat, Jack-in-the-box, houses, and flowers). They made things that were fun. Everyone had a wonderful marvelous, beautiful time.

(Have the students make a whole picture of a school or park with every shape included)

When it was time to go home, they all sang a little song!"We are glad, glad, glad! Being different isn't bad!" and they sang it over and over, all the way home. The End! 9

9 Script adapted from University of Oklahoma, A Basis for Exploring Citizenship and Law (Norman, Oklahoma: Southwest Center for Human Relations Studies, 1979), p. 10.

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"If you want to be smart and beautiful, and good, you must have three sides. If you don't have three sides, then you are stupid, and ugly and bad! Bad! Bad!

"If you want to be smart and beautiful, and good, you must have two short sides exactly the same, and you must have two long sides exactly the same.If you do not have two short sides and two long sides, then you are stupid, and ugly and bad! Bad! Bad!

Debrief:

Questions1. Who was the smartest and the most beautiful in the play?2. Is it okay to be different than someone else?3. What is the definition of stereotype?4. What are some things that you find different about others in this year level?5. What are some things that you find similar about others in this year level?6. What did you learn about yourself in this activity?7. What did you learn about others in this activity?

Concepts that can be developed and discussed about INTOLERANCE are:

Intolerance is choosing not to accept differences in other people. This choice arises out of our fear10, and these fears can be expressed in a number of ways.

- Projection of the qualities that you dislike about yourself onto someone else. Eg "Oh look, Pat is the one who is ugly, not me," might be one thought you have and so you would be giving Pat YOUR ugly mask.

- Put downs. People are sometimes afraid that’different’ people may challenge their position of assumed superiority, and this sense of superiority is where they gain their sense of self esteem. Their thinking may be, "I can only be important if I am more important than other people." Eg Squares and Trianges Activity

- Suspicion Some people live very narrow lives, where they rarely meet people very different from themselves. Someone who is too far outside of their regular experience might seem as frightening as a space alien. The stranger might then be mistreated in order to push them away to a safe distance.

- Control Sometimes people feel the need to classify groups of other people as good, bad, dangerous, helpful, etc. This is like putting people into boxes. This is done so a person might quickly determine how to keep control of their lives by controlling the lives of others around them.

- Blindspots While some people are aware that certain intolerances are currently not acceptable they are not ready to give them up. These people may refuse to see certain other people in order to avoid offering them jobs, giving them proper service or even just to look them in the eyes to say “hello”.

- Education Someone’s parents may be intolerant for the above reasons. Because they wish to protect their children from all danger, real or imagined, they will teach their children to fear and dislike certain people.

Activity ThreeInterviews (Communication Wheel) Time - 40 minutes 10 www.coe.int/ Commission Against Racism Accessed 4th March.

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Resources: Interview sheets.

Purpose: To explore attitudes towards differences in others and the need to accept and value the uniqueness of themselves and others.

Instructions: Students form two circles of even numbers with one circle inside the other (Communication Wheel). They line up with their pair from the other circle. Students work with this partner to conduct an interview. One student is the “news reporter” and the other student performs the “star” rock. (Students may use questions from the Rock Interview Cards) The students switch roles until time is complete. Each interview goes for 2 minutes. The students in the outside circle are then asked to move to the next partner and conduct interviews again. Encourage creativity in giving the puppets a “life”.

Debrief

1. Discuss the differences in the focusing on gender, age, race, physical differences, likes and dislikes, families etc.

2. Discuss the meaning of the word unique and the respect that we need to have for others uniqueness.

3. How are our lives enriched by accepting the differences or respecting the uniqueness of others.

Concepts that can be developed and discussed about TOLERANCE are:

Finding ways of allowing differences is what tolerance is all about. We have to choose to allow for those differences and agree not to reject them.

- Tolerant with Yourself First. You cannot give to others what you are not giving to yourself. If you wish to be tolerant of others, then begin by learning to be tolerant of yourself.

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Interview Card1. What is your favourite animal?2. What do you like about that animal?3. What do you usually do on Saturday’s?4. What is the best holiday you have ever had?5. Who is your favourite movie star?6. What is your favourite movie?7. Describe you’re the best party you’ve been to?8. How does your family celebrate Christmas.9. How does your family celebrate Easter?10.Who is your favourite teacher and why?11.What is the best thing you like about CMC?12.Describe an unusual dream you had once?13.Your least favourite meal is…?

- Recognising Your Intolerance We are all mixed bags, because we are all learning and growing. Recognising our own areas in need of growth helps us to become empathetic to and compassionate of others' need for growth, and so we are in a better position to help people, ourselves included.

- Careful with generalisations Generalisations are difficult to impossible to be completely removed from our thoughts, but we can choose to take each person and each circumstance as they come, willing and interested in finding what is best in them and prepared to deal with what might be worst.

- Learn self awareness and empathy Being aware of all your feelings is an important step toward being aware of how others feel about many of the same things you do. For instance if you saw somebody fall down and bruise their arm, you might remember how it felt when the same thing happened to you. You might even wince, being reminded of how much it hurt. Recognising feelings like your own in others is known as empathy. It is much easier to be tolerant of people's differences when you can also recognise where they are the same. We all share the same sorts of feelings.

- Take responsibility To be as free, strong, and secure in our own person as possible, we have to learn how to accept responsibility. When you are willing to take responsibility for the outcomes of your choices, you can take credit when things go right, and learn when things go wrong. You are less likely to project the things you don't like about yourself onto others. You also do not give away your own power in order to be safe. When you are safe within yourself, you have less reason to be afraid of people, since you are more confident that you can work things out, and you probably can. Tolerance does require this sort of courage.

- Allow difference even if you do not accept them Sometimes people believe that if everyone agreed with them, then the world would be a good place to live. Therefore, they may insist that everyone has the same beliefs, whether they are religious, political, or even just everyday beliefs. However, the world is a big place with many people in it. Many things can be simultaneously true given differing circumstances. Sometimes differing beliefs cause people to investigate the facts in order to find the truth.

- Stand up for your belief’s. Never stepping forward for your beliefs can also be a problem. You need to respect yourself enough that you also respect your own beliefs. You need to realise you are as valuable as anyone else. When you are unwilling to stand up for yourself and your beliefs, this gives bullies an opportunity to hurt not only you, but others as well, by their freely ignoring or even squashing you and what you care about. When you do take a stand be sure to respect others in a way that you would want them to respect you.

- Respect individuality and interconnectedness We may not always understand why certain people do certain things, look and present themselves in certain ways, or see things in certain ways. Nevertheless, they may be bringing something important to this planet that we simply do not have the perspective or experience to appreciate. This would be like

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playing an instrument alone in a studio, so that the music can be mixed later. That one line of music may not sound that interesting, but when put together with lines of music from other instruments, could create a symphony. Harmony is more important and more challenging than sameness. Harmony is also more interesting, beautiful, and fun. The first steps to harmony are respect and kindness. These can lead to compassion and love for the many ways we are different whether it is by age, weight, attractiveness, class, gender, race, culture, religion, education, unique personality, or physical ability.

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- Learn to see the goodness in others and the world The best sort of tolerance is not about putting up with people in order to at least muddle through a bad situation. That is more about repressing bad feelings, than about allowing difference. The best sort of tolerance is open to discovering more about ourselves, each other, and life. This sort of tolerance accepts that life is a mixed bag, but also understands that part of that mixed bag includes good, and some of that good we may not have experienced before or recognise right away. 11

11 http://www.tolerance.org/teach/index.jsp Accessed 18th March, 2007

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Session Two“When you find peace within yourself,

you become the kind of person who can live at peace with others.”12

Peace PilgrimActivity One Centring ActivityTime: 5 minsResources: Music

Invite students to enter the room, take off their shoes, find a comfortable spot on the floor, etc. You may wish to light a candle or perform some other ritual act to signify the commencement of your time together.

Begin by reading the following:This is a simple process of slowing down and refocusing in order to become present to what one is doing. It is a process of turning our attention away from the myriad distractions and influences that clutter our minds so that we can be mindful of our actions. This is also an effective mechanism for stress reduction.

Pause. Make sure students are comfortable, and begin reading the following in a slow and even tone, pausing between each sentence for about 2-3 seconds:Close your eyes and become aware of your breathing and notice its rhythm. Breathe slowly and deliberately without forcing your breath. Be aware of your thoughts. Do not concentrate on them. Gently let them go. As distracting thoughts come into your mind, do not focus on them but instead focus on your breathing. Be aware of the environment around you. The sounds, textures, smells. Do not concentrate on them. Gently let them go. Specifically shift your focus to your breath just above your top lip. Keep your focus there as you gently breathe in and out. If your concentration shifts, gently bring it back, and focus on the breath just above your top lip and continue to breathe in and out. Gently return your focus to the room. Gently stretch. Open your eyes. You are now ready to face the rest of your day; you are calm, focused and relaxed.

Activity TwoOnce upon a Time Time: 1 hour 15 mins Resources: 8 Instruction Cards for drama

12 http://thinkexist.com/quotation/when_you_find_peace_within_yourself-you_become/294777.html Accessed 18th March, 2007

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Instructions: Divide groups into 8 groups of 5. Each group receives a card with instructions for a group drama that they have to

prepare and present. Each drama is to be about a designated theme of tolerance and intolerance,

Each group has 20 minutes to prepare their short drama. The theme and fairy tale for each group is not to be revealed to the rest of the

class. The class will have an opportunity to guess this at the Film Review. After each presentation the cast are interviewed by a “Film Review Board” (which

consists of the staff.)

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Group 1Theme: Tolerance - Careful with generalisations

Generalisations are difficult to impossible to be completely removed from our thoughts, but we can choose to take each person and each circumstance as they come, willing and interested in finding what is best in them and prepared to deal with what might be worst.

Fairy Tale: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Instructions: Using the characters in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs prepare a 3 minute drama which explores the above theme. You may be creative as you like with the story line, however, the rest of the class will be asked to guess what your theme was and what your fairytale was.

Group 2Theme: Tolerance – Allowing Differences

Sometimes people believe that if everyone agreed with them, then the world would be a good place to live. Therefore, they may insist that everyone has the same beliefs, whether they are religious, political, or even just everyday beliefs. However, the world is a big place with many people in it. Many things can be simultaneously true given differing circumstances. Sometimes differing beliefs cause people to investigate the facts in order to find the truth.

Fairy Tale: Jack and the Beanstalk

Instructions: Using the characters in Jack and the Beanstalk prepare a 3 minute modern day drama which explores the above theme. You may be creative as you like with the story line, however, the rest of the class will be asked to guess what your theme was and what your fairytale was.

Group 3Theme: Tolerance –Respect individuality and interconnectedness

We may not always understand why certain people do certain things, look and present themselves in certain ways, or see things in certain ways. Nevertheless, they may be bringing something important to this planet that we simply do not have the perspective or experience to appreciate. Harmony is more important and more challenging than sameness. Harmony is also more interesting, beautiful, and fun. (eg different instruments in an orchestraThe first steps to harmony are respect and kindness. These can lead to compassion and love for the many ways we are different whether it is by age, weight, attractiveness, class, gender, race, culture, religion, education, unique personality, or physical ability.

Fairy Tale: Pied Piper of Hamlin

Instructions: Using the characters in Pied Piper of Hamlin prepare a 3 minute drama which explores the above theme. You may be creative as you like with the story line, however, the rest of the class will be asked to guess what your theme was and what your fairytale was.

Group 4Theme: Tolerance – Learn to see the goodness in others and the world

The best sort of tolerance is not about putting up with people in order to at least muddle through a bad situation. That is more about repressing bad feelings, than about allowing difference. The best sort of tolerance is open to discovering more about ourselves, each other, and life. This sort of tolerance accepts that life is a mixed bag, but also understands that part of that mixed bag includes good, and some of that good we may not have experienced before or recognise right away.

Fairy Tale: Cinderella

Instructions: Using the characters in Cinderella prepare a 3 minute drama which explores the above theme using examples from life today. You may be creative as you like with the story line, however, the rest of the class will be asked to guess what your theme and fairytale is.

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Group 5Theme: Intolerance – Blindspots

While some people are aware that certain intolerances are currently not acceptable they are not ready to give them up. These people may refuse to see certain other people in order to avoid offering them jobs, giving them proper service or even just to look them in the eyes to say “hello”.

Fairy Tale: Sleeping Beauty

Instructions: Using the characters in Sleeping Beauty prepare a 3 minute drama which explores the above theme using examples from life today. The fairytale must end with “And they all lived happily ever after.” You may be creative as you like with the story line, however, the rest of the class will be asked to guess what your theme and fairytale is.

DebriefAfter each play invite the cast to sit on “The Lounge” and interview them about their opinions and why they chose the ideas they have brought forth in their play. Perhaps start with a few random questions like 1. How do you feel about being a star. 2. Do you have a big dressing room. 3. What sort of big bucks did they get for this play? Etc. Use the concepts and ideas that you were developing from session 1 to assist students to further integrate these themes.

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Group 6Theme: Intolerance – Control

Sometimes people feel the need to classify groups of other people as good, bad, dangerous, helpful, etc. This is like putting people into boxes. This is done so a person might quickly determine how to keep control of their lives by controlling the lives of others around them.

Fairy Tale: The Three Little Pigs

Instructions: Using the characters in The Three Little Pigs prepare a 3 minute drama which explores the above theme using examples from life today. The fairytale must end with “And they all lived happily ever after.” You may be creative as you like with the story line, however, the rest of the class will be asked to guess what your theme and fairytale is.

Group 7Theme: Intolerance – Suspicion

Some people live very narrow lives, where they rarely meet people very different from themselves. Someone who is too far outside of their regular experience might seem as frightening as a space alien. The stranger might then be mistreated in order to push them away to a safe distance.

Fairy Tale: Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Instructions: Using the characters in Goldilocks and the three Bears, prepare a 3 minute drama which explores the above theme using examples from life today. The fairytale must end with “And they all lived happily ever after.” You may be creative as you like with the story line, however, the rest of the class will be asked to guess what your theme and fairytale is.Group 8Theme: Intolerance – Education

Someone’s parents may be intolerant. Because they wish to protect their children from all danger, real or imagined, they will teach their children to fear and dislike certain people.

Fairy Tale: Little Red Riding Hood

Instructions: Using the characters in Little Red Riding Hood prepare a 3 minute drama which explores the above theme using examples from life today. The fairytale must end with “And they all lived happily ever after.” You may be creative as you like with the story line, however, the rest of the class will be asked to guess what your theme and fairytale is.

Session Three“It’s always better when we’re together.”13 Jack Johnson

Activity Two

13 www.sing365.com Accessed 21st March, 2007

Activity OneIce Breaker - Knots of People Time: 20 mins

Resources: nil

Divide the group into teams of 8 to 12 members. Have each person join right hands with another person in the group, but it has to be someone who is NOT standing immediately to the left or right. Then have each person join left hands with another person in the group, but it has to be someone who is NOT standing immediately to the left or right and someone other than before.

Now the groups have to untangle themselves without letting go of hands. They may have to loosen their grips a little to allow for twisting and turning. They may have to step over or under other people. The first group to untangle their knot is the winner.

SPECIAL NOTE: There are four possible solutions to the knot.

1. One large circle with people facing either direction.

2. Two interlocking circles.3. A figure eight. 4. A circle within a circle

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Dropping Ya BundleTime: 20 minsResources: Tennis Balls x 24, Music

Divide the participants up into small groups of about eight to ten people and have them arrange themselves in a circle. Give a tennis ball to one person and explain the rules of the game:

1. Each group is in competition with the other groups in the room. The group who can complete the most "circuits" in a given time will be the winner.

2. A completed circuit occurs when every person in the group has touched the tennis ball.

3. Only one person in the group can touch the tennis ball at one time (therefore the ball must be tossed rather than passed.)

4. If the ball ever touches the floor, then production must stop for one-minute.

Have the teams complete a few circuits to get comfortable and begin creating patterns that make them more efficient. The facilitator may want to stop the groups and get feedback as to how they are becoming more efficient and help them understand that this is a natural progression in teams as well. Have the groups continue to complete circuits, but as time progresses, the facilitator will add additional rules to make the process more difficult.

Double Production--Throw a second ball into the mix and see what happens. Each member can only touch one ball at a time.

Activity ThreePass the Great Things To DoTime: 40 minsResources: CD’s, CD Player.

1. One tennis ball is passed around each group as the music plays. Whoever has the ball when the music stops has to get up with the others from the other groups who also have the ball.

2. An exercise is chosen from the “Bag of Great Things to Do”3. This group of students must perform this action.

Example: Sing the 1st verse of the school song; Do the Macarena; Sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and do the actions while the rest of the students sing Mary Had a little Lamb; Disco dance to Stayin Alive; Do an “Air guitar” performance; Moonwalk; Cry like a baby when a love song is played; Everyone is an instrument playing Moonlight Sonata;

Activity FourGuess Who Said It?Time: 30 minsResources: Pen and piece of paper for each group member.

This exercise fosters greater acceptance, emotional generosity and thoughtfulness towards other members of the group. Students self-confidence and inter-personal communication are also enhanced.

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The game is played in a circle.

1. One person is chosen, or volunteers, to leave the room. 2. The other people make positive statements about him/her, trying to include

specialized information that not everyone might know about the person. 3. These are written on a piece of paper with their name on it.

When s/he returns, s/he stands in a circle, and the statements are repeated to her/him one at a time, while s/he tries to guess who said each one.

Activity FiveCentring ActivityTime: 10 minsResources: Music

Invite students to enter the room, take off their shoes, find a comfortable spot on the floor, etc. You may wish to light a candle or perform some other ritual act to signify the commencement of your time together.

Begin by reading the following:This is a simple process of slowing down and refocusing in order to become present to what one is doing. It is a process of turning our attention away from the myriad distractions and influences that clutter our minds so that we can be mindful of our actions. This is also an effective mechanism for stress reduction.

Pause. Make sure students are comfortable, and begin reading the following in a slow and even tone, pausing between each sentence for about 2-3 seconds:Close your eyes and become aware of your breathing and notice its rhythm. Breathe slowly and deliberately without forcing your breath. Be aware of your thoughts. Do not concentrate on them. Gently let them go. As distracting thoughts come into your mind, do not focus on them but instead focus on your breathing. Be aware of the environment around you. The sounds, textures, smells. Do not concentrate on them. Gently let them go. Specifically shift your focus to your breath just above your top lip. Keep your focus there as you gently breathe in and out. If your concentration shifts, gently bring it back, and focus on the breath just above your top lip and continue to breathe in and out. Gently return your focus to the room. Gently stretch. Open your eyes. You are now ready to face the rest of your day; you are calm, focused and relaxed.

Activity ThreeThe Wrong StoneTime: 10 minsResources: Story Book, Powerpoint, squares of paper, pens.

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The Wrong StoneBy Russell Deal

The stone pile was a ragtag razzadazzle of different shapes, different sizes, different colours and different characters.

Some stones were smooth,Some were flat,Some were hard,Some had chips on their shoulders,Some had rough edges and some were a little cracked.

But they all got along pretty well.Like a big family in the stonemason’s yard.Until the day the big architect came.‘I want you to build me a wall withonly perfect stones,’ the architect said.

The stonemason scratched his head.All his stones were important.He had collected them from all over the world.

‘OK,’ he said slowly,‘I will build a wall with only my BEST stones.’

But now all the stones wanted the stonemason to think they were the best.They put their best faces forward.They hid their ugly bits.They tried to climb toThe top of the pile.

They formed into gangs who argued:‘Square stones are the neatest.’‘Flat stones are easy to lay!’‘White stones are the most beautiful.’‘Triangles look zany.’

The stonemason started work butThe stones had become a rabble of rubble.As each stone was selected one by one,A stony silence descended.

One stone began to feel very lonely.He was a strange shape.He was odd.

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He didn’t seem to fit anywhere.

The stonemason worked fast.Soon the stones started to see thatThere was a place for everyone.Except the wrong stone.

‘He is too fat on top.’‘His sides slope.’‘If he stands on his bottom he will fall over.’

The wrong stone felt bad.]He knew the others wereLaughing at him.‘The stonemason thinks I’m useless,’ he thought.‘It looks like the crusher and the end of the road for me.’

But then, miracle of miracles…The stonemason picked him up!‘I’ve been saving you for the perfect spot,’ he said.It’s your job to keep the whole wall together.’The wrong stone had become the very right stone!14

Activity ThreeStories of Wrong StonesTime: 10 minsResources: Squares of paper, pens.

1. Read the following story which inspired Russell Deal to write “The Wrong Stone”.

“Chris Jones or Jonesy as he was called, was always a wrong stone. Born with cerebral palsy, speech and getting around were a constant struggle. But more of a struggle were the indifferences, prejudice and intolerance he faced as he asserted his right for a meaningful place and a voice in our community.

Jonesy preferred the term ‘differently abled’ to the label ‘disabled’. With his keen intelligence and wit, he became an activist for fairness, employment opportunities and more equitable public transport. He was killed when his powered wheelchair was caught in rail lines at a level crossing in a suburb of Melbourne. Despite efforts to free him, he was run down by a train.

While ignored and overlooked like many of his differently abled friends, Jonesy nevertheless touched many lives. His funeral was attended by at least 500 people and his obituary was published in The Age newspaper.

14 Deal, Russell “The Wrong Stone” 2002 St Luke’s Innovative Resources

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Wrong stones can be inspirational.”

2. Have a staff member tell a story from their own life that relates to the topic of tolerance and the story of “The Wrong Stone”.

Activity FourPrayer Reflection Time: 15mins

Find a quiet space. Sit comfortably, upright. Put aside the thoughts that absorb you. Breathe gently-in-out. Do it again. Close your eyes and remember you are in the presence of God. Call upon the Spirit of God to be with you as you begin speaking to God.

O loving God, draw me yet closer into that incredible circle of Love.

Lord our GodThe whole world tellsThe greatness of your nameYour Glory reachesBeyond the stars Even the babble of infantsdeclares your strengthyour power to haltthe enemy and avenger

I see your handiworkin the heavens:the moon and the starsyou set in place

What is humankindthat your remember them,the human racethat you care for them?

You treat them like gods,dressing them in glory and splendor.You give them charge of the earth,laying all at their feet:

cattle and sheep, wild beastsbirds of the sky,fish of the sea,every swimming creature.

Lord our God,

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the whole world tells the greatness of your name. --Psalm 8

"As long as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren" (Matthew 25:40)

My Lord and my God, how often I fail to realize my privilegeand calling to be your disciple.

I fail to grasp the opportunitiesof witnessing to you in my school, in my home.

I fail to recognize you in your human garb: the sick, the poor, the angry, the prejudiced, the addicted in our society.

Lord, help me to walk with you wherever you are; help me to recognize you however you are masked, for the Passion continues, even in our time.

We ask this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Song Reflection.

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Session Four“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,

committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

Margaret Mead

Activity OneCulminating Ritual – Blessed Are the Peacemakers.Time: 30 minsResources: Oil, Water, Lectionary, chair, ties, booklets, rocks, “The Wrong Stone” book.

Gathering Students walk down to the bush chapel. They enter in silence.

All: In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Leader: Let us remember who we are as we keep in mind the Scripture sighted on our College Mission Statement.

“Jesus welcomed the crowds, spoke to them about the Kingdom of God, and healed those who needed it.” Luke 9:11

Student 1: In this community we are welcoming, open to, and supportive of each other.

Staff 1: In this community we provide encouragement and opportunity for each student to reach excellence as an individual.

Student 2: In this community we relate to others with justice, respect, compassion,

forgiveness and patience.

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Staff 2: In this community we call you to self-discipline, self-motivation, responsibility and accountability.

Student 3: In this community we are developing attributes and skills that will assist us to contribute positively to society.

Staff 3: In this community we educate you spiritually, intellectually, physically, socially, emotionally, and morally.

Student 4: In this community we strive to be at peace with ourselves, with each other, and with God.

All: In this community, we are not alone.

Leader: Let us pray.

All: God of all life,You have favoured us and appointed usTo be a light to the people –To heal those who have had their hearts bruised.In solidarity with all students and staff of our college,Those present, Those who have gone before us,And those who will come after us,We name ourselves as enough to do this taskIn Jesus name. Amen.

Listening

Lector: The Lord be with you.

All: And also with you.

Lector: A reading from the Gospel of Luke. (4:16-22)

All: Glory to you, Lord.

Lector: Jesus stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of God’s favour.”

And he rolled up; the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of the synagogue were fixed upon him. Then he began to say, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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All: Praise to you, Lord, Jesus Christ.

Ritual A student goes and sits in the chair placed in the middle. A mask is put on their face. In turn, five students come forward and tie up this student with blindfolds saying:

Student 1: I hold people down when I judge them and call them names.

Student 2: I hold people down when I call them names because they are a different race or colour or religion from me.

Student 3: I hold people down when I refuse to treat others who are different from me, well, even though I know that I shouldn’t.

Student 4 I hold people down when I avoid them because I think they are weird or nerdy or from the “popular” group or not from my group.

Student 5: I hold people down when I snob them because I think I’m better than them.

The leader invites the masked person to stand. When they can’t stand because they arebound to the chair the following is said:

Leader: This person is every person. They are all of us. When we do these things to them not only are they not free to be the best they can be, we are not free either. Our blindness to others keeps us bound. But we can change. Listen to this story called “The Hundredth Monkey”.

The Hundredth MonkeyOff the shore of Japan, scientists had been studying monkey colonies on many separate islands for over thirty years. In order to keep track of the monkeys, they would lure them out of the trees by dropping sweet potatoes on the beach. The monkeys came to enjoy this free lunch, and were in plain sight where they could be observed. One day, an eighteen-month-old female monkey named Imo started to wash her sweet potato in the sea before eating it. I imaging that it tasted better without the grit and sand or pesticides, or maybe it even was slightly salty and that was good. Imo showed her playmates and her mother how to do this, her friends showed their mothers, and gradually more and more monkeys began to wash their sweet potatoes instead of eating them grit and all. At first, only the female adults who imitated their children learned, but gradually others did also.

On day, the scientists observed that all the monkeys on that particular island washed their sweet potatoes before eating them. Although this was significant, what was even more fascinating was that this change in monkey behaviour did not take place only on this one island. Suddenly, the monkeys on all the other islands were now washing their sweet potatoes as well – despite the fact that monkey colonies on the different islands had no direct contact with each other.15

Then present the following ideas in your own words:

15 Ken Keyes Jr., as retold in Jean Shinoda Bolen, The Millionth Circle, pp. 11 – 12)

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“The Hundredth Monkey” shows how change occurs in a group. When a critical number of people change their attitude or behaviour, culture at large will change.

Each of us can choose to change our culture in positive ways. We may be the first monkey, or more likely the fiftieth. For human culture to change, there has to be a human equivalent of Imo and her friends.

The world desperately needs the love and compassion etc that we speak of in our school prayer. The Christian message of love for one’s neighbour means acceptance of other’s differences, and sharing with those who have less, forgiveness and making peace with those who have wronged you. Don’t live any longer the way this world lives. Let your mind, your way of thinking, be completely changed. The world will change through us who together, speak, listen, laugh, cry, and share our knowledge, insight as we walk together being led by the Holy Spirit.

The ritual continues. Five students come forward and, in turn, undo the ties saying:

Student 6: I free people when I am careful with generalisations about others because of their race, or culture or groups that they belong to.

Student 7: I free people when I recognise my own fears and intolerances and I take responsibility and ownership for them instead of projecting them onto others.

Student 8: I free people when I allow differences even if I don’t accept them and I respect individuality.

Student 9: I free people when I’m tolerant with myself.

Student 10: I free people when I see the goodness in others and in the world and know that we are connected.

The masked student is asked to stand and says:

Masked Student: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of God’s favour.”

RitualLeader invites participants to bless each other on the forehead and to anoint one.

You Are Mine David Haas

I will come to you in the silence,I will lift you from all your fear.You will hear my voice,I claim you as my choice,Be still and know I am here.

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I am hope for all who are hopeless,I am eyes for all who long to see.In the shadows of the night,I will be your light,Come and rest in me.

Do not be afraid, I am with you.I have called you each by name.Come and follow meI will bring you home;I love you and you are mine.

I am strength for all the despairing,Healing for the ones who dwell in shameAll the blind will seeThe lame will all run free,And all will know my name.

I am the Word that leads all to freedom,I am the peace the world cannot give.I will call your name,Embracing all your pain,Stand up, now walk, and live!

Sending ForthLeader: Let us pray.

All: We have heard the call to follow in the way of Christ.Knowing that we are weak but knowing God is strong for us in our weakness, we announce again, with those who have gone before us, those here present, and those who will come after us.

‘Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.’

Leader: Let us go in peace, to love and serve each other and our God.

All: Thanks be to God.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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Pied-Piper of Hamelin

The town of Hamelin was suffering from a terrible plague of rats. The town council tried everything to get rid of them, but couldn’t. At last, the Mayor promised a big reward to anybody who could put an end to the plague.

A stranger dressed in bright clothes arrived and said he could rid Hamelin of the rats. At night, the stranger began playing a tune on his flute, drawing all the rats out of the houses and barns and into the river, where they drowned.

The Mayor would not pay the piper because he said that playing a flute was not worth the reward. He ordered the piper to leave Hamelin.

But the piper came back one day, and started to play his flute. This time, all the children followed him, and he left the village towards the mountains. Suddenly, a cave opened in the mountain and the piper and all the children went in. The cave closed behind them and the children were never seen again in Hamelin.

Sleeping Beauty

Once upon a time a King and Queen had a beautiful daughter, and held a big party to celebrate. They invited all the fairies in the land to come to the party, but they forgot to invite one old fairy.

On the day of the party all the fairies granted the princess wonderful wishes, except the old fairy, who had come even though she didn’t have an invitation. She cast a spell on the princess, saying that when the baby grew into a young lady, she would prick her finger and die of the wound. Luckily, all the other fairies got together and changed the terrible spell, so that instead of dying, the princess would fall asleep for a hundred years when she pricked her finger, and then be awoken by the kiss of a prince.

The King and Queen tried to make sure that there was nothing sharp in the palace, but one day when she had grown up she found a needle and pricked her finger. She immediately fell into a deep sleep. The fairies then cast another spell, which made all of the people in the palace except the King and Queen also sleep for a hundred years, until the princess awoke.

So a hundred years passed by and then one day a prince was riding his horse when he came across the palace. Going in he discovered everyone asleep. When he saw the princess he knelt down and kissed her, and she immediately woke up, as did all of her servants. They were married and lived happily ever after.

Snow White

Snow White was the daughter of a beautiful queen, who died when the girl was young. Her father married again, but the girl’s stepmother was very jealous of her because she was so beautiful.

The evil queen ordered a hunter to kill Snow White but he couldn’t do it because she was so lovely. He chased her away instead, and she took refuge with seven dwarfs in their house in the forest. She lived with the dwarfs and took care of them and they loved her dearly.

Then one day the evil queen was told by her talking mirror that Snow White was still alive, and she changed herself into a witch and made a poisoned apple. She went to the dwarfs house disguised as an old woman and tempted Snow White to eat the poisoned apple, which put her into an everlasting sleep.

Finally, a prince found her in the glass coffin where the dwarfs had put her and woke her up with a kiss. Snow White and the prince were married and lived happily ever after.

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Jack and the Bean Stalk

Jack lived with his mother and they were very poor. Jack went to market to sell their cow, but exchanged it for some magic beans. His mother was angry and threw them out the window. Next morning a giant plant was growing up into the sky.

Jack climbed up into the clouds where there was a magic land. He saw a huge castle and so went there. The castle belonged to a giant, who was out hunting. The giant’s wife let Jack come in, and when the giant came home she hid Jack. After dinner the giant brought out a hen that laid a golden egg. When the giant fell asleep Jack stole the hen and went back home.

For a while Jack and his mother were happy as they had money, but then Jack decided to go back up the beanstalk. He returned to the giant’s castle and this time when the giant fell asleep Jack stole two bags of money. When he got home his mother was ill, but cheered up when she saw him.

Again they were happy for a while and again Jack decided to go back up the beanstalk. This time the giant got out a magic harp after dinner, which played beautiful music all by itself. When the giant fell asleep Jack stole the harp, but the harp woke the giant, who started chasing Jack.

Cinderella

Cinderella lived with her stepmother and two stepsisters, who were jealous of her and treated her very badly. She had to spend all day, every day doing work around the house.

One day an invitation arrived from the prince, who was having a ball. Cinderella had to help her stepmother and stepsisters make beautiful dresses for the ball, and on the night they went off and left the poor girl alone.

She was very sad, but suddenly her Fairy Godmother appeared and turned Cinderella’s old clothes into a beautiful gown. She turned a pumpkin into a golden coach and some mice into lovely black horses and a rat into a coachman. So Cinderella went to the ball, but her Fairy Godmother warned her that she had to leave the ball by midnight.

When the prince saw Cinderella he thought she was so beautiful that he danced with her all evening. Suddenly the clock began to strike twelve, and Cinderella remembered what her Fairy Godmother had told her. She ran out of the palace and was in such a hurry that one of her glass slippers came off as she was racing down the stairs.

The prince found the slipper and ordered his servants to go out into his kingdom and make every girl try the slipper on until they found its owner. Eventually they arrived at Cinderella’s house and discovered that the slipper fitted her.

They took her back to the palace and she married the prince and they lived happily ever after.

Little Red Riding Hood

Once upon a time there lived in a certain village a little country girl, the prettiest creature who was ever seen. Her mother was excessively fond of her; and her grandmother doted on her still more. This good woman had a little red riding hood made for her. It suited the girl so extremely well that everybody called her Little Red Riding Hood.

One day her mother, having made some cakes, said to her, "Go, my dear, and see how your grandmother is doing, for I hear she has been very ill. Take her a cake, and this little pot of butter."

Little Red Riding Hood set out immediately to go to her grandmother, who lived in another village. As she was going through the wood, she met with a wolf, who had a very great mind to eat her up, but

he dared not, because of some woodcutters working nearby in the forest. He asked her where she was going. The poor child, who did not know that it was dangerous to stay and talk to a wolf, said to him, "I am going to see my grandmother and carry her a cake and a little pot of butter from my mother."

"Does she live far off?" said the wolf "Oh I say," answered Little Red Riding Hood; "it is beyond that mill you see there, at the first house in

the village." "Well," said the wolf, "and I'll go and see her too. I'll go this way and go you that, and we shall see who

will be there first." The wolf ran as fast as he could, taking the shortest path, and the little girl took a roundabout way,

entertaining herself by gathering nuts, running after butterflies, and gathering bouquets of little flowers. It was not long before the wolf arrived at the old woman's house. He knocked at the door: tap, tap.

"Who's there?" "Your grandchild, Little Red Riding Hood," replied the wolf, counterfeiting her voice; "who has brought

you a cake and a little pot of butter sent you by mother." The good grandmother, who was in bed, because she was somewhat ill, cried out, "Pull the bobbin, and

the latch will go up."

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The wolf pulled the bobbin, and the door opened, and then he immediately fell upon the good woman and ate her up in a moment, for it been more than three days since he had eaten. He then shut the door and got into the grandmother's bed, expecting Little Red Riding Hood, who came some time afterwards and knocked at the door: tap, tap.

"Who's there?" Little Red Riding Hood, hearing the big voice of the wolf, was at first afraid; but believing her

grandmother had a cold and was hoarse, answered, "It is your grandchild Little Red Riding Hood, who has brought you a cake and a little pot of butter mother sends you."

The wolf cried out to her, softening his voice as much as he could, "Pull the bobbin, and the latch will go up."

Little Red Riding Hood pulled the bobbin, and the door opened. The wolf, seeing her come in, said to her, hiding himself under the bedclothes, "Put the cake and the

little pot of butter upon the stool, and come get into bed with me." Little Red Riding Hood took off her clothes and got into bed. She was greatly amazed to see how her

grandmother looked in her nightclothes, and said to her, "Grandmother, what big arms you have!" "All the better to hug you with, my dear." "Grandmother, what big legs you have!" "All the better to run with, my child." "Grandmother, what big ears you have!" "All the better to hear with, my child." "Grandmother, what big eyes you have!" "All the better to see with, my child." "Grandmother, what big teeth you have got!" "All the better to eat you up with." And, saying these words, this wicked wolf fell upon Little Red Riding Hood, and ate her all up.

The Story of Goldilocks and the Three BearsOnce upon a time, there was a little girl named Goldilocks.  She  went for a walk in the forest.  Pretty soon, she came upon a house.  She knocked and, when no one answered, she walked right in. 

At the table in the kitchen, there were three bowls of porridge. Goldilocks was hungry.  She tasted the porridge from the first bowl. 

"This porridge is too hot!" she exclaimed.So, she tasted the porridge from the second bowl."This porridge is too cold," she saidSo, she tasted the last bowl of porridge."Ahhh, this porridge is just right," she said happily and she ate it all up.After she'd eaten the three bears' breakfasts she decided she was feeling a little tired.  So, she walked

into the living room where she saw three chairs.  Goldilocks sat in the first chair to rest her feet.   "This chair is too big!" she exclaimed.So she sat in the second chair."This chair is too big, too!"  she whined.So she tried the last and smallest chair."Ahhh, this chair is just right," she sighed.  But just as she settled down into the chair to rest, it broke

into pieces!Goldilocks was very tired by this time, so she went upstairs to the bedroom.  She lay down in the first

bed, but it was too hard. Then she lay in the second bed, but it was too soft. Then she lay down in the third bed and it was just right.  Goldilocks fell asleep.

As she was sleeping, the three bears came home. "Someone's been eating my porridge," growled the Papa bear."Someone's been eating my porridge," said the Mama bear."Someone's been eating my porridge and they ate it all up!" cried the Baby bear."Someone's been sitting in my chair," growled the Papa bear."Someone's been sitting in my chair," said the Mama bear."Someone's been sitting in my chair and they've broken it all to pieces," cried the Baby bear.

They decided to look around some more and when they got upstairs to the bedroom, Papa bear growled, "Someone's been sleeping in my bed,"

"Someone's been sleeping in my bed, too" said the Mama bear"Someone's been sleeping in my bed and she's still there!" exclaimed Baby bear.

Just then, Goldilocks woke up and saw the three bears.  She screamed, "Help!"  And she jumped up and ran out of the room.  Goldilocks ran down the stairs, opened the door, and ran away into the forest.  And she never returned to the home of the three bears.

THE END

The Three Little PigsOnce upon a time there were three little pigs and the time came for them to leave home and seek their

fortunes.

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Before they left, their mother told them " Whatever you do , do it the best that you can because that's the way to get along in the world.

 The first little pig built his house out of straw because it was the easiest thing to do.

The second little pig built his house out of sticks. This was a little bit stronger than a straw house.

The third little pig built his house out of bricks.

One night the big bad wolf, who dearly loved to eat fat little piggies, came along and saw the first little pig in his house of straw. He said "Let me in, Let me in, little pig or I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house in!"

"Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin", said the little pig.

But of course the wolf did blow the house in and ate the first little pig.

The wolf then came to the house of sticks.

"Let me in ,Let me in little pig or I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house in" "Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin", said the little pig. But the wolf blew that house in too, and ate the second little pig.

The wolf then came to the house of bricks.

" Let me in , let me in" cried the wolf

"Or I'll huff and I'll puff till I blow your house in"

"Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin" said the pigs.

Well, the wolf huffed and puffed but he could not blow down that brick house.

But the wolf was a sly old wolf and he climbed up on the roof to look for a way into the brick house.

The little pig saw the wolf climb up on the roof and lit a roaring fire in the fireplace and placed on it a large kettle of water.

When the wolf finally found the hole in the chimney he crawled down and KERSPLASH right into that kettle of water and that was the end of his troubles with the big bad wolf.

The next day the little pig invited his mother over . She said "You see it is just as I told you. The way to get along in the world is to do things as well as you can." Fortunately for that little pig, he learned that lesson. And he just lived happily ever after!

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Better Together Jack Johnson

There's no combination of wordsI could put on the back of a postcardNo song that I could singBut I can try for your heartour dreams, and they are made out of real thingslike a shoebox of photographswith sepia-toned lovingLove is the answerat least for most of the questions in my heartWhy are we here? And where do we go?And how come it's so hard?It's not always easy andsometimes life can be deceivingI'll tell you one thing, it's always better when we're together

Mmmm, It's always better when we're togetherYeah we'll look at them stars when we're togetherWell, it's always better when we're togetherYeah it's always better when we're together

And all of these momentsjust might find their way into my dreams tonight,But I know that they’ll be gonewhen the morning light singsand brings new thingsfor tomorrow night you seethat they’ll be gone too,too many things I have to doBut if all of these dreams might find their wayinto my day to day sceneI'd be under the impressioni was somewhere in betweenWith only two,Just me and you,Not so many things we got to door places we got to beWe'll sit beneath the mango tree now,

Yeah It's always better when we're togetherMmmm, we're somewhere in between togetherWell, it's always better when we're togetherYeah, it's always better when we're together

I believe in memoriesthey look so, so pretty when I sleepAnd now when, when I wake up,you look so pretty sleeping next to meBut there is not enough time,There is no, no song I could singand there is no combination of words I could saybut I will still tell you one thingWe're Better together

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Triangles Are Best

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"If you want to be smart and beautiful, and good, you must have four sides exactly the same. If you don't have four sides exactly the same, then you are stupid, and ugly and bad! Bad! Bad! Square

"If you want to be smart and beautiful, and good, you must be perfectly round, and if you're not perfectly round, then you are stupid, and ugly and bad! Bad! Bad! Circle

"If you want to be smart and beautiful, and good, you must have three sides. If you don't have three sides, then you are stupid, and ugly and bad! Bad! Bad! Triangle

"If you want to be smart and beautiful, and good, you must have two short sides exactly the same, and you must have two long sides exactly the same.If you do not have two short sides and two long sides, then you are stupid, and ugly and bad! Bad! Bad! Rectangle

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Interview Card14.What is your favourite animal?15.What do you like about that animal?16.What do you usually do on Saturday’s?17.What is the best holiday you have ever had?18.Who is your favourite movie star?19.What is your favourite movie?20.Describe you’re the best party you’ve been to?21.How does your family celebrate Christmas.22.How does your family celebrate Easter?23.Who is your favourite teacher and why?24.What is the best thing you like about CMC?25.Describe an unusual dream you had once?26.Your least favourite meal is…?

Interview Card27.What is your favourite animal?28.What do you like about that animal?29.What do you usually do on Saturday’s?30.What is the best holiday you have ever had?31.Who is your favourite movie star?32.What is your favourite movie?33.Describe you’re the best party you’ve been to?34.How does your family celebrate Christmas.35.How does your family celebrate Easter?36.Who is your favourite teacher and why?37.What is the best thing you like about CMC?38.Describe an unusual dream you had once?39.Your least favourite meal is…?

Interview Card40.What is your favourite animal?41.What do you like about that animal?42.What do you usually do on Saturday’s?43.What is the best holiday you have ever had?44.Who is your favourite movie star?45.What is your favourite movie?46.Describe you’re the best party you’ve been to?47.How does your family celebrate Christmas.48.How does your family celebrate Easter?49.Who is your favourite teacher and why?50.What is the best thing you like about CMC?51.Describe an unusual dream you had once?52.Your least favourite meal is…?

GROUP 1

InstructionsYour group has to prepare and present a 3 minute group drama. You have 20 mins to prepare.

1. Read the theme that you will base your drama on and discuss with the group how you can see this happening in your friendship group, your year level, or in the world today. Give examples.

2. Choose an example that you discussed and imagine how this particular thing could happen in the fairy story that you have been given. If you don’t know the fairytale please read it through for your group. The story doesn’t have to go exactly to the fairy story script. You can be creative by making it a modern fairytale drama.

3. Choose your characters – everyone in the group must play a character.

4. Prepare to present this to the whole group. It’s a secret so don’t tell the other groups your fairytale.

Snow White and the Seven DwarfsSnow White was the daughter of a beautiful queen, who died when the girl was young. Her father

married again, but the girl’s stepmother was very jealous of her because she was so beautiful.

The evil queen ordered a hunter to kill Snow White but he couldn’t do it because she was so lovely. He chased her away instead, and she took refuge with seven dwarfs in their house in the forest. She lived with the dwarfs and took care of them and they loved her dearly.

Then one day the evil queen was told by her talking mirror that Snow White was still alive, and she changed herself into a witch and made a poisoned apple. She went to the dwarfs house disguised as an old woman and tempted Snow White to eat the poisoned apple, which put her into an everlasting sleep.

Finally, a prince found her in the glass coffin where the dwarfs had put her and woke her up with a kiss. Snow White and the prince were married and lived happily ever after.

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Theme: Tolerance - Careful with generalisations

Generalisations are difficult to impossible to be completely removed from our thoughts, but we can choose to take each person and each circumstance as they come, willing and interested in finding what is best in them and prepared to deal with what might be worst.

Fairy Tale: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Instructions: Using the characters in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs prepare a 3 minute drama which explores the above theme. You may be creative as you like with the story line, however, the rest of the class will be asked to guess what your theme was and what your fairytale was.

GROUP 2

InstructionsYour group has to prepare and present a 3 minute group drama. You have 20 mins to prepare.

5. Read the theme that you will base your drama on and discuss with the group how you can see this happening in your friendship group, your year level, or in the world today. Give examples.

6. Choose an example that you discussed and imagine how this particular thing could happen in the fairy story that you have been given. If you don’t know the fairytale please read it through for your group. The story doesn’t have to go exactly to the fairy story script. You can be creative by making it a modern fairytale drama.

7. Choose your characters – everyone in the group must play a character.

8. Prepare to present this to the whole group. It’s a secret so don’t tell the other groups your fairytale.

Jack and the Bean StalkJack lived with his mother and they were very poor. Jack went to market to sell their cow, but

exchanged it for some magic beans. His mother was angry and threw them out the window. Next morning a giant plant was growing up into the sky.

Jack climbed up into the clouds where there was a magic land. He saw a huge castle and so went there. The castle belonged to a giant, who was out hunting. The giant’s wife let Jack come in, and when the giant came home she hid Jack. After dinner the giant brought out a hen that laid a golden egg. When the giant fell asleep Jack stole the hen and went back home.

For a while Jack and his mother were happy as they had money, but then Jack decided to go back up the beanstalk. He returned to the giant’s castle and this time when the giant fell asleep Jack stole two bags of money. When he got home his mother was ill, but cheered up when she saw him.

Again they were happy for a while and again Jack decided to go back up the beanstalk. This time the giant got out a magic harp after dinner, which played beautiful music all by itself. When the giant fell asleep Jack stole the harp, but the harp woke the giant, who started chasing Jack.

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Group 2Theme: Tolerance – Allowing Differences

Sometimes people believe that if everyone agreed with them, then the world would be a good place to live. Therefore, they may insist that everyone has the same beliefs, whether they are religious, political, or even just everyday beliefs. However, the world is a big place with many people in it. Many things can be simultaneously true given differing circumstances. Sometimes differing beliefs cause people to investigate the facts in order to find the truth.

Fairy Tale: Jack and the Beanstalk

Instructions: Using the characters in Jack and the Beanstalk prepare a 3 minute modern day drama which explores the above theme. You may be creative as you like with the story line, however, the rest of the class will be asked to guess what your theme was and what your fairytale was.

GROUP 3

InstructionsYour group has to prepare and present a 3 minute group drama. You have 20 mins to prepare.

9. Read the theme that you will base your drama on and discuss with the group how you can see this happening in your friendship group, your year level, or in the world today. Give examples.

10. Choose an example that you discussed and imagine how this particular thing could happen in the fairy story that you have been given. If you don’t know the fairytale please read it through for your group. The story doesn’t have to go exactly to the fairy story script. You can be creative by making it a modern fairytale drama.

11. Choose your characters – everyone in the group must play a character.

12. Prepare to present this to the whole group. It’s a secret so don’t tell the other groups your fairytale.

Pied-Piper of HamelinThe town of Hamelin was suffering from a terrible plague of rats. The town council tried

everything to get rid of them, but couldn’t. At last, the Mayor promised a big reward to anybody who could put an end to the plague.

A stranger dressed in bright clothes arrived and said he could rid Hamelin of the rats. At night, the stranger began playing a tune on his flute, drawing all the rats out of the houses and barns and into the river, where they drowned.

The Mayor would not pay the piper because he said that playing a flute was not worth the reward. He ordered the piper to leave Hamelin.

But the piper came back one day, and started to play his flute. This time, all the children followed him, and he left the village towards the mountains. Suddenly, a cave opened in the mountain and the piper and all the children went in. The cave closed behind them and the children were never seen again in Hamelin.

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Group 3Theme: Tolerance –Respect individuality and interconnectedness

We may not always understand why certain people do certain things, look and present themselves in certain ways, or see things in certain ways. Nevertheless, they may be bringing something important to this planet that we simply do not have the perspective or experience to appreciate. Harmony is more important and more challenging than sameness. Harmony is also more interesting, beautiful, and fun. (eg different instruments in an orchestraThe first steps to harmony are respect and kindness. These can lead to compassion and love for the many ways we are different whether it is by age, weight, attractiveness, class, gender, race, culture, religion, education, unique personality, or physical ability.

Fairy Tale: Pied Piper of Hamlin

Instructions: Using the characters in Pied Piper of Hamlin prepare a 3 minute drama which explores the above theme. You may be creative as you like with the story line, however, the rest of the class will be asked to guess what your theme was and what your fairytale was.

GROUP 4

InstructionsYour group has to prepare and present a 3 minute group drama. You have 20 mins to prepare.

13. Read the theme that you will base your drama on and discuss with the group how you can see this happening in your friendship group, your year level, or in the world today. Give examples.

14. Choose an example that you discussed and imagine how this particular thing could happen in the fairy story that you have been given. If you don’t know the fairytale please read it through for your group. The story doesn’t have to go exactly to the fairy story script. You can be creative by making it a modern fairytale drama.

15. Choose your characters – everyone in the group must play a character.

16. Prepare to present this to the whole group. It’s a secret so don’t tell the other groups your fairytale.

CinderellaCinderella lived with her stepmother and two stepsisters, who were jealous of her and treated her

very badly. She had to spend all day, every day doing work around the house.

One day an invitation arrived from the prince, who was having a ball. Cinderella had to help her stepmother and stepsisters make beautiful dresses for the ball, and on the night they went off and left the poor girl alone.

She was very sad, but suddenly her Fairy Godmother appeared and turned Cinderella’s old clothes into a beautiful gown. She turned a pumpkin into a golden coach and some mice into lovely black horses and a rat into a coachman. So Cinderella went to the ball, but her Fairy Godmother warned her that she had to leave the ball by midnight.

When the prince saw Cinderella he thought she was so beautiful that he danced with her all evening. Suddenly the clock began to strike twelve, and Cinderella remembered what her Fairy Godmother had told her. She ran out of the palace and was in such a hurry that one of her glass slippers came off as she was racing down the stairs.

The prince found the slipper and ordered his servants to go out into his kingdom and make every girl try the slipper on until they found its owner. Eventually they arrived at Cinderella’s house and discovered that the slipper fitted her.

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Group 4Theme: Tolerance – Learn to see the goodness in others and the world

The best sort of tolerance is not about putting up with people in order to at least muddle through a bad situation. That is more about repressing bad feelings, than about allowing difference. The best sort of tolerance is open to discovering more about ourselves, each other, and life. This sort of tolerance accepts that life is a mixed bag, but also understands that part of that mixed bag includes good, and some of that good we may not have experienced before or recognise right away.

Fairy Tale: Cinderella

Instructions: Using the characters in Cinderella prepare a 3 minute drama which explores the above theme using examples from life today. You may be creative as you like with the story line, however, the rest of the class will be asked to guess what your theme and fairytale is.

They took her back to the palace and she married the prince and they lived happily ever after.

GROUP 5

InstructionsYour group has to prepare and present a 3 minute group drama. You have 20 mins to prepare.

17. Read the theme that you will base your drama on and discuss with the group how you can see this happening in your friendship group, your year level, or in the world today. Give examples.

18. Choose an example that you discussed and imagine how this particular thing could happen in the fairy story that you have been given. If you don’t know the fairytale please read it through for your group. The story doesn’t have to go exactly to the fairy story script. You can be creative by making it a modern fairytale drama.

19. Choose your characters – everyone in the group must play a character.

20. Prepare to present this to the whole group. It’s a secret so don’t tell the other groups your fairytale.

Sleeping BeautyOnce upon a time a King and Queen had a beautiful daughter, and held a big party to

celebrate. They invited all the fairies in the land to come to the party, but they forgot to invite one old fairy.

On the day of the party all the fairies granted the princess wonderful wishes, except the old fairy, who had come even though she didn’t have an invitation. She cast a spell on the princess, saying that when the baby grew into a young lady, she would prick her finger and die of the wound. Luckily, all the other fairies got together and changed the terrible spell, so that instead of dying, the princess would fall asleep for a hundred years when she pricked her finger, and then be awoken by the kiss of a prince.

The King and Queen tried to make sure that there was nothing sharp in the palace, but one day when she had grown up she found a needle and pricked her finger. She immediately fell into a deep sleep. The fairies then cast another spell, which made all of the people in the palace except the King and Queen also sleep for a hundred years, until the princess awoke.

So a hundred years passed by and then one day a prince was riding his horse when he came across the palace. Going in he discovered everyone asleep. When he saw the princess he knelt down and kissed her, and she immediately woke up, as did all of her servants. They were married and lived happily ever after.

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Group 5Theme: Intolerance – Blindspots

While some people are aware that certain intolerances are currently not acceptable they are not ready to give them up. These people may refuse to see certain other people in order to avoid offering them jobs, giving them proper service or even just to look them in the eyes to say “hello”.

Fairy Tale: Sleeping Beauty

Instructions: Using the characters in Sleeping Beauty prepare a 3 minute drama which explores the above theme using examples from life today. The fairytale must end with “And they all lived happily ever after.” You may be creative as you like with the story line, however, the rest of the class will be asked to guess what your theme and fairytale is.

GROUP 6

InstructionsYour group has to prepare and present a 3 minute group drama. You have 20 mins to prepare.

21. Read the theme that you will base your drama on and discuss with the group how you can see this happening in your friendship group, your year level, or in the world today. Give examples.

22. Choose an example that you discussed and imagine how this particular thing could happen in the fairy story that you have been given. If you don’t know the fairytale please read it through for your group. The story doesn’t have to go exactly to the fairy story script. You can be creative by making it a modern fairytale drama.

23. Choose your characters – everyone in the group must play a character.

24. Prepare to present this to the whole group. It’s a secret so don’t tell the other groups your fairytale.

The Three Little PigsOnce upon a time there were three little pigs and the time came for them to leave home and seek their fortunes. Before they left, their mother told them " Whatever you do , do it the best that you can because that's the way to get along in the world.

The first little pig built his house out of straw because it was the easiest thing to do.The second little pig built his house out of sticks. This was a little bit stronger than a straw house. The third little pig built his house out of bricks.One night the big bad wolf, who dearly loved to eat fat little piggies, came along and saw the first little pig in his house of straw. He said "Let me in, Let me in, little pig or I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house in!"

"Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin", said the little pig. But of course the wolf did blow the house in and ate the first little pig. The wolf then came to the house of sticks. "Let me in ,Let me in little pig or I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow your house in" "Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin", said the little pig. But the wolf blew that house in too, and ate the second little pig. The wolf then came to the house of bricks. " Let me in , let me in" cried the wolf "Or I'll huff and I'll puff till I blow your house in" "Not by the hair of my chinny chin chin" said the pigs. Well, the wolf huffed and puffed but he could not blow down that brick house. But the wolf was a sly old wolf and he climbed up on the roof to look for a way into the brick house.

The little pig saw the wolf climb up on the roof and lit a roaring fire in the fireplace and placed on it a large kettle of water.When the wolf finally found the hole in the chimney he crawled down and KERSPLASH right into that kettle of water and that was the end of his troubles with the big bad wolf.

The next day the little pig invited his mother over . She said "You see it is just as I told you. The way to get along in the world is to do things as well as you can." Fortunately for that little pig, he learned that lesson. And he just lived happily ever after!

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Group 6Theme: Intolerance – Control

Sometimes people feel the need to classify groups of other people as good, bad, dangerous, helpful, etc. This is like putting people into boxes. This is done so a person might quickly determine how to keep control of their lives by controlling the lives of others around them.

Fairy Tale: The Three Little Pigs

Instructions: Using the characters in The Three Little Pigs prepare a 3 minute drama which explores the above theme using examples from life today. The fairytale must end with “And they all lived happily ever after.” You may be creative as you like with the story line, however, the rest of the class will be asked to guess what your theme and fairytale is.

GROUP 7

InstructionsYour group has to prepare and present a 3 minute group drama. You have 20 mins to prepare.

25. Read the theme that you will base your drama on and discuss with the group how you can see this happening in your friendship group, your year level, or in the world today. Give examples.

26. Choose an example that you discussed and imagine how this particular thing could happen in the fairy story that you have been given. If you don’t know the fairytale please read it through for your group. The story doesn’t have to go exactly to the fairy story script. You can be creative by making it a modern fairytale drama.

27. Choose your characters – everyone in the group must play a character.

28. Prepare to present this to the whole group. It’s a secret so don’t tell the other groups your fairytale.

The Story of Goldilocks and the Three BearsOnce upon a time, there was a little girl named Goldilocks.  She  went for a walk in the forest.  Pretty soon, she came upon a house.  She knocked and, when no one answered, she walked right in. 

At the table in the kitchen, there were three bowls of porridge. Goldilocks was hungry.  She tasted the porridge from the first bowl. 

"This porridge is too hot!" she exclaimed.So, she tasted the porridge from the second bowl."This porridge is too cold," she saidSo, she tasted the last bowl of porridge."Ahhh, this porridge is just right," she said happily and she ate it all up.After she'd eaten the three bears' breakfasts she decided she was feeling a little tired.  So, she walked

into the living room where she saw three chairs.  Goldilocks sat in the first chair to rest her feet.   "This chair is too big!" she exclaimed.So she sat in the second chair."This chair is too big, too!"  she whined.So she tried the last and smallest chair."Ahhh, this chair is just right," she sighed.  But just as she settled down into the chair to rest, it broke

into pieces!Goldilocks was very tired by this time, so she went upstairs to the bedroom.  She lay down in the first

bed, but it was too hard. Then she lay in the second bed, but it was too soft. Then she lay down in the third bed and it was just right.  Goldilocks fell asleep.

As she was sleeping, the three bears came home. "Someone's been eating my porridge," growled the Papa bear."Someone's been eating my porridge," said the Mama bear."Someone's been eating my porridge and they ate it all up!" cried the Baby bear."Someone's been sitting in my chair," growled the Papa bear."Someone's been sitting in my chair," said the Mama bear."Someone's been sitting in my chair and they've broken it all to pieces," cried the Baby bear.

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Group 7Theme: Intolerance – Suspicion

Some people live very narrow lives, where they rarely meet people very different from themselves. Someone who is too far outside of their regular experience might seem as frightening as a space alien. The stranger might then be mistreated in order to push them away to a safe distance.

Fairy Tale: Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Instructions: Using the characters in Goldilocks and the three Bears, prepare a 3 minute drama which explores the above theme using examples from life today. The fairytale must end with “And they all lived happily ever after.” You may be creative as you like with the story line, however, the rest of the class will be asked to guess what your theme and fairytale is.

They decided to look around some more and when they got upstairs to the bedroom, Papa bear growled, "Someone's been sleeping in my bed,"

"Someone's been sleeping in my bed, too" said the Mama bear"Someone's been sleeping in my bed and she's still there!" exclaimed Baby bear.

Just then, Goldilocks woke up and saw the three bears.  She screamed, "Help!"  And she jumped up and ran out of the room.  Goldilocks ran down the stairs, opened the door, and ran away into the forest.  And she never returned to the home of the three bears.

THE END

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GROUP 8

InstructionsYour group has to prepare and present a 3 minute group drama. You have 20 mins to prepare.

29. Read the theme that you will base your drama on and discuss with the group how you can see this happening in your friendship group, your year level, or in the world today. Give examples.

30. Choose an example that you discussed and imagine how this particular thing could happen in the fairy story that you have been given. If you don’t know the fairytale please read it through for your group. The story doesn’t have to go exactly to the fairy story script. You can be creative by making it a modern fairytale drama.

31. Choose your characters – everyone in the group must play a character.

32. Prepare to present this to the whole group. It’s a secret so don’t tell the other groups your fairytale.

Little Red Riding HoodOnce upon a time there lived in a certain village a little country girl, the prettiest creature who was ever seen. Her mother was excessively fond of her; and her grandmother doted on her still more. This good woman had a little red riding hood made for her. It suited the girl so extremely well that everybody called her Little Red Riding Hood.

One day her mother, having made some cakes, said to her, "Go, my dear, and see how your grandmother is doing, for I hear she has been very ill. Take her a cake, and this little pot of butter."

Little Red Riding Hood set out immediately to go to her grandmother, who lived in another village. As she was going through the wood, she met with a wolf, who had a very great mind to eat her up, but

he dared not, because of some woodcutters working nearby in the forest. He asked her where she was going. The poor child, who did not know that it was dangerous to stay and talk to a wolf, said to him, "I am going to see my grandmother and carry her a cake and a little pot of butter from my mother."

"Does she live far off?" said the wolf "Oh I say," answered Little Red Riding Hood; "it is beyond that mill you see there, at the first house in

the village." "Well," said the wolf, "and I'll go and see her too. I'll go this way and go you that, and we shall see who

will be there first." The wolf ran as fast as he could, taking the shortest path, and the little girl took a roundabout way,

entertaining herself by gathering nuts, running after butterflies, and gathering bouquets of little flowers. It was not long before the wolf arrived at the old woman's house. He knocked at the door: tap, tap.

"Who's there?" "Your grandchild, Little Red Riding Hood," replied the wolf, counterfeiting her voice; "who has brought

you a cake and a little pot of butter sent you by mother." The good grandmother, who was in bed, because she was somewhat ill, cried out, "Pull the bobbin, and

the latch will go up." The wolf pulled the bobbin, and the door opened, and then he immediately fell upon the good woman

and ate her up in a moment, for it been more than three days since he had eaten. He then shut the door and got into the grandmother's bed, expecting Little Red Riding Hood, who came some time afterwards and knocked at the door: tap, tap.

"Who's there?"

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Group 8Theme: Intolerance – Education

Someone’s parents may be intolerant. Because they wish to protect their children from all danger, real or imagined, they will teach their children to fear and dislike certain people.

Fairy Tale: Little Red Riding Hood

Instructions: Using the characters in Little Red Riding Hood prepare a 3 minute drama which explores the above theme using examples from life today. The fairytale must end with “And they all lived happily ever after.” You may be creative as you like with the story line, however, the rest of the class will be asked to guess what your theme and fairytale is.

Little Red Riding Hood, hearing the big voice of the wolf, was at first afraid; but believing her grandmother had a cold and was hoarse, answered, "It is your grandchild Little Red Riding Hood, who has brought you a cake and a little pot of butter mother sends you."

The wolf cried out to her, softening his voice as much as he could, "Pull the bobbin, and the latch will go up."

Little Red Riding Hood pulled the bobbin, and the door opened. The wolf, seeing her come in, said to her, hiding himself under the bedclothes, "Put the cake and the

little pot of butter upon the stool, and come get into bed with me." Little Red Riding Hood took off her clothes and got into bed. She was greatly amazed to see how her

grandmother looked in her nightclothes, and said to her, "Grandmother, what big arms you have!" "All the better to hug you with, my dear." "Grandmother, what big legs you have!" "All the better to run with, my child." "Grandmother, what big ears you have!" "All the better to hear with, my child." "Grandmother, what big eyes you have!" "All the better to see with, my child." "Grandmother, what big teeth you have got!" "All the better to eat you up with." And, saying these words, this wicked wolf fell upon Little Red Riding Hood, and ate her all up.

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Ritual A student goes and sits in the chair placed in the middle. A mask is put on their face. In turn, five students come forward and tie up this student with blindfolds saying:

Student 1: I hold people down when I judge them and call them names.

Student 2: I hold people down when I call them names because they are a different race or colour or religion from me.

Student 3: I hold people down when I refuse to treat others who are different from me, well, even though I know that I shouldn’t.

Student 4 I hold people down when I avoid them because I think they are weird or nerdy or from the “popular” group or not from my group.

Student 5: I hold people down when I snob them because I think I’m better than them.

The leader invites the masked person to stand. When they can’t stand because they arebound to the chair the following is said

The ritual continues. Five students come forward and, in turn, undo the ties saying:

Student 6: I free people when I am careful with generalisations about others because of their race, or culture or groups that they belong to.

Student 7: I free people when I recognise my own fears and intolerances and I take responsibility and ownership for them instead of projecting them onto others.

Student 8: I free people when I allow differences even if I don’t accept them and I respect individuality.

Student 9: I free people when I’m tolerant with myself.

Student 10: I free people when I see the goodness in others and in the world and know that we are connected.

The masked student is asked to stand and says:

Masked Student: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of God’s favour.”

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Give each student an index card. Have them write on the card three truths about themselves and one lie. Model the activity for them based on your own life, so they can see how the lie must be something that is believable in light of the truths they list. When they guess one of your truths as the lie, tell the real story that goes along with the truth. Continue until they uncover the lie. Have each student write his or her own truths and lie. Then do 3 to 5 of them each day during the first week of school. When you have a lot of students who know one another, do not name the author of the truths and lie. Have students guess who authored the card. 

1.

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Activity OneIcebreaker - Frenzy

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Time: 20 minutesResources: 5 hula hoops and 60 tennis balls/ping pong balls/rocks

Objective: This activity is a relatively quick initiative that highlights the value of cooperation rather than competition.

InstructionsStep 1: Arrange 4 hula hoops on the ground spread out from each other at the four

corners of the space. Place one in the middle, so the configuration is as follows:

Step 2: Place all tennis balls (rocks) in the middle (neutral) hoop. Step 3: Divide players into 4 even teams (number off). Have each team pick a

hula-hoop and stand by it.Step 4: Explain the objective of the game: Each team is trying to place all the

tennis balls in their hoop. Once the team has all the balls, they win.Rules:

There is no throwing or tossing of the ball/rocks All the balls/rocks must be out of the middle hoop before you can

take them from other’s hoops. No defending the hoops.

Facilitator Notes:1. Play will last for 3-5 mins, at which participants will be out of breath and no nearer to

winning. Signal a pause and ask them to regroup with their teams and strategise for 1 -2 mins. One group or another may come up with the creative solution (see below); most groups, however, will try to position the people “strategically”, plan for faster ball transfers etc. After 2 mins, signal time and have them return to their starting positions.

2. After another fruitless 3 – 5 mins, the participants will still be no near wining and starting to become a little frustrated. Signal another pause, and ask them to circle up as a group and perhaps “learn from each other”. This will usually produce better results; if they need prodding, restate the object of the game and the rules. Some person will think to suggest that the group work together; another might ask if the hoops can be moved (YES). In either event, you know that group is on the right track.

3. With some planning and thinking about what you’ve told them, they should realise that the only way to win (other than all of the other groups agreeing to lose – not likely!) is for them all to win by placing all of the balls in the middle hoop, then placing their hoops around the balls.

DebriefQuestions

1. What happened?2. Why do you think this happened?

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Can you relate this to our behaviour in reality?

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