Title: a Bad Case of the Tattle Tongue

Title: “A Bad Case of the Tattle Tongue”

Grade Level: K-3rd

Time: 30-40 minutes

Competencies:

1. Students will be able to identify the difference between a tattle and a warning (an issue that a child needs to report to an adult). 2. Students will be able to name and use the tattle rules.

Standards:

A:A2.3 Use communication skills to know when and how to ask for help when needed. C:A1.5 Learn to make decisions. PS:A1.6 Distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate behavior. PS:A2.6 Use effective communication skills. PS:A2.8 Learn how to make and keep friends.

Materials Needed:

-“Tattle Rules” handout (attached) -A Bad Case of Tattle Tongue by Julia Cook -Paper towels -Gushers (equal number of blue or purple and orange or red) -Tattle and Warning note cards -Tattles: -George is picking his nose. -Jay didn’t finish his workbook page. -Annie looked at me weird. -Justin took Jamie’s pencil. -Ashley didn’t clean up the game she was playing. -Kelly won’t play with me. -Noah took the marker I wanted to use. -Tommy didn’t put his homework in the homework basket. -Missy won’t give me a turn on the swing. -Johnny cut in line. -Billy took the ball from me. -Warnings: -Sam told me he would beat me up if I don’t give him my snacks. -Charlie is talking about beating up Larry after school. -Joey ran out into the street. -Danny is throwing rocks at Amanda. -Sam is making fun of the way Billy runs and will not let him play. -Jason is hitting Steve. -Tony keeps teasing Becky on the playground. -Susie pushed you out of line. -Becky fell off the monkey bars. -Randy has a knife.

Procedures:

1.) If time permits, prior to the lesson starts, the counselor will put either a tattle or warning note card on each student’s desk. The counselor will evenly disperse the tattle and warning note cards. If the child received a tattle note card, the counselor will also put on the child’s desk a paper towel with two blue or purple gushers inside. If the child received a warning note care, the counselor will put on the child’s desk a paper towel with two orange or red gushers inside. If time does not permit prior to the lesson starting, the counselor can complete this step after the reading and discussion of the book A Bad Case of Tattle Tongue. 2.) The counselor will announce that today we will be talking about tattling. The counselor will ask the class if they know what a tattle is. 3.) The counselor will read the book A Bad Case of Tattle Tongue. 4.) After reading the book, the counselor will ask the children to name the tattle rules listed in the book. The counselor will explain that if the child him or herself is in danger or another child is in danger, he or she must “warn” an adult. 5.) Next, the counselor will have the students eat their gushers. 6.) The counselor will then go around the room having the students read their note cards and show their tongues one at a time. The class will work together to distinguish who has “tattle tongue” (those students who ate the blue or purple gushers) and those students who have warnings (those students who ate the red or orange gushers). If the space permits, the counselor could have those students with “tattle tongue” go on one side of the room and the students who did not have “tattle tongue” go on the other side of the room. The counselor will then go through and have all the children who had tattle note cards read their cards aloud one by one, and then have all the children who have warning note cards read their cards aloud one by one. This activity will help to better distinguish tattles from warnings. 7.) The counselor will go over the “tattle rules” one last time. Then the counselor will give each student a copy of the “tattle rules” handout to keep for their and their parents’ reference.