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(1) Define what a compliment is and
(2) Demonstrate ability to give a compliment

The Meanest Thing to Say by Bill Cosby (for grades K-5) or
Please Stop Laughing at Me by Jodee Blanco (for grades 6-12),
yarn, and
scissors

(1) Pre-Reading Discussion Questions: What is bullying? Why is bullying bad? Share a time you have bullied or have been bullied? How did that experience make you feel?

(2) For kindergarten through fifth grade, read The Meanest Thing to Say by Bill Cosby as a group. For middle school and high school students, read chapter 6, "Fragile Hope" of Please Stop Laughing at Me by Jodee Blanco.

(3) Post-Reading Discussion Questions: Summarize the reading. How did the character feel about being bullied? What would you have done in that situation?

(4) Have class sit in a circle; you are included in this circle. You will start with the yarn in your possession. As a group, you will create a "web of good feelings." You will start by passing the ball of yarn to a student and give that student a compliment. Make sure that when you or anyone else passes the yarn that they wrap the yarn around their hand once; the web will not build up if people do not hold a piece of yarn before passing. Make sure the ball of yarn makes it to everyone before a person gets it a second time.

(5) Once everyone has gotten the yarn once, allow students to continue passing the yarn, and give a compliment, in no particular order.

(6) Once everyone has given a compliment to everyone or a specified period of time runs out, have the ball of yarn return to you. Explain how it is harder to give a compliment than to make fun of someone, but we are all connected with our compliments.

(7) You are then going to take the scissors and cut the yarn so that everyone will end up with individual strands of the web. Allow students to keep these strands to remind them of all the good things said about them. Encourage students to tie yarn to somewhere so that they don't lose it -- backpacks, lunch bags, etc.

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