I AM NOT NAUGHTY, I REALLY REALLY MEAN IT!

The aim of this activity is to help children understand feelings and empathy.

1. Read I am not naughty book encouraging the children to take turns reading.
2. When they are done, ask each child to pick an emotion from the emotion list below (It is ok to use visual emotions). Encourage the children to pick other emotions apart from happy and excited.
3. Ask the children to talk about the emotions they picked sharing a school experience with another child that let to that emotion.
4. Ask the children who picked angry, sad and frustrated on the card to share what they think could have been done differently by the other child.
5. Ask the children to share if they have ever been called any of the names in the book (the scene where Ayo was complaining to his teacher after a lesson) and how they felt. If they haven’t been called any of those names, ask them to share how they would feel if they were called any of those names.
6. Tell the children the importance of showing empathy (i.e putting oneself in other people’s shoes) and the damage name-calling does to self-esteem.
7. Re-emphasise the importance of showing kindness and always thinking about the impact of our actions on others. Let the children know some children struggle with doing things and we must always tell and show them how to be better.
8. Finish by asking each child to say something positive about the child sitting next to them.

Emotions List

1. Excited
2. Angry
3. Frustrated
4. Sad
5. Happy