oh-oh, not enough stuff!

 Materials:  A bag of candy, cookies or some other treat, but not enough for the entire group

1. Anticipatory Set (review/"I've Got You")

 Show the children the bag of goodies and tell them they will all be sharing the treat.

   II.   Objective and Purpose

 Children will learn to problem solve and work through a sharing issue. Because this activity requires higher order thinking skills and the capability to share, it should not be done with children under the age of four.

   IV. Modeling

 Use a story or picture story about sharing. Ask children if they understand the meaning of 'sharing.' Let them discuss their various interpretations of sharing without intervening so that they can share their own meaning of the word.

Next, tell them you have a sharing activity and show them the bag of treats. Tell them you would like everyone to have a piece of the goodies and so you want to count out how many children are in the group and how many treats there are. Have children assist in the counting of the children and mark this number on the board or piece of paper for all to see. Count the treats and do the same. Make sure that there

    V. Check for Understanding

 After everyone has had a chance to work cooperatively to move a heavy object, bring the group back together to talk about the experience. Ask individual children or ask for a coral response as to the meaning of the word 'cooperation.' Ask children to share examples of how their classmates worked in a cooperative way and how being cooperative made them feel. Ask for examples of cooperation the children have seen in the classroom prior to this experience.

    VI. Guided Practice (80% rule)

 Have children talk about ways they can be cooperative with each other in the future, then have children draw, paint or model ways they can be cooperative, or ways they have seen other children be cooperative, in the classroom.

  VII. Independent Practice

 Have children chart ways they were cooperative, or ways others were cooperative throughout the day, either in the classroom or at home. Have the children share these experiences orally with each other in group or in a journal.