Primary 4

Personal and Social Development

Stage:
Primary 4

Strand:
PSD: Being able to demonstrate respect for those whose opinions and views differ from your own

Purposes of the curriculum 3-18

• successful learners able to think creatively and independently
• responsible citizens with respect for others and able to develop informed, ethical views of complex issues

Title:
Seeing things from another point of view

Today we are going to:

• Find out how there is more than one way of looking at things
• Explore the importance of being open to new ways of thinking

We will know we have been successful if we

• Start recognising that there is more than one point of view
• Recognise that our point of view is not always the correct one
• Learn to hear what others are saying

Resources

• Optical Illusion pictures (3 are attached for you to copy) or different scented candles, soaps
• The Three Little Pigs - from the Wolf's point of view

Step 1: Warm-up / Round
Show the optical illusions and ask what pupils can see or you could select different scented candles or soaps and pass round for people to smell - ask who liked which. From there you will see that there are different preferences and we do not all choose the same thing or like similar smells.

Step 2:
Divide children into groups of 4/5/6 ( depending on class size). Ask them to think of an alternative story line to famous fairy stories (ideas taken from Primary Values Pack Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum, Examination and Assessment (CEA), p. 269-270)

Group 1: Cinderella - told from the point of view of The Ugly Sisters e.g. 'The Ignored Sisters'

Group 2: Jack and the Beanstalk - from the giant's point of view e.g. 'A burglar is in my house'

Group 3: The Three Little Pigs - told from the point of view of the Wolf e.g. 'The Unlucky Wolf'

Group 4: The Three Billy Goats Gruff - told from the point of view of the Troll e.g. 'Hooligan Goats'

Step 3: Share your different stories

• Each group should share its different version of their famous fairy tale.
• Ask pupils to always consider things from different points of view before making their minds up. That way, they will be less likely to stereotype.
• It might also help you to be more tolerant of people with different points of view to your own.

Step 4: Calming down / closing ritual

• Read the story The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs.
• Round up by reminding the children of seeing things for all points of view before making your mind up.

For the teacher

Self-awareness - children begin to consider views (their own and other people's).
Self-esteem - they develop confidence to think creatively.
Inter-personal relationships - learn to listen and respect the views of others.
Independence and inter-dependence - help children to understand the views of others and to respond to those.

Books

The True Story of the Three Little Pigs, by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith (illustrator), 1996, Puffin Books, £5.99.
This spoof on the story of The Three Little Pigs is told from the wolf's point of view.

OPTICAL ILLUSIONS

How many legs does this elephant have?

Man playing a saxophone or a face of a woman?

Two faces ... or one?
(hint: two faces side profile facing each other, or one front view)