King of the Playground Lesson Plan

Discussion Points: How to deal with bullies, social problem solving

Summary - Kevin loves to go to the playground but not when Sammy is there. Sammy says he is king of the playground and says he will do awful things to Kevin is her plays there. Kevin tells his dad about Sammy and they talk it over. One day, Kevin gets up the courage to go to the playground and even though Sammy tells him to go home, he stays.

Activities:
1. Teacher tells the children they are doing a mime. Acting without speaking. She starts by acting as if she is on a swing in the playground, she invites the children to join her in silence. She goes through different playground activities like monkey bars, slides, sandbox, see-saw etc. The children can then continue playing on which they like best

Objectives: Create a place of happiness and friendship as students and teacher jointly create an imaginary world. Practice observation and team work as they relate to each other in this imaginary world

2. “Spot the king and queen of the playground”
Students close their eyes and teacher chooses the king and queen of playground. These are kids who believe they own the playground and they are asked to think of ways they could be mean to the other children on the playground. Game is played in silence. Then teacher calls it to a stop and the students guess who were the king and queen and what actions they did and how that was mean.

Objectives: Could start with children’s own stories of how others had been mean to them while on the playground. The game allows for us to see what the students perceive to be mean acts. Also it could generate a discussion as to why that is perceived as mean and what are the feelings the students have when treated this way. Also the way the children act to the ‘bully’ can be discussed. What happened when the bully pushed them? What else could they do to stop the bully? Can be played 3 times, students seem to enjoy it.

3. Read the King of the Playground
And stop at the different times Kevin was challenged and get the students to take on the role
1) Slide
2) Swing
3) Monkey Bars
Read the story to the end and show how Sammy and Kevin finally became friends.

Objectives: Have 1 child be Kevin. 1 child be Sammy and another to be the father.
Before reading what Kevin and his father talk about, ask the student to say what they would have done. Then get Sammy to respond to that and see how the situation would evolve.

Good way to discuss appropriate problem-solving strategies. Many times the students suggest fighting back or using some force, discuss other ways of dealing with the situation.