In a Pickle

Rachel Karnitz

MSUM Intern 2002-2003

Garfield Elementary School

North Mankato, MN

 

Description of the Lesson

 

            In a pickle is a classroom guidance lesson that can be used alone, for one week, or can be integrated into other curriculum on social skills. This lesson was developed by Rachel Karnitz for use with elementary school students, to assist them in learning appropriate social skills. This lesson is designed to be delivered in a session of 30-40 minutes.

           

            The lesson begins with introducing the topic of “being in a pickle.” (You can also use the term “sticky situation”) Give the students an example of being in a pickle (e.g. overhearing someone say mean things about you or a friend, getting lost at the grocery store) where you don’t know what to do. Tell the students we will be playing a game with pickles. Introduce the pickle jar.

           

            The jar should be filled with slips of paper shaped like pickles. Each pickle should have a situation listed on it. The jar will be passed around and each student has to draw out a pickle and read the situation. For younger students, the situations can be read by the teacher/counselor. After the situation is read, the student needs to respond by saying what they would do in that situation. If the student is stuck on the answer, the rest of the class can help out with suggestions. Some example situations are listed below.

 

• Your math teacher gies you the wrong grade on an assignment.
• You are in the grocery store and can’t find the item you are looking for.
• You overhear some kids in the bathroom talking about you.
• You overhear some kids at lunch saying bad things about one of your friends.
• You get on the bus to go home and there are no empty seats.
• You are at the store and the sales clerk gives you too much change.
• You and a friend get in an argument. The next day you want to make up.
• You are walking at the mall and can’t find where you need to go.
• You are waiting for your parents to pick you up at school after a basketball game, and no one shows up. It is getting late and almost everyone have left the school.
• You see your elderly neighbor struggling to bring in her groceries.
• You and your sister can’t agree on what TV show to watch.
• A friend asks to copy your homework.
• You are working on a group project and one group member isn’t doing their work.
• Someone asks you to go somewhere that you really don’t want to know.
• Your parents still haven’t mentioned the notice that you brought home from school about signing up for basketball. You really want to join.
• A teacher accuses you of cheating on a test. You know you didn’t.
• Your mom wants you to join the church choir. You aren’t interested in joining.

 

• You are in a store and your friend asks you to help steal a shirt.
• Your best friend invites you to go bike riding. Your parents aren’t home and you have to have their permission before you can go.
• A sranger offers you a ride home. You feel uncomfortable.
• A neighbor asks you to take care of their dog while they are on vacation. You know you can’t do it that weekend.
• You really want to ask someone to the school dance.
• Someone at school is always teasing you and calling you names.
• You are taking care of your friend’s pet for the weekend when it dies.

 

            Give each student a chance to answer a pickle situation. After the jar has gone around the whole room, review with the students good things to do in a pickle situation, such as asking an adult for help, speaking politely, etc.

 

Connections to Related Standards, Competencies and Domains

 

For Further Information

 

Rachel Karnitz

MSUM Intern

Email: rlkarnitz@yahoo.com