Scottish Government

Time

Trainer Notes

Props/Materials

00.00

(As children enter all get sticky label & felt pen/stickers & can create name label for themselves or get help writing name)

Child friendly music playing as come in

Children seated on floor in circle with Karen/Callan & Consultant part of circle

Intro

Hello boys & girls. My name is Karen and I'm visiting you today with my friend (insert name of Ekosgen consultant). We've been sent to meet you because we've heard that you are going to be able to help us. You see, we are on a special mission to find out what you think about all the things children like you see and do and use every day. Things like your school, your after school club, the parks and swimming pools you might go to…. We want to know if you like these things and what would make them even better.

To find out what you think we're going to play some games and have some fun. We're going to talk and draw and at the end we are going to give out some special certificates to all the children who are helping us with our mission. How does that sound?

We're all going to be together for about an hour. (do any practical stuff about toilets/water if need be) If you decide during that time that you don't want to play any more that's fine - you can just let me or ( name of consultant) know. If you decide you'd rather just have a talk with me later about what you think that's fine too, you can just tell me that.

(Name of consultant) is going to stay and write down any ideas we come up with or interesting things you tell us. Is that ok with everyone?

Sticky labels

Felt pens

Sticky labels with stars etc

Music player & music

00.05

Warm Up Game

Shall we play a game to begin? Put your hand up if you have ever played musical statues. Put your hand up if you are good at being a statue. I don't believe you! I'm going to test you out.

I'm going to play some music. You are going to move around the room when the music plays. When the music stops I want you to freeze.

What does freeze mean? (make sure all understand)

(Play music - stop - make sure all frozen/understand/play around re blinking/shoogling etc

That was too easy! Let's make this more difficult! The next time the music stops you freeze again but this time you freeze as… a frog!

(Play music - stop - go round and examine frogs - tap 1 of them on shoulder - explain if tap on shoulder they stay frozen - unfreeze rest of group - get them to examine frog - what is child doing that we know they are being a frog? - discuss how they are using their whole body to show who they are/what doing)

You have made frozen pictures! Making a frozen picture means you can show us something you are doing and how you feel about it. Shall we try that out? Let's try first showing an action. The next time the music stops you are going to freeze as…. A highland dancer

(as above - discuss how can show movement even though we frozen)

Let's do one last practice of frozen pictures. We've learned that when we make a frozen picture we can use our whole bodies to show what we are doing and who we are. When we make a frozen picture we can also show how we feel.

This time we are going to do it without the music. When I say freeze I want you to make a frozen picture of a little boy or girl saying goodbye to their mum and dad on their first day at school. Now let's think about some of the things that little boy or girl might be feeling. Who has some ideas?

(answers - encourage a mix e.g. excited/upset/worried/confused)

(as above - show & discuss how have shown how they feeling in their face and body)

Well done everyone! You have learned how to make frozen pictures that show what you are doing and how you feel about what you are doing (give praise)

Music & music player

00.15

Play & Leisure

Now we are going to make some frozen pictures of things that all of us really do and then we're going to talk about them.

Firstly we're going to think about having fun! We're going to think about all the places where we go to play and all the things we do when we're not at school.

Let's come up with some ideas to get us started. Where do you go to play and have fun? (get answers and encourage them to think about places/things that aren't e.g. TV/going to granny's but more about public spaces & amenities)

Let's make some frozen pictures of us all doing the things we like to do. Shall I show you mine first?

(show them frozen image of being in museum - get them to discuss -added benefit of showing this is it will add in another amenity for them to discuss which they may not think of - remind them of showing action & showing feeling in frozen picture)

Just like before we're going to move around the room and when I say freeze you are going to make a frozen picture of you playing & having fun in your favourite place from some of the places we have described. Let's hop around the room this time since we're thinking of having fun! Hop in any direction and fill up the whole room - don't leave any spaces!

(Hop around room then freeze. Tap about 4 on shoulder - choose children doing different activities. Rest can unfreeze and observe initially. Children tapped again on shoulder unfreeze and talk* as themselves but in moment of frozen picture

- get them to describe what they are doing
- where they are
- what can they see around them
- who are they with
- why it's their favourite
- what would make it even better
- is it a safe place? What would make it even safer?

* If it is obvious a child does not want to talk in front of group facilitator will move on in a supportive manner - no-one will be forced to talk.

Ask the observers if they want to ask the child anything or if they agree or disagree - get audience involved at this stage asking e.g. how do you feel at the park? What makes you feel happy there? What do you want to see there?)

What about the places where you don't really enjoy going to? This time when I say freeze I want you to make me a frozen picture of a place where you don't enjoy going to play or have fun. So it might be that you don't like the park near your house because there aren't enough swings to play on and they are really rubbish - I'll show you my frozen picture of that (show). You'll all have your own….Let's skip around the room this time. When I say freeze I'd like to see your frozen picture of you doing something you don't like doing or don't like to go to play.

Skip around room then freeze. Tap about 4 on shoulder - choose children doing different activities. Rest can unfreeze and observe initially. Children tapped again on shoulder unfreeze and talk as themselves but in moment of frozen picture

- get them to describe what they are doing
- where they are
- what can they see around them
- who are they with
- why they don't like it
- what would make it better
- is it a safe place? What would make it even safer?

Ask the observers if they want to ask the child anything or if they agree or disagree - get audience involved at this stage asking e.g. how do you feel at the swimming pool? What makes you feel happy there? What do you want to see there?)

00.30

ChildCare and Early Education

So we've been thinking about what we do when we're not at school/nursery. What I'd like us to do now is think about school/nursery and also the places we go if mum & dad or the people who look after you are at work.

Let's play a different game to get us started.

We're going to find out just how much you like and dislike things.

Imagine there is a big line down the middle of the room.

(walk to one end of the room). At this end of the line is the top - the best - the highest mark you could ever give anything. It means it's the best. (optional if need to include maximum interaction: can get them to shout hurray! Etc)

(walk to middle of room). At this part of the line it means that something is ok - it's not bad but it's not your favourite thing either. (optional: can get them to show double thumbs wavering in middle etc)

(walk to other end of room) At this end of the line it means boo! Rubbish! The worst! (optional : can get to shout boo!)

You can go to any point along the line that you want. (show example of subtleties of line! e.g. how much do I like watching TV? - I stand on point where it quite a lot but not my best thing)

Shall we try this out? Everyone up on your feet and walk around the room for me in any direction filling up the whole room. I am going to ask you a question and when I say 'go'! I want you to run straight away to the point in the line which shows how you feel about that thing

(try a couple of times with e.g. sweeties/football as trial)

Everyone move around the room - fill up all the spaces and spread out.

How much do you like school/nursery? Go!

(see where they are on line - get them to stay on line. Gather them together roughly into 3 groups between like/not like/average. Ask them as a group to talk about why they chose where they did on the line. Let them talk as a group for a moment.)

(Questions for each group based around where they are on the line e.g.:

- What do you like about school/nursery?
- Is there anything you don't like?
- How do you feel when you are there?
- How do you want to feel?
- What adults are there at your school/nursery (get them to remind themselves of not just teachers but classroom assistants/ HT/dinner ladies/office staff/janitor etc)
- How do you want the adults to be at school?
- What do your friends think of school/nursery? )

Well done everyone …(praise based on what they have done)

Now let's think about where you go if mum & dad/carer is at work or is busy. Hands up - tell me where do you go? After school club? Childminder?

(Get all answers and get them each to choose which one they mainly go to. Divide into 3-4 groups according to mum or dad do full time care/after school club/child minder/other family and sit with that group)

We're going to do the same again with our big imaginary line down the room. Our after school club group are going to go first. After school clubbers - can you remind me which is the top mark end of the room?

Only the after school clubbers are going to walk around the room this time…

(repeat exercise above for each of 2/3 groups. Children take place on line then are encouraged to discuss why they choose that position. Additional questions

- what's good about it?
- What could be better?
- How do you feel when you are there?
- How do you want to feel?)

00.45

Health Behaviours

Next I would like you to think about times when you have had to go to the nurse or the doctor or the dentist. It might have been because you were ill or maybe just because you needed a jag or a check up. Can everyone think of a time like this? (check they all understand and can think of an example)

What I'd like you to do now is to get into pairs.
(let them do that)

Can you decide that one of you is called a and one of you is called b? (let them do that)

B I want you to pretend that you are a lump of clay.

What is clay? What does if look like? What can it do? What can't it do? (answers)

A you are a sculptor! What does a sculptor do? (answers/explain)

A, I would like you to use B to sculpt a model of your ideal nurse or dentist or doctor or anyone you have met whose job it is to help you look after your health.

If group need example: I'll show you an example. Can I have a volunteer to be my lump of clay?

(model 1 person into a nurse - model open body language/smiling/listening and explain it)

Each pair find a space in the room. B you now are a lump of clay ready to be moulded by A. As you can get to work.

(give them few moments to do this. Go round and help them where needed e.g. reminding about feelings/expression on face
allow up to 5 minutes for modelling)

As - I would like you to walk around the gallery of models we have created and see everyone's work but there are some rules about walking around this gallery! The rules are we can't touch the models and we can't try to make them laugh, we can only look! Try to think about who the models are and what they are doing and what kind of person they might be. Off you go.

(Gather back together and discuss. Ask 1-2 of sculptors if they are willing to discuss their models. Let the others unfreeze and gather round sculptors who would like to 'show'

Get group to say who they think the model is and what kind of person they are. Get sculptor to describe

- What their job is
- What sort of person they are (encourage discussion on being able to talk to adults)
- Why they think the sort of person this person is makes them good at their job
- What is the place like where this person works
- Is there anything about the place where they work that could be better?)

(if there is time and group able an d/or interested in this theme can swap over so B becomes sculptor and this time sculpts an image of how they don't want an adult to be… e.g. the evil dentist!)

Has anyone had someone come to their class to talk about healthy eating? Can you remember what you learned? How did they show you what healthy eating is?

00.55

Family & Parenting Support

We're nearly finished our mission everyone. Remember we want to know what children think about the things you do and you are helping us so much! What wonderful answers you've given us!

So far today we've thought about play, we've thought about school and who looks after us after school and we've thought about the people who look after our health. The last thing we're going to do is think about people that come and help everyone in our family.

Is there anyone who comes to your house to help mum & dad? (mostly likely get 'granny' so try and steer towards people whose job it is to help your family) What do these people do? How do you feel when they help your family?

If you were ever worried about mum or dad or anyone in your family do you know who you would talk to? Who would it be? Can you think of anyone from all the people we've mentioned today who might be able to help?

If you were worried about someone in your family what would you like to happen for them? What would you like to not happen?

Do you go to any special groups with your mum and dad? Do you like these groups? Can you think of a group you would like to go to with your family?

01.10

Wrap up

Well done everyone! We've almost come to the end of our session and you have really helped us with our mission. You've taught us lots about what children think about the things they do every day.

We have 1 last job for you before you go.

I am going to give you each a piece of paper and also you can help yourself to crayons, pencils and felt pens.

We want you each to leave us a drawing and a few words on your piece of paper. The drawing and words are going to sum up what you feel about all the things we've spoken about today - about where we play, about school, about the people who look after our health and who help and look after us.

You can draw or write whatever you would like to. You might want to tell us how happy something makes you like your football pitch or a museum you have been to or you might want to draw us a picture of your ideal after school club. You might like to draw and/or write lots of things or just one thing. It's totally up to you. You can find a space on your own in the room or stay in the circle. (Ekosgen consultant) and I will come round and help you and we might get you to tell us a bit about your drawing and words.

(hand out paper and pencils etc. check understand/help any individuals. As go round might want to ask, for example

- can you describe that to me?
- Is this your drawing of school/nursery/your park? Why don't you write a couple of words beside it about how you feel about school/nursery/your park? Do you want me to write the words for you? Tell me the words you want to say and I will write them down (scribe exactly)

Give them time checks e.g. start to finish off what you doing. Work with whatever they come up with. Gather in finished paper)

Individual sheets of paper, felt pens, crayons & pencils

01.20

Questions, Certificates, Thanks & Applause and Close