Unit 1 Skills Building: Do Unto Otters

Skills Building: Do Unto Otters (PK-2)

Written and Illustrated by Laurie Keller

TEKS: Reading K.5(D); 1.6(D); 2.6(D); 3.6(D); 4.6(D); 5.6(D)

Pre Reading Questions

What types of things do good friends and neighbors do for each other?
How do good friends and neighbors speak to each other?
Why is it important to be a good friend and neighbor?
What does it mean to show respect?
When you meet someone for the first time, what are some things you do to show respect?

Post Reading Questions

Have you ever felt worried, like Mr. Rabbit, about meeting new people or being in a new situation?
How did Mr. Rabbit’s actions help him?
Can you think of a time when you followed the “Golden Rule” with your friends or family?
What did this book try to teach us about respect? How can we use what we have learned from Mr. Rabbit in school and at home?

Creative Enrichment Activity: Paper Bag Otters (Pre-K-5)

Overview:

Being respectful of others requires practice. The more we practice being respectful, the easier it becomes in our everyday lives. Today, students will create otter puppets that will be used to practice being respectful.

Materials

● Brown paper bags
● Crayons or markers
● Speech bubbles. Download template.
● Bell, whistle, or chime

Duration: 40 minutes

● 3 minutes – Explain the activity and pass out supplies
● 10 minutes – Create your otters
● 2 minutes – Clean up supplies and pair up
● 15 minutes – Role-play respect
● 5 minutes – Create speech bubbles
● 5 minutes – Reflect on the activity

Instructions

Before the activity, print and cut out speech bubbles for students.
Gather students at tables and explain the activity.
Remind students that respect means acting in ways that show we care about the feelings and well-being of others.
Pass out brown paper bags (one per student) and crayons or markers.
Students decorate their bags to be “respectful otters.”
After 10 minutes, students clean up supplies and form pairs. Ask students to identify who will be Student A and who will be Student B.
Read the first scenario to the students:
- Scenario #1: A new student who never smiles sits alone on the bench at recess.
Ask Student A to use their otter to demonstrate what being respectful would look like in this situation. After another minute, switch to Student B.
Read the second scenario to the students:
- Scenario #2: A student who runs slowly joins your relay team during gym.
This time, ask Student B to use their otter to demonstrate what being respectful would look like in this situation. After another minute, switch to Student A.
After role-playing the scenarios, hand out speech bubbles. Ask students to write one positive message that shows respect and glue it to their otters.
Put away all supplies and gather together.

Reflection Questions

How did your classmates show you respect when you created and shared your otter?
If you were in a situation that we acted out, how would you feel if others were disrespectful towards you?
How did it feel when you used your otter to show respect?
How would you feel if someone showed you that kind of respect?
Why can it be difficult to be respectful?
How can we show respect at school to our classmates and teachers?
How can we show respect in our homes to our families?

Skills Building: Do Unto Otters (PK-2)

Creative Enrichment Activity: Paper Bag Otters (Pre-K-5)

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