1. Solving Problems Key stage 2 Year 3 I can work with different people in my class

2. Learning outcomes Knowledge Skills
I understand that people often need to play / work together to reach a shared outcome even when they disagree
I am beginning to understand empathy and why people can be different (in behaviour and image)
Skills
I can say how they feel in difficult situations.
I can listen to others doing the same.

3. How we will work together (ground rules)
Can you remember the ground rules we have already talked about, let’s take a minute to think about them.
Teacher notes
Read these through with the children. Hopefully the ground rules will be displayed in the classroom already.

4. What do we already know? What is a disagreement?
What is a disagreement? Discuss and record ideas. Are disagreements a bad thing? It is ever ok to disagree? Help children understand that because people are different and have different opinions on things, there will be many times when they don’t agree. Ensure that they realise that this is ok. Disagreements are normal and not a problem if each person deals with it in the right way.

5. Let’s get started
What can happen when people disagree? How does it make you feel?
Discuss and record different things that can happen when people disagree. E.g shouting, arguing, falling out. Discuss how people feel in these situations.

6. Agree Or Disagree
In your groups, read the statements and decide if you agree or disagree.
Have statements for children to sort in groups as to whether they agree or disagree.
Come together as a class. Did everyone in your group think the same? Was this a problem?
Read some of the statements – stand this side if you agree and the other side if you disagree. Is it ok for people to disagree? Ensure that children understand that there will be many times when they do not agree with someone else and this is the same for adults. Explain that it is fine to disagree as we are all different and can have different opinions of things. However, we need to try to make sure that our disagreement does not turn into an argument. When we have disagreements we need to think about ways to solve them so that we can work together. Or we need to understand that there may be sometimes when people cannot agree on something and therefore they need to accept this and still work alongside each other. Provide children with some examples.
Sometimes you have to work together with others, even when there are disagreements. Disagreements don’t mean that you won’t succeed as a group but they do mean that you might have to change your ideas.

7.
What has the problem? How did the small birds treat the big bird? Why do you think that is?
Ask the children if they have ever heard of the word empathy. What does it mean? Use a dictionary and share the meaning.
How do you think the big bird felt? Was he unkind? Did he deserve to be treated like that? Do you think the small birds would have done the same if he looked like them?
Help children understand that it doesn’t matter what you look like, but it’s the kind of person you are that matters.
What were the small birds like? What do you think they could have done differently? Do you think the little birds will have learned from what happened and act differently in the future?
Help children understand that it doesn’t matter if people look or act the same as you, you can still work together.

8. Similarities and differences
Look carefully at the photographs. How are the children similar and how are they different?
You may want to use your own photos. Ensure you have a discussion about respecting differences. You may want to have had previous discussions about different religions etc
Photos of different children. How are they similar/how are they different? What makes us different?
Children may want to see how many different group they could sort them into. They may want post its to record ideas.
Bring the class together and discuss.
Can we work with people that are different to us? Can we work with people that we disagree with? Are our friends always the best person to work with?
Refer back to the film clip. How would you feel if people excluded you because you looked or acted differently from others?

9. Talking about difficult situations
I can say how I feel in difficult situations.
Ask children to think about a situation they have been in that they found difficult. Has anyone experienced something similar to the big bird in the film clip? Provide an example yourself for the children to listen to. Ask them how they think you felt at that time. Allow children to share their experience and explain how they felt.
If children are finding it difficult to start talking you could use a puppet and have some scenarios ready to share and ask the children how they think the puppet felt. This may then encourage children to start to talk. Remind children of the meaning of empathy. Encourage them to think about the feelings of others as they are sharing their experiences and feelings.

10. How has our learning progressed
Getting to the other side!
Ask children to stand in a line and make sure that are standing next to someone that they don’t usually stand with. Explain that they need to get from one end of the hall/classroom/playground to the other but they are only allowed to stand on a piece of newspaper. Provide the children with 4 or 5 pieces. Children will need to work together, hopefully with people they don’t necessarily play with, in order to get across to the other side. Encourage children to discuss ideas s they go. Explain that you are looking out for good team work/ ways to overcome problems/ any disagreement to be discussed without falling out.

11. Taking the learning away
The next time you playing or working with someone and you disagree with something they have done or said, think about how you can react.
Remind children of what we have learned in this lesson. Remind children that it is ok to disagree and that disagreements can be worked out in order to complete a task or play a game.

12. Additional resources & help Where can I go for help?
Talk to your teacher or an adult in school
Talk to your Mum, Dad or someone you trust at home about how you are feeling
If you have them
Write your worry down and post it in the class worry box
Talk to a peer mediator in your school
Write your worry down on the worry wall on the school’s website
Contact Childline –