Session 1 Script

Welcome and Icebreaker (5 minutes)

Teacher (smiling and enthusiastic):
“Hi there! Welcome to Session 1 of Solve It Together. My name is [Your Name], and today we’re going to have some fun learning how to notice how people feel and start solving tricky social problems. Ready to get started?”

Teacher:
“First, let’s play Emotion Charades. I’ll hand you a card from the Session 1 Emotion Charades Activity. When it’s your turn, act out the feeling on your card without using words. I’ll guess, and then we’ll switch.”

(Teacher passes cards; student acts and teacher guesses.)

Teacher (after 2–3 rounds):
“Great job! Tell me, what clues helped you figure out each emotion?”
Student Response
Teacher (prompting):
“Did the person’s face look a certain way? How did their body move?”

Teacher:
“Recognizing feelings helps us know what someone else might need or want. That’s the first step toward solving social challenges!”

Introduce Problem-Solving Steps (7 minutes)

Teacher (opening the Session 1 Slide Deck):
“Now, let’s learn the 4 Steps to Problem Solving. I’ll show you each step, and then we’ll practice together.”

Slide: “1. Identify the Problem”
Teacher:
“Step 1 is identifying the problem. I ask: What’s happening? Who’s involved? For example, if your friend seems sad, the problem might be ‘my friend is upset and I don’t know why.’ Can you think of a time when you noticed a problem like that?”
Student Response
Teacher (follow-up):
“How did you know there was a problem?”

Slide: “2. Brainstorm Solutions”
Teacher:
“Step 2 is brainstorming. We list all ideas, even silly ones. Quantity over quality! If your friend is upset, you might say, ‘Ask them what’s wrong,’ ‘Give them a hug,’ or even ‘Draw them a picture.’ Can you think of one idea right now?”
Student Response
Teacher (encourage more):
“What’s another idea, no matter how wild?”

Slide: “3. Choose the Best Solution”
Teacher:
“Step 3 is choosing. We pick the idea that is safe, respectful, and likely to help. If we have ‘ask them what’s wrong’ and ‘throw a surprise party,’ which is the safest and most respectful? Why?”
Student Response
Teacher (prompt):
“How might that choice solve the problem?”

Slide: “4. Act & Reflect”
Teacher:
“Step 4 is acting on our choice and then reflecting. We ask: Did it work? What could I do differently next time? That helps us learn and grow.”

Slide: “Example Scenario”
Teacher:
“Let’s practice all four steps with this scenario: ‘Your friend seems upset and doesn’t want to play.’

1. How would you identify the problem?
2. What ideas would you brainstorm?
3. Which idea would you choose?
4. How would you check if it worked?”

(Guide the student through each question, prompting as needed.)

Worksheet Activity: Identifying Problems (8 minutes)

Teacher:
“Great work! Now let’s use the Session 1 Identifying Problems Worksheet. I’ll read each scenario aloud. Your job is to underline the main problem in each one.”

(Teacher hands out worksheet.)
Teacher (reading Scenario 1):
“‘You and your classmate both want the same toy.’ Where is the problem? Please underline it.”
Student works
Teacher:
“Show me where you underlined. Why did you choose that?”
Student Response
Teacher (using Session 1 Perspective Taking Rubric):
“Nice work. Let’s think: how might your classmate feel? Does that change your understanding of the problem?”

(Repeat for 2–3 scenarios.)

Interactive Game: What Would You Do? (7 minutes)

Teacher:
“Next, let’s play What Would You Do? using the Session 1 What Would You Do? Game. I’ll read a scenario card, and you’ll tell me what you would do.”

(Teacher draws a card.)
Teacher (reading):
“‘You see someone sitting alone at lunch looking sad.’ What would you do?”
Student Response
Teacher (follow-up):
“That’s a thoughtful idea. Why did you pick that? How might the other person feel when you do that?”

Teacher (using Session 1 Discussion Prompts):
“Let’s consider another perspective: if you were the person sitting alone, what would you want someone to do?”

(Play 2–3 rounds.)

Wrap-Up and Reflection (3 minutes)

Teacher:
“We’ve done a lot today! We played Emotion Charades, learned the 4 problem-solving steps, underlined problems on our worksheet, and practiced decision-making in our game.”

Teacher (prompting reflection):
“What is one key takeaway you’ll remember from today?”
Student Response
Teacher:
“That’s fantastic. This week, try to notice when someone looks upset and practice using our four steps: identify, brainstorm, choose, and reflect. Next time, we’ll build on these skills with new challenges!”

Teacher (smiling):
“Thank you for your hard work today. I’m proud of you—see you in Session 2!”

Session 1 Identifying Problems Worksheet

Instructions: Read each scenario and underline the main problem in the sentence below.

1. You and your classmate both want to play with the same toy at recess. Underline the main problem.

1. Your friend is upset because no one invited them to join the game. Underline the main problem.

1. During lunchtime, two students reach for the same lunchbox at the same time. Underline the main problem.

1. You and a group of peers disagree about which game to play at the playground. Underline the main problem.

Session 1 Discussion Prompts

Use these questions during activities—especially the Session 1 What Would You Do? Game—to help students explore others’ perspectives and deepen empathy:

• After hearing a scenario, ask: How do you think the other person feels?
  
  
  
• What might be going through their mind right now?
  
  
  
• If you were in their shoes, how would you feel?
  
  
  
• What is one kind thing you could say or do to help them?
  
  
  
• What do you think is causing them to feel this way?
  
  
  
• How might your idea affect how they feel?
  
  
  
• Can you think of another way to look at this situation?
  
  
  
• Why is it important to consider someone else’s perspective before acting?
  
  
  
• What could happen if we don’t think about how others feel?
  
  
  

Feel free to revisit these prompts throughout the session to guide reflection and encourage thoughtful discussion about perspective taking.

Session 1 Emotion Charades Activity

Objective:
Help the student recognize and label basic emotions by acting them out and observing nonverbal cues.

Materials:

• Printed emotion cards (cut into individual prompts)
• A container or small bag to hold the cards

Setup:

1. Print and cut out the emotion prompt cards provided below.
2. Fold each card and place them in a container or bag.
3. Arrange chairs or clear a small space where the student can stand and move safely.

Instructions:

1. Explain the rules:
   • The student draws one card without showing it and acts out the emotion using facial expressions and body language—no words allowed.
   • The teacher (or you) watches and guesses which emotion is being portrayed.
   • After guessing, discuss the clues (e.g., facial expression, posture, gestures) that led to the answer.
2. Take turns for 2–3 rounds, so the teacher can also act out emotions and the student can guess.
3. After each round, ask questions to deepen understanding:
   • “What facial expression did you notice?”
   • “How did the person’s body move?”
   • “What clues helped you know the emotion?”
4. Emphasize that recognizing emotions in ourselves and others is the first step in understanding feelings and responding appropriately in social situations.

Emotion Prompt Cards:

• Happy
• Sad
• Angry
• Surprised
• Scared
• Excited
• Bored
• Tired
• Frustrated
• Proud
   
   

Note: Use these cards at the start of the session to warm up and set the stage for exploring perspective taking and problem solving.

Session 1 What Would You Do? Game

Objective:
Practice problem-solving steps, perspective taking, and choosing expected behaviors in real-life social situations.

Materials:

• Printed scenario cards (cut into individual cards)
• A container or box to hold cards
• Session 1 Discussion Prompts

Setup:

1. Print and cut out the scenario cards (see below).
2. Fold or shuffle them and place them in a container.
3. Have the student and teacher sit facing each other with the container between them.

Instructions:

1. The student draws one scenario card without looking and reads it aloud (or the teacher reads it if the student prefers).
2. Ask the student: “What would you do in this situation?”
   • Encourage them to name one or more of the four problem-solving steps: identify the problem, brainstorm solutions, choose the best solution, and act & reflect.
3. After the student answers, probe with discussion prompts:
   • “Why did you pick that option?”
   • “How might the other person feel when you do that?”
   • Use the Session 1 Discussion Prompts to deepen perspective taking.
4. Reflect briefly on how this choice follows the problem-solving steps and expected behaviors (safe, respectful, helpful).
5. Return the card to the bottom of the pile and repeat for 3–4 rounds, or until time is up.

Scenario Cards:

• You see someone sitting alone at lunch looking sad.
• Your classmate forgot their homework and is worried about getting in trouble.
• A friend accidentally knocks over your supplies and they spread on the floor.
• You hear two classmates whispering and laughing while looking at you.
• Your teammate isn’t passing you the ball during a game.
• A new student is standing by themselves at recess and seems shy.
• A group plans a surprise party but forgot to invite the person it’s for.
• You notice your friend is upset because someone teased them.
• Your partner in a project isn’t doing their share of work.
• Someone in class drops their pencil and doesn’t notice it.

Session 1 Perspective Taking Rubric

Use this rubric to assess how well the student recognizes and applies others’ perspectives during activities.

Scoring Guide:

• Total points = Sum of scores for each criterion (maximum 16).
• 13–16: Exemplary understanding and application of perspective.
• 9–12: Proficient; meets expectations with room to deepen insight.
• 5–8: Developing; emerging skills but needs more practice.
• 4 or below: Beginning; requires targeted support to build perspective-taking skills.

Use this rubric during the Worksheet Activity: Identifying Problems and the What Would You Do? Game to provide actionable feedback and guide growth in perspective taking.