Appendix A

Good morning boys and girls. We are going to be learning about a lot of different things over
the next few weeks. I am very excited to be able to work with you and get to know each of you!
Before we begin our lessons, I am going to need some information from you. This is NOT a test,
I am just trying to learn how much you know about some of the things we are going to be talking
about over the next few weeks.
There are NO right or wrong answers. This is not for a grade or anything like that. All I need
you to do is be HONEST in your answers. If you don't know something or what a word means,
that is fine. You will know what the word means (hopefully!) after the lessons!
I am going to hand out the paper. Once you get your paper, please take out a pencil. Please
write your name on the top of your paper and STOP. Do not do anything else.
Has everyone put their name on their paper? GREAT! Now, if you look at your paper, you are
going to see some questions and three different faces after each question. (Draw each smiley
up on the board with yes/all the time, maybe/sometimes, no/never)

This face means yes, all the time.

This face means maybe, sometimes.

This face means no, never.

The maybe or no face ARE NOT BAD. Just because it is a sad face, does not mean it is sad or
bad that you picked that. It just means you don't know about that word or idea. Do not pick
what your friend picks. Do not pick what you THINK I would want you to pick. PICK THE ONE
THAT BEST FITS HOW YOU FEEL. When I have given this to other students, I have seen
some happy faces, some straight faces and some sad faces.
I am going to read the 1st question and then you CIRCLE the face which YOU think is the best
answer for YOU. Once every one is finished, we will read the next question and go from there.
Even if you can read, do not go ahead. We are going to do this together. If you do not know
what a word means or you do not understand something, just pick the sad face. Any questions??
Let's GO!

NAME: ________________________________________
1. Do you know how to show someone you are listening?

2. I think I am a good listener.

3. I know how to keep my hands to myself.

4. I use my hands to help others.

5. I know what kind words are.

6. I use kind words.

7. I know what polite words are.

8. I use polite words.

9. I know ways to talk about my feelings.

10. I care about other people's feelings.

11. I know what the word responsibility means.

12. I know how to be responsible.

Appendix B: First Grade "I Care Cat" Lesson Plans

Adapted from Peacemaking Skills for Little Kids by Fran Schmidt and Alice Friedman
Competencies Addressed:
PS:A1.6 Distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate behavior
PS:A1.8 Understand the need for self-control and how to practice it
PS:A1.9 Demonstrate cooperative behavior in groups
PS:A2.6 Use effective communication skills
PS:A2.7 Know that communication involves speaking, listening, and nonverbal behavior
PS:B1.2 Understand consequences of decisions and solutions
PS:C1.3 Learn about differences between appropriate and inappropriate physical contact
SESSION 1:
Objective: To teach the first two rules of "I-Care" Rules
1. We listen to each other
2. Hands are for helping, not hurting
Materials:
Teachers guide, pgs. 4, 11-12
I-Care Cat CD
I-Care Cat
I-Care Poster
Activity Sheet- Helping Others coloring sheet
Lesson 1:
Introduce "I Care" Cat. (Keep him on your lap) We are going to be working with I Care Cat over the
next few weeks. I Care Cat is going to be teaching us 5 rules. Can anyone see 5 rules on the board??
Can you all point to the rules? GREAT!
I am going to read the 5 rules to you. (READ RULES)
Today we are going to be talking about the first 2 rules. The first rule is:

1. We listen to each other.

Play Track #1.
Discussion:
I want everyone to point to which part of the body hears. (Point to ears). Without our ears, we could
not listen very well, could we?
Why do you think it is important to listen to one another? We can learn new things about each other.
We can learn about each other's feelings. We can listen to the directions so we know what to do in
class. We also need to listen for safety reasons. Can anyone think about something we need to hear
which will keep up safe? Fire alarms, police cars, ambulance.

Activity:
We are now going to practice listening. This might me hard! I want everyone to make sure they have
their own personal bubble around them~ this means that you are not too close to your neighbor and have
enough space for yourself. We are all going to try and be very quiet so we can listen to everything going
on around us. I want you to listen to all the different sounds around you.
Now, I want everyone to close their eyes. Make sure you keep your eyes closed to help your ears hear!
If you hear a surprising noise, still try and keep your eyes closed, even though you may want to peek!
We are going to just listen for a few seconds. (Wait for a 15 seconds if possible!) Scratch the white
board, drop a book, sneeze.
Now, everyone open up your eyes. Can you raise your hands and tell me what you heard? Did you find it
hard to keep your eyes closed and just focus on listening? Listening can be hard and we must practice it!
Lesson 2:
Next we are going to talk about I Care Rule #2.
2. Hands are for helping, not hurting.
Play track #7.
Discussion:
Our hands can be used to help or hurt. I Care Cat said he was using his paws to work in the garden. Is
that helping or hurting? Helping, correct!
What are some other ways we can use our hands to help?

Helping someone up who has fallen. Holding someone's hand to cross a busy street. Raising your hand to
answer a question in class.
Our hands can help or hurt. How should we use our hands?? TO HELP!!!
Now if everyone can quietly (marshmallow feet) go back to their desks, I am going to hand out a coloring
sheet for each of you. This picture shows a little boy using his hands to help another boy. If your
teacher says there is time, you may take out your crayons and begin coloring anyway you would like. If
there is not time, you may take the sheet home with you and color it at home.
Thank you for being such good listeners and please remember to use your hands in helpful ways!

SESSION 2
Objective: To teach I Care Cat's 3rd rule: We use I-Care-Language.
ASCA Competencies Addressed:
PS:A1.6 Distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate behavior
PS:A2.6 Use effective communication skills
PS:A2.7 Know that communication involves speaking, listening, and nonverbal behavior
Materials:
I Care Cat
Rules Poster
CD
I Care Language Sheet/Booklet
Lesson:
Play Track 12
Today we are going to practicing how to use I Care Language. I Care Language is using our manners, and
saying kind and polite words. Can you raise your hands and give me an example of I Care Language?
(Please, thank you, may I, etc.)
Now we are going to practice using I Care Language with I Care Cat. I am going to need several
volunteers to take turns and come up to the front with me and I Care Cat. We are going to practice
using I Care Cat Language. Who would like to volunteer first?
Pick a student. Now, I Care Cat is going to say something that is NOT using I Care Language. I need you
to tell I Care Cat what he should say instead.
I Care Cat says:
1. GIVE ME THAT TOY.
Ask student what I Care Cat should say instead using I-Care-Language.
He should say, "May I please have that toy" or "May we share that toy?" or "Can I use that toy when
you are done playing with it?"
Pick another student to come up.
2. I am going to ask I Care Cat a question: I Care Cat, would you like to play with me?

I Care Cat says, "NO!" What should I Care Cat say........ No, thank you, not right now, maybe another
time.
Pick one more student.
3. I Care Cat says to Mrs. Thompson, "I can't do this!" What should he say to Mrs. Thompson?
"Can you please help me with this?"
Activity:
If there is time, we are going to be making an "I-Care-Language" booklet to help us remember what ICare-Language is.
Show attached sheet to the students. Each one of these pictures has an example of I Care language.
Read each box to the students.
Now we are going to go back to our desks and I will hand out the sheet to you. You will need to get out a
pair of scissors. You will cut out each square and stack them together.
When you are finished cutting and putting your squares in a stack, raise your hand and Mrs. Drabick and
I will come around and staple your booklet together. You can take this home with you and share with
your family what I-Care -Language is.

SESSION 3
Objective: To teach I Care Cat's Rule 4; We care about each other's feelings.
ASCA Competencies Addressed:
PS: A1.5 Identify and express feelings
PS: A2.2 Respect alternative points of view
PS: A2.3 Recognize, accept, respect and appreciate individual differences
Materials:
I Care Cat
Rules Poster
Today I Feel Silly by Jamie Lee Curtis
CD
Word Search
Lesson:
Play track 29
Today we are going to talk about our feelings and caring about each other's feelings. If a friend is sad,
what can you do? What can you say? Why are you sad? What happened? Can everybody show me a sad
face?
Can everyone show me a happy face? If a friend is happy and wants to tell you why s/he is happy, what
can you do? Listen to your friend. If you listen to your friend explain why s/he is happy, that is caring
about her feelings.
Can everyone show me a mad face? If someone is your family is mad, what can you say or ask to them?
Why are you mad? What happened? Can I help you?

I am going to read you a story about a little girl and all her feelings. She has many different feelings
throughout this book.
If there is time:
Now we are going to do a Word Search looking for feeling words. You may quietly (marshmallow feet)
return to your desks and take out a pencil. Once we see you have taken out your pencil, Mrs. Drabick and
I will hand out the Word Search. Write your name on the paper and then you may begin the Word
Search. The words may go across or down. There are no words which go backward or diagonal.

SESSION 4
Objective: To teach I Care Cat's Rule 5; We are responsible for what we say and do.
ASCA Competencies Addressed:
A:A3.1 Take responsibility for their actions
PS:A2.1 Recognize everyone has rights and responsibilities
PS:A2.6 Use effective communication skills
PS:A2.7 Know that communication involves speaking, listening, and nonverbal behavior
PS:B1.2 Understand consequences of decisions and solutions
Materials:
I Care Cat
Rules Poster
CD
Activity sheet 30-31
Richard Scarry's Please and Thank You book (Pig Will and Pig Won't section)
Lesson:
Today we are going to be talking about responsibility. That is a big word! Does anyone know what it
means to take responsibility for your own actions and behavior?
Taking responsibility means not blaming others for what we do. It also means to complete jobs, chores &
work that we said we were going to do.
Do any of you have chores at home? What are your responsibilities here at school? Your main
responsibility here at school is to be the BEST 1st GRADERS YOU CAN BE. How can you be the best 1st
graders? By learning and showing CARES behavior.
Let's say I pushed someone on the playground. And then one of the recess aides came over and asked,
"Who pushed that person?" And I pointed to someone else and said, "She did it!". Is that taking
responsibility for my behavior? NO! It is also not being honest, AND I was not using my hands for
helping, but rather hurting. That is NOT showing CARES behavior.
Another example- My boys have to take the trash and recycling out every Thursday night. Is this being
responsible? YES! Sometimes they need a friendly reminder on trash night, but they know it is part of
their responsibility in our family.

Another way to show responsibility is being able to resolve conflicts fairly. We are now going to listen to
I CARE CAT talk about responsibility and how he and his sister had a conflict.
Play track 45.
So did I Care Cat and his sister make up? How did I Care Cat take responsibility?
Activity:
I am going to read a quick story about taking responsibility. This story is about two pig brothers. One
likes responsibility, the other one does not. So let's read about what happens.
Read "Pig Will and Pig Won't".
Now we are going to do an activity to help I Care Cat and his friend Mouse take responsibility. They
have gotten into a conflict and we have to help them become friends again.
Show them the worksheet.
This is a maze. There are words on the maze. Some of the words are I Care language and I Care rules
while other words are not. We will do this together. I want everyone to go back to their desks and take
out a pencil. Once everyone has a pencil out on their desk, I will know you are ready and we can begin.
Use the ELMO (overhead projector) do complete the activity together.
We have to do the maze for I Care Cat and Mouse so they can meet at the bottom and become friends
again.
Let's start with I Care Mouse. Go through each word and ask class if it is I Care Language. Go through
it together. Then do it for I Care Cat.
Now they are back together and friends again. Yahoo!

SESSION 5
Objective: To reinforce all 5 rules and do a culminating activity
ASCA Competencies addressed: Competencies addressed in all lessons
Materials:
I Care Cat
Rules Poster
Cut out "quilt" pieces
Lesson:
Review all 5 I Care Rules. Have students give examples of what each rule "looks like". (What is an
example of Listening to One Another? What is an example of using your hands to help? etc)
Once reviewed all rules, explain that we are going to be making a "quilt". I have lots of different colored
paper rectangles and you each are going to get two pieces. On each piece, I want you to draw an example
of one or two of the rules. For example, What could you draw to show Helping hands? Also, you can
write down the actual rule and draw a picture or just draw a picture. Whatever works for you or what
you want to do. If you need help with a word, please ask Mrs. Drabick or myself and we can write the
word up on the board. You can also put your name on your quilt pieces if you would like. You do not have
to, though.
Each 1st grade class has or will be doing this activity and this quilt is going to be displayed in the hallway
near the Bistro. It is going to show all the different examples of I Care Rules and how the 1st grade
knows how to be the best first graders they can be!
So, when you return to your desks, you will need crayons or colored pencils. It is better to do this in
color, so your pictures can be easily seen. You can draw in pencil first then use colors, but don't just use
pencils because we will not be able to see your wonderful pictures.
Please use marshmallow feet to return to your desks and Mrs. Drabick and I will hand out the quilt
pieces. They are all different colors, so we are just handing them out. So you get what you get, and
don't get upset. All the colors are beautiful, especially when they will be put together for the quilt.
Closing:
It has been so wonderful working with you all over the last few weeks. I will be back one more time on
Thursday to do a Post-Survey. Remember that smiley face sheet we did a few weeks ago? We are going
to do that same worksheet again to see how much you have learned over the last few weeks with I Care
Cat.