Teaching Earthling Rules

CONCEPT: Understanding the Importance of Responsible Behavior

 

BRIEF SUMMARY

Children pretend they are teaching a friend from another planet how to behave on Earth. They describe "good" and "bad" rules to follow. Because this friend also has PKU, the "rules for PKU management" are also described.

 

OBJECTIVES

After completing this activity, children will be able to:

  • identify "good" and "bad" rules
  • describe some rules for PKU management

 

METHODS

Set the stage:
Hand out the picture of Bleep and show the larger poster of Bleep (hanging on a wall). Explain that Bleep has just arrived on Earth from another planet. Before he can do anything else (like find a job or buy a house) he must learn right from wrong—and he needs you to help him. (It is important to help others if you know more than they do.)

Explain that Bleep has been given a list of rules. He needs help deciding which rules to keep and which rules to throw away.

Talk about rules:
Give each child one or two rules. Decide which rules Bleep should follow. Talk about why each rule is a "good" or a "bad" rule.

Some ideas for rules to discuss include:

  • Treat everyone with respect.
  • If you see something you want in a store, just take it.
  • If you don't like school, don't bother going.
  • Drink all of your formula.
  • Eat ice cream until you feel sick.
  • Work hard in school.
  • Watch as much television as you want; it's good for you.

What are some other rules Bleep should follow? Discuss this with the children. As a group, decide which rules Bleep should follow. Have the children stick the "good" rules to the big Bleep picture.

Teach Bleep about managing PKU:
Explain that Bleep just found out that he has PKU and needs help learning how to manage it. Discuss--What tips would you give someone who is just learning how to manage PKU?

Some suggestions:

  • identifying foods that are acceptable--how do you know what is okay to eat?
  • foods that are acceptable in moderation--who decides how much to eat?
  • what to do about formula--when to drink it?

Encourage the children to write their tips for PKU management on the blank slips of paper and stick them around their picture of Bleep.

 

MATERIALS

  • acrobat reader logo Picture of Bleep (a large picture for the group activity, and one regular size for each child)

 

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