The Nest Monday: Social Awareness (Respect and Group Awareness)

This week in the Nest we are continuing to look at…. our ability to adjust our behavior to meet the needs of others in social interactions.

Circle MessageSacred circles are an important part of many Native cultural rituals. Read the following quote and discuss what it means.

"Everything the Power of the World does is done in a circle. The sky is round, and I have heard that the Earth is round like a ball, and so are the stars. The wind in its greatest powers whirls. Birds make their nests in circles, for theirs is the same religion as ours. The sun comes forth and goes down again in a circle. The moon does the same, and both are round. Even the seasons form a great circle in their changing, and always come back again to where they were. The life of man is a circle from childhood to childhood, and so it is in everything where power moves.”- Black Elk, a holy man of the Oglala Lakota Sioux

Why do you think we sit in a circle in the Nest? How does a circle bring power and connection to the group? This week we will do various activities to show us why circles are so important.

The Nest Monday: Social Awareness (Respect and Group Awareness)

RainstormThe sound of a rainstorm starts quietly with a few raindrops, builds slowly until rain is pouring and thunder is crashing, and then quiets again as the storm ends. As a group you will make your own rainstorm:

The teacher is the rainstorm conductor and the rest of the circle is the orchestra.

You will perform four actions as members of the orchestra:Rub your hands together Snap your fingers in an alternating pattern (one after the other) Slap the palms of your hands against your thighs in an alternating pattern Stomp your feet on the floor in an alternating pattern

You will only perform actions after the conductor signals you what to do—there is no talking one the rainstorm begins. The teacher will signal you by making eye contact and turning toward you. Once players are signaled into action they must continue with their actions until the conductor signals you to change.

Where you able to mimic the sounds of a rainstorm using only eye contact and body language? Could you have made the rainstorm successfully if only a few of the group participated? Would one or two students have accomplished a rainstorm? How did sitting in a circle and working as a unit give you the power to mimic a rainstorm?

The Nest Tuesday : Social Awareness (Respect and Group Awareness)

This week in the Nest we are looking at…. our ability to adjust our behavior to meet the needs of others in social interactions.

Dealing with Conflict Select a student to represent conflict and have the student stand in the middle of the room. Think about how you usually react when you experience a conflict personally or witness a conflict happening nearby. Then place yourself, in relation to the student that represents conflict, somewhere in the room in a way that indicates your first response to conflict or disagreement. Think about your body position, the direction that you're facing, and the distance from conflict.

Keeping with the thoughts this activity brought to mind, write one word you associate with conflict on the board.

Are there any generalizations we might make about our associations with the word conflict? Why are most of our associations with conflict negative? What are some examples of conflicts that might occur in school? What conflicts can occur in the Nest? How can talking about our emotions lead to conflict?

The Nest Wednesday: Social Awareness (Respect and Group Awareness)

Watch the video on the importance of conflict resolution. Do you agree with what the students said? How do you think the Nest and being open in circle can help students with conflict resolution in their daily life?

This week in the Nest we are looking at…. our ability to adjust our behavior to meet the needs of others in social interactions.

**Please start video at 4:44 seconds.**

The Nest Thursday: Social Awareness (Respect and Group Awareness)

How do the following quotes relate to what we learned this week? How can they help you drive your actions during the nest?

The NestThursday: Social Awareness (Respect and Group Awareness)

Reflect on this weeks focus…. our ability to adjust our behavior to meet the needs of others in social interactions.

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