Grades 2 and 3 Open Circle Parent Letters

This year our class is using the Open Circle Curriculum, a comprehensive social and emotional learning program that supports elementary school children in developing the skills needed to be good learners and to form healthy, positive relationships with people throughout their lives.

Twice each week during the whole school year, the class will meet in a circle for 15 to 30 minutes. Lesson topics will include being a good listener, including one another, cooperating, understanding feelings, teasing, recognizing differences among people, getting calm, problem solving, positive self-talk, and more. The goals of the lessons are to create a cooperative classroom environment and to give children the skills they need to solve interpersonal problems and to build positive relationships.

Sometimes your child will have a homework assignment from Open Circle that might require your participation. You can help your child develop the skills we are working on in Open Circle by discussing and practicing them at home. You might ask your child to tell you what we talked about in the last Open Circle.

You will receive Open Circle Updates periodically to keep you informed. They will include new vocabulary words and suggestions for some books that are related to Open Circle lesson topics. You might want to check one or two of these books out of the library to read with your child. For more information about the Open Circle Program, please visit our website at www.open-circle.org.

The Open Circle Curriculum was developed by the Open Circle Program at the Wellesley Centers for Women, Wellesley College, and is available for all elementary grades. At each grade level, the program addresses the same core concepts and skills in ways that are specifically designed to be developmentally appropriate for students at that age. All teachers who use Open Circle have received special training to implement the curriculum in their classrooms.

Return to Table of Contents

Open Circle Letter #2: Creating Open Circle and

Setting Classroom Goals

Dear Family:

During our first Open Circle meetings, the class worked together to make a plan to get their chairs into a circle quietly, safely, and cooperatively. We form a circle so that everyone can see everyone else and be heard. We always leave one space open in case another person would like to join the circle. Everyone is welcome, and no one is ever left out. The Open Circle symbolizes the idea of an inclusive classroom community. Ask your child to tell you how the class gets into a circle.

Students worked on getting to know each other’s names in one Open Circle. In order to be able to work well together, they need to know each other’s names and how to pronounce them correctly. Ask your child to say the names of as many people in the class as he/she can remember.

In another Open Circle, we discussed classroom goals and developed some classroom rules based on those goals. We learned that a goal is something a person tries to get, something to work toward, or how you want things to end up. Just like individual people, whole classrooms can have goals too. Ask your child to tell you some of our classroom goals.

We also made some rules that will help to keep our classroom safe, make it a place where students feel cared about, and make it a place where we can do our best learning. In addition, I added some important rules that are nonnegotiable. This means “no choice.” Students may ask to have these rules explained, and they may ask questions about them, but they cannot be changed. Ask your child to share with you some of the classroom rules that we developed and agreed to. Ask for an example of a nonnegotiable rule in our classroom. You might have a discussion with your child about the rules in your home — for mealtimes, bedtimes, and chores.

Literature Connections

Here are some books that relate to the topics we discussed in Open Circle. You might want to check out one or two at the library and read with your child:

§ Harper, Jessica. Lizzy’s Do’s and Don’ts. HarperCollins Publishers, 2002.
Lizzy and her mom make up some rules for each other to follow.

§ Poole, Amy Lowry. The Ant and the Grasshopper. Holiday House, 2002.
This fable illustrates the importance of following basic rules and sharing responsibilities in any community — classroom, home, or ant hill!

§ Recorvits, Helen. My Name Is Yoon. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2003.
As a new student from Korea, Yoon has a difficult time adjusting to her new surroundings. Once Yoon begins to feel more comfortable and welcome in class, she proudly announces her name.

§ Sanders, Eve. What’s Your Name? From Ariel to Zoe. Holiday House, 1995.
Children of all nationalities share stories about the meanings and/or origins of their names.

Return to Table of Contents

Open Circle Letter #3: Listening and the School Listening Look

Dear Family:

In Open Circle, we have been getting to know each other better. In order for students to become friends and work well together, it is important for them to learn about each other. We played the “Stand Up/Sit Down” game to find out what we have in common, such as how many have a brother or sister at this school, like to play tag at recess, or have a birthday in the summer. Ask your child to tell you what he/she learned from the “Stand Up/Sit Down” game about what the students in the class have in common. You might encourage your child to get to know a classmate he/she does not know very well during recess or lunchtime and find out what they have in common.

We also practiced being a good listener and learned the school listening look. The school listening look means that we:

• sit still.

• sit up.

• look at the person who is speaking.

• pay attention.

It is important to everyone in the class — students, teachers, and visitors — to be listened to when they speak. At home, ask your child to show you the school listening look and teach it to you. Practice it by listening to your child. Listening is a very important lifelong skill, not only for children to develop but also for adults to learn and practice. You might want to encourage all members of your family to become good listeners.

Literature Connections

Here are some books that relate to the topics we discussed in Open Circle. You might want to check out one or two at the library and read with your child:

§ Cannon, Janell. Stellaluna. Harcourt Inc., 1993.
A young bat, separated from its mother, finds acceptance and caring from a family of birds.

§ Henkes, Kevin. Chester’s Way. Greenwillow Books, 1988.
Chester and his friend love all the same things and share a peaceful friendship, until Lilly comes along. At first, Lilly seems too different to ever become a part of the group, but ultimately, they discover enough in common to be quite compatible.

§ Rathmann, Peggy. Officer Buckle and Gloria. G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1995.
Students who attend the safety lectures given by Officer Buckle don’t use good listening skills until Gloria, a police dog, becomes part of the team.

§ Stanley, Diane. The Conversation Club. Macmillan Publishing Company, 1983.
At meetings of the Conversation Club members talk at the same time, so Peter Fieldmouse starts his own Listening Club.

Return to Table of Contents

Open Circle Letter #4: Nonverbal Communication

Dear Family:

In Open Circle recently, we talked about nonverbal signals. A nonverbal signal is a way of communicating without using words. We tried out many nonverbal signals that we already use, such as the signals for time out, speak up, and be quiet. We talked about why it might be helpful to have some nonverbal signals in the classroom that everyone agrees to and is clear about instead of using words. The class chose several nonverbal signals that we agreed to use this year in the classroom. We also chose a nonverbal signal to use if the class gets too noisy and out of control and talked about what each person might do to help the classroom get back in control. Ask your child to demonstrate the signals the class agreed to use this year. Ask your child to demonstrate some other nonverbal signals and have you guess what they mean. You and your child might want to develop your own nonverbal signals to use at home.

At another Open Circle meeting, we talked about giving and receiving compliments. A compliment is a statement that is true and describes something good about a person. It can be about how they act or how they treat others. Compliments make people feel special and appreciated. We learned three things to remember about giving a compliment:

• It must be specific.

• It must be positive.

• It must be true.

We also learned how to respond to compliments. In school, we should:

• look at the person and smile.

• say, “Thank you!”

Each student had a turn to be in the spotlight and receive a compliment. At home, be sure to compliment your child often for doing something well, being thoughtful, or being helpful. If your child gives you a compliment, remember to look at him/her, smile, and say, “Thank you!”

Literature Connections

Here are some books that relate to the topics we discussed in Open Circle. You might want to check out one or two at the library and read with your child:

§ Bogaki, Tomeck. Circus Girl. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2001.
A new girl comes to town with a traveling circus and performs acts of kindness as well as acts of daring in the center ring. She deserves compliments for both her acrobatic abilities and her kindness toward her classmates.

§ Cheng, Andrea. Grandfather Counts. Lee & Low Books, 2003.
Helen and her grandfather use hand signals to communicate with each other until they learn each other’s languages.

§ Levine, Ellen. I Hate English! Cartwheel Books, 1995.
When her family moves to New York from Hong Kong, Mei Mei finds it difficult to adjust to school and learn the alien sounds of English. She does, however, understand most of the nonverbal signals that her classmates and her teacher use.

§ Lobel, Arnold. Frog and Toad Together. Scholastic Inc., 1971.
Two friends deserve compliments for the way they help each other.

Return to Table of Contents

Open Circle Letter #5: Inclusion

Dear Family:

Including one another was the topic of one of our Open Circle lessons recently. We talked about how it feels to be left out and how it feels to be part of a group that excludes someone. We also discussed why people exclude others and thought of many ways to include people. In a caring classroom community, it’s important to try to find ways to include others and not hurt people’s feelings. Perhaps you could share with your child a time when you were left out and how it made you feel. Ask your child if he/she has ever been excluded or noticed that other children were left out. Encourage your child to find ways to include children who want to join in an activity or a group at play.

In another Open Circle, we talked about cooperating, or working together to get something done. We discussed why it is important to cooperate, and we brainstormed some skills needed for cooperation, such as sharing, taking turns, listening, letting someone organize the activity, and making sure that everyone gets to take part. We also did some role plays about cooperating. Ask your child to name some times during the school day when he/she might need to cooperate with his/her classmates. At home, find opportunities for your child to cooperate to get something done. Be sure to compliment him/her on his/her good cooperation. Encourage your child to cooperate with other children in activities and groups outside of school.

Literature Connections

Here are some books that relate to the topics we discussed in Open Circle. You might want to check out one or two at the library and read with your child:

§ Howe, James. Horace and Morris, but Mostly Dolores. Atheneum Books for Young
Readers, 1999.

§ Three friends form a club that includes everyone.

§ Raschka, Chris. Yo! Yes? Orchard Books, 1993.
A story with few words illustrates the simple, yet powerful, act of reaching out to someone who feels left out.

§ Torres, Leyla. Subway Sparrow. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1993.
When a sparrow becomes trapped in a subway car, the passengers work together to free the helpless bird.

Return to Table of Contents

Open Circle Letter #6: Double D’s:

Recognizing when to tell a responsible adult

Dear Family:

Our recent Open Circle lessons have focused on helping students to understand the situations in school that require the immediate intervention of a teacher or another responsible adult. We learned to identify Double D’s. These are behaviors that are dangerous (someone might get hurt) or destructive (something might get broken, damaged, or destroyed, or mean teasing or bullying). It is always important for students to tell a teacher or other adult immediately when they observe a Double D behavior in school. For example, Double D’s might include running across the street at recess to get a ball, climbing a tree on the playground, standing on a folding chair to reach a book in the classroom, throwing a baseball toward a window, writing in a textbook, being part a group of kids picking on another child day after day at recess.

We also talked about some ways students can deal with situations themselves when someone is annoying them and it is not a Double D situation. For example, another student might cut into line or make noises while others are working. Two steps for dealing with annoying behavior are:

• Describe the behavior that is annoying you and explain why it bothers you.

• Say what you want the other person to do instead.

Students were assured that they can always come to an adult for help if they cannot deal with a situation on their own.

At home, try to identify behaviors or situations in terms of Double D’s. Ask your child, “Is that a Double D?” If it is, compliment him/her on telling an adult. If it is not a Double D, help your child to follow the two steps listed above. You also might want to help your child identify responsible adults whom he/she could tell about a Double D behavior at places other than school and home.

Literature Connections

Here are some books that relate to the topics we discussed in Open Circle. You might want to check out one or two at the library and read with your child:

§ Bottner, Barbara. Bootsie Barker Bites. Putnam Juvenile Books, 1997.
Bootsie Barker wants to play only games in which she bites, until one day her friend comes up with a better game.

§ Caseley, Judith. Bully. Greenwillow Books, 2001.
Mickey consults members of his family when he needs advice about how to handle a bully at school.

§ Kelley, True. Blabber Mouse. Dutton Children’s Books, 2001.
Blabber Mouse annoys his classmates by telling secrets and speaking when he should be quiet.

§ Ketteman, Helen. Armadillo Tattletale. Scholastic Press, 2000.
Armadillo uses his enormous ears to listen in on his friends’ conversations and then spreads rumors about what he hears. Many creatures tell Armadillo to stop his annoying behavior, but nothing works until Crocodile takes drastic action.

Return to Table of Contents

Open Circle Letter #7: Dealing with Teasing

Dear Family:

Dealing with teasing was the topic of a recent Open Circle lesson. We talked about how it feels to be teased, how people teasing others might feel, and what one can do or say that could either stop the teasing or make it worse. We discussed how to find out if someone doesn’t mind being teased or if it bothers them. Some teasing is okay, but not if it is hurtful or mean-spirited. Students were reminded that mean teasing and bullying are Double D behaviors and are not acceptable. When students observe mean teasing and bullying, they should tell a responsible adult immediately.

At home, talk to your child about teasing. Share a time that you were teased and did not like it. Have you ever teased someone, thinking it was fun, but it bothered them? Encourage your child to be sensitive to the feelings of other children.

Literature Connections

Here are some books that relate to the topics we discussed in Open Circle. You might want to check out one or two at the library and read with your child:

§ Caseley, Judith. Ada Potato. Greenwillow Books, 1989.
Ada stops playing her violin after some older children make fun of her, but Mama helps her find a way to handle their teasing.

§ O’Neill, Alexis. The Recess Queen. Scholastic Press, 2002.
Mean Jean bullies everyone on the playground until a new girl arrives at school. She shows Mean Jean that it is more fun to be part of the group be than to be the bully of a group.

§ Reider, Katja. Snail Started It. North-South Books, 1997.
When Snail insults Pig, he sets off a chain of name-calling among all kinds of creatures. Only an apology can reverse the damage.

§ Yashima, Taro. Crow Boy. Puffin, 1976.
A shy Japanese schoolboy is ignored by his classmates until a sensitive teacher encourages him to display his special talents.

Return to Table of Contents

Open Circle Letter #8: Recognizing Differences

Dear Family:

Group membership was the topic of a recent Open Circle lesson. We talked about the many groups to which each of us belongs, such as girls, boys, elementary school students, soccer players, dancers, etc. We chose to be members of some groups but did not choose to be members of others. We learned that even though people may belong to a certain group and have some things in common, they are not exactly like everyone else in that group. To treat people fairly, we need to treat them as individuals.

At home, talk to your child about the groups to which members of your extended family belong. Is everyone in your family just alike? Encourage your child to understand that not everyone in a group is exactly alike even though they may look alike or share similar interests.

Literature Connections

Here are some books that relate to the topics we discussed in Open Circle. You might want to check out one or two at the library and read with your child:

§ Fleischman, Paul. Weslandia. Candlewick Press, 1999.
Wesley, a boy who just doesn’t fit in with the popular crowd at school, creates his own civilization during summer vacation. His unique talents attract the very children who teased him during the school year.

§ Whitcomb, Mary E. Odd Velvet. Chronicle Books, 1998.
Velvet appears to be so different from her classmates that children exclude her and call her “odd.” A few children get to know Velvet and realize that her differences make her fun to spend time with.

Return to Table of Contents

Open Circle Letter #9: Speaking Up

Dear Family:

Speaking up was the topic of a recent Open Circle lesson. In order to be able to express our ideas and opinions, it’s important to be able to speak up. We learned four important skills that help people to hear and understand what we are saying:

• Look at the group.

• Speak slowly.

• Speak clearly.

• Speak loudly enough.

We discussed how to help make speakers feel comfortable and how to encourage and support speakers.

At home, ask your child to use the speaking-up skills to tell you about a book he/she has read or a television show he/she has watched recently. Ask what someone can do to make a speaker feel comfortable and supported. Encourage your child to always use good speaking-up skills and to always be a good listener.

Another lesson was on interviewing. An interview is a conversation or discussion in which one person gets information from another person. Good interview questions often begin with “why,” “how,” “when,” or “what” and are phrased to elicit more than a “yes” or “no” response. We practiced interviewing and learned that interviews help us to get to know someone better.

At home, you can reinforce the interviewing skills your child learned in Open Circle b y asking your child to interview you. You can be yourself or pretend to be someone else, such as a famous person in the news, a historical figure, or a character in your child’s favorite book. Compliment your child for asking good interview questions, and ask what he/she learned from the interview.

Literature Connections

Here are some books that relate to the topics we discussed in Open Circle. You might want to check out one or two at the library and read with your child:

§ Hopkinson, Deborah. Girl Wonder: A Baseball Story in Nine Innings. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2003.
Students can think about what questions they would ask the main character of this story based on the real life of a girl who played on an all-male baseball team.

§ Morris, Ann. That’s Our School Series. Millbrook Press, 2003.
Each book in this series focuses on a different staff member in a school community. The text and photographs describe his or her routines and responsibilities. Books in the series describe a school’s custodian, nurse, librarian, teacher, and principal.

§ O’Neill, Alexis. Loud Emily. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 1998.
The only people who appreciate Emily’s loud voice are the crew members aboard a ship. Emily uses her special speaking-up voice to call out captain’s orders and to save the ship from disaster.

§ Saltzberg, Barney. What to Say to Clara. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 1984.
A boy wants to speak to a new girl in class, but he can’t find the words. Finally, after many attempts, he summons his courage and speaks up!

Return to Table of Contents

Open Circle Letter #10: Understanding and

Recognizing Feelings

Dear Family:

In a recent Open Circle, we talked about understanding feeling words. Everyone has feelings, and all feelings are okay — even though some feelings make us feel better than others. We can guess what someone might be feeling by how they look, or what they do. But to really know what someone is feeling, we have to ask. Some of the feeling words we named were happy, sad, frightened, excited, disappointed, and mad.

Take turns with your child naming as many feeling words as you can. You might want to look at an illustrated book or magazine with your child and name the feelings people are showing in the pictures. Make a habit of using feeling words at home to name how you and other family members are feeling.

Body language was the topic of another Open Circle lesson. Body language is a way of expressing feelings using our faces, bodies, or hands. We practiced recognizing body language signals, such as a frown, arms crossed, eyes wide open, a raised eyebrow, and other facial expressions and gestures. Body language helps us to understand how people are feeling even if they are not telling us with words.

Make a game of noticing body language when you are out with your child. Notice the signals that people are giving and try to guess how they might be feeling from their gestures, facial expressions, and other body language. You might also watch a television show or look at a magazine with your child and take turns pointing out the examples of body language that you see.

Literature Connections

Here are some books that relate to the topics we discussed in Open Circle. You might want to check out one or two at the library and read with your child:

§ McPhail, David. The Teddy Bear. Henry Holt, 2002.
A little boy loses his beloved teddy bear. A homeless man finds it and becomes attached to it. Months later, when the boy finds the bear on a park bench, he is overjoyed, but he soon discovers that someone else has claimed ownership of the bear and depends on it for his comfort and happiness.

§ Raschka, Chris. Yo! Yes? Orchard Books, 1993.
Two boys use more body language than words to greet one another and begin a friendship.

§ Saxton, Freeman. How Are You Peeling? Foods with Moods. Arthur A. Levine Books, 1999. Expressive fruits and vegetables portray many human emotions. The text will help students expand their vocabulary of feelings.

Return to Table of Contents

Open Circle Letter #11: Being calm

Dear Family:

In recent Open Circle lessons, we talked about what it feels like to be calm and how to get calm when we are upset. We named some times at school and at home that make us feel calm. When we are being calm, we are breathing slowly and calmly. We also thought of some situations that make us feel excited, upset, or out of control. Sometimes at school and at other places, it is important to get calm when we are feeling anxious or out of control. We learned two calm breathing exercises. Many actors and athletes use this first exercise before a performance or an event. It is called calm breathing:

• Breathe in slowly and deeply, filling your belly with air like a balloon.

• Breathe out slowly.

We also learned a second calm breathing exercise:

• Breathe in and count to yourself up to four.

• Breathe out slowly, counting backward from four to one.

Each person has his/her own way of calming down. However, it’s important to recognize the feelings and changes in our bodies and behavior that occur when we are getting upset or too excited. Sometimes taking even a few calm breaths can help us to calm down and get back in control.

Ask your child to teach you the two calm breathing techniques he/she learned in school. Practice them together. Share with your child some times when you might want to use one of the calm breathing techniques. Talk about times he/she might want to use them to help get calm. Make a habit of using calm breathing yourself and encourage your child to use one of the techniques whenever he/she needs to calm down. When we are breathing calmly, we are able to be better learners and better friends.

Literature Connections

Here are some books that relate to the topics we discussed in Open Circle. You might want to check out one or two at the library and read with your child:

§ Daly, Niki. Once Upon a Time. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2003.
Sarie dreads reading aloud in class. With the help of her friend, Auntie Anna, she learns to overcome her anxious feelings.

§ Kroll, Virginia. Faraway Drums. Little, Brown and Company, 1998.
Jamila translates the scary nighttime noises of the city into the sounds of Africa in order to keep her little sister calm.

§ Serfozo, Mary. Rain Talk. Scott Foresman, 1990.
A little girl contemplates the sights and sounds of a gentle rain.

§ Shulevitz, Uri. Dawn. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1987.
A boy and his grandfather watch dawn break over the still waters of a lake

Return to Table of Contents

Open Circle Letter #12: Expressing anger appropriately

Dear Family:

In Open Circle recently we talked about expressing anger appropriately. Anger is a feeling that everyone has at times. Sometimes it can be a very strong feeling and difficult to control. We talked about the kinds of things we do when we feel angry. There is nothing wrong with feeling angry, but doing something inappropriate or hurtful with anger is not okay. One way to deal with angry feelings is first to calm down, think, and then to use words to express your anger. For example, take a deep calming breath, think about the situation, and say to the person who made you angry, “I’m angry because _____.”

At home, talk to your child about dealing with angry feelings. Share with your child some situations that make you angry and some ways you handle anger. Ask your child how he/she expresses anger. Encourage your child to always use words rather than actions to express his/her anger.

Literature Connections

Here are some books that relate to the topics we discussed in Open Circle. You might want to check out one or two at the library and read with your child:

§ Cosby, Bill. The Meanest Thing to Say. Cartwheel Books, 1997.
Little Bill learns to deal with teasing without losing face or resorting to violence. Recognizing the bully’s insecurity, Little Bill reaches out to him with empathy.

§ Hoban, Russell. Dinner at Alberta’s. Random House Children’s Books, 1980.
Arthur feels upset when his clumsy, messy ways meet with disapproval from his parents. He expresses his anger by playing his guitar loudly.

§ Smith, Linda. Mrs. Biddlebox. HarperCollins, 2002.
When Mrs. Biddlebox wakes up feeling angry, she gathers up all the negative elements of the day and bakes them into a cake.

Return to Table of Contents

Open Circle Letter #13: Six steps for Problem Solving

Dear Family:

In Open Circle this week, we began a multi-lesson unit on problem solving. In
the coming weeks, we will be learning to use a six-step process for solving people problems. We began by talking about what a problem is. A problem is any situation that causes someone to be upset or confused. We made a list of problems that students in our grade might have, such as problems on the way to school, at recess, with friends, with rules, with schoolwork, or with students in other grades.

To help us learn and remember the problem-solving steps, we use the colors of a traffic signal: Red = Stop. Yellow = Think. Green = Go. In problem solving, we do the same three things that a traffic signal tells us:

RED reminds us to STOP:

• Calm down.

• Identify the problem.

YELLOW reminds us to THINK and be careful:

• Decide on a positive goal.

• Think of several solutions.

• Evaluate the solutions.

GREEN tells us to GO:

• Make a plan and try it.

The six problem-solving steps are printed on the back of this sheet. Please post them on your refrigerator or someplace in your home where you can see them often as a reminder to both you and your child to use the problem-solving process to solve problems that come up outside of school. Problem solving is an important skill that your child can use throughout life, not only in school but later on in the workplace and the community.

Problem-Solving Steps:

1. Calm down.

2. Identify the problem.

3. Decide on a positive goal.

4. Think of several solutions.

5. Evaluate the solutions.

6. Make a plan and try it.

Return to Table of Contents

Open Circle Letter #14: Problem Solving

Calm down; Identify the problem

Dear Family:

In Open Circle, we are continuing to learn and practice each of the six steps of problem solving: Calm down. Identify the problem. Decide on a positive goal. Think of several solutions. Evaluate the solutions. Make a plan and try it.

Before we can begin to solve a problem, we need to calm down. We discussed in Open Circle some ways to calm down, such as calm breathing or counting to 10.

We also talked about the second problem-solving step: Identify the problem. It’s important to be able to use words to say how you feel and what the problem is. One way to put a problem into words is to say, “I feel _____ because _____.” For example, “I feel upset because my friend did not play with me at recess.” Or, “I feel mad because someone borrowed my markers without asking me.” Saying how you feel and what the problem is helps you to solve the problem.

In this Open Circle Letter and in the next several updates, there will be a list of books that deal with problem solving and are appropriate for your child’s grade level. You might want to check out a few from the library and read them with your child. While you’re reading together, talk about how the characters in the book solve their problems. Do they follow some of the problem-solving steps that we use in Open Circle? Meanwhile, continue to use problem solving at home with your child.

Literature Connections

§ Carlsson-Paige, Nancy. Best Day of the Week. Redleaf Press, 1998.
Because Calvin wants to play pirates and Angela wants to play store with an old card table which they found in the trash, they must find a way to resolve their conflict.

§ Carrick, Carol. Left Behind. Clarion Books, 1988.
When a boy gets separated from his class in a subway station, he tries to remember the safest way to solve his problem.

§ deGroat, Diane. Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire. Seastar Books, 2003.
Gilbert is nervous about playing George Washington in a school play. To prepare for his performance, he “borrows” part of his costume to take home and then lies about it. He must figure out a way to solve his problem of being caught in a lie.

Return to Table of Contents

Open Circle Letter #15: Problem Solving

Decide on a positive goal

Dear Family:

Our lessons in Open Circle continue to focus on each of the six steps of problem solving: Calm down. Identify the problem. Decide on a positive goal. Think of several solutions. Evaluate the solutions. Make a plan and try it.

Recently, we learned and practiced the third step of problem solving: Decide on a positive goal. This means that we decide what the best ending would be, what we would like to see happen, or how we would like the problem to end up. In order to be positive, the goal must be safe and fair. We also talked about worst endings, or how we would not like to see the problem end up, as a way to help get to a positive goal.

In another Open Circle, we practiced the fourth step of problem solving: Think of several solutions. Thinking of many ideas is called brainstorming, and there are two rules for brainstorming at school:

• Think of many ideas.

• Don’t judge any of the ideas or comment on them until the brainstorming is finished.

A strong negative reaction could stop people from generating ideas. Similarly, a strong positive reaction could halt the brainstorming too. We also learned a technique called piggybacking, which is taking someone else’s idea and expanding it.

At home, use the problem-solving steps with your child as often as you can. Check out of the library a few more of the books on problem solving listed below. As you read together, talk about how the characters are problem solving. Are they deciding on a positive goal and thinking of many solutions?

Literature Connections

§ Howe, James. Horace and Morris Join the Chorus (But What About Dolores?). Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2002.
Three friends audition for the school chorus, but only two of them are selected.

§ Jones, Rebecca. Matthew and Tilly. Dutton Children’s Books, 1991.
Two friends find a way to solve the problem that keeps them from playing together.

§ &nbs