Judgement and Prudence
Year 1: I use my judgement to decide how best to react to things.
Core Story
Angry Arthur by Hiawyn Oram. In this story Arthur wants to stay up late to watch television, but his mother asked him to go to bed. Arthur gets very angry when he does not get his own way. His anger became a storm which tipped whole towns into the sea. His family beg him to calm down, but Arthur just gets even more angry. His temper makes the whole world tremble until Arthur ends up alone in space, unable to remember what he was cross about in the first place.
Drawing out the virtue
Pause the video at 0:23 just after Arthur’s mother tells him to go to bed.
Why has Arthur’s mum told him to go to bed? Is that a sensible instruction?
Now Arthur has a choice to make.
How might he react to this news? What would be a sensible choice?
Play the rest of the video.
How does Arthur’s temper affect the rest of his family?
Does Arthur’s temper help him get what he wants?
Ask pupils about a time when they have felt angry like Arthur. How did it feel? What did they want to do?
Explain that everyone feels angry sometimes, but that our judgement means we get to decide how to respond. Emphasise that while other people might do things that we find annoying, we can’t control what other people do, but can use our judgement to decide our own actions.
Activity 1: Angry and calm
Show the class this four minute video. The first half of this film shows children talking is intentionally stress-inducing, the latter the opposite, and it demonstrates to children that they are in control.
What did these children say they do to calm down?
Do you do any of these things, or do you do something else?
Like in the film, take a bottle and fill it with water and glitter. Remind the children that they can use their judgement and choose to behave calmly in any situation – even when they feel angry inside.
Shake the bottle hard and then place it down where pupils can see it. Play relaxing music as children practice taking a deep breath in and feeling their anger slip away as they breathe out again.
Activity 2: Paintings
Show the images of paintings on the PowerPoint Y1 Judgement and Prudence. The paintings show calm scenes in different styles. Show the children the paintings and ask them how they make them feel. Discuss why – talk about the use of colour and ask pupils what it makes them think of or if it reminds them of anything. The paintings are:
An ancient Chinese painting
Claude Monet, Waterlillies
John Constable, Wivenhoe Park
Paul Cezanne, The Bay of Marseilles
J.M.W. Turner, The Rainbow
The purpose of this lesson is for pupils to understand that paintings can affect their emotions and help them to feel calm and relaxed.
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Sayings
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Don’t make a mountain out of a molehill.
Seeing red.
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Library books
Lost in the Snow by Claire Alexander
Chameleon’s Crazy Colours by Nicola Grant
Belling the Cat, Aesop’s Fable
The Ant and the Grasshopper, Aesop’s Fable
The Crow and the Pitcher, Aesop’s Fable
The Country Mouse and the City Mouse, Aesop’s Fable