"Groark Learns to Listen"
in the DVD series Getting Along with Groark
featuring the Popcorn Park Puppets™
HOW TO BE
A GOOD LISTENER
LOOK at the person who is talking.
LISTEN, and don't interrupt.
ASK questions to find out more.
NOD, or say something to show you understand.
REPEAT what you heard in your own words.
"Groark Learns to LISTEN" the video |
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This video teaches children: • How poor listening habits can cause serious trouble between people. • Why it is so important to be a good listener. • How to be a good listener. |
• Both English and Spanish on the same DVD.
• Closed Captioned for the Hearing Impaired.
Click play for a sampling of "Getting Along With Groark " |
"GETTING ALONG with GROARK" the series |
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These five DVDs teach young children valuable lessons that help them get along well, work out conflicts fairly and peacefully, and treat each other with respect. more. . |
For more information about individual videos in this series, click on a topic below. |
| • Controlling Anger • Working Out Conflicts • Being Good Listeners • Bullying & Teasing • Prejudice & Respect |
If your school or organization does not have these videos, you can purchase them from Live Wire Media, or request them from your local library.
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Meet the
Puppets
Nubbs, Burna, Muggsy, Essie, Groark
Ventriloquist Randel McGee with Groark
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
If you are using the video, ask the first two questions before viewing.
1. Has anybody ever gotten mad at you because you weren't listening to them? What happened?
2. How does it feel when someone won't listen to your ideas or opinions?
3. Why do you think Essie and Nubbs were upset with Groark?
4. Why wasn't Groark listening?
5. What are some reasons why people don't listen?
6. What's wrong with not listening when someone is talking to you?
7. How can not listening create hard feelings between friends?
8. Is there a difference between hearing and listening? What is the difference?
9. Have you ever had a bad misunderstanding because you didn't listen carefully - or because somebody didn't listen carefully to you?
10. How can listening carefully help friendships?
11. When somebody is not listening to you, what can you do to get them to listen?
12. What did you learn from this video?
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To find teaching guides on related topics for this and older grade levels |
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STUDENT ACTIVITIES
1. Model listening skills by having one student describe a favorite activity and tell why he or she likes it. After two or three minutes, restate what was said by saying, "I heard you say that..." Have the students tell you ways that you showed you were a good listener.
2. Have a directed art lesson. Give each student a piece of paper and pencil, crayons or markers. Have students draw as you give each instruction. Describe, step-by-step, how to draw a simple animal, building, or scene. Let students share their drawings.
Older students can try the activity in pairs. One partner describes the picture while the other listens and draws it. They then switch and the first partner draws while the other describes a picture. When the pictures are completed, the drawings can be shared with the class or posted on a bulletin board.
3. Create a group story by having the students sit in a group. One person starts to tell a story. After a certain time limit, or when the student gets to a point in the story that it can change, the next person continues the story. This goes from one person to the next around the circle until the story is completed. Discuss how listening carefully to what each person added to the story helped the group tell the story. This can be done with younger children by having each child contribute one or two sentences or ideas to the story.
(If you wish to copy or use any material from this website, please click here for Terms of Use.)
Other teaching guides in this series:
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• Controlling Anger • Working Out Conflicts • Being Good Listeners |
• Bullying & Teasing • Prejudice & Respect |
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WRITING ASSIGNMENTS
1. Have students keep a daily journal of how listening or not listening
affected their day. Younger children can draw pictures in their journals.
Discuss at the end of the day some of these experiences.
2. Read a story to the class that illustrates listening or not listening skills. Have the students draw pictures or write a different version of the story to illustrate how the story would have changed if the characters had been listening better. Stories such as Goldilocks and the Three Bears, The Three Little Pigs, Little Red Riding Hood, and other fairy tales can be used, emphasizing how the characters did not listen to instructions and how that caused them problems. For older students, be aware of other literature they are reading and point out situations in the stories where listening skills are important.
3. Older students can create a newspaper with each student being a reporter. Each reporter interviews another student, asking about such topics as accomplishments, family experiences, travels, or favorite activities, foods, movies, television programs, etc. The interviews are written up and "published" in the newspaper. After it is distributed to the class, have a discussion to find out if the reporters accurately listened and reported what they were told. Discuss how listening skills were helpful in completing the assignment.
4. How many ways can you think of to show someone that you aren't listening? Make a list.
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HOME ASSIGNMENTS
To enlist the involvement of parents, make copies of the "For Parents" block (see below) and send them home with the children. Tell the children to discuss the video with their parents, and to perform the following activities.
1. Take home Groark's rules for How to be a Good Listener (see the top of this column) and post them in a place where your family can see them. Discuss them with your parents or other adult family members.
2. Draw a picture or write about a situation that shows good listening skills being used at home.
3. Ask family members to tell you about a time when they (or somebody they know) caused trouble by not being a good listener. Write or draw a picture about it.
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(Copy this block and send it home to the parents.)
FOR PARENTS
Dear Parent,
Your child is learning some valuable skills which will help him or her get along well with others, solve conflicts peacefully, and avoid violent situations.
The current lesson is about being a good listener. We have shown your child a video entitled "Groark Learns to Listen", which presents a puppet show and discussion about how poor listening can lead to misunderstandings and hard feelings.
Here are some things you can do to help your child learn to be a good listener.
• Ask your child to tell you about the video program and what he or she learned from it.
• Discuss with your child the steps he or she learned for being a good listener.
• Share situations you or other family members have experienced that show consequences from not listening. Discuss how being a good listener could have helped the situation.
• When situations arise where good listening can help, demonstrate good listening skills and remind your child how to be a good listener.
• Notice good listening behavior in your child and acknowledge it.
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*Popcorn Park and the Popcorn Park Puppets are trademarks of Elkind+Sweet Communications, Inc./Live Wire Media.