Stone Soup

Third through fifth grade students participated in a Thanksgiving themed lesson over the past week.  The guidance lesson began by them viewing the book Stone Soup by Marcia Brown -- Liz, the story reader, read it to them via the internet.  If you, too, would like to hear the story, here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fimOE5_Tm2w&feature=player_embedded.

In Stone Soup, three soldiers are traveling.  The villagers in the village they were soon approaching noticed that they were coming.  Assuming that the soldiers would ask for something to eat, the villagers hid their food.  After going from door to door, and getting denied food at each home, the soldiers asked for simple supplies: a large cooking pot, water, and some stones ... to make stone soup.  Several villagers contributed supplies for the soup and the entire village feasted on a delicious meal. 

While discussing the story with students, we concluded that any amount of food the villagers contributed helped to make a meal for the entire village -- that we don't always have to give a lot in order to make a difference.  Therefore, our theme for our guidance lesson (in the spirit of Thanksgiving) was to 'give a little to help a lot.' 

Students brainstormed ways they help a little (at home, at school, within a club/team/organization they belong to) to make a difference.  Some examples include: stacking chairs in their classroom so the teachers and custodians have time to do other things, setting the dinner table at home so the family can easily enjoy a meal together, reading a story to a younger sibling.