The Princess – Activities

Activities Coloring Pages Word Puzzles Word Treasures Return to the Story

Get ready to discuss, share, play, create, and read your way to developing and empowering a strong character.

Imagine

You like to find and save things.  You have found so many things that you need several places to keep them.  There is one item that you think is very special.  Do you put it in storage or do you keep it near you?

Story Focus, Virtues, and Life Lessons

Story Focus:

Purposefully gathering things to become valued treasures.

Virtues:

Diligence and Purposefulness

Life Lessons:

• Diligence
  The robin found value and beauty in things that were lost or thrown away. She loved to collect things.
  Rose would find things they left behind that were covered by the leaves.  Sometimes the owners would return and search for the lost item.  They had no idea it had already been found by Rose.  It was quickly put away in one of her many hiding places.
• Purposefulness
  Like most robins, Rose had a very good memory of where her hiding places were located. She liked to visit them to make sure all her treasures were safe.
  Things that are highly valued as treasures are a personal preference.  Finding treasures gives purpose to those who value them.

Magical Moments

Interactive Discussion and Activities

Reading Story Techniques

First, pre-read the story before reading it aloud with your learner. Use expressive language, gestures, motions, and sounds to make the story come alive:

• Begin the story by taking a deep breath to illustrate fresh spring air.
• Look down as you read the description of Rose in the tree.
• Point to your head when reading about Rose’s good memory.
• Make a ringing sound when reading about the silver treasure.
• Change the tone of your voice to sound male or female for Roy’s and Rose’s dialogue.
• Entice your learner’s curiosity by lowering your voice to almost a whisper when Rose tells the secret about the straw doll.
• Sound doubtful when reading Roy’s response to the secret.
• Sound excited and convincing when reading Rose’s lines.
• End the story with a warm and endearing tone, emphasizing the last word, “Princess.”

While Reading

Interject these questions to involve the learner:

• What was Rose’s most valued treasure?
• Who thought the doll was plain?
• When did Rose find the straw doll?
• Where did Rose keep the straw doll?
•  Why did Rose think the straw doll was special?

After Reading

Use the answers to these questions to recall points in the story.

• Who asked Rose about the straw doll?
  Roy, her good friend.  He asked, “Rose, are you sure about this doll?  Why would a princess own a doll like this? It is so plain.”
• Why did Rose believe the doll belonged to a princess?
  Rose heard the man say, “Come. It’s time to leave, Princess.”
• What did Rose value most?
  A straw doll with blue, button eyes and a torn, red dress was her most valued treasure.
• When did the little girl play with her toys?
  It was last spring. A man and a little girl came to the meadow.  The man was fishing in the Summer Star River.  The little girl played in the flowers.  Then, she played with the toys in her bag.  She took out a straw doll and two teddy bears.  She sat them in a circle and put a teapot in the center.  She gave each of them a cup and a cookie.”
• Where did Rose perch to watch?
  Rose added, “I was perched on a low limb so I could hear and see everything.”
• Note: Close with a discussion on why we value certain items.  What makes them special? Also discuss interpretation.  What exactly did the man mean by the word “princess?” Was it used literally or figuratively?

Behavior/Social Development (All Ages):

• Ask your learner if he/she ever heard the word, “Diligence.”  Explain the meaning — diligence is working hard at something and doing your best.  Diligence is taking special care by doing things step-by-step.  Diligence helps you get things done. Diligence makes you work enthusiastically and with excellence.
• Ask your learner if there is anything he/she was diligent about.  If they are having a hard time thinking of something, rephrase the question by asking questions, such as “What are you able to do successfully now because you kept working at it?”  Possible answers are riding a bike, tying shoes, roller skating, playing an instrument, knowing the times tables, etc. Note their answers.
• Share your personal triumphs of success due to your diligence.
• Have your learner share his/her personal triumphs because of their diligence. Write their triumphs down for Lasting Impressions.
• Ask your learner if they think the following statement is true and why or why not.  Diligence leads to success.  Should your learner agree that diligence leads to success, discuss how. Should your learner disagree with the statement ask why.  Listen quietly and diligently.
• “Purposefulness” — being purposeful is having a clear focus. Discuss
  what having a clear focus means. Identify these steps of having a clear focus:
  1. Having a vision of a goal you want to be accomplish.
  2. Identifying the steps you need to take to reach the goal.
  3. Completing each one step at a time.
  4. Checking your work.
  5. Finishing all the details.
• Have your learner identify a goal he/she wants to accomplish.  Work
  together to create a clear focus for accomplishing that goal.  List responses for a later activity.

Language Development (Younger Learners):

• Antonyms: he – she, large – small, lost – found, summer – winter
• Identify word patterns: Short U Sounds “– up”
  Bolded words, among the following, were used in The Princess — up, cup, pup, sup
• Identify and explain words that may not be familiar to your learner, such as “chorus,” “perch,” and “limb.”
• Re-introduce the word diligence and repeat the explanation given in the Behavioral/Social Development activities.  Have your learner tell you again, the things they were diligent about and what they can now accomplish because of their diligence.  Note their answers again and compare notes for any similarities and differences.
• Have your learner finish the following statement: “I was diligent in _____ and now I have (or can) _________.”

Language Development (Older Learners):

• Re-introduce the word diligence (careful and persistent work or effort) and repeat the explanation given in the Behavioral/Social Development activities.  Have your learner tell you again, the things he/she was diligent about and what he/she can now accomplish because of their diligence.  Note their answers again and compare notes for any similarities and differences.
• Identify synonyms for diligence and use in sentences with the skills your learner identified in previous discussions.  Examples of synonyms are – conscientiousness, assiduousness, intensity, vigor, attentiveness, care, effort, thoroughness, industriousness, intent, etc.  Extend the activity by using synonyms with examples of people they consider diligent.
• Identify antonyms for the word diligence and repeat the activity of using the antonyms in sentences. Examples of antonyms are – inactivity, lethargy, carelessness, disregard, inattention and negligence.  Extend the activity by discussing what these words lead to – failure.
• Introduce the word, “purposefulness,” and give the definition, “unwavering firmness of character, action, or will.” Ask your learner to paraphrase the definition and give personal examples.  Share your personal examples as well.  Identify synonyms for the word purposefulness and use them in sentences with the examples your learner gave in the previous activity.  Examples of synonyms are – decisiveness, decision, determination, decisiveness, will, willpower, etc. Extend the activity by using synonyms with examples of people they consider purposeful.
• Identify antonyms for the word diligence and repeat the activity of using the antonyms in sentences.  Examples of antonyms are – aimlessness, carelessness, doubt, haste, inattentiveness, indecision, indecisiveness, hesitation, in-determination, etc.  Extend the activity by working together on writing a scenario of someone without a purpose trying to accomplish a particular task.  Try and use as many antonyms as possible.  Ask your learner how he/she would feel if the person in the scenario was them.
• Continue in-depth discussion, by asking some of the following types of reflective questions:
  • “How could you personally benefit by becoming a more diligent person?”
  • “Have your ever felt pressure from your peers that prevented you from accomplishing what you set out to do?”
  • “Have you ever been affected by negative comments others have made about your ability to accomplish your goals?”
  • “What should you do about dealing with those negative comments?”
  • Note some of your learner’s comments for additional activities, described below.

Making Memories

Discover the values covered in this story through guided activities and fun projects that ensure learner involvement.

Arts and Crafts ideas for Creatively Understanding the Virtues

Arts & Crafts Activities (Younger Learners):

• Create a diligence collage where your learner finds pictures and photos that portray their diligence with tasks of interest now and possibly in the future.  Refer back to your learner’s response to the statements in the language development activity – “I was diligent in _____ and now I have (or can) _________.”
• Have your learner color in a sign of blocked letters that states – “I make things happen because I am purposeful.”  Paste a photo of a head shot of your learner on the sign.  Make sure your learner hangs the sign.

Arts & Crafts Activities (Older Learners):

• Make a Purposeful Journal.  Decorate the cover of a journal with a mantra statement, such as “Some people wait for things to happen.  I am purposeful; I make things happen.”  Have your learner enter (copy) the goals and the focus steps you noted in the Social/Behavior Development activity.  Encourage your learner to use this journal routinely to note future goals and thoughts.
• Create a poem or rap stanza for either diligence or purposefulness.  Design a creative sign with the words and post in a visible place that will be noticeable.  Better yet, be brave and post on Facebook or Twitter.

Involvement Tips (All Ages):

• Discuss and share daily experiences of diligent behaviors you encounter.  Talk about what you feel and think.  What impresses you will have your learner thinking.
• Give your learner the tools to be diligent: vision, clear focus with steps, and an end goal.
• Continue to motivate your learner to be diligent with encouragement and a constant reminder of the end goal.

Then, she played with the toys in her bag. She took out a straw doll and two teddy bears. She sat them in a circle and put a teapot in the center. She gave each of them a cup and a cookie.

Lasting Impressions

Continue with learning experiences to extend your stay.

Follow-up Activities (All Ages):

• Discuss and share daily experiences of diligent behaviors you encounter.  Talk about what you feel and think.  What impresses you will have your learner thinking.
• Treasure Hunts – Create several clues which guide your learner to where to look for the next clue.  For younger learners, use directional clues such as:
  • “Look up in the cabinet with the art supplies.”
  • “Look under the round table.”
  • “Look behind the closet door.”
• For older learners, create critical thinking clues, such as:
  • “The next clue is where you can find the temperature of the room (Thermostat),”
  • “The next clue is hidden where you make sure germs are removed from your hands (bathroom sink).”
• Together take a self-evaluation inventory to decide how diligent a person you and your learner are.  The following are examples of self-evaluation questions with true/false or yes/no check boxes:
  • I always do my best, and strive for excellence.
  • I am willing to risk failure for my goal.
  • I am self-disciplined.
  • I learn from my mistakes and failures.
  • I look to see the big picture, and think long term.
  • I set goals and stay focused.
  • I don’t give up when things seem difficult.
  • I don’t procrastinate.
  • I think I am a diligent person because _______.

Real-Life Activities (All Ages):

• America’s Got Talent – Purpose and diligence discussion on the judges’ pick of the best performance that evening.
• Research the value of a treasure named by the learner.
• Research the diligence of your learner’s favorite hero.
• Together work on a several steps, long-term project until completion.
  Examples: Build a birdhouse, learn how to construct an origami box, set up a tropical terrarium, learn how to create balloon art, learn basic embroidery, build a tree house, learn to play golf, etc.

As they left the meadow, the man said, “Come. It’s time to leave, princess.”

Activities Coloring Pages Word Puzzles Word Treasures Return to the Story

There is a secret about this doll. It belonged to a princess.