The Crane Maiden

Adapted from Counselor Name:  Karen Ward
Title of Lesson:  The Crane Maiden
School:  TUSD Guidance and Counseling
Quarter: Anytime
 Audience:   Classroom   Small Group
Level:    Primary (K-2)   Intermediate (3-5) Target Grade: 4th

COUNSELING  STANDARDS
PERSONAL/SOCIAL
  Students will acquire the knowledge, attitudes and interpersonal skills to help them understand and respect self and others.   

COUNSELING COMPETENCY(IES)
Demonstrate healthy ways of dealing with conflicts, stress and emotions in self and others.  

MATERIALS/RESOURCES: Plain paper for folding
The book, The Crane Maiden is optional. The story of Hiroshima Memorial Peace Park can be found at the following website:  
http://www.jlhs.nhusd.k12.ca.us/Classes/Social_Science/Japan_Visit/Peace_Park.html For Crane directions go to the following website; http://monkey.org/~aidan/origami/crane/
 
ACTIVITY:
  Share “The Story of Sadako Sasaki”.Go to the website listed under materials/resources for the story. You may want to explain some of the history of Hiroshima.  The most important point is to see how much difference one person can make.  Sadako Sasaki is a “hero” and her message lives
on in the lives of many children.  Students can carry the message of peace for the world by making a peace crane and displaying them at their school.  The peace crane is hard to make so you may want to make the swan and call it a peace crane or you may want to practice paper folding
by doing the swan first.  Read The Crane Maiden (or any story about courage, perseverance, responsibility or integrity) to the students after they have completed the project.  Tell the students they will hear about courage, perseverance, responsibility, and integrity.  Put these words on the
board and ask the students to listen for the message of these words.  Stop and let students share.  Also, list the characters on the board and see if the students can assign one or more of the words to the character’s action.  Ask students what symbols and traditions they have in their culture
to bring good luck and to make wishers.  Have students write the main ideas of this story and list tow details under each idea.  In conclusion, give the students an opportunity to write a secret wish on a piece of paper and fold it into the crane they made.  TO DO THIS TOTAL LESSON YOU
WILL NEED AN HOUR OR TOW SHORTER CLASS PERIODS.  
 
EVALUATION:   Pretest/Postest:  Can one person really make a difference for world peace?
 How did the student change as a result of this lesson?  Students will feel empowered to affect change.
 Information/Comments/Follow-up:  Hang the cranes in the classroom or a common area in the school.