We'll be working on the theme of aggression for the next few weeks. 

Game of the week: Aggression Charades
This game is adapted from the game "Face Off," from 101 More Life Skills Games for Children, by Bernie Badegruber.  The goal of this game is to help participants identify aggressive behavior in themselves and others, and to recognize that we sometimes mistakenly interpret aggression.

Act out the attitudes written down on cards.  Cards are drawn randomly and only the actor gets to read the card.  They group tries to guess what the cards say.

Base the cards on the specific skills and needs of the group.  Some idea for cards are:

• I am bored.
  
• I don't care about you.
• I don't want to share with you.
• Leave me alone.
  
• I'm going to stare at you until you go away.
  
• I am better than you.
• You are annoying.  I don't like you.
• You are too young to be my friend.
• You dress funny.
• You look funny.
• I don't want to be here.
• I don't think there is enough to share.  You can't have any.
• I don't know how to do this.
• I am frustrated.

Some questions to ask in between show downs:

• How can I threaten or scare someone?  When I do that, does it mean that I want to actually fight with them?
• Do I threaten or scare people by accident sometimes?
• Do people threaten or scare me by accident sometimes?
  
• Are threats the same as fighting?
• What can I do when someone threatens me?

Riddle of the week
Poke your fingers in my eyes and my jaws will open wide. Linen cloth, paper, or flowers- all of these I can devour.  What am I?
A pair of scissors.
Highlight the above line to reveal the answer.