3rd Grade

The Cover Up (Suggested for grades 2 – 5) – All Dilworth 5th Grade Classes Materials: Bucket or large cooking pot (about 8 inches across), one quarter, and enough pennies for each student to have one

Fill the bucket with 6 – 8 inches of water and put the quarter at the bottom in the center. Begin by saying that telling a lie may seem like a simple way out of a problem. However, usually when we tell a lie we end up telling even more lies in order to cover up the first lie. (Give an example, either made up or from your own personal experience.) Explain to the students that their challenge is to cover up the quarter by using a penny. Have students come up one at a time and try to drop their penny (from at least 2 inches above the water) into the bucket and try to cover up the quarter. After everyone has had a turn to drop a penny in the bucket discuss the following questions: 1. How well did the penny cover the quarter? 2. How many actually landed on the quarter? 3. How does this activity compare to trying to cover up a lie that we told? 4. Does someone have to tell more lies to cover up the first lie? 5. What happens when you are caught lying? 6. How easy is it for others to trust you again? 7. Why is telling the truth easier than lying even if the truth may get you in trouble? (Activities That Teach Family Values, by Tom Jackson)