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Video 3: Green Far-away Hug Circle - My Relatives, My Friends

Summary of Story

Sofie tells us about her friends and family that she places in her Green Far-Away Hug Circle. She places her relatives: Aunt Ellen, Uncle John, and cousin, Tyler, in her Green Far-Away Hug Circle. These are family members she is close to and sees often but does not live with. She also places her best friends Emily, Sarah, and Kelly in her Green Far-Away Hug Circle. Sofie can trust these friends and family members and greets them with friendly, far-away hugs when they visit to celebrate her birthday.

Teacher’s Note

The Green Far-Away Hug Circle usually includes extended family the student doesn’t live with and close friends a child sees regularly. Far-away hugs can be non-body-to-body or one-arm hugs. Bodies don’t touch in far-away hugs. They can also be a pat on the back or shoulder.

While students should know the difference between close friends and family and paid caregivers, young children often become very close with their paid caregivers, for example, their preschool or daycare teacher, nanny, or therapist they see regularly. Therefore, in some situations, including a paid caregiver in their Green Far-Away Hug Circle may be appropriate.

Young children are just beginning to understand the concept of friendship and making friends but are likely to play with most peers. Forming friendships may need specific lessons in your classroom as this early social skill is still developing. Remember, relationships, including friendships, must be mutual.

Program Aims

  • Establish the degree of intimacy associated with the Green Far-Away Hug Circle using friends and extended family members as examples of an affectionate relationship.

Methods

Step 1: Review the Big Blue Hug Circle by replaying the video vignette. Go over the following:

  • Who’s the most important person in your world of circles?
  • What Circle are you in?
  • What kind of touch, talk, and trust is acceptable with a person in your Big Blue Hug Circle?

Step 2: Inform the students that today they will learn about the next circle, the Green FarAway Hug Circle. Indicate the green circle on the wall-mounted circles graph. Model the sign for the Green Far-Away Hug circle. This circle is for family members who don’t live with you and very close friends.

Step 3: Show the Green Far-Away Hug Circle video. Pause for discussion when the video concludes. Ask:

  • Who was in Sofie’s Green Far-Away Hug Circle?
  • How does Sofie feel about her close friends and relatives in her Green Far-Away Hug Circle?
  • How does she decide who is in her Green Far-Away Hug Circle?

Step 4: The Teacher uses the laminated - figural icons with the wall-mounted CIRCLES graph to demonstrate the placement of the new characters on the CIRCLES graph. Place Sophie’s relatives and her closest friends on the graph.

Elicit the Deciding Factors from students, either from their memory, by replaying the video vignette or helping younger students name them. Refer to the Green Far-Away Hug Circle on the wall-mounted Circles graph and say each factor on the list.

  • Sofie has known her aunt, uncle, and cousin for most of her life. These people are her extended family.
  • Sofie sees her extended family at least every year and stays in touch with phone calls, texts, or cards.
  • Sofie and her extended family will always be related to each other.
  • Sofie cares about her aunt, uncle, and cousin, and they care about her.
  • Sofie spends time with her closest friends at playdates, school, church, etc.
  • Sofie shares common interests and experiences and has fun with extended family members and friends.
  • Sofie cares about her closest friends and they care about her.
  • Sofie and her extended family members and friends are kind to each other; they never hurt Sofie on purpose and will help her when thesy can.
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Note: Young children may not have many if any, close friends yet, or they may think everyone in their class is a close friend. It is important to emphasize to young learners that being friendly and being friends are different.
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Note: Reassure students that all families and extended families are different. If the overall emotional tone is affectionate, expressed by touch, talk, and trust, then that extended family is well placed in the Green Far-Away Hug Circle.

Step 5: Distribute personal CIRCLES graphs. Instruct the children to color in the Green Circle. Assist students in personalizing their Green Far-Away Hug Circle by using their photographs or the Peel n’ Stick icons that best represent their friends or others identified as belonging in their Green Far-Away Hug Circle.

Step 6: Tell students, or elicit from students, if they are able, the following information about touch, talk, and trust with friends in their Green Far-Away Hug Circle:

  • Touch - Sofie shares friendly, affectionate, far-away hugs with her friends on special occasions.
  • Talk - Sofie shares limited personal news and confides in her friends.
  • Trust - Sofie knows she can trust her trust her friends and extended family members not to hurt her feelings intentionally.

For Greater Depth (Optional)

  • Roleplay greeting friends at school or family members when they come over to visit. The children can actively role-play if able, or you can demonstrate using puppets or dolls.
  • Give the children blank paper and crayons or markers and have them draw a picture of their close friends.
  • Elicit a list of activities students like to do with their friends.
  • Review the list of criteria to include someone in their Green Far-Away Hug Circle and have students give examples, if possible, of what that might look like:
    1. Know the person for a long time or know them well.
    2. See them or talk with them often.
    3. Share some common bonds.
    4. Have friendly feelings for them.
    5. Are not hurtful on purpose.

Summary

Replay the video vignette as needed to reinforce students’ skill development. Tell students that when they have family members and close friends in their Green Far-Away Hug Circle, that relationship may include a range of touch, talk, and trust.

Support Activity

Find different pictures in books or online (and print them off) of children, about the same age as your students, and “family members” in a variety of situations. Ask the students “yes or no” if the people look like they’re in each other’s Green Far-Away Hug Circle.

Consider This

Students with special needs and young children may lack the social skills to make their own friends. They might be further behind in social-emotional development than their neurotypical peers. Dealing with rejection from a peer acquaintance with no interest in friendship-building, may be hurtful and confusing. These children often lack the ability to solve social problems such as sharing, taking turns, and successfully entering a play situation. Your guidance and applicable lessons should be developed within your classroom to foster friendship-building skills.