Grump Grumpaniny

Here is the first of the lesson plan outlines for the Superflex Unthinkables: Grump Grumpaniny. 
At the end I have added a book list that includes other books that will meet the same goals, but might fit better with your own group. Please let me know if you find any of this helpful or share your own great ideas for defeating Grump Grumpaniny. 

Essential Question: What is a strategy to stop Grump Grumpaniny from attacking you?

Powers: Makes you think the worst and feel others are unkind. Always sees things from a negative point of view. Nothing makes you happy
 

Monday	Tense Body - Phlat Ball or Daddy Mindful Breathing (chime and Space Ball) Introduce Grump Grumpaniny What do you think his powers are? When are some times he might attack your brain? Read The Very Cranky Bear Discuss how bear has not told anyone why he is cranky or what he needs. The animals cannot see inside his brain, they don’t know what he needs. Strategy for defeating Grump Grumpaniny – Tell someone why you are cranky. Mindful Breathing (chime and Space Ball)	Make a little brain with Grump Grumpaniny in to put above the Grumpy characters’ heads. Use sticky wall putty, it usually comes off better then tape. Be sure to put Superflex in the book when the character begins to be a flexible thinker.
Tuesday	Tense Body - Phlat Ball or Daddy Mindful Breathing (chime and Space Ball) Review The Very Cranky Bear  and discuss how he defeated the Unthinkable Read Grumpy Cat Discuss how the cat was grumpy because he was lonely, but he didn’t tell anyone how he felt and he held onto his grumpy feelings for a long time until he could fix the loneliness. Model Grumpy faces and grumpy thoughts.   Mindful Breathing (chime and Space Ball)	What are the “Thumbs Down” consequences for holding onto a grumpy mood? What event occurred to help cat feel happy? How was cat thinking flexible? Who was cat thinking about?
Wednesday	Tense Body - Phlat Ball or Daddy Mindful Breathing (chime and Space Ball) Review Grumpy Cat and discuss how he defeated the Unthinkable Read The Bad Mood - Discuss how Badger thinks he is letting everyone know that he is in a bad mood, but what he is really doing is being rude to those who are trying to help him. Discuss how badger’s bad mood gets passed to the other animals. Reinforce the strategy of “Tell Someone” Mindful Breathing (chime and Space Ball)	Were the other animals comfortable or uncomfortable around Badger? Point out to students how Badger used flexible thinking to defeat Grump Grumpaniny – Badger had to think about how everyone around him was feeling. How do we feel around someone who is Grumpy? Do students like to hear a teacher’s Cranky voice or her happy teacher voice? Do students like s teacher to look grumpy or happy? How about parents?
Thursday	Tense Body - Phlat Ball or Daddy Mindful Breathing (chime and Space Ball) Review The Bad Mood and discuss how Badger defeated the Unthinkable Read The Big Bad Mood Discuss how laughter and finding something fun to do can defeat a bad mood. Model grumpy faces and how hard it is to stay Grumpy when someone is doing something funny. Mindful Breathing (chime and Space Ball)	Review questions from previous day. Discuss and share things that make each member of the group laugh. Blow up a balloon and let it go. Invariably it will go somewhere unexpected. It will be hard for anyone in the group not to laugh.
Friday	Tense Body - Phlat Ball or Daddy Mindful Breathing (chime and Space Ball) Review previous books. Remind students that allowing Grump Grumpaniny to stay in their brain will have consequences for them and others. Read The Berenstain Bears Get the Grouchies How did the Bear family defeat Grump Grumpaniny? How did they change the way they were thinking? Mindful Breathing (chime and Space Ball)	Culminating Activity: Have students make a collage of pictures where they are smiling. Encourage parents to send in pictures of very happy memories with family. Title the collage – Think Happy (Or however each student prefers) Add the collage to social skills binder under the Grump Grumpaniny tab

Grump GrumpaninyBook List

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, Judith Viorst

The Pout-Pout Fish in the Big-Big Dark, Deborah Diesen

The Very Cranky Bear, Nick Bland

The Pout-Pout Fish, Deborah Diesen

The Bad Mood, Moritz Pete

Are You Grumpy Santa? Gregg Spiridellis

The Big Bad Mood, M. Christina Butler

What Are You So Grumpy About? Tom Lichtenheld

Big Rabbit’s Bad Mood, Ramona Badescu

Grumpy Cat, Britta Tekentrup

The Berenstain Bears Get the Grouchies, Stan Berensatin