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The Bullying Stops Here
Nan Brien, Cathy Miyata, Tracy Houser, Nicole Fougere - Curriculum Team
Grade 3
Subject Language Arts/Drama
Topic Descriptive writing
Descriptive Sentence
Through drama, many aspects of the language arts curriculum are explored. Using the story “The
King’s Ring” as a stimulus, students will work in tableaux and improvisation gaining experiences in the
elements of a story, such as observing, retelling, sequencing, and characterization. The story also
deals with issues of bullying.
Curricular Outcomes or Expectations
Please see the lesson plan preview for the expectations/outcomes for your province.
Materials
None
Space Requirements
Classroom
Complete Description of Lesson
Getting Ready
Please take a moment to review
the “Storytelling: The King’s Ring
Intro” Video
" Read aloud the first part of the story, ‘The King’s Ring’ (see end of lesson). Ask the students to
look for the images that will be created inside their heads as they listen.
" Read to where the children find the ring then stop. (The boy’s hand shook as he tucked the ring
into the empty purse around his waist. “Come on!” he said turning towards the palace.) Discuss the
story so far.
Development
Please take a moment to review
the “Role Playing: Character
Exploration” Slide
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" Take some time now to explore the characters in the story. (father, mother, two children,
merchants in the market, the King’s messenger)
" Ask the students to find a space of their own and with face and bodies show how the mother might
have looked as she told the children she was sick, had no money for food, and that they would
have to go and find work. What might she have been feeling? Would her body be stooped or
straight, her face worried or angry? How would her hands move? As you count “one, two, three,
freeze” the students will become the mother.
" Now think about the children. How would they have felt when they were told by the merchants that
they were too dirty and ragged to get a job? How would they look and feel? How would they walk?
How would their faces look? What would their hands do? Ask the students to walk in their own
space as the children in the story. Count “one, two, three, freeze” Observe and comment.
" How do the merchants treat the children? Ask the students to be one of the merchants telling the
children to get out. How would their faces look, their body, hands, posture? Count “one, two, three,
freeze.”
" Were the merchants bullies? If so, how and why. Discuss.
Please take a moment to review
the “Role Playing: Observation
Skills” Video
" Ask the students to choose a character they will become and create a tableau involving the mother,
children or the merchants. Ask one half of the class to observe the other half in tableau. Can they
see what character is being portrayed? How? Discuss.
" How would the children feel when they found the ring? Ask the students to show you this at the
count of “One, two, three, freeze”.
" Recall what has happened in the story so far.
" Ask the students to sit quietly and listen to the next part of the story. Read to the point where the
King says “You have done me a great favour. Now what can I do for you”.
" Does any bullying take place in this part of the story? How? How do you think the children felt
when they met each of the guards? How do you think the guards felt? Discuss.
" Ask the students to create a list of words to describe the guards and their actions. E.g. mean,
arrogant, menacing, frightening.
" Ask the students to use face and body to show how the guards would look as they talk to the
children. Count “one, two, three, freeze”
" Make a list of words to describe how the children might have felt when the guards wanted half of
the reward. Ask the students to show this with their faces and bodies.
Application
Please take a moment to review
the “Role Playing: Improvisation”
Video
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" Now ask the students to group in twos, one is A, the other is B. Ask A to retell the first part of the
story (to where the children find the ring) to B. Ask B to continue the story to where the King says.
“You have done me a great favour. Now what can I do for you?”
" Ask the students to now form into small groups and choose a part of the story to re enact. The
retelling of the story will help the students have dialogue for their improvisations. When groups are
ready, they could share with the rest of the class.
Please take a moment to review
the “Identifying Bullying” Video
" Sit and discuss. What is a bully? How do bullies intimidate? (They tend to speak in a loud voice,
they can move in close to try to make themselves look big and use their hands in a menacing
way). Where does bullying happen in the story? What is the difference between a bully and a
friend? What might you do if you were bullied? Discuss.
Please take a moment to review
the “Creating a New Ending” Video
" The story needs an ending. Ask the students to think about an ending for the story that will bring
the bullying to an end. What do you think the King will do to resolve the situation for the children?
" With students in groups of four or five, ask them to create an ending for the story. Think about
what the King might decide to do for the children and for the guards. Problem solve to find a way
to resolve the situation. Ask questions such as:
What might the children say to the King?
What might the King’s reaction be?
What might the King say to the guards?
What could happen to the reward and what might it be?
" When the students are ready, ask them to act out a scene between the King, the children and the
guards and share it with the rest of the class.
" Discuss how each group found a way to solve the problem.
Please take a moment to review
the “Original Ending” Video
" Now read the end of the story as the storyteller created it. Discuss. Is this a satisfactory ending to
the story? Why or why not?
Please take a moment to review
the “Reflection” Video
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Closure
Ask the children to choose the ending that they feel works best for them and write it. Share and
discuss.
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The King’s Ring
Adapted from an oral tale by Nan Brien
October 3, 2003
Once upon a time in Africa, on the edge of a big city, there lived a poor family, a man, a woman and
two children. One day the father rolled some of his belongings into a blanket, and kissing his wife and
children good-bye, he set out down the road to find a better job. The mother felt pale, oh so weak. A
few days later she took to her bed. One morning she called her young son and daughter to her
bedside. “Children,” she said, “I am too sick to work and we have no money left to buy food. I know
you are young but I need your help. Go to the market place and find yourselves jobs. Maybe at the
baker’s shop, cleaning and sweeping. Can you do that?” “Yes, Mother we will try.”
When the children opened the door to the bake shop the sweet smell of new bread teased their
hunger.
“What do you grubby rascals want?” growled the baker.
“We want a job, sir. We can sweep and clean.”
“Not here you can’t! You’re so dirty people would think my bread was dirty too. Get out!”
“Please, sir. We’re good workers. Give us a chance.”
“No! Get out! Now!” roared the baker.
When the children opened the door to the butcher’s, the salty smell of smoked and barbecued meat
made their mouths water.
“What do you want you ragged rascals?” snapped the butcher.
“We want a job, sir. We can sweep and clean.“
“Not here you can’t. Get out. Now!” shouted the butcher.
And so it was all around the market place. No one would hire them. They were too dirty, too ragged,
or just too young. All the merchants said, “Get out! Now!”
They sat on the edge of the fountain in the market place. When the statue in the center sprayed them
with water, neither one moved. “What are we going to do?” muttered the boy. “I don’t know,”
whispered the girl.
At that moment a red-coated man on a tall gray horse cantered into the market place near them.
“Here ye, hear ye! The King has lost his ring. It is gold with three serpents twined together and a large
ruby for the eye. Any one finding this treasure should bring it up the hill to the palace. Bring it right to
the king himself. His majesty will give a fine reward to the one who finds this ring. Hear ye! Hear ye!”
The King’s messenger trotted away to another part of the city. The children heard pieces of his
message far away on the wind.
People around them began to search for the ring, getting down on their hands and knees, scraping
aside the dirt and debris. “What if we could find the ring?” said the boy.
“We might get enough money to look after our family for years,” said the girl.
“What’s that?” said the boy, “sparkling in the sun?” He reached over near the stone base of the
fountain and pulled from the sand a ring. It was gold with three serpents twined together and a ruby
for an eye. “It’s the King’s ring!” “Hide it! Quickly! Before someone sees it.”
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The boy’s hand shook as he tucked the ring into the empty purse around his waist. “Come on!” He said
turning towards the palace.
“Better wash our faces first before we see the King,” said his sister. They splashed water on
themselves, straightened their clothes, combed their hair with their fingers and started up the hill to
the palace. The wall around the palace was made of bamboo - tall, fat sticks, bound together with
grasses and vines. The stout gate was also crafted of bamboo and standing in front of it was the
widest man they had ever seen. “Wow! He’s as wide as a river!” said the boy. When the guard saw
the children he asked, “What do you want?”
“We want to see the King.”
“What would his majesty want with two filthy urchins like you? Ah, I know. You found his ring.”
“Maybe.”
“Give it to me!”
“No! Let us in to see the King.”
“I’ll let you through the gates if you promise to give me half of the reward.”
“That’s not fair.”
“That’s the way it is!”
The children stepped to one side and talked it over. The girl said, “Half of a whole is a half and a half is
better than nothing” The boy nodded. They turned back to the guard. “All right, mister. We accept
your deal.”
“Good. You must pay me on the way out. Pass through.” He opened the gate. “Go across the court
yard to the King’s house.”
The children ran over the bamboo mats to the house in the center of the yard. There standing in front
of the door, was the tallest man they had ever seen. “Wow!” said the boy. “He’s as tall as a tree!”
“What do you want?” said the guard.
“We want to see the King.”
“What would his majesty want with two filthy urchins like you? I know. You found his ring.”
“Maybe.”
“Give it to me!”
“No. Let us see the King.”
“I’ll let you see the King if you promise to give me half of the reward.”
“That’s not fair!”
“That’s the way it is.”
The children stepped aside and talked it over. The girl said, “Half of a whole is a half. Half of a half is
a quarter and a quarter is better than nothing.” The boy nodded. They turned back to the guard. “All
right, mister. We accept your deal.”
“Good. You can pay me on your way out. Pass through. Follow the red carpet to the throne room
where the King is giving audience.”
The children followed the red rug to the throne room. There standing in front of the door was the
biggest man they had ever seen. “Wow!” said the boy. “He’s as big as a mountain!”
“What do you want?” snarled the guard.
“We want to see the King.”
“What would his majesty want with two filthy urchins like you? Ah, I know. You’ve found the King’s
ring.Give it to me!”
“No. Let us see the King.”
“I’ll let you see the King if you promise to give me half of the reward.”
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“That’s not fair.”
“That’s the way it is.”
The children talked it over. “Half of a whole is a half. Half of a half is a quarter. Half of a quarter is an
eighth and an eighth is better than nothing. All right, mister. We’ll take your deal.”
“Good. You can pay me on your way out. Pass through.”
The children entered the King’s throne room. They had been wondering what to say to the King about
the guards who had bullied them. Would his majesty be fair? Would he favour the guards or them?
They did not know.
The King sat at the opposite end of the room. “Come here,” he commanded. “Sit at my feet. Children
do not often come to visit me. Why have you come?”
“Your Majesty, we found your ring.”
“Wonderful! Give it to me.” The boy reached out his hand with the ring of serpents.
“I am grateful,” said the King polishing it against his purple robe. “My father had this ring made for me
as a wedding gift.” He slipped it onto his finger and smiled. “You have done me a great favour. Now
what can I do for you?”
“You can give us 100 lashes from the whip of your fiercest warrior.”
“Why? Why would I do such a cruel thing to my new friends?”
“Because,” said the girl, “your three guards asked us to share our reward with them. Each one wants
half of whatever you give us.”
The King’s face turned red and he stormed around the room. “Albert, bring those guards to me,
immediately!” The children felt a cool rush of air and saw the door to the throne room slam open. But
they saw no one. “Albert is huge and invisible explained the King.” Suddenly the third guard appeared
suspended in the air, carried in apparently by his hair which stood on end. A moment later he was
thrown down at the feet of the King. Next came the second guard, dragged in by the feet and dropped
in a tangle. A minute after, the first guard was lifted in by the scruff of his neck like a cat and tossed at
the foot of the King’s chair. The King clapped his hands and a huge man appeared with a black whip in
his hand.
“Now,” said the king. “You asked for a share of the prize. The children have asked for 100 lashes of the
whip.”
“What?” cried the first guard.
“Where’s the gold?” queried the second.
“There’s been a mistake!” exclaimed the third.
“Hugo,” said the King, “The guard at the gate asked for half of the reward give him his share of the
lashes.” Hugo dragged him forward and beat the man who was as wide as a river. He dared not cry
out. When Hugo was done the King said, “The guard at the door to the palace asked for half so give
him half of what is left.” Hugo dragged him forward and beat the man as tall as a tree. He also dared
not cry out. When Hugo was done the King said, “The guard at my door also asked for half so give him
half of the remainder.” Hugo beat the guard as big as a mountain. He cried and cried and cried.
“Now,” said the King, “take this whip of feathers and give the children the remaining strokes.”
As Hugo tickled them the children laughed and giggled and sneezed.
“Now,” said his Majesty to the guards. “Have you anything to say for yourselves?”
“There’s been a mistake!” wept the third guard.
“I didn’t do anything!” protested the second.
“What’s the problem?” whined the first.
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“You have shamed me,” roared the King, “shamed me and my kingdom. I will not tolerate bullies in
my country. Albert, take them to the edge of my land and throw them out. If ever they are found
within my boundaries again, severe their heads from their bodies.”
“Please, Sire! Give us another chance!”
“ We won’t do it again.”
“ Promise!”
Courtiers, said the King. “What do you think? Should we give them another chance? If so what fitting
punishment should we give them?”
“You’re too late!”
“But Sire, please. Our families!”
“Let us say good-bye.”
“Spend one day with them.”
The King glared at them. “Enough is enough! Albert! Take them away!”
The three guards were lifted one after the other and carried out together, struggling and squirming
and crying out against their captor.
When the noise had abated, the King said to the children, “Now, what do you really need to make your
lives better?” “Well,” murmured the boy, “our mother is sick. Could she have some medicine?”
“Some money would be helpful,” suggested the girl, “to buy food and clothes and repair our poor little
house.” “Where is your father?” asked the King. “He’s gone to work in another city.” “Will he be back?”
“Yes, I’m certain he will.” The king clapped his hands. “Royal doctor come to me. Help the mother.” In
turn the King called the treasurer to bring a sack of money, the tailor to make clothes, the chef to
prepare food, the carpenter to repair the house, the messenger to find their father, and so on, until
the children were supplied for life with everything they needed. And so it was that the children won
what they most desired while the bullies lost what they most held dear.
To give individual students opportunities to review or further develop
their understanding of the concepts in the above lesson, please go to the
Student Zone, Brain Games or click here
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