October 11–15, 2021
Theme: Games of Life
Skill Building: Doing the Right Things

Person-Centered Thinking & Safety
Monday October 11, 2021
Today happens to be...Native American Day
PRESENTERS: remind everyone that the Americas include all the land from the north pole down through Canada, the US, Mexico and all the way to the southern tip of South America. The area was occupied by millions of native peoples from many different backgrounds, languages and cultures before the Europeans arrived.
Theme for the Month: Games of Life
Skill for the Week: Doing the right things.
Introduce the skill for the week. We will learn about ethics, making choices that help people and support community. We will also look at actions that harm others and damage community. In the game of life everything toward other people affects us too. We are all connected.
Hope Program Updates:
Hi all watch this video for important HLB details and a cool presentation coming on October 13th!
Thematic Media
PRESENTERS: Be sure to read to the participants the note the woman wrote on the drawing she left on the bench
Thematic Activity
When we see things, our brain starts explaining them to us. Sometimes our brain tells us a wrong story or a wrong explanation. Review these pictures, then check to see if the explanation your brain gave you is the right one. Answers below.
- Dogs (fighting or playing?)
- Performance of some kind
- What are these kids doing?
- Is there a problem?
Body Break
can you follow the spoken directions without referring to the video?
Skills Media
PRESENTERS: Make sure participants understand the story before doing the exercises.
- Who was sharing with whom?
- Who was irritated?
- Who was generous?
- What story did the man who was irritated tell himself?
Hope Program Updates:
Hi all, watch this video for important HLB details and a cool presentation coming on October 13th!
Skills Information
We often need to problem situations in which someone else is doing something we think is incorrect. Sometimes we are right and it is obvious the other person needs to reconsider their actions. Sometimes we are wrong. Here are two things we can do to check if we are wrong or right.
- Use peaceful, honest communication to ask the other person what they see and think about the situation. Listen carefully and make sure we understand them, then tell them what we see and think. Finally, do our best to find out what parts we agree about.
- Tell the other person what we need or are trying to achieve and ask them what they need or are trying to achieve.
Skills Applied
The options above are based on communication. In your group think of two other things you can do in a situation where you think someone is doing something wrong. Remember, you want to check and make sure you really understand what is going on before you start asking them to do things differently.
Use these misunderstandings to help you brainstorm.
- Someone looks like they are littering but really they are spreading a new kind of mulch on a flower bed
- A dog owner doesn't have his puppy on leash because the dog has a bad skin condition that makes the leash hurt.
- Someone is holding up the people getting on the bus because they can't find their wallte. They don't realize they got pick-pocketed.
Slow the spread of COVID-19: How can you protect yourself and others in your household?
Are you taking extra time to clean surfaces of germs? What types of clean products are you using to clean your living space?
Body Break
Add your own moves and enjoy the dancers
Fun Stuff
Answers:
Dogs - playing
Performance - was a DEBATE or discussion
Kids in school - testing distance across the desk
Gym Problems - Stretching before working out
What did we learn today?
Sequence the day—Help the group review what you explored together today.
What are we doing this afternoon?

Civics & Community Awareness
Tuesday, October 12, 2021
Today happens to be...Face Your Fears Day
Hope Program Updates
Hi all, if you missed the update, here is the video again. HLB meets today and tomorrow we have a big cool guest speaker!
Thematic Media
PRESENTERS: OK to pause or repeat sections of the video to make sure participants understand the story points.
Thematic Activity
An "invoice" is a slip of paper that tells what and how much product someone ordered. Most businesses compare the actual product in the boxes shipped to the amount ordered on the invoice.
- What happened in the video?
- What did the more experienced workers tell the new guy to do?
- Why did they call it "product testing?"
- They talked about how the company benefits from people taking product without paying for it. Do you think that's true?
- The more experienced workers agreed with each other but the new guy didn't. What do you think he can choose to do?
- Have you ever been in a similar situation?
Body Break
Otis Redding sings about Telling the Truth
Can you invent a dance move that expresses honesty and openness?
Skills Media
To be good at truth we have to practice it.
This video helps parents teach kids how to be honest.
Do you think it has good ideas?
How did your parents help you become an honest person?
Skills Information
We live in community with others. We depend on each other and support each other to make things happen in the world. That is why honesty is important. When we are honest with each other life is better and easier.
True or False-answers at bottom
- Most people in the study told the lie to get more money.
- Most people want to be seen as honest so they tell the truth.
- More women lied.
- What do you think you would have done if you were in the study?
Skills Applied
- Are people MORE or LESS likely to be honest of the amount is over $50?
- Why is honesty important for communities?
- What have you done with money or other items people have dropped and you saw?
- Have you ever turned in lost money or received money you lost?
- How did you feel, whether you were getting your money back, or giving money back to someone else?
Body Break
Fun Stuff
What did we learn today?
Sequence the day—Help the group review what you explored together today.
What are we doing this afternoon?
**********************
'answers
FALSE Most people in the study told the lied to get more money.
TRUE Most people want to be seen as honest so they tell the truth.
FALSE More women lied.

Well Being and Social Connection
Wednesday, October 13, 2021
Today happens to be...Pet Obesity Awareness Day
Hope Program Updates
Thematic Media
Do the Right Thing - With Some Umph
Did the boys in this story follow Dr. Marc's advice?
Thematic Activity
We call the sense of right and wrong inside a person a "conscience." Our conscience is like a security system. When we do what we think is good behavior, we feel fine and don't really notice our conscience. When we do something we know is wrong we feel guilty and ashamed. That is our conscience going off like an alarm bell to help us get back to doing right.
- Think of a time when your conscience helped you choose to do something good for someone.
- Think of a time when you wanted a reward or benefit but to get it you would have to do something you know is wrong, like lie, cheat, or let some harm happen to someone else. How did your conscience tell you there was a decision to make?
- Sometimes we do things we should not and we think it might be OK because no one else will know. Have you ever done that? How did your conscience make you feel?
In the game of life your conscience is like an inner referee that will help you make sure whatever you do win will be really yours to be proud about.
Body Break
Skills Media
Pro-Social Behavior is usually what we consider good behavior.
Skills Information
Pro-social behavior is good for our health. When we feel like we are good people who support and help other good people, we help our bodies and our minds stay healthy.
- When we are healthy we can have better immunity to things like viruses and colds.
- When we are healthy we can offer more help to others than when we are sick.
- When we are healthy we can have command of our life and enjoy moving and using our bodies freely for a happy life.
- Your conscience can help you do pro-social things and keep you healthy.
Skills Applied
COVID-19 Vaccines are Important: Get back together with the people you love
- Vaccinated helps bring us all back together, what activities are you looking foward to once you return to program?
- What are some of the best community outings that you enjoy with friends at Hope?
Body Break
Fun Stuff
As kids we sometimes try lying because we don't really understand that it's wrong. Here are some funny lies people told when they were kids.
What did we learn today?
Sequence the day—Help the group review what you explored together today.
What are we doing this afternoon?

Rights & Self Advocacy
Thursday, October 14, 2021
Today happens to be...Be Bald and Free Day
Thematic Media
It's important to society that people who see problems with fairness and ethics in the world stand up and try to change things. That is VERY difficult. It takes a lot of courage. Advocacy is ethical and pro-social, even when it's controvertial, because in the end it helps society work better for more people.
Thematic Activity
- Why do you think it's WRONG for a society to allow discrimination against people with disabilities?
- Remember the idea of pro-social behavior we learned? Is disrimination against people with disabilities pro-social?
- So is the disability rights movement pro-socia?
Body Break
Skills Media
Skills Information
When we need to advocate for ourselves, honesty is important. Here are some statements that are assertive.
PRESENTERS: Scroll down to the Examples, read some of the scenarios and go over the example of an assertive response.
Skills Applied
Now come up with some assertive statements for one or more of these self-advocacy scenarios.
- Imagine you use a wheelchair and are waiting in line for a ride at Disneyland. A woman in front of you has a very large purse that is just at the same level as your face and she keeps moving in ways that nearly smack you in the face with her oversized bag.
- Your friends invite you out to a tiny, neighborhood restaurant in their part of town. You have a seeing-eye dog to help you get around. When you get to the restaurant the manager doesn't believe the dog is really a seeing-eye dog and wants you to leave him outside.
- You want to apply for a job at a department store. When you ask for an application they tell you to fill out the online application at a station in the store. You try but the online form is confusing.
Body Break
Sly and the Family Stone
Fun Stuff
What did we learn today?
Sequence the day—Help the group review what you explored together today.
What are we doing this afternoon?

Knowledge & Fun
Friday, October 15, 2021
Today happens to be Global Handwashing Day
It's also the last day of National Hispanic Heritage Month you can take a look at this gallery of some well known heros!
Hope Program Updates: If you did not make it to the CalABLE Presentation you can watch the recording on the homepage. Look for the orange button with a white $ dollar sign symbol.
Review the Week
- What did you learn this week that you really enjoyed?
- What topics were interesting?
Movie Time
Negative Space-Oscar Award Winning Film that depicts a father and son relationship through the art of packing a suit case.
**Heads up this is a bit of a tear jerking as the narrator talks about their grief, however the video anmations slowly take you through memeories, that are warm and fuzzy**
Reflection:
- What did you enjoy about the film?
- Do you feel like you can relate to the packing skills that they talked about?
- Each scene changes so quickly, which seen was the best scene?
- Did you know this film was created using a techinique called stop motion? If you havent heard of it, heres a link to an article. It's long process where each object is moved from frame to frame slowly, and before moving to the next frame, it has to be phtographed.
- This short film was inspired by poem and when the creators of the film read it, they automatically felt connected. If you want to see a few of the behind the scene's of this film watch here.
Dia De Los Muertos/Day of the Dead
This is a longer video, that explores and explaind many partd of Dia De Los Muertos, which is not far from now. You might have seen the movie coco, where he explains why his family celebrates this.
- You may not have time to watch the entire thing, but you can also come back and watch more later on. Watch a few minutes and see if it sparks an interest.
Body Break
Music
Guess the #1 song on October 15, 1990?!
Take a good guess, note it down and see if you are correct!
See if you can get this correct, what was the #1 song on October 15, 1970? Take another guess!
See if you got this one correct!
Dance
I think we've been sitting too long, Get up and move that body! It's time for the MONSTER MASH
Body Break
Food
Fall brings new flavors into the world, with warm and cozy drinks, hot meals and desserts, cookies and tea. The weather changes and sometimes our tastebuds do too! One thing that extermely popular right now is PUMPKIN!
- What are some of your pumpkin favorite foods?
- Is there anyone in the group who does not like pumpkin?
- Maybe some people only like pumpkin seeds, but not the sweet interior!
- What else can you say about pumpkin?
Check out this Photo Gallery of recipes! Make sure to use the arrows to move right to the next photo!
If you feel really inspired, here is a short video of more recipes, step by step.
Language
Take a vote in the space to see who knows American Sign Language.
How many people do? Sometimes we pick up a few signs to communicate but often never pratice. In this short video, she helps us understand some important detials when using sign.
**Take advantage of this time to learn something new. Pause the video, practice the sign by showing the group infront of the camera.**
Moment of Gratitude
Do you say gratitude affirmations? Affirmations are powerful and help the mind think positively. Take a look at the ones below, which one brings you a spark of positivity?
- I am so grateful for discovering my power to create the life I want
- I give thanks that my requests have already been fulfilled
- My life is filled with an abundance and bliss
- Everyday I see improvements in my life
- I am thankful for learning and growing
- The universe supports me and all my desires
- I experience gratitude for everything I have in my life
Sequence the Week—Help the group review what you explored together over the last week.
What did we learn today?
What are we doing this afternoon?

Choosing Fun Stuff to Do
Need some help deciding on an afternoon activity?
The activities are numbered. These numbers corrospond to brief activity descriptions listen in the linked document below.


