Gather

What makes us tick?

• Invite people to share examples of any occasion when they have been grateful for help from someone from whom they might not have expected it. Without getting too personal, what reasons might we have for thinking someone will or won’t offer help?
• Display a few images of well-known cartoon characters (include examples that will be familiar to each generation present). Invite people, in twos or threes, to identify the characters and to discuss the kind of support the character might be expected to give (or not give) to someone in trouble, with reasons. For example, Bugs Bunny would not be expected to help Wile E. Coyote, whereas Toy Story 3 ends with Andy giving away his beloved toys to help Bonnie.
• What makes a cartoon character ‘tick’ is usually, and deliberately, rather obvious – they are rarely complex characters! But finding out what makes real people tick – what their core values are – is much harder. We might get clues (e.g. from unguarded or repeated behaviour); but we might also jump to wrong conclusions! Today we explore our own core values and how they affect our behaviour.
  
  

First impressions

You could also use the image and following questions to help introduce the theme.

Click on the image to view a larger version or use the Jump menu to go to This week's images. For artist's details, see this issue's illustrators.

 Questions

• How would you describe the words on this wall?
• What words would be written on your wall?
• Pick one of your words – how might that value affect your behaviour?