Fun with Character: Now You See It
The picture in the download is the classic rabbit/duck optical illusion. You can use any illusion you want but this one is easy to describe how to look for the animal you didn’t see. Print out the download and walk it around the classroom, asking the students to write down (or remember for non-writers) which animal they see. Ask them to remain silent so as not to give away the answer to others. Some will see the rabbit. (He is looking to the right and his ears are pointing left.) Some will see the duck. (He is facing left, and his beak is facing left.) After all the students have recorded/remembered their answer, poll the class to see what they saw. Walk the picture around again and see if the students can see both animals.
To process the activity, ask these or similar questions:
Was that fun to see two different animals in the same picture?
Could two different people look at a situation and see it differently?
Why do you think children and adults can see things differently?
When you need to make a decision, do you think an adult may be able to see a situation from a different perspective and give you good advice?
Final thought:
Making good decisions requires collecting data from trusted sources and processing that data into a decision. Discussing why a parent, teacher, or trusted adult feels a certain way can lead to discovering information that helps one to make better decisions.