IT'S IN YOUR MIND



Divide the group into three smaller groups and assign each group one of the words listed below. Read the story. After each of the words is read pause for the group to make the appropriate response

JUMPING JACK Stand up and jump once; then say "Boinggg" and sit down.
RUNNING RALPH Stand up and run in place; bring feet down three times, say "Zippp" and sit down.
COMPUTER CHARLIE Stand up and, in robot fashion, swing arms back and forth saying "Does compute. Does Compute" then sit down.


This is a story about a boy called JUMPING JACK___ and another one named RUNNING RALPH___, and still another boy called COMPUTER CHARLIE___. These three boys were all friends and they stuck pretty close together around the neighborhood.

JUMPING JACK___ got his nickname because everywhere he went he was always jumping over things for no apparent reason except that he liked to jump. You would see the boys walking along the street with JUMPING JACK___ jumping over benches, curbs, fences, and almost anything that wasn't too high.

As you probably guessed, RUNNING RALPH___ got his name because he was always running. Maybe it's because his legs were shorter than those of his two friends, which meant that he had to run to keep up with them.

COMPUTER CHARLIE___ got his name because he was a very intelligent boy and he excelled in mental skills.

Everyone teased COMPUTER CHARLIE___ because he wasn't good in sports and wasn't as strong as his friends JUMPING JACK___ and RUNNING RALPH___. However, this didn't matter to them because the three boys were great friends and went everywhere together.

One day something happened to prove to all the other children that COMPUTER CHARLIE___ was just as valuable to this world as anyone else, and that having strong muscles is not more important than being good in mental skills.

The three boys, JUMPING JACK___, RUNNING RALPH___, and COMPUTER CHARLIE___, were on their way to the store one day when suddenly they saw the local bank being robbed and the robber making his get-away.

JUMPING JACK___ jumped over hedges and fences hurrying to a neighbor's house to call the police. RUNNING RALPH___ was right beside him. But COMPUTER CHARLIE___ just stood there watching the whole thing. The swiftness of the two boys brought the police running to the scene of the robbery. The policeman began asking questions. But JUMPING JACK___ and RUNNING RALPH___ could tell them nothing about the robbery because they had been too busy running to telephone the police. But COMPUTER CHARLIE___ began rattling off a long list of facts about the model and color of the car, the license number, the direction the robber went, and a full description of the robber. His mental abilities were a great help to the police.

After reading about it in the local newspaper, all the other children were so proud of COMPUTER CHARLIE___ that they never again teased him about his mental skills. They came to realize that the COMPUTER CHARLIE___'s of the world are just as important as the JUMPING JACK___'s and RUNNING RALPH's___, because when they all pool their talents, they can accomplish great things!

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