Lesson 9: No One Combats Social Isolation Alone No One Eats Alone™ Presented by Beyond Differences Lesson 9: No One Combats Social Isolation Alone

Objectives Student leaders will learn to slow down and be more aware when they see social isolation. Student leaders will practice ending social isolation by committing to leading National No One Eats Alone Day.

Free-write and Discuss as a Group Think about a time when you have been personally hurt or excluded or a time you have seen this happen to someone else. How did you or do you usually react? 

Slow Down and Stand Up We often want to move away when we feel attacked or isolated, or when we see someone else being attacked or isolated, but if we can practice slowing down and standing up, we can positively advocate for ourselves and others and help end social isolation on our school campus. Today you are going to play a game in which you practice slowing down.

Slow Warrior Game We are all going to be warriors today, warriors who are fighting social isolation. We are going to play a game and here are the rules: Your right forearm, from your finger tips to your elbow, is your sword. This sword is poisonous!  The object is to be the last warrior standing!  The only way to fend off someone else’s sword is to block it with your own. If another warrior’s sword touches any part of your body during the fight, you will be dead. You must slow down! This will all be in slow motion, so if you speed up to get away or to attack someone, you will be out. If you are poisoned, you must die a slow motion, gruesome death, and then slowly move to the outside of the circle. As a team, determine if you have any questions and make sure everyone understands the rules before you start. It is most helpful to have a teacher determine who is out by tapping students on the shoulder.

Slow Warrior Discussion What did you learn when you slowed down?  How did your body feel?  Was it hard to move slowly?  Why do you think- when we feel attacked- we want to flee?  Why might it be hard to pull someone back in who has been socially isolated?  How can we be advocates against social isolation and help end it rather than flee? 

Get started leading No One Eats Alone Day! Slowing down to recognize when social isolation is happening is crucial. Once we recognize social isolation the next step is to help end it through inclusion! One way we can begin to end social isolation is to participate in Beyond Differences’ National No One Eats Alone Day. This is a lunchtime event which seeks to create a culture of belonging in your school by asking students to engage in simple acts of kindness and connection at lunch and by making pledges to ensure that no one is eating alone at your school every day!  Make a list of student leaders who want to help lead National No One Eats Alone Day and get your team together!  Schedule a date and time that you all can meet to Plan and Lead National No One Eats Alone by following Lesson 10.

No One Eats Alone™!