LOVE

We all want to be loved and need LOVE in our lives to grow and reach our fullest potential. That is one of the key messages tucked insideThe Misfit Sock storybook. When the story opens, this sock has met its perfect match and fallen madly in LOVE. Both socks hope to be together forever, but they have challenges ahead, like we all do. They are thrown into the chaos of the laundry cycle and one sock is left dripping in tears.

It's amazing to witnesss what happens to someone when they have lost a great LOVE in their lives....

This could be the beginning of a BIG discussion.

LESSON # One

To begin the lesson on LOVE from The Misfit Sock storybook, why don’t you ask the children

to take off their shoes and sit in a circle, with their legs straight out in front of them,

socks and toes dangling. Ask them if they like the socks they are wearing today.

Ask them if they have a favorite pair of socks. Maybe they could describe their

favorite socks and just why they like those socks so much. From there,

you could open up a discussion about love and perfect matches.

Then begin a discussion about LOVE and behavior, actions and feelings.

How do we act around people or things that we love?

How do we treat them with care and concern?

How do we protect them from harm? Ask the children to offer examples.

As the story continues, the laundry cycle would pose major challenges

for the perfect sock match, realizing they could lose each other forever

in the colors and whites, and that's exactly what happens.

• Ask about the misfit socks (unmatched socks) and if they have a sock pile of unmatched socks at home?

• Where do they think the socks go when they become lost?

• What do they do with their unmatched socks? Do they think people ever feel like "misfit socks."

From there you might ask them to engage in a number of activities:

• 1. Draw a picture of someone or something that they LOVE.

• 2. Show and Tell: Have the children explain their drawings.

• 3. Have the children turn their drawings into a card to send/offer to that person.

• 4. They could then draw a special misfit sock for someone they love.

For older students, middle school and above, they might enjoy this beautiful video with one of the greatest poets of our time, Maya Angelou, as she talks about the power of LOVE and how it liberates you to become your best self.