Cause and Effect: Dilemmas about helping and not harming

This activity is included in the Unit Plan on the Law of Cause and Effect

Students are in small groups. Share the “dilemma” with them and ask them to discuss it. Have them choose one solution and present it to the others as a 1-minute scene.

Age 4 – 7

• You have a fat dog who is always begging for food. What could you do to help and not harm?
• You have three friends and only two ice-creams. Everybody wants an ice-cream. What could you do to help and not harm?

Age 8 – 13

• There is a mosquito in a room with a baby. What could you do to help and not harm?
• A child has fallen into a river and is in trouble. You cannot swim. There is no rope or life aid to throw into the water. What could you do to help and not harm?
• It is dark and it is raining. You are walking up your street to your house. Many snails and slugs are on the ground. You cannot avoid stepping on some of them and you cannot see very well. What could you do to help and not harm?

Age 14-17

• A drunken homeless person asks for money. What could you do to help and not harm?
• Your aunt has knitted you a sweater for your birthday. You donʼt want to wear it, but she spent a long time making it and you donʼt want to hurt her feelings. What can you do to help and not harm?
• You promised to buy your friend her favourite perfume for her birthday, but you just found out it is tested on animals. What should you do to help and not harm?
• You saw a friend cheating on an exam. You know your friend needs a good grade to be accepted on their dream course at university. What should you do to help and not harm?