Definition:

To be hopeful means to believe that something good can happen, even when it doesn’t look like it, or when it turns out differently than expected.

In short:

Believe that something good can happen.

Summary:
Little mole is sad, feeling empty inside. His mom tells him he needs something called  “hope” and she takes him on a walk out of their dark burrow and into the light of day. She shows him a bulb and explains that even though it looks dead, a daffodil will blossom in the spring. They look at a tree with bare branches, and Mama Mole asks her son to visualize the green leaves that will appear when it gets warm again. They observe a chrysalis and when Little Mole closes his eyes, he can see the butterfly that will burst out of its cocoon. He learns that hope is when you believe that good things can happen, even when it doesn’t seem like it’s possible. You just have to use your imagination! 

Lesson Objectives:

1. Students are able to identify and share about experiences they have that are about hope. For example, a child tries to do something, like tie a shoe, ride a bike, or swim, and at first it seems hopeless, but in the end they do it. 

Guiding Questions: 

1. What does Little Mole tell his mom when she asks him what is wrong? 
2. “Sometimes hope is hiding in the darkness,” Mama Mole says. What does she show Little Mole after she says that?  
3. Why does Little Mole think the tree is dead? 
4. What does Little Mole “see”when he closes his eyes as they stand in front of the tree that looks dead? 
5. What is a chrysalis? If you don’t know, ask someone. 
6. What does Little Mole see when he closes his eyes in front of the chrysalis? 
7. Why do you think Little Mole is no longer sad after they return home? 
8. Plant a bulb of a flower (ask for help finding one). Share about what you think will happen. 
9. Draw a picture of a tree without leaves, and one with leaves. Does the one with leaves look more alive than the one without leaves? 
10. When the weather is too cold, rainy, or snowy, you usually stay inside. Name 3 things you could do when you have to stay inside.