Definition:

Courage is being willing to face something hard or scary, like trying to do something you’ve never done before. 

In short:

Do good, try hard even when it’s scary.

Summary:
A shy, quiet mouse admires a huge, important lion’s loud roar. The mouse, longing to feel strong and brave, courageously approaches the lion with a request: “do you think you could teach me your roar?” The mouse is shocked (and pleased) when the lion is afraid of him! Mouse reassures the lion, and they become friends. The last sentence reveals the theme of the story: “No matter your size, we all have a mouse and a lion inside.”

Lesson Objectives: 

1. Students gain insight from this unlikely friendship between two very different personalities. They learn that people aren’t always what they seem to be, and maybe someone who doesn’t seem like they can be a friend, can become your friend after all. 
2. Students learn that when they can do something very difficult, like the mouse did in the story, they grow their courage and this helps them to do even more courageous things in the future.  

Guiding questions: 

1. Where do you think this story took place? 
2. What can you tell me about the mouse?  
3. Can you describe the lion? 
4. Why did the mouse approach the lion, even though he could become the lion’s dinner? 
5. What was the big surprise when the mouse approached the lion? 
6. What does this mean to you?: “No matter your size, we all have a mouse and a lion inside.”
7. Do you feel like the mouse sometimes, quiet, shy, not seen? 
8. Do you feel like the lion sometimes, strong, powerful, important? 
9. Do you think that you will become braver and more confident after you have faced something scary? Why or why not? 
10. Share about a time when you have had to be courageous.