Definition:

Patience means having self-control, waiting and enduring when one would rather not. 

In short:

Stay calm while you wait.

Summary:

The main character of this humorous tale is a Giant Panda named Stillwater who becomes friends with his neighbors, Leo and Molly. As they talk and do things together, Molly and Leo help Stillwater learn about patience, sharing, and compassion. 

Lesson Objectives: 

1. Teachers lead a discussion on patience, encouraging students to talk about and begin to notice what happens to their emotions and bodies when they become impatient.  
2. Students make a problem solving list of what causes impatience in their lives and ideas about what to do to foster patience in those situations.  

Guiding Questions: 

1. How did Stillwater, Molly, and Leo become friends? 
2. What was the lesson Hiro learned in “The Taste of Banzo’s Sword” and how did he learn it? 
3. What do you think Stillwater learned from the story about Hiro and his desire to become a swordsman? 
4. Tell what happened when Stillwater wanted all the best cookies for himself? 
5. Do you think getting all the best things for yourself makes you happy? Why or why not? 
6. What happens when we let someone pick what they want before we choose? Do we feel okay about it, or upset? 
7. Do you ever let someone get in line before you? If you have, why did you do it, and how did that make you feel?
8. Stillwater wanted to learn ballet but he went about it in the wrong way. What did he need to understand about developing a new skill? 
9. What’s something you’ve tried to do that took time and patience to learn how to do it? Please share your experience. 
10. Why did Molly start throwing the starfish back in the sea, even though it seemed impossible to reach all of them?