ENEMY
The fly lands on Noah’s sandwich. He waves it away, but it keeps coming back.
Where might Noah feel his irritation? Try pausing, covering the food or saying how he feels. Rooms: Body, Feelings, Calm.
EIQ School · Trial lesson · Grades 1–3 · 45 minutes
Where is the fly today?
One fly, four roles. Through four short stories, children explore how the same situation can look different depending on where you stand. They practise telling what they actually saw or heard apart from what they think it means.
Before class
You need a soft toy fly (or a rolled-up sock), four cards marked FRIEND, ENEMY, HELPER and GUIDE, and space to sit in a circle. Use mats for the closing activity if available. Hide the fly where children can find it without climbing. On the board, write the EIQ rooms used today: Together, Thoughts, Feelings, Body, Calm, Me and Courage. The board can stand in for the EIQ station.
1. Find the fly · 5 minutes
Look around and say: “I’m sure there was a fly here yesterday. Perhaps we’re all alone today… Perhaps not.” Invite children to walk around and look with their eyes first. A quiet buzz means they’re far away; a louder buzz means they’re close. The finder can bring the fly to the board. If a real fly appears, let it carry on its way.
2. Meet the fly · 5 minutes
“This fly sees and hears a lot, but it doesn’t always know what things mean.” Pass it gently around the circle. Each child says one thing it can see or hear: “Emma has yellow socks” or “I hear rain.” If someone says “Noah is tired,” ask: “Can the fly see that, or is it a guess?” Children can pass.
3. What is the fly today? · 15 minutes
Draw the cards and read the scenes aloud. Play two scenes in depth, or read the other two briefly if there is time. One child plays the fly, another the character. Call “Freeze!” and ask what the fly saw, what the character might feel in their body, what they might think, and which EIQ room could help. Then replay with one new tool.
FRIEND
Elias sits alone at break. The fly lands beside his pencil case and stays there.
How might it feel to sit alone? Who could come and sit with Elias? Rooms: Together, Feelings, Me.
HELPER
Emma’s drawing isn’t turning out as she hoped. Just before she crumples it, the fly buzzes past her ear.
What could the buzz remind her to try? Pause for three seconds and replay the scene. Rooms: Calm, Body, Courage.
GUIDE
Maja waves to Emma in the hall. Emma walks past without answering. Maja feels sad. The fly saw it from the wall.
What did the fly see? What is Maja guessing? What could she ask Emma? Rooms: Thoughts, Together.
4. Wonder together · 8 minutes
Was it the same fly all along? Can it be a nuisance to one person and a friend to another? What changed when we looked from a different place? In Grades 2–3, you can add: “Sometimes a thought keeps buzzing. What happens if we pause and ask what it is trying to tell us?”
5. The fly lands · 10 minutes
Invite children to sit or lie comfortably. Quiet music is optional. Read slowly and leave a pause after each landing: “Imagine the fly above you. It lands on your feet. Notice their weight. Now your knees. Now your belly: notice how it moves as you breathe. Now your hands: let them rest. Now your shoulders: let them drop a little. And now… the tip of your nose!” Pause for a giggle. “The fly goes back to the wall. Wiggle your toes and fingers. Stretch if you like and come back at your own pace.” Eyes can stay open, and children can stop or simply watch.
6. Close the circle · 2 minutes
Ask: “What was the fly for you today?” Children can speak, point to a card or keep their answer to themselves. Give the fly a place to rest until next time. Listen for a distinction such as “The fly saw Emma walk past, but it didn’t know why.” If a child says they feel alone, acknowledge it and follow up with them.