Prevent Violence With Groark, Program 1: Groark Learns To Control Anger

• NCJ Number: 158436
• Author(s): A Bar-Lev; D Elkind; M McGee; R McGee; F Sweet
• Date Published: 1996
• Length: 0 pages
• Corporate Author: Elkind and Sweet Communications, Inc.
• Sale Source: Live Wire Media
• Publication Type: Citizen Involvement Material
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS. Color VHS video, 30 minutes

Annotation

This video uses humor, songs, puppets, and a ventriloquist to teach children (grades K-5) how to control their anger and avoid physical fights.

Abstract

Groark, a dragon puppet, appears with his ventriloquist friend (McGee) before a group of children who have assembled to hear them sing a song about "friends." McGee notices that Groark appears agitated and preoccupied as they begin the song, and he questions him about what is wrong. The video then flashes back to a dramatization of something that happened between Groark and his friend Nubbs just before school opened that morning. Nubbs is excited about the model airplane he has just finished building; he is going to use it in "show-and-tell" at school. Groark comes up to him complaining about having a bad morning; he missed the bus and hurt his tail walking to school. As he is complaining and waving his arms, he hits Nubbs airplane and breaks it. They argue as they sing a song about who is at fault for what happened, and they plan to meet later that afternoon for a fist fight. The video then flashes back to Groark and McGee with the children. McGee questions the children about how Groark and Nubbs should have handled their anger. The children offer suggestions to Groark, such as "take a deep breath," "exercise to relieve your anger," "talk about your anger," and "get away from the situation for a while." The children also suggest what Groark should do when he meets Nubbs later that afternoon. Groark decides he will first go to Nubbs in a disguise and talk him out of fighting with him. This meeting with Groark in disguise is dramatized. Nubbs eventually bursts into song, vowing that "I can handle this without yelling or name-calling or fighting." Convinced that Nubbs is over his anger, Groark in disguise leaves and then reappears as himself. He apologizes to Nubbs for breaking his airplane and offers to help him rebuild it. The video closes as Groark and McGee finally sing their song about "friends." A discussion guide accompanies the video. For other videos in the series, see NCJ-158436-40.