Girls on the Run Sample Lesson 2

Getting on Board:

• “Now we are going to do a little Getting on Board that helps us understand what the Girl Box is.”
• Tell a story about a girl you have known (it might even be about yourself) who was very outgoing, vivacious and full of life and how around the age of 5th grade she started to become overly concerned with what other people thought of her. This describes the phrase we have coined at Girls on the Run as the “Girl Box”. It is a place girls go around middle school where they turn in on themselves and morph into what they think others want them to be instead of who they really are.
• Now ask the participants to respond to the following questions out loud:
      > “Can you think of characters in movies that were girls OUT of the GIRL Box?”
      > “Can you name some characters in movies that were girls IN the GIRL Box?”
      > “Girls in the Girl Box have which cord going into their heads?”
      > “Girls out of the Girl Box have which cord going into their heads?”

Warm-up:

• “Now we are going to do a fun game. You can walk, skip, or run in this game. You never should feel like you HAVE to run in Girls on the Run. I believe that you will do what is best for your body!”
• Place the two pieces of poster board (“in the Girl Box” and “out of the Girl Box) about fifty yards apart and line the girls up in a straight line near the poster board labeled “unable to tell whether in or out of the Girl Box based on this behavior”.
• “I am going to call out a behavior and you have to decide whether that behavior refers to a girl in the girl box or a girl out of the box. If you can not tell whether she is in or out of the Girl Box, stay where you are. Once you decide if the behavior is in or out of the Girl Box, run (or walk) to that piece of poster board.” Make sure everyone understands the point of the game before proceeding.
• Now call out the following behaviors one at a time and let the participants go to the appropriate sign. After they have run to a sign for one of the behaviors, call them back to the starting point and then call out another behavior.

Behaviors:

• People pleasing/doing what she thinks other people want her to do (in the Girl Box)
• Speaking positively of others (out of the Girl Box)
• Dieting all the time (in the Girl Box)
• Bullying either verbally or physically (in the Girl Box)
• Follows through on promises she has made (out of the Girl Box)
• Manages stress through healthy exercise (out of the Girl Box)
• Has tattoos (unable to tell whether in or out of the box)
• Takes quiet time for herself everyday (out of the Girl Box)
• Highlights her hair (unable to tell whether in or out of the box)
• Has a lot of money (unable to tell whether in or out of the box)
• Is comfortable in her own skin (out of the Girl Box)
• Always compares herself to other girls (in the Girl Box)
• Wants to be a model (unable to tell whether in or out of the box”
• Smokes cigarettes (in the Girl Box)
• Manages stress by sharing feelings with a reliable adult (out of the Girl Box)
• Gossips (in the Girl Box)
• Is pretty (unable to tell whether in or out of the Girl Box)
• Stands up for what she believes in (out of the Girl Box)
• Is thin (unable to tell whether in or out of the Girl Box)
• Celebrates her gifts and talents (out of the Girl Box)

• Bring all of the girls back to a circle and ask the following questions.
      >“Can you think of any other behaviors that would go in the Girl Box?”
      >"Can you think of any other behaviors that would go out of the Girl Box?"
• Be VERY careful here not to use any kind of physically distinguishing characteristic as criteria for being in or out of the Girl Box. Ironically, if you do use physical characteristics (money, body size, piercings, tattoos etc.) then you are exhibiting a behavior of a girl IN the Girl Box!
• “My hope is that you experience what it is like to be “out of the Girl Box” each time you come to Girls on the Run. You won’t be judged here, or put down. We want every girl to re-discover just how wonderful she is at Girls on the Run, regardless of how well you run, the size of your body, the color of your hair or skin or how much money you have.”
• Take a minute or two and go through some standard running stretches with the girls.

Work-Out:

• Hand each girl a piece of paper and have her write her name at the top of it. If space permits, for this activity, have the girls run this activity (on a track of athletic field). Have each girl place her piece of paper at a spot she designates. With the remaining time, have the girl walk/run/skip/hop laps. She can walk with a friend or group of friends or by herself. Every time she completes a lap, she should write down on the piece of paper something she has always wanted to do, but either been afraid to do…OR hasn’t had the opportunity to do. If space doesn’t permit, have them jot them down on their paper.
• When you have ten minutes remaining, ask the girls to stop and take up the papers. Read out loud some of the “always wanted to do” comments.
• “We are a very exciting group of girls. Would anyone like to share out loud one of the items on her list?” I would like for everyone to take these home with you and put them in a prominent place in your house. At Girls on the Run, we believe that we can create a wonderful life for ourselves, by believing in ourselves. Today you have created an intentional to-do list for yourself that portrays the power of positive thinking.”
• Have the girls form a circle and everyone put their hands in the middle, one on top of the other. On the count of three shout out, “Girls on the Run is So much FUN!” Congratulate everyone on a job well-done!

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