Guiding Questions for Parents.

Definition: Patience means having self-control, waiting and enduring when one would rather not. In short: Stay calm while you wait. Summary: A pig tells his elephant friend that he has a surprise for him. The elephant is increasingly disappointed and upset when he has to wait all day for the big event. He almost leaves when it gets dark, but then the surprise arrives and it was worth the wait! Lesson Objectives:

Students demonstrate more self-control and acceptance when they have to wait for something.
Students practice these wise words: just be patient, it’ll work out.

Guiding Questions:

What did the pig tell his elephant friend Gerald in the beginning of the story?
Did you try to guess what the surprise was? What were some of your guesses?
What were some of Gerald’s questions about the surprise?
Why did they have to wait until night time to see the surprise?
It looked like Gerald and the pig just sat around while they waited. Do you have any ideas about what they could have done to have more fun while waiting?
What was the surprise? Do you think it was worth waiting for? Why or why not?
Do you have any ideas about how you could make a nice surprise for your parents or grandparents?
Can you remember a time when someone surprised you? What happened?
What kind of surprise would you really like?
If someone told you they had a surprise for you but you had to wait a long time for it, would that make you happy or sad? Do you think some surprises are worth waiting for?

🌿 Virtue Connection: Patience means waiting without losing yourself.

About the Story.

This guide is part of the Values & Virtues library, a free collection of 400+ book guides and activities organized around 12 core virtues for children from pre-K to 6th grade. Each guide includes Guiding Questions designed to open a real conversation with your child in 10 minutes or less.