Lesson Plan: Jumping Beyond Fear — Inspired by the Book Lee the Flea

Lesson Objectives:

1. Encourage students to face their fears and overcome them through imagination and perseverance.
2. Give students tools for positive thinking and an understanding of the importance of effort.
3. Teach about the power of believing in ourselves, even when the path looks challenging.

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Lesson Structure:

Opening — 5 minutes

• Introducing the book and its messages: We'll briefly explain that the students are about to meet Lee the Flea, a little flea with big dreams. We'll ask the children if they have a dream or a goal they think is hard to achieve.
• Sharing experiences: We'll encourage the children to share dreams or things that scare them, such as fear of failure or challenging situations.

Part One — Reading the Story — 10 minutes

• Reading aloud: We'll read Lee the Flea to the end of the book, with short pauses for explanations.
• Discussion questions:
  • What is Lee trying to achieve in the story?
  • What obstacles stand in his way?
  • How does Lee cope with the difficulty, and what do we learn from him?

Part Two — A Discussion on Fear and Overcoming It — 10 minutes

• The main discussion: We'll talk with the children about the ideas the book raises:
  • Why do you think it's important to face fear rather than avoid it?
  • Is there a chance we could jump beyond fear and achieve our dreams like Lee?
• Positive thinking: We'll remind the children that fear sometimes helps us think of safe ways, but it can also be just a stop along the way to success.

Part Three — A Guided Imagery Exercise (Overcoming Fear) — 10 minutes

• Instruction: We'll ask the students to lie down or sit comfortably, close their eyes, and imagine their fear.
• Guidance:
  • Imagine the fear as something small and shrunken. Just as the flea looks tiny, our fear sometimes feels big — but we can shrink it in our imagination.
  • Imagine yourselves jumping over that fear, just as Lee jumps far and high, and passing it easily.
  • Deep breaths — feel your courage grow with each breath.

Part Four — Creative Activity — 10 minutes

• Drawing the dream or the fear: Each student will draw their fear and the way they want to overcome it. They can also draw Lee the Flea jumping over an obstacle or over their dream.
• Sharing: Anyone who wishes can share their drawing and explain how they intend to cope with the fear or how they see themselves overcoming it.

Closing — 5 minutes

• Key message: We'll wrap up the lesson with Walt Disney's famous line: "If you can dream it, you can do it." We'll emphasize Lee the Flea's strength and what he teaches us about overcoming fear.
• An inspiring example: We'll mention other figures like Thomas Edison, the Wright Brothers, or someone who overcame a difficulty and succeeded, like Lee.

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Free-to-Use Supporting Materials:

• Coloring pages: You can print sheets for the children with pictures of jumping fleas or small characters overcoming obstacles.
• A presentation or handouts to share: If there's a presentation or supporting material, present it as a summary.

Good luck with the lesson!

P.S. Supporting materials:

• Coloring pages - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12Lx0AWqJAT1i21VjDLB7mVaMZqLwYWVV
• Presentation for group use - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1dsv_VuC_hNX3lk_aacZPf1c8RG2W8pEA
• For additional ideas and activity materials, click here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/19niAJOiqgjOcgJmZlrmKNaa6EI5bFUu0?usp=sharing

Lesson Plan: On the Fear of Failure

Lesson Objectives:

1. Talk about the fear of failure
2. Coping with the fear of failure — "Everyone experiences fear," "The very act of trying is success!", "Fear — is actually the door that stops us"

Lesson Structure:

Read-aloud, discussion, and worksheets.

Part One

Show the picture of Lee and open with a question:
What do you think the book is about?

Part Two

Ask for 3 volunteers from the class to stand in front of everyone and read the book.
*Notice that some of the children don't raise their hands.

Part Three

Reading the book aloud

Part Four — Discussion

What did you understand from the story?
What was Lee afraid of?
How did Lee succeed in the end?
How exactly did Trampoline help Lee?

Part Five

Talk about the fact that some of the children didn't raise their hands.

About the two common types of fear:

1. Stage fright (fear of an audience)
2. Fear of being laughed at

A first option for the key message to convey to the children

This is a safe space where we respect one another and always give credit to anyone who answered and tried, simply for trying.

It's important to remember that the very act of trying is success!

The message is: everyone is afraid to speak in front of an audience, but don't let fear take over — try to speak and to make mistakes,

the very act of trying = success.

Additional Messages — Further Insights

• You can succeed contrary to what other people think or believe:
  • Examples of people who did the impossible (Edison, Ford, the Wright Brothers...); if there's time, tell about the many failures they had before they succeeded.

Two things related to success:

• Fear — is actually the barrier / door that stops us from entering and holds us back
• Imagination and creativity — are the key to the door and to success

If we know what we want and simply close our eyes, dream, and leap with courage — just like Lee — we can do anything. Because it's all in the mind.

Free-to-Use Supporting Materials:

• Coloring pages - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12Lx0AWqJAT1i21VjDLB7mVaMZqLwYWVV
• Presentation for group use - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1dsv_VuC_hNX3lk_aacZPf1c8RG2W8pEA
• For additional ideas and activity materials, click here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/19niAJOiqgjOcgJmZlrmKNaa6EI5bFUu0?usp=sharing

Lesson Plan: Helping Others — The Power of Sharing and Mutual Help

Lesson Objectives:

1. Give students an understanding of the importance of mutual help.
2. Awaken in students a desire to share and help others, just as Lee the Flea was helped by others along the way.
3. Encourage each student to find ways they can support those around them.

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Lesson Structure:

Opening — 5 minutes

• Introducing the lesson topic: We'll explain to the children that today we'll talk about a very important topic — mutual help, like the support Lee received along the way in the story.
• Opening question: We'll ask the children, When was the last time you helped someone? And how did it make you feel?

Part One — Reading Passages from the Book and an Example — 10 minutes

• Reading: We'll read a passage from Lee the Flea, in which Lee is helped by Trampoline (a symbol of the good people who support him).
• Short discussion: We'll ask the students:
  • Why do you think Lee succeeded thanks to Trampoline?
  • How do you feel when someone helps you?
  • Why is it important to help others when you can?

Part Two — A Playful Exercise (Mutual-Help Activity) — 10 minutes

• Pair activity: We'll ask the children to pair up and share with each other a small challenge they've experienced recently — for example, difficulty with a school task, a problem with a friend, or a wish to achieve a personal goal.
• Advice exercise: Each student will offer ideas or advice on how their partner can cope with the challenge. This strengthens both their ability to listen and their ability to give support and help.

Part Three — An Inspiring Story and a Discussion on Mutual Help — 10 minutes

• Inspiration from well-known figures: We'll tell about a famous figure who reached success thanks to another person's help — like Sami in Lior's case, in the background story of Lee the Flea. We'll present the figure and ask the students how they feel about the power of mutual help.
• Group discussion: We'll ask the students:
  • What do you think would have happened if that person hadn't received help?
  • How can we help those around us in everyday life?

Part Four — Creative Activity: I Am the Trampoline — 10 minutes

• Drawing or writing: Each student will get a sheet and be asked to draw or write how they can be a "Trampoline" for someone else (family members, classmates, or even people they don't know).
• Sharing: Anyone who wishes can share their ideas with the class.

Closing — 5 minutes

• Key message: We'll emphasize the lesson's message — sometimes all we need is someone to believe in us or help us along the way, and when we help others, we're actually contributing to ourselves too.
• Closing sentence: We'll recall the sentence "All a child needs is one grown-up who believes in them," and suggest that the students be "that grown-up" for other friends who need them.

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Free-to-Use Supporting Materials:

• Coloring and drawing pages: You can hand out drawing sheets with characters symbolizing help, or drawings of fleas and supportive characters.
• A presentation or additional inspiring stories: Tell or present figures or stories about mutual help and the success it brings.

Good luck with the lesson, and feel free to encourage the children to believe in their ability to help and to influence others for the better!

P.S. Supporting materials:

• Coloring pages - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12Lx0AWqJAT1i21VjDLB7mVaMZqLwYWVV
• Presentation for group use - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1dsv_VuC_hNX3lk_aacZPf1c8RG2W8pEA
• For additional ideas and activity materials, click here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/19niAJOiqgjOcgJmZlrmKNaa6EI5bFUu0?usp=sharing

Lesson Plan: Believe in Your Own Path and Don't Follow the Herd

Lesson Objectives:

• The student will talk about their own path
• Coping with herd mentality
• The importance of perseverance and effort

Lesson Structure:

Read-aloud — read the book "Lee the Flea" to the class in parts,
after each part there is a discussion and worksheets.

Part One

• Read the book "Lee the Flea" to the class up to the end of page 10 — "But they all said the same thing: reaching the Red Lake — impossible."
• Discussion — ask the children what they would do in Lee's place. Would they look for a way? Would they give up and look for another interest?

Part Two

• Continue reading the story up to the end of page 17 — "She walked away sadly and continued the journey alone."
• Discussion — ask the children what they would do in Lee's place. How do they feel? What would they want to happen?

Part Three

• Continue reading the story to the end

Part Four

• Talk about how Lee didn't give up and kept his faith, and didn't stay like the other fleas.
• Talk about the hard work he did (the training) and about Lee's success in the end.
• Key message — even though there are fears and difficulties along the way, don't give up.

Interesting Points

• Fear — is actually the barrier / door that stops us from entering and holds us back; yet it also has an important role: it protects us, for example so we don't get run over in the road...
• Imagination and creativity — are the key to the door and to success
• Give examples: Walt Disney's quote: "If you can dream it, you can do it. Remember that this whole thing started with a mouse." Tell the story of Walt Disney, who eventually became an empire and a legend.
• More examples: the Wright Brothers, Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Martin Luther King, Armstrong, Herzl.

Present the importance of perseverance and of working on the path you believe in.

Good luck.

Free-to-Use Supporting Materials:

• Coloring pages - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12Lx0AWqJAT1i21VjDLB7mVaMZqLwYWVV
• Presentation for group use - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1dsv_VuC_hNX3lk_aacZPf1c8RG2W8pEA
• For additional ideas and activity materials, click here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/19niAJOiqgjOcgJmZlrmKNaa6EI5bFUu0?usp=sharing

Lesson Plan for Kindergartens and Younger Grades — Belief, Dreams, and Self-Confidence

A lesson accompanying the book for younger age groups — Lee the Flea / Lior Akirav

Lesson plan.

It can stand alone, or be part of a series of self-belief books.

About the book:
Lee wants to reach the Red Lake. Everyone around him thinks and believes it's impossible to jump out of the Land of Osh. But Lee doesn't give up, and tries to explore and understand how he's going to do it. One day Lee meets Trampoline the ant, who is the first to believe that Lee is capable. While they play, Trampoline the ant runs and shouts to Lee, and without even noticing he manages to do the unbelievable and reach the Red Lake. At the end of the story, Lee and Trampoline sit happily beside the Red Lake.
The story deals with self-belief — with the idea that where there's a will, the way will always appear. It teaches children the power of belief, and how ordinary, simple things can seem impossible, yet once you do them, they turn out to be simple.

The Main Messages of the Story:

• Believe in yourself
• Remember that the right Trampoline always appears to help you achieve your dreams
• If the will is there and it's strong, the way will always appear
• Dream big, even if something doesn't seem possible right now

Questions About the Story:

• How did he not know he could do it at first? Just like in life — until you succeed at something, it seems impossible.
• Why a flea, of all things? And why this cute little flea? Because it's exactly the one we least expect to succeed — and besides, it's about time people stopped being afraid of fleas.
• Do you also have dreams you want, but the people around you don't believe in you?

Possible Activities with the Book:

1. A Lee doll inside a box. Materials: a transparent box, dough or clay, large round stickers and googly eyes, a small red cloth.
2. For kindergarten children: make antennae, cut out bookmarks, and laminate them. Materials: pipe cleaners, Bristol board, and a stapler.
3. You can buy a flea doll.

A variety of printable materials from Lee's website for various age groups...

Free-to-Use Supporting Materials:

• Coloring pages - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12Lx0AWqJAT1i21VjDLB7mVaMZqLwYWVV
• Presentation for group use - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1dsv_VuC_hNX3lk_aacZPf1c8RG2W8pEA
• For additional ideas and activity materials, click here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/19niAJOiqgjOcgJmZlrmKNaa6EI5bFUu0?usp=sharing

Lesson Plan: Making Dreams Come True

Lesson Objectives

• The student will think about their dreams and about ways to achieve them
• Coping with competition and finding one's relative advantage

Lesson Structure

Start by explaining that the book is for children up to age 8, but children in grades 3-5 have also taught lessons with it! In fact, this lesson plan was born from a mother who taught lessons to children in grades 3-5.

That said, we adults also learn a great deal from children's books - the stories are short, 7-10 pages at most, which is exactly why this story was chosen.

Part One

• Read the book "Lee the Flea" aloud to the class, all the way to the end
• Discussion - ask the children what the idea of the book is:
  • Never give up
  • Shatter glass ceilings - where there's a will, there's always a way
  • Achieve our dreams

Part Two - What Is Your Dream?

• Start talking about dreams and ask the children what their dream is.

Part Three - What's the Bad News?

In everything we dream about, there is competition. For example, if a child wants to be a soccer player...
we tell him that every other child in Israel wants to be a soccer player. And so on.

Part Four - The Good News?

If you choose a dream that truly matches your skills, your passion, and your genuine desire
then you'll most likely succeed in achieving it.

For example: if a player truly loves soccer, and manages to score goals in school games,
and goes to a team or club twice a week - then maybe he won't be the best in the world,
but the best in the neighborhood / school / class, or he might play on a soccer team.

Part Five - Dreams Come True

Persevere in what needs to be done, and don't give up!! That is the key to making dreams come true.

• Talk about how Lee didn't give up and kept his faith, and didn't stay like the other fleas,
• Talk about the hard work he did (the training) and about Lee's success in the end.
• Key message - even though there are fears and difficulties along the way, don't give up.

Two things related to success:

• Walt Disney's quote: "If you can dream it, you can do it. Remember that this whole thing started with a mouse." Tell the story of Walt Disney, who eventually became an empire and a legend. More examples: the Wright Brothers, Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, Martin Luther King, Armstrong, Herzl.
• Present the importance of perseverance and of working on our dreams!

Good luck

Free-to-Use Supporting Materials:

• Coloring pages - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12Lx0AWqJAT1i21VjDLB7mVaMZqLwYWVV
• Presentation for group use - https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1dsv_VuC_hNX3lk_aacZPf1c8RG2W8pEA
• For additional ideas and activity materials, click here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/19niAJOiqgjOcgJmZlrmKNaa6EI5bFUu0?usp=sharing