Learning about Whales through Music and Movement:

• Point to and name body parts and behaviors of the humpback whale as you read together and with our diagram here.
• Use your body to move like Koholā and Mo`o like they do in the story.  
• Sing and dance along with our recorded songs and videos on our website.

Exploring Emotions:

Mo`o and Koholā feel curious, fearful, nervous, brave and trust in different parts of the story.  

• What are you curious about?  What do you want to learn about?  What do you want to know?
  • How can you ask a question to find out?  A question is a sentence that begins with What? How? Where? When? or Why?  

• All feelings are OK!  Itʻs really good to talk about feelings and share our feelings.

• Mo`o was so afraid and nervous when Koholā swam next to his wa`a.  Why do you think he was so scared and nervous?
  • Was there a time you felt afraid and nervous, scared?  Are there things youʻre afraid of?  Is there someone you can talk to about that?  Letʻs talk about that!  Maybe thereʻs something we can do to help you feel better about the things youʻre afraid of.

• Mo`o knew he needed help, and even though he was afraid, he bravely climbed onto Koholāʻs pec fin , trusted him, and let him help.
  • Were you ever afraid to do something, but was brave, and did it anyway?
  • What are some things you do that make you feel brave?  We often also feel really good about ourselves, even proud of ourselves, when we do brave things.

• Who are some people you trust, people you feel comfortable with?
  • Your body feels calm and relaxed when you trust someone.

Friendship skills: 

• How did Mo`o and Koholā become friends?  How did they get to know each other?  
• How do you get to know a friend, help a friend, set goals and carry them out with friends?
• What are some things that you like to do with your friends? 
• Are all of your friends the same?  How are they different?  
• How are you like your friends?  How are you different from your friends?  
• How can you be a good friend?

How did Mo`o, Koholā, and the larger community show these Hawaiian Values?

• Aloha: love and compassion
• Kōkua: help
• Laulima: a group of people working together
• Mālama: to take care
• Lokahi: unity, harmony, in agreement

• How can you share these Hawaiian values with others?  Did you show Aloha, Kōkua, Laulima, Mālama, or Lokahi today?  Letʻs write down what you did so we can remember to do it again!  

What can you do to mālama the ocean?

• Trash pick up
• Recycling
• Use reef safe types of sunscreens 
• Avoid using single use plastic straws, plastic water bottles or plastic bags that may end up in the ocean.

Discuss what itʻs like to be part of a community.  

• What is the name of your community where you live, go to school, etc?  
• Who are the people in your community?  What are their jobs?  
• How does your community Laulima or work together?

What is a volunteer?  

A volunteer is someone who happily does something, especially helping other people, without being forced or paid to do it.

• Talk about volunteer efforts being made in your community.
• What can you volunteer to do at home?
• What can you volunteer to do at school?

What is an emergency?  

An emergency is a sudden, dangerous, serious event that requires immediate action to deal with it. (Oxford Dictionary)

• Who are some emergency helpers in your community?
• What is the phone number we can call to get help from our emergency helpers?
• Were you or someone you know ever in an emergency?  If so, letʻs talk about it.

Our storyʻs plots may provide ideal, non threatening opportunities for adults to engage in meaningful, developmentally appropriate, gentle conversations about the devastating Lahaina wildfires with young children.  Children may overhear disturbing facts on television newscasts or adult conversation.  Here are some suggestions to consider.

• Firefighters came to peopleʻs rescue, like Koholā comes to Mo`o. Like Moʻo, children may feel fearful of unfamiliar emergency helpers, who may look intimidating, but help us to safety. Talk about who we can trust in times of emergency.  What do you know about firefighters?  What might a firefighter be wearing that could make him look different, maybe scary?  
• Mo`o clings to a buoy for safety when he was in danger, some Lahaina families escaping the fire also used the ocean for safety. Talk to your child about your emergency plan.Where would you go for safety in times of emergency?  Talk to your child about the emergency helpers like lifeguards and the coast guard who help us keep safe at the ocean.
• Spend time identifying and recalling some of Lahaina town’s famous businesses.  The adult reader can share memories of frequenting these businesses if they have them.  Ask keiki, do you remember going to shops on Front Street?  Do you remember visiting the banyan tree or Lahaina harbor? 
• In the story, many people came together to help when Koholā was in trouble. Talk about the ways people have come together to help one another after the recent fires.  There are many diverse examples of the outpouring of aloha and support given to the Lahaina community.  Talk to keiki about efforts and projects in the community to benefit Lahaina, like the proceeds of this book!
• What can we do to help?
• Does the storyʻs themes relate to any other personal experiences or questions your keiki may have?

Something Special Worth Noting: The Banyan Tree!

Lahainaʻs banyan tree represents growth, strength, and self-awareness through reflection and a quieting of one’s mind.  At time of this book’s publication, Lahaina’s 150 year old Banyan Tree sits at the central popular meeting point of Lahaina. Although charred from Lahaina’s wildfires, it has survived and shows new growth. It serves as a sign of hope.