Kindergartners listened to the story "The Crayon Box that Talked" by Shane DeRolf. They learned that we should treat everyone with kindness and respect even when they are different from us. Being different is something to celebrate and we are able make a more colorful picture when we are different than if all the same color. Students related this story to their classroom: working together builds a strong and safe community that helps all students to feel that they belong.
2nd graders listened to the book "ONE" by Kathryn Otoshi and discussed how to stand up to bullying or unkind behavior. They each identified that it takes courage to stand up when they see others being treated unkind or being bullied. Each class received a poster stating "Sometimes it takes just 1--Stand Up" to also help them remember to create a classroom free of bullying or unkind behavior. To hear this book by the author please see the video below.
In 3rd grade, students listened to the book "Juice Box Bully" by Miranda Dismondy. Students identified ways that bullying was occurring in the book. In the book students are empowered to stand up to bullying and all agree to a promise or contract of behavior that creates a positive school and classroom environment and does not stand by and encourage bullying behavior. Students brainstormed the bullying behavior that is seen in the book. They then decorated a footprint with an empowering action they can choose to be proactive and "Stand Up to Bullying."
In sixth grade, students participated in an activity called "What Are You Carrying Around?" One student volunteered to wear a backpack with bricks in it through the lesson. I read the book "Those Shoes" by Maribeth Boeltz to the class. This is a story about a child who can't afford the coolest shoes that all the other boys are wearing, and he feels left out and is made fun of. We used this as a way to discuss what empathy is: when you have the whole story of someone's life (for example, this child is poor and can't afford the shoes) you can understand what they are going through and you might choose to treat them differently.
At the end of the lesson I checked with the student volunteer who was holding the backpack through the lesson. As a class we brainstormed various things that 6th graders might "carry in their backpack" such as friendship problems, problems at home, homework, stress, anxiety, pressure to do well, pressure to be popular and fit in. Each brick in the backpack had these examples taped to it. We discussed how all of this stress (and literally the backpack with bricks) feels heavier and more burdensome overtime. Then, I placed a brick labeled "bullying" in the backpack and we talked about how if we knew what others were carrying in their backpack we might choose not to add to their stress the weight that bullying carries.
Students ended the lesson by decorating a high-top shoe template that resembled the shoe in the story, and pledged that they would choose to treat others in such a way to lighten their burden rather than adding to it by engaging in bullying behavior.
In 3rd grade, students listened to the book "Juice Box Bully" by Miranda Dismondy. Students identified ways that bullying was occurring in the book. In the book students are empowered to stand up to bullying and all agree to a promise or contract of behavior that creates a positive school and classroom environment and does not stand by and encourage bullying behavior. Students brainstormed the bullying behavior that is seen in the book. They then decorated a footprint with an empowering action they can choose to be proactive and "Stand Up to Bullying."
4th graders read the book "Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun" by Miranda Dismondy, a story about having the courage to be who you are. Students identified that the school and classroom environment has to utilize Habit 5: Seek First to Understand and then to be Understood in order to allow students to truly be who they are. In order to accept one another even when they are different, we have to be willing to understand who they are by getting to know them. We discussed how this is important for creating a classroom culture of acceptance and belonging.
Fifth grade watched a video of a famous performance painter who did not have goals for his life and found himself wandering aimlessly, not using his talents or holding down a steady job. A college teacher believed in him and because of that he found motivation and created goals for himself, becoming a famous performer. As a result, he changed his life dramatically, meeting a goal to raise over a million dollars for charity with his earnings.
Students brought this concept to their own life and thought about an individual in their personal life who believed in them and therefore inspired them to achieve. Students then wrote about that one person as well as wrote about a way that they can make a commitment to stand up and make a difference in the life of someone else. Students realized the way that being an inspiring person can make positive changes in the world.
To see more about the performance painter at the center of this lesson, please see the video below.
At the end of the lesson I checked with the student volunteer who was holding the backpack through the lesson. As a class we brainstormed various things that 6th graders might "carry in their backpack" such as friendship problems, problems at home, homework, stress, anxiety, pressure to do well, pressure to be popular and fit in. Each brick in the backpack had these examples taped to it. We discussed how all of this stress (and literally the backpack with bricks) feels heavier and more burdensome overtime. Then, I placed a brick labeled "bullying" in the backpack and we talked about how if we knew what others were carrying in their backpack we might choose not to add to their stress the weight that bullying carries.
Students ended the lesson by decorating a high-top shoe template that resembled the shoe in the story, and pledged that they would choose to treat others in such a way to lighten their burden rather than adding to it by engaging in bullying behavior.
