Curated OER
What Can I Do?
Here is a good way for children to identify ways to handle conflict. They discuss the connection between feelings and conflict. Everyone listens to a story about a conflict between two friends and they discuss what they could have done...
Curated OER
Discrimination and Media: Focus on Mental Health
Learners explore discrimination by the media. In this media awareness activity, students examine stigmas concerning mental illnesses as they are portrayed in the media.
Curated OER
Using Poetry in Teaching Reading to Special Education Students
A series of well-written activities, these lessons prompt middle schoolers reading below grade level (at a second, third, or fourth grade level) to use poetry to practice basic reading skills. They rhyme, build words, make inferences,...
Talk, Trust & Feel Therapeutics
Step Back and Breathe
Create emotional superheroes with a unit equipped with several activities and lessons designed to establish coping skills and practice tools that boost healthy habits. Through discussion, chants, writing, and drawing, scholars learn to...
Austin Independent School District
Visual Discovery Note Taking Sheets
Step into history and step out with a new understanding of events. These strategies bring a new level of understanding of key events by asking viewers to engage in and respond to projected images. Complete directions for the activity, a...
New York City Department of Education
Myself and Others
Self reflection is an important skill to reinforce in our children, and it's especially helpful to help them realize who they are in the context of their environment. A collection of lessons about self image and community encourage...
Curated OER
Columbus: Hero or Villain?
Students explore Christopher Columbus's motives. In this character education activity, students research Internet and print sources regarding the life and actions of Christopher Columbus in order to write essays that his actions as the...
Classics for Kids
Listen to the Music
Different pieces of music can elicit different emotions from audience members. A quick tempo can make you feel happy, while a largo piece may bring out a melancholy temperament. Elementary musicians learn more about the instruments and...
K-3 Teacher Resources
Never Look Down on Anybody Quote
Encourage kindness and compassion in your class with a colorful poster. A picture shows one boy helping another up, and an inspirational quote tells kids not to look down upon one another.
Film English
My Shoes
Engage your pupils in short story and short film. Using a still from the film as inspiration, pairs compose short stories, which they later share and compare with other members of the class. They then watch the film and respond to a...
US Institute of Peace
Observing Conflict
Can your class manage conflict? Give them the tools they need to succeed at conflict resolution with the third lesson in a 15-part series of peacebuilding activities. Learners draw from personal conflict experience as they analyze...
US Institute of Peace
Responding to Conflict: Mediation
What happens when two parties can't come to agreement? Scholars explore the role of a mediator through part 10 of a 15-part series of peacebuilding lessons. Through individual work and role play, pupils brainstorm solutions until they...
US Institute of Peace
Mediating Conflict
Two's a negotiation, but three's a mediation! Demonstrate the differences between the two processes through a role-playing lesson. The activity familiarizes pupils with the role of a mediator and examines the types of situations that...
US Institute of Peace
Becoming a Peacebuilder
"Be the change you wish to see in the world!" The 15th and final lesson in a peacebuilding series uses this quote from Gandhi to prepare pupils for their own action projects. Individuals research a global issue, then brainstorm a method...
Teaching Children Philosophy
Tiger-Tiger, is it True?
Scholars take part in a philosophical discussion about truth, thoughts, and feelings following a reading of Tiger-Tiger is it True? by Byron Katie and Hans Wilhelm.
Pfizer
Stress Lessons Toolkit
New ReviewA unit plan that is over 50 pages in length offers lessons and activities that define stress, practice breathing techniques, bring awareness to triggers, refocus worries and fears, and offer practical problem-solving strategies. The unit...
California Department of Education
Studying for Careers
A instructional activity bridges the connection between studying and careers. Scholars complete a vocabulary worksheet in preparation for a discussion on study habits and career skills. Learners fill out another worksheet to identify...
Curated OER
Immigrating to America
Coming to America as an immigrant can be an emotional and difficult process. This lesson plan has learners explore what it means to be an immigrant, listen to real life accounts, and visit an online museum. This is a wonderful discussion...
Curated OER
Picture (More) Perfect
Students help their community. In this character counts lesson plan, students discuss problems facing the world and their community. They come up with solutions to some of these problems.
Social Skills Central
Ready, Set, Respond!
When faced with a difficult situation, do you respond selfishly, face it head on, or ignore the problem? This game encourages learners to evaluate the wide range of reactions we can have to problematic situations, and how our responses...
Curated OER
Using Self Portraits for Self Expression
Social-emotional activities for gifted students using art.
Curated OER
Olympic Values
Students learn what it is to be an athlete in the Olympics. They focus on the motto of the Olympics and make their own classroom oath to complete the lesson.
Curated OER
Deadly Lesson
Students read "Shooting at School Leaves 2 Dead and 13 Hurt" in the New York Times online. They explore their own thoughts and emotions about school violence in the wake of the March 5, 2001 school shooting in Santee, California.
Curated OER
More of, Less of
Have your class discuss behaviors they like from other people. They will then get into groups and list behaviors they want to see more of from people in their community, classroom, or school. This is a great Character Counts lesson plan!