Overcoming Obstacles
Kindness
Encourage kindness with a lesson that defines kindness, asks scholars how to show kindness, and share how others have shown them kindness. Multiple activities prove that kindness is easy to give through coloring, storytelling,...
Anti-Defamation League
Nothing Wrong with a Three-Legged Dog: Discussion Guide for Grades 3-5
Scholars study the book, Nothing Wrong with a Three-Legged Dog by Graham McNamee to encourage an antibullying trend in their school and community. Chapters and themes examine bias, coping skills, how to respond to bullying, and being a...
Lions Clubs International Foundation
Mindful Self-Awareness Exercise: Identifying Feelings
Following a breathing exercise, scholars examine facial expressions and body posture to identify feelings. The exercise ends with a reflection.
Health Smart Virginia
Conflict Resolution
A lesson introduces the Peace Corner—a safe place to communicate feelings and problem solve. To gain practice, scholars role-play scenarios that require conflict resolution. Peers speak, listen, brainstorm solutions, shake hands, then...
Health Smart Virginia
Sporting Behavior
Six small groups perform skits that showcase positive sporting behavior. Actors highlight how players try their best, encourage others, win gracefully, think positively, show respect, and resolve conflict. A class discussion and an Exit...
Curated OER
Marvelous Moods
It isn't always easy to tell another person how we feel; and little ones have an even more difficult time identifying and expressing their emotions. They get a chance to discuss and explore how they can express how they feel in different...
Nemours KidsHealth
Peer Pressure: Grades 3-5
Peer pressure is the focus of a lesson that challenges scholars to respond to several scenarios using responsible-decision making skills. Lesson one begins with a live-action example set by class members, followed by a discussion that...
Health Smart Virginia
Rule Development
A class discussion defines what it means to make the classroom a safe environment. To make their classroom safe, small groups work collaboratively to create a list of characteristics that make up successful learners. Groups share their...
Facing History and Ourselves
Three Good Things
A "Three Good Things" routine asks participants to sit quietly and reflect on three positive things in their world: family, school, community, or the world at large. After journaling about one that feels most important right now, writers...
Facing History and Ourselves
Take a Stand
Whole-heartedly agree! I sort of agree. Disagree! Class members indicate their stance on a controversial statement by participating in a Barometer activity.
Anti-Defamation League
Mo’Ne Davis and Gender Stereotypes
A thoughtful discussion begins a lesson about sports and gender stereotypes. After defining stereotypes, scholars highlight how gender stereotypes often have adverse effects. To break through those stereotypes, the class gets to know...
Anti-Defamation League
Emojis and Me
A lesson features the work of O'Plérou Grebet, a graphic designer who created a collection of emojis to represent his life in West Africa. Scholars explore the history and purpose of emojis, then read and discuss an article about...
Overcoming Obstacles
Becoming a Good Friend
A lesson puts a spotlight on becoming a good friend. After pointing out TV friendships, scholars listen to several scenarios and discuss whether the characters exhibit good or bad friendly behaviors. Learners reflect on the...
Facing History and Ourselves
Dual Identities
Many of us have multiple identities. There's who we are at home, school, friends, and strangers. And often these identities come with different names. The third activity in the First Days of School series examines how names reflect...
Facing History and Ourselves
Teaching Strategy: Contracting
The final lesson in the First Days of School series focuses on how to build a classroom community where all class members can feel safe, heard, and valued. The resource includes step-by-step directions for engaging pupils in developing...
Health Smart Virginia
Class Rules
Scholars complete a worksheet describing their hopes and dreams then work with a partner to discuss the importance of class rules. Learners brainstorm a list of rules to be compiled and displayed for all pupils to reference.
Overcoming Obstacles
Self-Assessment
The project is over! Now it's time to sit back, reflect, and assess. Guided by the provided questions, individuals assess their project and participation.
Amani Project
Harmony Break! Mood Shifting
The fifth activity in the Amani Project series, another Harmony Break, has participants demonstrate a mood shift. They begin by drumming in a way that indicates their current feelings. They then model a change in mood by transitioning...
Lions Clubs International Foundation
Mindful Self-Management Exercise: Goal Setting
Boost self-management skills with a sports-themed prompt that challenges scholars to reflect on their goals, choose one, and make a plan to achieve it.
Overcoming Obstacles
Developing a Positive Attitude
The third lesson in the Goal Setting series looks at the impact of a positive attitude on achieving one's goals. Participants create and then share visuals that represent positive attitudes. They then brainstorm ways to develop positive...
Overcoming Obstacles
What Is Overcoming Obstacles?
The second lesson plan in the Getting Started Module introduces the theme of the "Overcoming Obstacles" course. Participants listen to a guest speaker who has achieved success, and then identify traits and skills that the speaker talked...
Facing History and Ourselves
Picture This
Sometimes what you get is far more than what you first see. The third routine in the Building Community series asks participants to engage in a See, Think, Wonder strategy. Small groups analyze a projected image, infer what is happening,...
Facing History and Ourselves
Slow Down with The Slowdown
Help learners bring their focus to the classroom with an opening routine that asks them to listen to a podcast about what a particular poem means to the narrator. Participants then share what's happening with them.
Facing History and Ourselves
Rose, Thorn, Bud
Developing engaging opening and closing class routines is essential in post-COVID, face-to-face classrooms. The 7th routine of 15 in the Building Community series invites participants to begin class by reflecting on a success (rose), a...