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Learning Together Joyfully: Summer’s Finale

For many children, August and September are exciting times. August brings the end of summer and beginning to prepare for school where there will be new friends, new teachers, new schools, and new experiences. For others, it can be a month where anxieties and fears surface as they consider: the resumption of homework, a change in routines, fear of detentions or even the uncertainties associated with spending lunch at school. Educators have long supported children in the first weeks by being kind and compassionate as they forge strong relationships. They take time with their students and classmates and open discussions to build safe and caring classroom environments. Parents can also offer support by chatting with their children to learn more about how they are adjusting to the first days and weeks of school. A focus on Social Emotional Learning (SEL) goes hand in hand with building relationships and is now recognized for the important role it plays in student success in the classroom and in life. In the early years, children are learning to recognize and manage feelings, develop social skills, and practice both as they learn how to develop relationships and friendships. The stories and images in a good picture book can teach important lessons about all three. Additionally, you will find some recommended mentor texts or storybooks that act as models for children to emulate in their writing. Parents and educators play an important role in motivating students at home and in the classroom. In order to instill and sustain a lifelong love of learning, motivation is key. Educators and parents have common goals for their children: Inspire and Incite excitement; Instill drive and resilience; Stimulate curiosity; Empower them to be successful; Support their strengths and weaknesses; Help them make friends and work together. In August nearing the end of summer, parents may wish to reestablishing routines with earlier bedtimes and include more of a focus on school based activities, all in an effort to make a smoother transition for children to go back to school. Parents may wish to read more Back to School tips: Prepare Kids for Back to School | The Personal OR 8 Tips to Prepare for the First Days of School | Scholastic | Parents. As always, play-based learning and adult involvement is the focus on all activities included in this blog as you Play, Learn, and Grow Together!

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1.  Read and Sing together 📚 

A read-aloud is a powerful tool for parents, educators and care-givers.  During shared reading experiences, young children explore new worlds, hear new vocabulary, build relationships with their caregivers and classmates, and learn how to apply discussed concepts to their own lives. Many texts can also act as models for children to apply to their own writing.

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BACK TO SCHOOL BOOKS:

The first days and weeks of school can set the tone for the rest of the school year. Books about school can reassure children about what to expect in new situations and provide opportunities to share school and classroom expectations. Discussions can include school routines, making new friends, anxiety and fears. Some books relate to the difficulties and experiences children face throughout the school year and reinforce the themes of anxiety, confidence, courage, fears and being a risk-taker. Read-aloud books are a perfect way to get to know each other, encourage class discussions and figure out which values will define your home or class’s identity. 

  • Hello World by Kelly Corrigan. Follow along to this beautiful story about the importance of asking questions and learning more about those around you. It is a good for children to be reminded that there’s more to people than we think. Everywhere we go, we can meet interesting people who add value to our life. This charmingly illustrated book is a great conversation starter to help children get to know one another.
    • During the first days of school consider trying one or more of these follow-up icebreaker activities with your students.
  • A Letter from your Teacher on the first day of school by Shannon Olsen. Through a letter written from the teacher’s point of view, students are given the message that their new teacher is someone with whom they will get to form a special bond. Their teacher is not only there to help them academically, but also to cheer them on, and to provide a caring, safe environment for them to learn and grow. During back to school time, teachers are wanting to set the tone for the new school year. In addition to establishing rules and procedures, they are ready to get to know their kids and start building positive relationships. This is a read aloud that helps lay that foundation and is a great starting point for get-to-know-you activities and class community building.
    • As a follow-up activity, consider asking students to turn to a friend and share what they are most looking forward to this school year.
A letter from your teacher book cover
  • Butterflies on the First Day of School by Annie Silvestro. Rosie gets a new backpack and can hardly wait for school to start. But on the first morning, she’s not so sure. “You just have butterflies in your belly,” her mom tells her. This story is about a girl who has last minute hesitations about starting school.  Luckily the butterflies in her stomach fly out her mouth when she talks and this helps her to feel better.  This is a good story to open discussions about being nervous and how to handle it.
    • Follow-up activity: Play a game of toss-around. Form a circle and begin by telling your students how you are feeling about the new school year. For example, “I was nervous, but now I’m excited.” Toss the ball to a student so they can share how they’re feeling. Play continues until every student who wants to has had a chance to participate.
Butterflies on the first day of school book cover
  • All are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold. Join the call for a better world with this book about a school where diversity and inclusion are celebrated. The perfect back-to-school read for every kid, family and classroom!
    • As a follow-up activity, lead a discussion about inclusion, diversity, kindness, empathy, acceptance and community. This will send a message to children that everyone is welcome, no matter their race, religion, gender, culture and background.
  • Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes, Chrysanthemum loves her name but on her first day of school she gets teased for its uniqueness. When her music teacher reveals she is naming her baby Chrysanthemum, everyone wants to change their name to a flower. This story promotes identity, friendships and self-management. Chrysanthemum teaches us to be proud of ourselves, and to be sensitive and aware of what you say to others. Children learn that sometimes you may say things that can hurt without meaning to which is why it’s important to celebrate each other. Discussing names gets children thinking about and bonding with their own names and the names of everyone else in the class, and it’s the perfect vehicle for starting a discussion about treating classmates with tolerance, kindness, and compassion.
    • Follow-up Activity: There’s a story behind everyone’s name.  Ask children to speak to their mom, dad, grandma or grandpa to find out why they gave you your name and what it means. Remind them that it is import to celebrate their name and be proud! It identifies someone really special…it identifies them.
    • Complete the following “I am Proud of my Name” activity and use every child’s finished product  as decorations to build community and pride in the classroom.
  • The Magical Yet by Lorena Alvarez . An inspirational rhyming book that teaches kids the power of “yet.” We all have a lot to learn in life, and sometimes skills we wish we had just aren’t there … yet. A book about perseverance and having faith in yourself. Add this to your list of back-to-school books that teach a growth mindset.
    • Follow-up Activity: Ask students to write an entry in their journal about something they are hoping to learn or get better at this year.
  • The Buddy Bench by Patty Brozo. A compassionate group of children encourage their teacher to let them build a buddy bench. They understand that some children find the playground a lonely place. This story promotes kindness, empathy and making friends. This illustrated verse captures the raucous life of a schoolyard with a welcome twist: The kids who have been feeling left out of schoolyard games lead the charge to build a buddy bench, where any child can go to meet new friends. There is further information about the worldwide Buddy Bench movement.
    • Follow-up Activity: Open a classroom discussion about why students in the story wanted to start a buddy bench and how they can support their classmates playing on the playground.
The Buddy Bench by Patty Brozo
  • The Day you Begin by Jacqueline Woodson. In this beautiful story we learn the power of telling our own unique stories, and the friendships that can blossom by being true to ourselves. Perfect for the classroom, this book facilitates conversations about fitting in and being yourself. Starting fresh in a new environment, especially when you look around and think that nobody quite looks or sounds like you, can be scary. This lovely story will inspire your students to understand the gifts of individuality and underscore the importance of diversity.
    • Follow-up activity: Organize for your students to play get-to-know-you bingo to find out just how much they have in common with their classmates.
  • The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig. Brian struggles to make himself stand out. When he befriends a new student from Korea, he helps him grow in confidence and feel less invisible. The story advances themes of loneliness, kindness and relationship skills. Children with disabilities are just like everyone else. They want to have friends and they want to belong. In this story, Brian feels invisible. He often sits by himself when the other children are playing. Brian’s experience at school changes when he makes a friend. A friend can make all the difference to someone who is feeling invisible. Through discussion, remind children not to be afraid to reach out to someone who may seem different from you. Everyone needs a friend — and their kindness can make a big difference!
  • Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten by Joseph Slate. This is one of the more well-known back to school books. Miss Bindergarten and her students prepare for the first day of school. As the teacher organizes her room for her 26 new animal students they are introduced to us in alphabetical order.
    • Follow-up activity: Have children brainstorm other animals that start with each letter of the alphabet.
Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready For Kindergarten by Joseph Slate
  • We Don’t Eat Our Classmates by Ryan Higgins. Penelop Rex’s first day of school doesn’t quite go as planned when she eats her classmates. Not surprisingly, the other children are scared of her. She finally learns a lesson which helps her understand how her classmates feel. This story promotes empathy, self-management, and making friends.
  • First Day Jitters by Julie Danneberg. Everyone knows that sinking feeling in the pit of their stomach at the prospect of being the newbie. Sarah Hartwell is scared and doesn’t want to start over at a new school. Kids will love the delightful surprise ending of this engaging story!
    • Follow-up activity: Have students write about a time they were scared and how their situation turned out! Or have students partner with a friend and tell their stories to each other.

  • How to Get Your Teacher Ready by Jean Reagen. In a charming role reversal, the students in this story gently guide their teacher through the getting-ready process for back to school. Your students will laugh and surely learn a lesson or two themselves.
    • Follow-up activity: Have students compile a list of rules that will help their teacher have the best year ever.

SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL) and MINDFULNESS BOOKS

Children’s behaviors and learning are dependent on their social and emotional development. Social development is a child’s ability to interact with others and regulate themselves appropriately to the situation. Emotional development includes children’s self-perceptions, their empathy with others, and their ability to understand and express their own feelings. In the early years, children are learning to recognize and manage feelings, develop social skills, and practice both as they develop friendships. The stories and illustrations in a good picture book can teach important lessons – but most important of all is the relationship built with a caring adult. Books that feature topics such as kindness, sharing, persistence, and teamwork, assist children to reflect on and learn more about how they can develop these skills. As children settle into their new classroom, it is important to focus on SEL skills so they can be kind and better equipped to cope with life’s challenges. Reading books addressing a range of social-emotional learning helps children feel accepted and understood.

Buffalo County Community Partners bcchp.org

Mindfulness is one strategy to incorporate SEL into the classroom and home and is a great way for children, especially those who experience anxiety, to improve their self-management, patience and happiness. Mindfulness is a technique that can help teach and strengthen those abilities over time. With practice, it helps children slow down and focus on right now rather than thinking about the past or future. Books and follow-up discussion about Mindfulness helps build self-awareness, awareness of others, and awareness of the world. It’s about being fully present, paying close attention to the moment we’re in. Mindfulness practice can help alleviate stress, worry, and anger, and can improve focus and sleep. 

Teachthought.com

Discussing illustrations and the plot assist children to manage and label their feelings, develop social emotional skills, and practice both as they learn how to develop relationships and friendships. Consider sharing the following books to help children of any age develop empathy, talk about their feelings, and identify with others.  The following recommended children’s books about Social Emotional Learning and Mindfulness are a great way to introduce positive techniques to cope during challenging situations.

thepathway2success.com
  • Listening with My Heart: A Story of Kindness & Self-Compassion by Gabi Garcia. As much as it is necessary and important to teach our kids to be friendly to others, it is essential to talk to them about being friends to themselves. This book regards self-acceptance and positive self-talk to be helpful in building a child’s emotional resilience to develop a happy and strong mentality. The story touches on other universal subjects of empathy, friendship, and kindness. As a bonus, mindfulness and self-compassion activities are also included in this small yet beautiful book.
  • Sitting Still Like a Frog: Mindfulness Exercises for Kids by Eline Snel. Even kids have anxieties and worries. Sitting Like a Frog presents mindfulness practices in a simple, kid-friendly way to help children learn concentration, deal with anxiety and stress, and handle demanding emotions. The book also contains practices that are focused on certain common scenarios to help youngsters get a grip on their feelings, manage anger, become more aware, and exercise patience. Along with the book is a 60-minute audio CD of guided exercises. This lovely book is the perfect introduction to mindfulness meditation.
  • A Handful of Quiet: Happiness in Four Pebbles by Thich Nhat Hanh. Pebble meditation is a playful and fun activity that parents and educators can do with their children to introduce them to meditation. It is designed to involve children in a hands-on and creative way that touches on their interconnection with nature. Practicing pebble meditation can help relieve stress, increase concentration, nourish gratitude, and can help children deal with difficult emotions.

A Handful of Quiet: Happiness in Four Pebbles

  • Mind Bubbles: Exploring Mindfulness with Kids by Heather Krantz, MD. Children today are engaged in a fast-paced, media-driven, competitive society that can lead to increased stress and stress-related problems such as anxiety and depression. Mindfulness is a way to deal with this stress and can help children calm themselves and focus their attention. Mind Bubbles presents an easy way for young children to work with their breath while noting thoughts and feelings passing and popping like bubbles. The book provides a clear and concise explanation of mindfulness.

  • Meditation is an Open Sky by Whitney Stewart. Kids of any age will learn simple exercises to help manage stress and emotions, find focus, and face challenges. They’ll discover how to feel safe when scared, relax when anxious, spread kindness, and calm anger when frustrated.

Meditation Is an Open Sky: Mindfulness for Kids

  • Master of Mindfulness by Laurie Grossman. This book is a unique and empowering book written for kids by kids, with cool illustrations and tips that show how to be confident, get focused, stay calm, and tap into your own inner strength so that you can be your own superhero—no matter what life throws your way!

Master of Mindfulness: How to Be Your Own Superhero in Times of Stress

  • I Am Peace: A Book of Mindfulness by Susan Verde. The second book of the I Am Human series, teaches mindfulness essentials to help your kids manage their emotions, fight feeling overwhelmed, make good choices, and learn balance and empathy, all while making time to enjoy the beauty of the world around them. 
  • What Does It Mean to Be Present? By Rana DiOrio. Join a group of friends in this interactive book as they navigate through childhood in school, at home, and at the beach! Follow their experiences as they learn how to be in the present, such as waiting patiently for their turn, focusing on what is happening at the moment, and noticing and taking action when someone needs help. For parents and teachers, this book is a great tool to help children start mindfulness early and set the tone for their lives!
what-does-mean-present
  • Puppy Mind by Andrew Nance. Zen monks call it a monkey mind but I think kids can really understand puppy mind better or also explains the ADHD “squirrel” brain.  Like a puppy who is always wandering off, our brains can do that, too. To keep our brains focused on the present, we can breathe. Lovely illustrations throughout this simple book gives kids a powerful metaphor.
  • Breathe Like a Bear: 30 Mindful Moments for Kids to Feel Calm and Focused Anytime, Anywhere by Kira Willey. A lovely collection of illustrated mindfulness exercises, This book teaches children techniques for managing their breath, body, and emotions. It is filled with imaginative and playful ideas children will love and help them better connect with themselves. What makes it even better is that the simple and short mindfulness practices in this book can be performed anytime, anywhere! 

breathe-like-bear

  • Have you Filled a Bucket Today? By Carol McCloud. This classic book is all about encouraging acts of kindness towards others by imagining everyone has an invisible bucket that holds good feelings and thoughts. Teaching kids about being kind to others, this story illustrates how easy it can be to make someone’s day a little bit better. This is a good introduction to the idea of emotional bank accounts
  • Train Your Angry Dragon by Steve Herman. With amusing illustrations, this book helps children to manage their anger and frustrations when things don’t go the way they want. Having a pet dragon is very fun but what do you do if he gets angry or upset? What do you do when your dragon lost his cool and wants to burn everything to the ground? A must have book for children and parents to teach kids about emotions and anger management. Fun and entertaining with beautiful illustrations, this playful book will teach kids how to handle when things don’t go their way.
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  • My Body Sends Signals by Natalia Maguire. How to teach kids about emotions and feelings is like teaching them everything else – using clear words, familiar situations, exciting pictures and a lot of hands-on activities. This book is an excellent educational source that book includes a relatable story, beautiful illustrations that capture children’s attention, calming-down activities for kids, instructions to adults on the follow-up activities, emotions cards, feelings cards, coloring pages and related short stories to teach kids empathy.
  • Grow Happy by Dr. Jon Lasser.  Kiko is a gardener who takes care of her garden with seeds, soil, water, and sunshine. She also demonstrates how she cultivates happiness, just like she does in her garden by using positive psychology and choice theory. This book shows children that they have the tools to nurture their own happiness and live resiliently. Just as Kiko possesses the resources needed—seeds, soil, water—to build a thriving garden, she also has the tools to nurture her own happiness—including social support, choices, and problem-solving skills. This book helps kids understand that they play an important role in cultivating their own happiness using resources at their disposal. It includes a Note to Parents and Caregivers with information on how our choices and paying attention to our bodies and feelings affects happiness.
  • Unwrap your Dreams by Amy Beeman. A great summer bedtime read for children. They learn that when you drift off to sleep and unwrap your dreams there’s no limit to the wonderful places you can go and astonishing sights you can see—magical animals, underwater experiences, dancing fairies, flights to faraway lands. Whatever they can imagine can happen.  When they lay down their head and close their eyes, the adventures begin.
  • The Way I Feel by Janan Cain. The message here is that no feeling lasts forever and things are always changing. This book gives names to feelings and invites the reader to talk about what makes him or her feel that way. Feelings are neither good nor bad, they simply are. This book uses strong, colorful and expressive images which go along with simple verses to help children connect the word and the emotion. Children learn useful words and you will have many chances to open conversations about what’s going on in their life. Recommended by parents, teachers and mental health professionals, This book is helpful for young children with autism. 
  • The Unbudgeable Curmudgeon by Matthew Burgess. Everyone has bad days, but many students don’t know how to get out of their funk once something doesn’t go quite right. How does one contend with a curmudgeon? This delightful picture book is filled with fun phrasing and engaging illustrations.  It’s the perfect read-aloud when someone is having a cranky day! This playful story depicting  bad moods and sibling rivalry has perfectly matched illustrations. 
  • I am Human: A Book of Empathy by Susan Verde. Being human means we are full of possibility. We learn, we dream, we wonder at the world around us. But we also make mistakes and can feel fearful or sad. This book affirms that we can make good choices by acting with compassion and having empathy for others and ourselves. When we find common ground, we can feel connected to the great world around us and mindfully strive to be our best selves. Includes a guided meditation.
  • Tomorrow I‘ll be Kind by Jessica Hische. Sometimes the smallest gesture of kindness goes a long way. This encouraging book teaches young ones how to be good friends and classmates. 
    • Follow-up activity: Ask students to share what is the most important thing about being a good friend.

  • Your Fantastic Elastic Brain by JoAnn Deak, PhD. Having a growth mindset rather than a fixed one makes learning easier.  This book shows children that making mistakes, trying something new, and practicing difficult skills are excellent ways to help the brain to learn.  Engaging illustrations and diagrams help the reader to understand the inner workings of the brain. Educator and psychologist Dr. JoAnn Deak offers a fun and engaging introduction to the anatomy and functions of the brain that will empower each young reader to S-T-R-E-T-C-H and grow their fantastic, elastic brain!
  • After the Fall by Dan Santat. What fun when traditional storybook characters become multi-dimensional! In this lovely story, we catch up with Humpty Dumpty after his famous mishap.  What happens next? Well, getting up from a fall, whether literal or metaphorical, can be tricky.  Humpty recovers outwardly but still has trauma on the inside. A great book for addressing emotional resiliency. Everyone knows that when Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall, Humpty Dumpty had a great fall. But what happened after? Caldecott Medalist Dan Santat’s poignant tale follows Humpty Dumpty, an avid bird watcher whose favorite place to be is high up on the city wall―that is, until after his famous fall. Now terrified of heights, Humpty can longer do many of the things he loves most. Will he summon the courage to face his fear? After the Fall (How Humpty Dumpty Got Back Up Again) is a masterful picture book that will remind readers of all ages that life begins when you get back up.
  • The Memory String by Eve Bunting. Laura sits with memories of her mother while trying somehow to tolerate her new stepmother. Each button on the memory string represents a piece of her family history, and when the string breaks, her heart breaks with it. When her new stepmother genuinely tries to help, Laura’s opinion of her changes. Bunting’s moving story of grief through the eyes of a child will resonate with readers of all ages.
  • Enemy Pie by Derek Munson. Why, oh why, did Jeremy Ross have to move to the neighborhood and ruin everything? A perfect summer, now headed straight for the dumpster.  Fortunately, dad has a plan for getting rid of enemies – his secret recipe for Enemy Pie. The strange thing is that part of the recipe includes spending an entire day with the enemy! This endearing story of turning an enemy into a friend will amuse and intrigue while teaching a lesson of inclusion.
  • My Mouth is a Volcano! By Julia Cook. Louis has a bad habit – interrupting! This story shows the struggle going on in Louis’ body. His words are fighting to escape his brain, jump onto his tongue, and burst right out his mouth. Louis realizes what a problem it is when others begin interrupting HIM. This book is great for talking about taking turns and giving everyone a chance to share their thoughts.
 conversationsinliteracy.blogspot….

MENTOR TEXTS RECOMMENDED BOOKS: A mentor text is a model piece of literature used to demonstrate effective narrative writing. Narrative writing is present in all elementary school classrooms. Starting in Kindergarten, students will be writing (or telling) stories about themselves. Each year as students’ skills progress, they will be able to improvise and create elements of narrative stories from their imagination. The process of learning to write narrative stories begins early and takes repetition and practice.  Engaging children in writing activities reinforces that children are using their own words to compose a message to communicate with others. Read aloud stories are excellent resources because most are written in narrative form. Students benefit from exposure to the creative elements, vocabulary, and the narrative structure of the story all of which helps them to become strong writers, strengthen their reading, and advance their language proficiency. Check out the 10 Best Mentor Texts for Narrative Writing – Elementary Nest a few of which are found below.

Caitlin Black At Early Learners Activities

SUGGESTED READ ALOUD MENTOR TEXTS: Mentor texts offer young writers examples of writing they can emulate to practice and improve their own writing. The following read aloud books show learners how to apply certain concepts such as use of dialogue, or the use of sensory or emotional details or appropriate topics to write about. Teachers can organize lessons that both demonstrate the writing process and actively engage children in the process. 

  • Fireflies by Julie Brinckloe. This book is about a young boy who catches a jar full of fireflies. He is so proud and loves their light, how it shines like the moon. He feels like having a jar of fireflies is like having his own slice of moonlight. However, as time goes on, he notices that the fireflies lights begin to dim. It is then, when he realizes that he needs to set them free. This story is a good mentor text for narrative writing because it reminds children to think about memories that taught them something. Sharing these kinds of stories allows children to learn more about one another.
  • Summer Supper by Ruben Pfeffer. Reminiscing about recent experiences is often the first step for young writers to craft effective personal narrative pieces. Seasonal titles that portray activities to which students are likely to connect, like planting a garden then cooking and eating with family can spark ideas to create a story. Presenting attainable models is so important for giving students confidence in their writing abilities. This title uses minimal language and communicates much of the narrative via the illustrations, making it a useful example for younger writers. It also uses the letter “S” to start every word in the book. Consider brainstorming to develop word banks with children before they start writing.
    • After reading this book, you may wish to share this video on how to make Succotash.
Summer Supper
  • New Shoes by Chris Raschka. Written simply, this book chronicles a classic rite of childhood: getting new shoes! Use this story to encourage children to choose one event to write about in detail. Discuss how the illustrations are focused, with their knees-down, shoes-only view, and how the narrator describes the holes in his old sneakers and the new shows children how to incorporate inner monologue and emotion in manageable ways. E.g. (“They are a little pinchy right there.”) (“How about these?” the narrator wonders. “Comfy! I like them! I want to show Emma!”).
New Shoes
  • Grandma’s Purse by Vanessa Brantley-Newton. Time spent with favorite people is a great source of inspiration for students’ personal narratives; this energetic text shows students how to describe a character and then focus on one memorable shared experience. The young narrator waits eagerly for Grandma Mimi to arrive with her purse full of treasures. On this special visit, it even contains a present! Use this story as an example of how students can write about one important topic or about a special memory  about their grandmother.
Grandma’s Purse
  • Big Mama’s by Donald Crews. This story describes the family’s trip by train to their Bigmama’s house in Florida. Crew’s uses sensory details describing the sights and sounds of the trip. This book can also act as a reminder to children about how to build connections to the memories we make when spending time with family. It shows that we can all have different experiences, but still grasp the memories and lessons learned as we grow up. Children can build on their memories and write stories about their own trips to visit family. 
  • Roller Coaster by Marla Frazee. If your students love roller coasters or even love the idea of roller coasters, maybe never having been on one, this book is perfect. This is an exciting story of a roller coaster, with a line of riders eagerly waiting for their turn. With a rider in line who has never ridden a coaster before, a hilarious range of emotional reactions are displayed. The story details the zipping, zooming, turning, and swerving of a roller coaster ride and will make your students remember a time they have felt such exhilaration OR it will make them hope to ride a roller coaster themselves! The style of writing for this narrative writing makes the story thrilling, with each page making you want to read more. This book can teach students how to engage the reader.
  • Jabari Jumps by Gaia Cornwall. When young writers first begin learning about personal narrative, reading stories that have an easily identifiable beginning, middle, and end really helps. The plot structure of this title does this well: Jabari, his dad, and his sister go to the pool. Jabari gets ready to jump off the diving board. After some hesitation, he makes his dive and celebrates with his family. Like any strong narrative, there’s more to the story, though. Jabari’s feelings are perfect examples to encourage students to write more about their emotions. He’s excited, nervous, downright scared (that diving board is HIGH!), and, in the end, proud! This story can teach children about beginning, middle and end.
Jabari Jumps
  • Life on Mars by Jon Agee. A young astronaut travels to Mars in search of life. He observes the terrain around him (“Mars is pretty gloomy. More gloomy than I thought.”) and starts to doubt that there is anyone living on the planet. Little does he know, a large and very confused Martian trails him the whole way. This witty book provides an imaginative example of a boy’s observations of his out-of-this-world experience — and kids will love the unexpected twist at the end. This story highlights how humour and an expected ending makes for an interesting read.
Life on Mars

SONGS: Songs develop a child’s listening skills and auditory memory.. During action songs they need to listen to perform the correct action at the appropriate time. They also need to listen to the chorus especially when prompted to join in. Listening and singing to the words of songs improves a child’s auditory memory. Both of these skills are excellent for developing reading skills and building their concentration.

SONGS:

SUMMER FUN: Enjoy these songs with children during the last days of summer.

BACK TO SCHOOL: Children will enjoy singing these songs as they begin to get into the mindset of going back to school.

SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING.  Music and movement support social-emotional development in young children. The research proves that singing, dancing, and using hand motions in a group increases cooperation and creates greater empathy for each other. So have children keep singing, moving, clapping and stomping to the following songs and videos.

MINDFULNESS – You may wish to work with children on paying attention to their body and the sensations around them to help with focusing and self-regulation. The following guided videos may be helpful at home or in the classroom to encourage children to focus and be aware of how they feel.. 

SIGHT WORDS – Reviewing sight words over the summer can build confidence in young readers so can read easier and not have to put so much energy into understanding more difficult words. They also build a foundation for reading new and more complex words. 

Quotesgram.com.

2. Create together: Puzzles, Crafts, Drawing and Constructing 🧩 

SUMMER FUN:

  • Encourage children to feel grateful for the summer time and all the family activities they have been able to enjoy. Ask them to share their ideas with you:

  • Consider downloading this Summer-themed activity packet that includes fun mazes, crossword puzzles, short stories, fun facts, and coloring, 
  • Interested in more scissor cutting practice for young children? Consider downloading the following templates:
  • Kids learn better when they’re having fun, consider adding different summer games for kids into their routine or at birthday parties.  
  • Work with your child to create a Straw Rocket STEM activity:
  • Read Unwrap your Dreams by Amy Beeman. A great summer bedtime read for children. They learn that when you drift off to sleep and unwrap your dreams there’s no limit to the wonderful places you can go and astonishing sights you can see—magical animals, underwater experiences, dancing fairies, flights to faraway lands. Whatever they can imagine can happen.  When they lay down their head and close their eyes, the adventures begin.

SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING AND MINDFUL ACTIVITIES 

OTtoolbox.com

Mindfulness is being aware of all that is in the present moment including our feelings, the sensations in our bodies, the sounds, sights, and smells of the world around us. Mindfulness is noticing. Practicing mindfulness helps children to focus on the positives and get a perspective on the negatives. Mindfulness helps children reduce anxiety, improve resilience and increase their self-confidence. It is a great way for children, especially those who experience anxiety, to improve their self-management, patience and happiness which also assists them to develop a sense of appreciation, gratitude and contentment. In turn this reduces their risk of mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.  The following activities support children’s behaviour at home or in the classroom:

  • Indoor Mindful activities to try:
    •  Read together – not just at bedtime;
    •  Practice ‘noticing’ with your senses while you eat a favorite food;
    • Try a different yoga pose together each day.
  • Outdoor Mindful activities to try:
  • Dragon Breathing – A significant component of mindfulness is learning how to control our own breathing. A way to get younger kids to buy into this is making it fun. With dragon breathing, kids will sit up straight, breathe in, stick their tongue out, and breathe out like a dragon. It might feel super silly at first, but it helps to bring the idea of deep breathing down to their level! This is a great activity to do before tests or after recess or at home during stressful times.
Mindfulness Activities

BACK TO SCHOOL SOCIAL EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES:

  • Download this list of different Coping Strategies to share with children as they learn to manage their emotions.
Free coping strategies list and more to help kids and young adults with social emotional learning skills. #sel #socialemotionallearning #pathway2success
  • At the outset of the school year and after reviewing the many coping strategies in the handout above, discuss self-regulation and appropriate coping strategies. You may wish to have children follow these directions to make a Coping Strategies Wheel.
  • Consider discussing and sharing this Problem-Solving Wheel. Each child can make their own problem-solving wheel and place it on their desktop.
weareteachers.com
  • Kindness Activity – Download this kindness chart to promote a positive climate in the classroom and at home.
Free Kindness Activity and more to help kids and young adults with social emotional learning skills. #sel #socialemotionallearning #pathway2success
Free conversation skills lessons and more to help kids and young adults with social emotional learning skills. #sel #socialemotionallearning #pathway2success
Free perspective taking lessons and more to help kids and young adults with social emotional learning skills. #sel #socialemotionallearning #pathway2success
  • In the first days of school, download this free list of over 30 Getting to Know You Questions to help kids build positive relationships and get to know each other better.
Free get to know you printable and more to help kids and young adults with social emotional learning skills. #sel #socialemotionallearning #pathway2success
  • Roll it To Know It Game – This game helps students reconnect with their friends and the meaningful questions and answers help build relationships. Students get to know about each other’s stories by playing the dice game “Roll It To Know It”. Students will engage in a Q & R (question and response) based on the number rolled on the dice. In order for us to truly know one another we need to do two things: Ask questions and Listen carefully.

UNDERSTANDING SELF-DETERMINATION & MOTIVATION THEORY

What activities and conditions make sense to motivate children? There are two types of motivation: intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation is internal and the motivation is because of their interest, enjoyment or satisfaction from learning the material. Intrinsic motivation typically means children have better performance and achievement. Extrinsic motivation is derived from a more external source and involves an associated reward such as approval from parents or teachers. Self-Determination researchers believe these two types of motivation, are powerful forces in shaping who we are and how we behave. Both drive children to meet the following three basic needs:  Competence where required tasks meet student capabilities; Autonomy where children have choice over goals and required tasks; and Relatedness where children feel they belong, are connected and cared for by teachers and parents. This is important information as parents and educators reflect on how best to create a positive learning environment that will motivate children and inspire them to become lifelong learners. 

3. Explore, Engage & Interact together 🌍

BACK TO SCHOOL  Preparing your classroom at the beginning of the school year is not only about celebrating your orderly collections of supplies and beautiful bulletin boards. Although that is part of the fun, there is also science behind making classrooms warm, inviting, inspiring and visually interesting. Evermore important is the need to ensure children feel competent, have independence and choice and feel that they belong. The following suggestions are intended to support and motivate children and to assist adults to build strong relationships in a kind, caring, and safe environment.

  • Sharing concepts via posters can improve metacognition practice (when children reflect on their thinking and learning) and support children who are both verbal and non-verbal processors. Posters with accompanying songs and read aloud stories can be an effective way to reinforce learning and spark relevant group discussions. You may wish to display posters that remind students about integrity, kindness, respect, working hard and a positive growth mindset. After reading and discussing some of the recommended books you may also wish to ask children to create posters to display in the classroom.
  • Consider the following ideas:
Free social emotional learning activities, ideas, and resources to help kids improve confidence, build relationships, develop social skills, and improve responsible decision-making skills. #sel #socialemotionallearning #pathway2success
  • Share the video with children about the Power of Yet and then share the book The Magical Yet by Lorena Alvarez. Encourage a class discussion about how we may not have learned how to do things but that is okay because we just haven’t learned something YET. Ask children to think about how you can improve the phrase “I can’t do this.” by adding YET. Why is the word “yet” so powerful?
Talking Tree Books.com.
  • Read an article that includes more books about Respect and if interested sign up for this free Golden Rule poster shown below.

SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING ACTIVITIES:

  • Consider downloading this Coping Strategies Notebook tool that helps kids practice and use their coping strategies when they need them.
  • You may find it useful for some children to keep an Anger Management log so they can be more in touch with their anger triggers.
Positive Thinking Affirmations
  • Bullying is an age-old problem and comes in many forms, especially in today’s digital world. The good news is that there are many good anti-bullying resources available for parents and teachers to use at home or school. 
  • Check for more Anti Bullying Customizable Design Templates | from PosterMyWall.
  • Read the book Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes where a child is bullied by her classmates; review and select an appropriate video from this collection of 15 Anti-Bullying Videos for kids aged 4 to 15. 
    • Anti-bullying videos are opportunities to invite discussion about the problem of bullying, your expectations about how to treat others while at school, and review strategies to build children’s confidence to better manage a range of bullying situations.
QuotesGram.com
  • Looking for more posters? Consider downloading some of these classroom posters to initiate discussion with students to Reinforce a Growth Mindset and Positivity with Visual Cues (knowledgeworks.org). There are also more free Posters available to download from talkingtreebooks.com. 
  • After completing many of these Back to School SEL activities either at school or at home, you may wish to have a discussion with children to highlight the importance of positive thinking and self-talk:
    • Recognizing their personal strengths and capabilities increases self-esteem;
    • Develops resilience as they make mistakes and learn to get back up, focus on positive thinking and say, “Here’s what to do better next time”;
    • When you feel better about yourself and think “ I can do this” you’re more likely to accomplish necessary tasks during difficult times and improve your motivation;
    • When mental health is in a positive place physical health often follows ensuring healthier immune systems, improved sleep, and even increases life expectancy.
    • Learning to use positive thoughts to direct their thinking and actions reduces stress;
    • Encourages reasonable risk-taking as they bounce back and are not afraid to step outside their comfort zone; 
    • Serves as a life-long coping strategy that can be used anywhere and anytime to help with friends, in relationships, and later in life in the workplace.

SIGHT WORDS AND WORD BANKS: Sight Words or Word Banks are part of the early reading and writing process. They make reading easier and can help children become confident, fluent readers. They help children gain confidence as they read, and increase a child’s reading speed and comprehension.  Many of the over 200 “sight words” do not follow the basic phonics principles, thus they cannot be “sounded out.” Beginning readers need an effective strategy for decoding unknown words, and being familiar with sight words is an effective method. The following activities are fun and playful ideas for children to enjoy when they are ready to read and write. But be warned –  If children are not ready, it can have the opposite effect. If children are ready, read more about the benefits of teaching sight words: What Are Sight Words and Why Are They Important? (speechbuddy.com) Word Banks, or a list of words related to a specific topic, are particularly helpful to children when they begin to write a story.

pinterest
  • Sight Word Scavenger Hunt. Write two sets of sight words or word banks. Print one set on the sidewalk and have the kids match them up with the second set of cards.  Add some fun and have them jump on the word as you call out the word.
  • Summer Sidewalk Chalk Reading Game to play at home. (Theresjustonemommy.com) The game is simple but fun: Print 3 letter words with a vowel in the middle in the driveway. For older children increase the number of letters. With three letters, here are some different reading games to play. Game 1:  Children sound out the word and then find other rhyming words. Game 2:  Toss a small rock onto the words and read whichever word the rock lands on. Game 3:  Call out a word and children run to find it to stand on the word. Game 4:  Read a word correctly and squirt it with a squirt gun. No doubt this will be your children’s favorite option!
  • Sentence Fun. Use Playdough and a clothespin to have more fun with word banks or sight words. Work those fine motor skills to pinch and pull little bits of play dough from a big lump and then place a sight word in the clothespin. With two sets of the words children can match the word in the clothespin to the second set of cards OR for even more fun – move the cards around to make crazy sentences using the words.

4. Healthy Living: Movement & Nutrition 👭

NUTRITION and INDIGENOUS LEARNINGS:

  • As we continue to engage children in reconciliation activities, consider the following:
    • Happiness is: Bannock. Watch another video by Nathan who loves bannock and shows us how to make this delicious treat.  This video can serve as a mentor text for “how to” writing and could be followed up with students creating their own “how to” texts.  Families can use the recipe to make their own bannock at home. Here is the recipe Nathan used for Fry Bread. As a follow-up activity after viewing the video try making bannock at home or in the classroom.
    • Teach children about the process of harvesting and fishing for Oolichans/Eulachons by watching this video  (10:39 min.) of Nathan who had the opportunity to go and capture the experience on film. In this video he shows us the entire harvesting process from getting the boat ready to cooking up some of the catch.  Students might reflect on Nathan’s teachings about patience, mother nature and the importance of giving back to the community or use the video to create a list of the sequential steps that Nathan followed on his fishing adventure, before writing their own “how-to” list.

NUTRITION: BACK TO SCHOOL:

Where did the summer go? With a new school year around the corner, that means time to think about preparing packed lunches. It’s time for fun and healthy back-to-school lunch ideas that will have your children looking forward to returning to the classroom. Involving your children to organize and pack their own lunches makes sense as throughout the year they tend to tire of certain foods and change their preferences. One way to support them is to give them different options such as the picture below to make their choices. Parents are busy and an adorably arranged bento box with cut out sandwiches and fruit to make your child’s lunch special is often not realistic for busy parents. Simply having a lunch filled with nutrition and wholesome bites will leave you and your children much happier.

Modernhoney.com

HEALTHY LUNCH CONSIDERATIONS:

LUNCHBOX NOTES:

MOVEMENT:

Yoga is a great way to encourage mindfulness. Spend ten minutes practicing some simple yoga postures, like tree, warrior, and half moon pose. If you’re not sure about how to teach the postures, consider the following videos to play and practice with your children. Finishing the session with a relaxing pose of laying on your backs is a great way to incorporate meditation. Consider this article with the 5 Best Awake and Mindful Yoga Videos for kids. Enjoy engaging children with the following videos to get you started:

Singing-Bell.com

MUSIC AND MOVEMENT ACTIVITIES:

5. Reflect: Thoughts of the Day about Learning 💭

IMPORTANCE OF TEACHER-STUDENT RELATIONSHIPS:

IMPORTANCE OF MENTOR TEXTS: The first years of children’s reading and writing importantly emphasizes wide exposure to print and to developing concepts about it and its forms and functions. Classrooms filled with print, language and literacy play, storybook reading, and writing allow children to experience the joy 

the BROWN BAG teacher

IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING:

BTSToronto.com

BACK TO SCHOOL: REMINDERS ABOUT ANXIETY

gozen.com