Teach kids how to be kind and promote acts of kindness in your kindergarten, first grade, and second grade classroom with engaging read aloud lessons and social-emotional learning activities centered around popular children’s books. Five kindness book companions are included: The Cool Bean, Spot of Kindness, Be Kind, Try a Little Kindness, and Kindness is a Kite String.
Great for your random acts of kindness week, February and Valentine’s Day, or add to your read aloud any time of year!
Children will participate in classroom discussions and book chats, share their ideas in writing and engage in fun activities that promote kindness, emotional awareness, and social skills.
Each book companion includes a detailed lesson plan, guided questions, anchor chart, concept posters, writing responses, and follow-up activities (printable and digital included). Great for distance learning or in-class teaching of social-emotional skills!
5 Kindness Book Companions (Lesson Plan & Activities) Included:
1. Be Kind by Pat Miller
This lesson teaches children what kindness means in a variety of ways. The activities help them identify different ways to be kind.
2. Try a Little Kindness by Henry Cole
The lesson helps kids learn to identify and describe simple ways to be kind. They will understand that we can be kind in how we act and help, and what we do and say.
3. A Little Spot of Kindness by Diane Alber
This lesson helps us understand that we can spot opportunities to act with kindness. Kids will also learn synonyms for kindness and that kindness is many things.
4. The Cool Bean by John Jory & Pete Oswald
This lesson teaches kids what it really means to be cool. They will learn that being cool is more than how they look. It’s about how they act with kindness.
5. Kindness is a Kite String by Michelle Schaub
This lesson helps us understand that kindness is something we can pass on. Kids will think of simple ways to spread kindness to others.
Included in this jam-packed SEL Friendship book companion pack:
- Lessons and activities that focus on 5 Children’s books related to being kind and performing random acts of kindness
- Each book companion comes with a detailed lesson plan, book chat cards to guide a discussion, anchor chart, and book response
- 4 follow-up activities are included for every book (many in digital format)
- Book companion guide with safe links for easy viewing
- Google Slides ready for use in Google Classroom
- Images for use in Seesaw
- Interactive PowerPoint file of the digital templates for use in your preferred platform
**Check out the detailed PREVIEW for a thorough look into what this resource includes!**
LESSONS:
There is a detailed lesson plan for each book with “Book Chat” cards and questions to guide your discussion before, during, and after reading. An interactive anchor chart and writing activity are included that focus on the social-emotional skill presented in the book and encourage children to express their thinking. This is an excellent way to incorporate social-emotional learning into your ELA block each week!
STORY ACTIVITIES:
Each book comes with 4 follow-up activities to build upon the book’s social-emotional lesson. A fun variety of activities are included for independent, partner, and small group use. These high-interest activities are a great way to extend the book’s discussion and build the social-emotional skills kids need!
DIGITAL ACTIVITIES:
Book companions come with a digital anchor chart or interactive poster slides, writing template, and additional digital activities. These are ready in Google Slides™ for use in Google Classroom™. You will be provided with instructions on how to access and a link to create a copy. The digital pages are great for use during remote teaching, distance learning, and in a one-to-one classroom!
Why You Need This Book Companion Resource:
♥ The children’s books in this book companion resource have been carefully chosen as they cover the most important topics that we often do not have time to teach (SEL ones).
♥ It provides an opportunity to have meaningful discussions and use impactful activities that build important social and emotional skills a child needs. Children need to build their emotional awareness and these lessons and activities will guide them there!
♥ Since you are using literature to teach, you are covering important English Language Arts standards and building children’s literacy skills.
♥ It provides a TON of variety for each book, keeping things fresh and engaging for kids!
♥ As it includes printable and digital activities, this resource is great for use during distance learning, homeschooling, and in one-to-one classrooms.
Suggestions on How to Use:
- Each lesson starts with a book chat that continues during and after reading a book. There are questions included to guide your discussion.
- There is an anchor chart idea provided to enhance the book’s lesson.
- A follow-up writing activity can be used to extend the discussion.
- There are 4 activities for each children’s book. Some include digital options.
- I suggest reading 1 book per week and doing the lesson. Use the extra activities to reinforce the topic covered in the story throughout the week.
- Differentiated templates included. Please choose what fits best with your student's abilities and needs.
- The lessons and activities work great for after morning meetings or end of the day lessons, school counselors and classroom teachers, and children in K-2.
Don’t own a copy of a book? No problem! Safe links to video recordings of books being read aloud are included, as well as a book list of more books to use during your lessons.
Looking to build more SEL into your week?
Try the BEST-SELLING SEL resources available for K-2 & 3-5 that each contain a year’s worth of lessons and activities.
♥♥mind+heart Social Emotional Learning Curriculum for K-2♥♥
Check out the other SEL units for K-2:
Emotions & Feelings
Self-Regulation & Self-Control
Growth Mindset
Relationships & Friendship
Empathy & Social Awareness
Kindness & Bucket Filling
Respect & Gratitude
Responsibility, Goal Setting, & Conflict Resolution
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© Copyright 2013 to present - Proud to be Primary, Elyse Rycroft. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to copy pages specifically designed for student or teacher use by the original purchaser or licensee. This product is licensed for personal classroom use ONLY unless multiple licenses are purchased. Your purchase grants you a license to use in a secure, password-protected online platform (such as Google Classroom) with your students only. You may not transfer or share with another teacher or use for commercial purposes (Outschool, etc.). The reproduction, alteration, adaptation, copying, or sale of any part of this product is strictly prohibited. Read the full Terms and Conditions HERE.
