Middle Year Review

Hello Everyone!

As we are wrapping up our third quarter I realize how little I have updated my blog this year. I wanted to share a quick run down of something I have done with each grade level and a few other fun projects.

With Kindergarten I did a fun new activity I learned about at the NC School Counselor's Conference. I introduced the topic of feelings by reading the book Today I feel silly by Jamie Lee Curtis. After introducing how we all have many different feelings and how we may feel several different things all in the same day. I asked the students if any of them have ever felt angry or mad. Of course everyone has felt angry before. I read part of the book the Angry Octopus by Lori Lite. I talked briefly with the students about the steps the octopus took to relax. Then here comes the fun part I learned at the conference! I gave each student half a paper plate and asked them to draw a face and decorate their octopus. Then I gave each student a streamer and had them rip it into 3 pieces. With the help of a parent helper we stapled the streamers to the paper plates. Then I showed the students how to take big deep belly breaths by watching a video of Elmo taking deep breaths and blowing it out. Here is the video. The students practice taking deep breaths and blowing their octopus tentacles. 

With the First graders we have been talking about different ways they can solve problems with their classmates. We recently start talking about using an I-Message to stand up to their classmates or peers. I had each student practice telling me an I-Message. We have been using a story about 2 bugs (Anthony Ant and Brenda Bee) who have been bullied by Big Beetle. Big Beetle always tells the other bugs that they look like frogs. So I pretended to be Big Beetle and I had the students be Brenda or Anthony and give Big Beetle an I-Message. Below are the frame works of an I-Message I taught the students. I have these up in my room so when the students come to me to work out problems they are there in the room to reference.

I feel ______________
when you__________________.
I would like you to _________________.

It bugs me when you __________________. I wish you would ___________________.

I love when you___________________. I wish you would ________________.

The second graders are wrapping up our conversations about friendships. We have been talking about all the different types of friendships, how to find friends, how to include everyone and how to communicate properly with other people (kids or adults). We went over 4 very basic communication rules. I told the students that no matter who they are they have to follow theses rules.

1. Take Turns Talking (I tell the kids they shouldn't talk more than 3 minutes before they give someone else a chance to talk.)
2. Nothing Personal (This could be a safety issue if students are giving out address and phone numbers. We also talk about how if the want a friend to come play then it is ok to give our friends our phone numbers IF our parents say its ok).
3. Nothing Gross (I think this one explains itself)
4. Keep it Pleasant (also pretty self explanatory)

I have to share two things our third graders are doing. We did a fun activity that I found on teachers pay teachers about careers. I put the students in 5 groups and they were given a bubble map to fill out. I gave each group a company and they had to try and name all of the different jobs that take place in that company. Some of the companies were pretty easy but some of the others could be pretty difficult. It brought up a really good conversation about how we all have to work together to be successful.

With the third graders I have also been starting our conversation about how to handle bullying. I use the Second Step Program for Bully Prevention. The version I have at my school is one of the older versions (I still have over heads!). Even though it is older the point is still really clear to get across and I project the pictures using my elmo projector with a piece of paper behind the overhead. One of the reason I love this program is because it teaches the children what bullying really is! Bullying as become a buzz word and students (staff and parents) are all fast to say someone is bullying. Well is it really bullying? Or is that child just being mean? I think this program does a GREAT job at helping the students learn what is bullying and what is not. As well as, how to stand up to those are are bullying.

With my fourth and fifth graders I have been doing alot of lessons on career exploration. This was the first year I decided to host a Career Day event at our school. When I went to the WCPSS school counselor kick off I had the opportunity to hear about some of my fellow counselors present on their career day. I decided to host my own at RRES and it was awesome! All the kids, staff, parents, and community volunteers seemed to have a great time!! I can't wait to do it again next year!

I hope to add some more pictures to this post over track out! 4 more days until track out!!!