kindergarten unit introductionresponsible actions affect ourselves first and foremost. as the...

Kindergarten Unit Introduction

Sub-Concepts Covered: Self-discipline

Kindness in the Classroom lessons teach kindness skills through a step-by step framework of Inspire, Empower, Act, Reflect and Share. Each lesson starts with the ‘share’ step to reinforce learning from previous lessons. The ‘act’ piece is woven into the lessons but really takes place in the projects. This unit is the fifth of our six unit series. The goal is to explore responsibility and taking ownership for one’s actions. We will also be giving students strategies on how to make responsible choices that ultimately promote kindness to self, others, and our community. There is a large focus on science and recycling within this unit, so you may be able to pair these lessons up with your core content.

Unit Objective Students will:

● Define responsibility and self-discipline through both actions and words. ● Identify HOW to show responsibility at home and school. ● Draw connections between self-discipline and responsibility as

it applies to their daily lives.

Student Introduction We have arrived at the Responsibility Unit! Many of us may have heard this word before, but now it’s time to see how being responsible and making responsible choices help us to grow in kindness! We will learn about how we can show responsibility in our everyday choices AND in bigger choices that affect not only ourselves and others, but our community as well. Let’s explore the concept of responsibility and how being responsible is also being kind!

© The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation. All Rights Reserved. www.randomactsofkindness.org

Unit Lessons Lesson Title Lesson Objectives Materials Required Lesson 1 My Space

● Identify ways to show responsibility to themselves.

● Practice activities in the classroom that require responsibility to one’s self.

❏ Paper folded in half ❏ Basic Art Supplies ❏ I Just Forgot by Mercer Mayer

Lesson 2 The Domino Effect

● Develop a collaborative list of common ways/environments to show responsibility

● Use dominoes to demonstrate an understanding of one-to-one correspondence up to 15.

❏ Dominoes (15 per pair/group)

Lesson 3 Every Drop Counts!

● Identify ways children can be responsible for the environment through personal actions

● Accurately read liquid measuring devices to track water usage during a science experiment

● Practice using the scientific method during a water conservation activity.

❏ One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia

❏ 1 graduated cylinder OR 1 glass liquid measuring cup.

❏ Pencils ❏ 1 basin (must fit in a sink under the faucet) ❏ 1 new toothbrush ❏ Toothpaste ❏ 1 timer or stopwatch ❏ 1 record sheet (see Lesson)

Lesson 4 Give Me Five!

● Identify ways children can be respond with kindness towards others in a variety of situations.

● Practice acts of kindness at school.

❏ Basic Art Supplies ❏ Scissors ❏ Plain Paper

Unit Projects Project Title Project Overview Materials Required Project 1 Responsible Chore Chart

Student work with their family to make a personalized chore chart. In addition, the parent and child will create a step by step guide for one specific chore that the child is learning that the child can share in class.

❏ Letter to Parent/Guardian ❏ Sample Chore Chart (see project) ❏ Sample How-To-Guide (see project)

Project 2 Recycled Art

Students will recycle common everyday items to create a class designed piece of art.

❏ Recycled Items ❏ Basic Art Supplies ❏ String


Responsibility Kindergarten • Lesson 1

My Space This foundational lesson in the Respect unit focuses on self-discipline and how responsible actions affect ourselves first and foremost. As the placement of this unit is after the winter break, many routines need to be reestablished, especially around organization. This lesson focuses on self-discipline related to cubbies or personal areas in the coat/backpack area. Responsibility Sub-Concept(s) Self-Discipline, Kindness Lesson Timeframe 45 minutes Required Materials ❏ Paper folded in half ❏ Basic Art Supplies ❏ I Just Forgot by Mercer Mayer Standards Map This lesson aligns with CASEL Competencies, National Health Education Standards, and Common Core State Standards. Please refer to the Standards Map for more information.

Lesson Objective Students will be able to:

● Identify ways to show responsibility to themselves ● Practice activities in the classroom that require responsibility

to one’s self

Teacher Connection/Self-Care As a teacher you are responsible for the safety and education of dozens of children. How do you prepare for school each day? Every teacher is required to provide some type of lesson plans as proof of planning. Effective planning goes much further than this. Mapping out a unit based on the number of in class days coupled with allotted time constraints can completely change the original lesson. Often times our planning gets shorter and shorter the longer we have been teaching. However, each year we receive a completely new set of students. This week, set aside some extra time to evaluate your current class. What special needs do they have (both strengths and weaknesses) that require a different approach than past years? If this is your first year teaching, try categorizing your students by learning style rather than academic level. You may begin to appreciate each student a bit more, which ultimately leads to a teacher that responds with kindness rather than frustration during this trying time of the year!

Tips for Diverse Learners

● Allow students to take before and after pictures if they aren’t able to draw.

● Draw a simple picture next to common words used in the illustrations: backpack, coat, shoes, etc.

● Allow students to dictate the important parts of their picture to you as needed.

● Assist students to organize their area during the clean up portion of the activity.

© The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation. All Rights Reserved. www.randomactsofkindness.org Page 1

https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/lesson-plans/K_Responsibility_Unit_Standards_Map.pdf

Share 5-10 minutes Play 2 stories and a truth with the teacher as the storyteller. Explain how to play: The teacher says 3 things about themselves; 2 of them are wishes and only one thing is true. The class must vote on which statement is the true one. Repeat 2 more times with different statements. Here is an example:

● I have 13 brothers. (story) ● I have eaten squid. (truth) ● I am giving everyone an ice cream later! (story)

After playing, reflect on the game:

● How did it feel to know that some of my words were only stories? ● Did you like the game? Why or why not? ● Were there any signs I gave to tell when I was making something up? ● Why should we always tell the truth? ● How can telling stories rather than the truth make it harder for people

to trust us? People want to trust your words. When you tell stories and pretend that they are the truth, it can be hard for others to trust you!

Inspire What is Responsibility? 10-12 minutes Explain that responsibility is when you are reliable to do the things that are expected or required of you. This means people can count on you! You do what you say and you say what you do. Let’s practice responsibility by working together to finish these sentences: When I take it out, I ___________ (put it away). When I make a mess, I __________ (clean it up). When I borrow something, I _________ (return it). When I break something, I ___________ (fix it, tell a grown up). What is Self-Discipline? Explain that self-discipline is a big word that means we are responsible for our own behavior. We pay attention to how we act and how we treat ourselves and others. We can control our emotions. For example, when you get really angry, can you control yourself by taking deep breaths or walking away? If so, you are practicing self-discipline! Self-discipline takes lots of practice, so don’t be discouraged if you need to keep trying! Even adults must practice this skill every day. (Provide a personal example, if desired).


Story Time: I Just Forgot by Mercer Mayer 10 minutes Read Aloud Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vytiDr2n8Yc This story is about a little boy that continuously forgets “little things” throughout the day. Sometimes he understands what he is doing is wrong, but other times it doesn’t seem like a big deal to him. This gives you plenty of opportunities to talk about self-discipline and responsibility. Review the following parts of the book as a class:

● What will happen when he forgets to water the plants? Even though he says the plants look fine, they are all wilted. Why might he say they look fine? (He doesn’t want to accept responsibility for forgetting, etc.)

● Is he being honest about not forgetting to feed the goldfish? What does he say to cover up his forgetfulness? (He didn’t look hungry.)

● What would happen if he forgot his lunch and his mother couldn’t bring it to him?

● Was he showing responsibility when he left his muddy boots on? ● Does he use kind words when speaking to his mother about cleaning

up his toys? How could he answer her kindly? ● What is the one thing he NEVER forgets?

Empower

20 minutes Students will practice self-discipline and responsibility by creating a comparison between a messy, disorganized cubby/personal area and a clean, organized personal space. Note: If you do not have cubbies, choose another location where each student has personal space, such as a coat rack, supply drawer, etc. Explain that we practice self-discipline and responsibility every single day in class. We start and end each day with responsibility by the way we take care of our cubby (personal space, etc.). Today we are going to create two pictures of our cubbies: one showing a messy/disorganized space and one showing a clean/organized space. When we practice self-discipline and responsibility, our areas reflect that. I as your teacher must also practice these skills. I drew two pictures of my desk to show you.

● Show your messy/clean pictures and explain how your irresponsible actions led to the messy desk. Go through the details of your clean desk picture, highlighting how you decided to organize things (papers in a pile with a clip on them, pencils in the pencil cup, etc.).

● Provide each student with a blank piece of paper folded in half. On the first side have them draw a picture of what their area/cubby looks like at its messiest.

● After everyone is finished, have them go over to their cubby/personal area and clean it up to the best of their ability. (You can provide assistance as needed.)

● Bring the class back to their papers and have them draw an illustration of their clean spaces now. Have them label parts of the cubby/space that are important to remember: coat hung up, backpack on hook, shoes lined up, etc. (This will vary based on classroom setup).


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vytiDr2n8Yc

Reflect 5-10 minutes If time allows, review some of the drawings to highlight how each child chose to organize their personal space. Self-discipline takes practice. We have that opportunity daily with our personal spaces. Let’s work together to keep our areas clean and organized. The more we practice, the better we will become!

Extension Ideas

● Laminate each AFTER picture and hang it up above each person’s

personal area as a reminder of what their space should look like. ● Practice self-discipline and responsibility weekly by cleaning up your

area at the end of each Friday if possible. ● Send home a note with parents and have them repeat this activity

with the student’s bedroom.



The Domino Effect This lesson focuses on our responsible actions and how they affect others. Students will work together to generate a list of ways we each practice responsibility and how it influences others. They will then use dominoes to show how it creates a chain reaction. When someone drops the ball and is irresponsible, others are affected. Responsibility Sub-Concept(s) Self-Discipline, Kindness Lesson Timeframe 25-30 minutes Required Materials ❏ Dominoes (15 per pair/group) Standards Map This lesson aligns with CASEL Competencies, National Health Education Standards, and Common Core State Standards. Please refer to the Standards Map for more information.


● Develop a collaborative list of common ways/environments to show responsibility

● Use dominoes to demonstrate an understanding of one-to-one correspondence up to 15

Teacher Connection/Self-Care Responsibility is defined as being reliable to do the things that are expected and required of you. Often times, we tend to focus on the tasks that affect us personally. I pay my mortgage so I have a place to live. I take care of my body so I will be healthy. This week, focus on the actions you carry through that can and do have an immediate effect on others. What responsibilities do you have in your teaching team, at your school, and within your community? How can you work harder to ensure that others can count on you at all times? The reality is that no one is perfect. Each one of us will drop the ball at some point. How you choose to handle those moments says a great deal about how you view your responsibilities. Take some time this week to examine your response to natural human error. Be kind to yourself and move forward. None of us is perfect!

Tips for Diverse Learners ● Provide number cards as a visual representation during the domino

counting. ● Draw a simple picture next to common words used in the

brainstorming session. ● Pair students up during the domino activity to help with poor dexterity.



Share

5 minutes As a class, take a quick tour of the cubbies/coat rack area. Look for signs of self-discipline and responsibility using your desk. (Make sure to have areas that demonstrate self-discipline as well as areas that could use improvement)

● What are some ways I, as the teacher, have practiced self-discipline (my desk is organized, the papers are sorted, etc.) What some areas that need a little more attention? (make sure to have at least one area)

We can help each other choose responsible actions as we start and end our day in this area of our classroom!

Inspire

How are We Responsible? 10-12 minutes Explain that each of us makes responsible choices every day, all day long! We chose to get up today. We chose to get on the bus and come to school. We chose to learn. We chose to be kind to our classmates and teacher. When we treat other with kindness and respect we are acting responsibly. Let’s work together to create a giant list of all the ways we have shown responsibility in our day so far. Divide your whiteboard into 3 categories- Students, Teacher, People at Home (Parents/Families, Guardians, etc.)

● Ask the following questions for each category- How did you (the teacher, parents, etc.) show responsibility this morning?

● Students- Get up on time, make bed, clean up after breakfast, treat others kindly on bus, listen to teacher, etc.

● Teacher- Dressed appropriately for work, packed lunch, planned for school, set up classroom, made copies for math, etc.

● People at home/parents- Woke up children, went to work, ate breakfast, followed rules when driving, obeyed boss, etc.

(Make sure your list has at least 15 items altogether) All of these actions demonstrate responsibility. All of us work together, each person doing their part. It is very important to follow through on your responsibilities.


Empower

20 minutes Students will use a math activity to illustrate the importance of following through on their responsibilities. Divide the students up into pairs or groups of three. Pass out 15-20 dominoes for each group. Explain that each domino represents a responsible choice that someone made today. Let’s see how all of our responsible choices build up and create a positive chain of responsibility.

● Read off each responsible choice written down during the brainstorming session.

● As you read it, have each group line up a domino. ● You will need to demonstrate how to line up the dominoes so they

create a chain. ● Read at least 15 choices so every group has a nice long domino chain

in front of them. ● Explain that dominoes will fall down during this activity. That’s ok! This

represents our forgetfulness at times. ● Sometimes we fall down. Sometimes we forget to do the things we

said we would do. However, we can always be honest about our forgetfulness and go back and try again. Make sure to pick up those fallen dominoes. They deserve a second chance too!

● We all have days where it feels like everything is going wrong (like a lot of dominoes are falling!). During these times, we can use perseverance to help us to keep trying. You have a choice to get back up, brush yourself off, and try to make responsible choices next time!

● Circulate around to pairs/groups as they finish. Have them each count the number of responsible choices made today. This can serve as an evaluation for one-to-one correspondence counting up to 20 if needed.

Reflect

5-10 minutes Have your class gather in your circle time/community area. Review the importance of completing our personal responsibilities and how it affects others around us.

● What would happen if you always forgot to feed your dog? ● What would happen if I didn’t make enough copies for our math

lesson? ● How can we fix things when we do forget?

Extension Ideas

● Evaluate for addition and subtraction knowledge using the dominoes.

Remove or add dominoes and have students create number bonds to show the new amounts.



Every Drop Counts! This lesson focuses on our responsible actions towards the environment, specifically water conservation. Students will conduct an experiment to see how much water is saved when we turn off the water while brushing our teeth. Note: This lesson requires a toothbrush, toothpaste, and access to a sink (see below for full materials list). Responsibility Sub-Concept(s) Self-Discipline, Kindness Lesson Timeframe 25-30 minutes Required Materials ❏ YouTube Link:

One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia

❏ 1 graduated cylinder OR 1 glass liquid measuring cup.

❏ Pencils ❏ 1 basin (must fit in a sink under the

faucet) ❏ 1 new toothbrush ❏ Toothpaste ❏ 1 timer or stopwatch ❏ 1 record sheet Standards Map This lesson aligns with CASEL Competencies, National Health Education Standards, and Common Core State Standards. Please refer to the Standards Map for more information.


● Identify ways children can be responsible for the environment throughpersonal actions.

● Accurately read liquid measuring devices to track water usage during a science experiment.

● Practice using the scientific method during a water conservation activity.

Teacher Connection/Self-Care Every person on earth has a personal carbon footprint that they leave as they experience the world. You are responsible for your effect on the environment. The best way to truly accept this is to evaluate this effect. How much water do you use each day? Are you conscious about the electricity usage in your home? Are you part of a recycling or composting program? Most of us are aware of these simple ways to lighten our impact. However, this week’s challenge is to identify unique ways to decrease your carbon footprint at school. Are there ways to reduce your waste? How does your school handle recycling? Your kind actions set a terrific example for the students in your class!


● Use the scientific method handout below for visual learners and English Language Learners.

● Have students take turns coming up to read the measuring cup with a partner so everyone can participate.

● Have students with attention difficulties sit up front and off to the side so they have a quality view of the activity without distracting others.

● Pair students up to complete the Record Sheet if needed.



Share 5-10 minutes Using two different sized containers (long cylinder vs. short and stout cup, etc.), have students practice the scientific method using water volume.

● Pick 2 containers that look vastly different in size (tall cylinder vs. bowl, etc.).

● Create a hypothesis: Which container will hold more water? Have students vote for either the cylinder or the bowl.

● Test your hypothesis. ● Measure the water using a ¼ cup or other standard of measurement. ● Record the answer. ● Discuss the results: The tall cylinder held more water. How many of us

had the correct hypothesis? Why did you think it would hold less? (visually looks smaller, etc.)

Inspire

Environmental Responsibility 10-12 minutes We have talked about responsibility and our choices. Our choices affect ourselves, others, and even the world around us! That’s right! The choices we make can help our environment or hurt it. What is the environment? Explain that it is the world around us: nature, animals, plants, water, etc. Read Aloud: One Plastic Bag: Isatou Ceesay and the Recycling Women of the Gambia YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHskUChyKgs This story shows how our choices affect the environment and how we can choose responsibly to make a difference.

● How does Isatou Ceesay take responsibility for the garbage in her town?

● How does she turn it into something beautiful? T Chart Using a basic T-chart, brainstorm ways that we can HELP or HURT the environment. Above the word HELP draw a smiley face; above the word HURT, draw a frowning face.

● What are some irresponsible choices that we could make that might hurt the world around us, our environment? Litter, treat animals unkindly, waste water, leave the lights on, etc.

● What are some responsible choices we can make that help the world around us? Conserve water, plant trees, be kind to animals, take the bus, etc.

Explain that every person is responsible for their own actions, ones that help and ones that hurt. What is one thing you did today that helped the world around us? (pick up trash, close outside door, recycle, etc.)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHskUChyKgs

Empower

20 minutes Students will learn the importance of responsibility as it relates to water conservation by completing a “tooth brushing” science experiment.

● Review the scientific method: Do not focus too much on the vocabulary here, but rather on the importance of questioning, investigating, and concluding.

● Ask students: Who brushes their teeth with the water on? How much water does that use? Today we will find out just how much water we could save if we turn off the water when we brush our teeth!

● Write down the following hypothesis: “We will save ______ cups of water if we turn off the faucet when we brush our teeth.

○ As a class, decide on the number of cups you think will be saved. Make sure to show them an actual CUP to help illustrate what we are measuring. This will be the test conducted during this experiment.

● The teacher will complete the experiment with the class making observations.

● Have the class form a circle around the sink area. Here are the steps to complete the experiment. Write or project them onto your whiteboard. If possible, have a strong reader give the instructions to you as you complete them.

1. Place your basin underneath the faucet in your sink. 2. Start the 2 minute timer OR sing ABCs 3 times. 3. Round 1: Turn on the faucet, wet your toothbrush, and leave the

faucet running. (NOT FULL BLAST...low flow). 4. Brush your teeth until the 2 minute timer ends. 5. Carry the basin to the measuring station and record how much water

was used by pouring the water into the glass measuring container. 6. Write the number down on the board. It is helpful if you illustrate it

using full and partially filled cups. 7. Have the students color in their cups on the Record Worksheet. 8. Round 2: Repeat steps 1-2. Turn on faucet, wet your toothbrush, and

then turn off the faucet. Brush for ALMOST 2 minutes, turning on the water at the very end to rinse your mouth.

9. Repeat step 4 to measure how much water you used. 10. Calculate how much water you saved by subtracting the second

number from the first number. 11. How close were we to the hypothesis?


Reflect

5-10 minutes Have your class gather in your circle time/community area. Review the results of the water conservation experiment.

● How much water did we save when I turned off the water while brushing my teeth?

● How much water did I use when I left it running the whole time? ● Can you drink that much water in one sitting? (it may be over a

gallon...so no!) ● How much water could you save if everyone in your family turned the

water off when brushing their teeth? Every person has a responsibility to our environment; even young people like you! You can choose to save water by turning off the faucet when brushing your teeth, recycling instead of littering, or even keeping our playground clean when you see trash strewn about. Every responsible and kind choice helps protect our environment and keeps our world just a little bit cleaner than it was before!

Extension Ideas

● As a class, investigate other ways to save water. How much water

does a toilet take to flush? How much water does a dishwasher use versus hand washing? Use gallons or cups to illustrate the difference.


Color in the amount of water you used when brushing your teeth with the water ON:

Color in the amount of water you used when brushing your teeth with the water OFF:



Give Me Five! This lesson focuses on how we can respond with kindness, planning ahead to exude kindness throughout the week at random intervals. Responsibility Sub-Concept(s) Self-Discipline, Kindness Lesson Timeframe 45 minutes Required Materials ❏ Basic Art Supplies ❏ Scissors ❏ Plain Paper Standards Map This lesson aligns with CASEL Competencies, National Health Education Standards, and Common Core State Standards. Please refer to the Standards Map for more information.

Lesson Objective Students will:

● Identify ways children can respond with kindness towards others in a variety of situations.

● Practice acts of kindness at school.

Teacher Connection/Self-Care It is no coincidence that the first half of the word responsibility is the word response. We are responsible for how we respond to others. Although it can be a struggle, responding in kindness is a true gift that we can offer to those around us. The beauty of this response is that it is completely free for both you and the recipient. A change in attitude, an adjustment in your perspective, a deep breath before reacting: all of these actions allow you to respond in kindness regardless of the situation at hand. That said, some people and situations may require you to dig a bit deeper to conjure up the kindness needed to keep the tone upbeat. Don’t despair! You can lead with kindness in every situation. The key is to plan ahead! This week, brainstorm tough situations that frequently lead you to struggle with a kind response. How can you add a kind word in these scenarios? Here are a few examples to get your juices flowing. 1) If someone is prone to complaining, build them up with kindness and suggest they take a stab at creating something to fix/adjust/replace the area of concern. 2) If a team meeting frequently ends with both sides becoming confrontational, plan ahead to write down the contributing thoughts of every member and then highlight similarities within the group to increase buy in. Now it’s your turn. How can you respond with kindness?


● Allow students to draw pictures or dictate the acts of kindness onto their cut out.

● Enlarge the teacher completed hand cut out and incorporate simple pictures to increase comprehension and understanding.

● Remind students each day about the kindness goal. ● Complete the daily act of kindness WITH students to model kind

behavior.



Share 5-10 minutes We have worked very hard to become responsible citizens of our kindergarten classroom! Let’s review how we have shown responsibility so far this month:

● How have you used self-discipline and responsibility to complete your schoolwork during our seatwork time?

● What is one responsible choice you made yesterday on the playground? At specials?

● What is one way you were able to use self-discipline to wait for something when you really wanted it?

● How were you able to be responsible for our classroom last week? All of these choices are ways we can respond with kindness towards ourselves, others, and our environment/space!

Inspire

Responding with Kindness 7-10 minutes The first part of the word RESPONSIBILITY is actually RESPONSE. A response is another word for choice. We can respond kindly or meanly. We can choose kindness or choose meanness. You have this choice many times throughout the day actually! Let’s think back to this morning when each of us got up and ready for school. What choices did you make? How were able to respond with kindness at home? (I chose kind words with my mom, I chose to pick up my clothes, etc.)

● Create a 3 column chart on the whiteboard. Label the sections: Classroom, Playground, Home.

● As a class, brainstorm as many kind choices as possible under each heading.

● Remind them: We can respond with kindness, even when others choose to be mean or unkind! It takes self-discipline to show kindness no matter what. We can do it!


Empower

20 minutes Students will practice choosing kindness throughout the week by focusing on 5 acts of kindness. Look back to your giant list of kind choices. As a class, choose 5 kind responses to focus on this week: 2 in the classroom, 2 on the playground, and 1 at home. Each student will trace their hand (with help if needed), cut it out, and draw/write these 5 acts of kindness down on the fingers. As a class, you will focus on one act of kindness each day. Make sure to highlight and explain each kind action daily to help the class focus more specifically as the day goes on. For the home one, present it on Friday, and use the class time to brainstorm specifics for each student so they feel prepared to act kindly once they get back to their house. Color in each finger after you have completed the act of kindness. Example 5 day Responding with Kindness activities:

● Monday - Tell someone new something nice about themselves. ● Tuesday - Clean up an area in the classroom without being asked. ● Wednesday - Hold the door open for someone as you are heading

out or coming back from recess. ● Thursday - Pick up a toy that you didn’t play with and put it away. ● Friday - Give your parent/guardian your folder without being asked.

Each class will have a different list. Have fun and remember to respond with kindness as your students attempt these acts of kindness! Practice makes perfect.

Reflect

5-10 minutes Have your class gather in your circle time/community area. Each day discuss the activity using the following questions:

● How did it feel to respond with kindness today? ● What was one thing you did differently to make sure you stayed kind? ● Did you find yourself doing something you didn’t really enjoy? If so,

how did you stay kind and positive? ● What is one other way you can respond with kindness in the

classroom/on the playground/at home? Extension Ideas

● This activity could be modified to include all 4-5 specials that your

class may have. Each day could represent a different special class. ● When they complete their sheet, as a reward allow students to add a

handprint to a “Colorful Hands of Kindness” bulletin board. Have students dip or paint the colors they chose above on their palms/fingers to mirror their sheet. Allow them to stamp the board several times as desired.

● This activity could also change to promote RANDOM acts of kindness as a class. How can we secretly help other classes?


Responsibility Kindergarten • Project 1

Responsibility Chart One simple way to teach responsibility is to use the concept of a chore chart/responsibility chart to highlight ways to help out. You have already implemented this in your classroom using jobs. However, this unit is a terrific opportunity to extend the concept of responsibility into student’s homes as well. Kindness Concept(s) Responsibility, Kindness Project Timeframe 25-30 minutes Required Materials ❏ Steps to making your bed ❏ Chore chart

This project is simple in design. Each student will take home the attached two pages: the letter to the parent/guardian and the blank chore chart. The family will work together to make a personalized chore chart. In addition, the parent and child will create a step by step guide for one specific chore that the child is learning (Example: How to Make a Bed, How to Brush My Teeth, etc.).

1) Send the letter and worksheets home in your weekly homework packet (or simply at the beginning of the week).

2) Collect the Chore Charts and How-To guides as they come back in. 3) Review each How-To guide with the class. Have the class vote: How

many of us have this same chore? Do you do it the same way? If not, how do you do it?

4) Emphasize the importance of being responsible for our personal space and our actions both at school AND at home.


Dear Parent/Guardian, We have been learning about responsibility this past week. It is time to find out how each of us is responsible at home. I have attached two worksheets for you and your child to complete this week. Chore Chart What does your child do at home to help out? Add at least 5 items to the chart on the next page. You can use this chart to track their responsible actions at home! Please send in the chart on _______________ so we can talk about it as a class. I will send it home this weekend. Here are some common tasks you might include:

❏ Make Bed ❏ Brush Teeth ❏ Put Away School Items ❏ Wipe Down Table ❏ Use Kind Words

How-To Guide This is a fun way to show our class HOW your family does one of the above chores. Children at this age are working on following 3 step directions. Using the last page in this packet, help your child to draw pictures and write words to explain how to do the chore. Encourage them to take pride and color each step. We will be sharing these in class and hanging them up for everyone to see. Your help here is greatly appreciated. We are working hard towards practicing responsibility. By helping your child create their Chore Chart and How-To Guide, you will be showing them responsible actions. This will help them understand the unit even better! Please feel free to call or email if you have any questions. Sincerely,


Responsibility Kindergarten • Project 2

Recycled Art There are many ways to use responsibility when taking care of our community and school. This project will focus on using recycled items to create a class designed piece of art. Kindness Concept(s) Responsibility, Kindness Project Timeframe 25-30 minutes Required Materials ❏ Recycled Items ❏ Basic Art Supplies ❏ String

Step 1: Allow 1-2 weeks to collect recycled items. Send home the note below to parents to gather family donated items as well. Some options might include cereal boxes, toilet paper and paper towel rolls, clean cans, milk containers, and cardboard boxes. As a class, generate ideas on what type of items would be acceptable and which should be avoided (such as dirty food containers, items that held meat, etc.). Step 2: Sort the items by material. This is a big component to recycling. Explain that when our recycled items go to the processing plant, they must be sorted first. The three main categories are plastics, metals, and cardboard. Step 3: Decide as a class what type of art you would like to make. You may wish to work with the art teacher to complete the project in conjunction with the current art focus. Step 4: Create art! The sky is the limit. There are no rules as long as you are using recycled items. Step 5: Place your sculpture in a public place. You may want to include a sign that explains how this shows responsibility. Example: Our first grade class is responsible for this sculpture. We saved our recycled items, worked together, and created this sculpture to remind our school to choose responsibly! (see sample parent / guardian letter below)


Dear Parent/Guardian, We have been learning about responsibility this past week. As an end project, our class is creating a very unique sculpture out of recycled items. We need your help! If you could send ANY of the following items in to school, it would be very helpful. Cardboard Items:

❏ Boxes ❏ Broken down cardboard ❏ Cereal Boxes ❏ Toilet Paper/Paper Towel Rolls

Plastics:

❏ Milk Jugs ❏ Water Bottles

Metal:

❏ Soda Cans ❏ Empty Canned Goods ❏ Ball of Aluminum Foil

Please make sure the items you send in are clean and dry. We do not want to invite any outdoor rodents (like mice) into our classroom! We will be making our recycled sculpture on ______________________, so please have all of your donations sent in by _______________________. Our finished sculpture will be placed by the ___________________ for all to see. Make sure you swing by or check online to take a look at all of our hard work! Sincerely,


Kindergarten

Hello Parents and Guardians, Welcome to Unit 5 of our Kindness in the Classroom curriculum. For the next 4-6 weeks we will be learning all about RESPONSIBILITY. Since this is still a fairly new concept for children this age, we will focus on the following topics: TOPIC QUESTIONS WE’LL BE EXPLORING HOW YOU CAN HELP AT HOME Responsibility ● What does it mean to be responsible

for your actions? ● How do you accept responsibility for

what you say and what you do?

Create a list of school and home responsibilities with your child. Emphasize how their responsibilities actually help their class. What are they responsible for at home? Explore that as well!

Respond Kindly ● How do we respond to others? ● How can we use kindness to respond

in a kind way, no matter what? ● Why is being kind such an important

responsibility?

Discuss the importance of responding kindly to others, even during difficult situations. If possible, identify some tough scenarios and practice responding kindly.

Self-Discipline ● What is self-discipline? ● How do we use self control in our

classroom? ● What might happen if we didn’t stay in

control of ourselves?

Talk with your child about what self-discipline looks like in their class. How do we sit in our chairs/at the table? How do we answer a question? How do we move through the building? Emphasize kind, safe actions at all times.

Key activities we’ll be doing:

● Organize our personal space! ● Use dominoes to illustrate our responsibility builds! ● Complete a Water science experiment! ● Respond kindly to others, no matter what! If you have any questions about our Kindness in the Classroom lessons, please feel free to contact me at anytime. We are on this kindness path together! Sincerely,

TRY THIS AT HOME! Ask your child about how they organized their personal space in school (cubbie/desk/etc.). Work with them to organize their room (or section of the room) using the same method they describe from school. Take a picture of the completed space to remind them of what it looks like when they are responsible for their area!


http://www.randomactsofkindness.org/

Kindergarten Standards Map

Responsibility Unit This Standards Map summarizes each of the standards met by all lessons within this unit. All Kindness in the Classroom® lesson plans have been mapped to the five CASEL Core Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Competencies, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Health Education Standards (NHES), and the national Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy and Mathematics. Utilization and adoption of these national standards and competencies vary by state. Teachers can use this resource to align their own state standards with each lesson.

Lesson 1: My Space CASEL NHES Common Core

Self-management Impulse control Self-discipline Self-motivation Organizational skills Social awareness Respect for others Responsible decision-making Identifying problems Analyzing situations Ethical responsibility

Standard 1. Understanding concepts 1.2.1- Identify that healthy behaviors impact personal health. Standard 7. Practicing healthy behaviors 7.2.1- Demonstrate healthy practices and behaviors to maintain or improve personal health.

English Language Arts Standards Reading: Literature Key Ideas and Details: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.1 With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.3 With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story. Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.10 Actively engage in group reading activities with purpose and understanding. Speaking & Listening Comprehension and Collaboration: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.1 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about kindergarten topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.1.A Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others and taking turns speaking about the topics and texts under discussion). CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.1.B Continue a conversation through multiple exchanges. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.2 Confirm understanding of a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media by asking and answering questions about key details and requesting clarification if something is not understood. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.3 Ask and answer questions in order to seek help, get information, or clarify something that is not understood. Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.5 Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions as desired to provide additional detail. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.6 Speak audibly and express thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly. Language Conventions of Standard English: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.K.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.


https://casel.org/core-competencies/

https://www.cdc.gov/healthyschools/sher/standards/index.htm

http://www.corestandards.org/read-the-standards/

http://www.corestandards.org/read-the-standards/

Vocabulary Acquisition and Use: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.K.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on kindergarten reading and content. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.K.5 With guidance and support from adults, explore word relationships and nuances in word meanings.


Lesson 2: The Domino Effect

CASEL NHES Common Core

Self-management Impulse control Self-discipline Self-motivation Organizational skills Social awareness Respect for others Relationship skills Communication Teamwork Responsible decision-making Analyzing situations Ethical responsibility

Standard 1. Understanding concepts 1.2.1- Identify that healthy behaviors impact personal health. Standard 7. Practicing healthy behaviors 7.2.1- Demonstrate healthy practices and behaviors to maintain or improve personal health.

English Language Arts Standards Speaking & Listening Comprehension and Collaboration: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.1 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about kindergarten topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.1.A Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others and taking turns speaking about the topics and texts under discussion). CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.1.B Continue a conversation through multiple exchanges. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.2 Confirm understanding of a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media by asking and answering questions about key details and requesting clarification if something is not understood. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.3 Ask and answer questions in order to seek help, get information, or clarify something that is not understood. Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.6 Speak audibly and express thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly. Language Conventions of Standard English: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.K.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. Vocabulary Acquisition and Use: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.K.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on kindergarten reading and content. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.K.5 With guidance and support from adults, explore word relationships and nuances in word meanings. Standards for Mathematical Practice Counting & Cardinality Count to tell the number of objects. CCSS.Math.Content.K.CC.B.4.A When counting objects, say the number names in the standard order, pairing each object with one and only one number name and each number name with one and only one object. CCSS.Math.Content.K.CC.B.4.B Understand that the last number name said tells the number of objects counted. The number of objects is the same regardless of their arrangement or the order in which they were counted.


Lesson 3: Every Drop Counts CASEL NHES Common Core

Self-management Self-discipline Social awareness Respect for others Responsible decision-making Identifying problems Analyzing situations Solving problems Evaluating Reflecting Ethical responsibility

Standard 1. Understanding concepts 1.2.2 - Recognize that there are multiple dimensions of health. Standard 5. Decision-making 5.2.1 - Identify situations when a health-related decision is needed. Standard 7. Practicing healthy behaviors 7.2.1 - Demonstrate healthy practices and behaviors to maintain or improve personal health.

English Language Arts Standards Reading: Literature Key Ideas and Details: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.1 With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.2 With prompting and support, identify the main topic and retell key details of a text. Craft and Structure: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.4 Ask and answer questions about unknown words in a text. Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.10 Actively engage in group reading activities with purpose and understanding. Reading: Informational Text Print Concepts: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.1.B Recognize that spoken words are represented in written language by specific sequences of letters. Writing Research to Build and Present Knowledge: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.K.7 Participate in shared research and writing projects (e.g., explore a number of books by a favorite author and express opinions about them). CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.K.8 With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question. Speaking & Listening Comprehension and Collaboration: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.1 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about kindergarten topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.1.A Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others and taking turns speaking about the topics and texts under discussion). CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.1.B Continue a conversation through multiple exchanges. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.2 Confirm understanding of a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media by asking and answering questions about key details and requesting clarification if something is not understood. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.3 Ask and answer questions in order to seek help, get information, or clarify something that is not understood. Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.6 Speak audibly and express thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly. Language Conventions of Standard English: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.K.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English


grammar and usage when writing or speaking. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.K.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. Vocabulary Acquisition and Use: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.K.4 Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on kindergarten reading and content. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.K.5 With guidance and support from adults, explore word relationships and nuances in word meanings. Standards for Mathematical Practice Measurement & Data Describe and compare measurable attributes. CCSS.Math.Content.K.MD.A.1 Describe measurable attributes of objects, such as length or weight. Describe several measurable attributes of a single object. CCSS.Math.Content.K.MD.A.2 Directly compare two objects with a measurable attribute in common, to see which object has "more of"/"less of" the attribute, and describe the difference. For example, directly compare the heights of two children and describe one child as taller/shorter.


Lesson 4: Give Me Five! CASEL NHES Common Core

Self-awareness Identifying emotions Accurate self-perception Recognizing strengths Self-management Impulse control Stress management Self-discipline Social awareness Perspective-taking Relationship skills Communication Responsible decision-making Analyzing situations Evaluating Reflecting

Standard 1. Understanding concepts 1.2.1 - Identify that healthy behaviors impact personal health. 1.2.2 - Recognize that there are multiple dimensions of health. Standard 4. Interpersonal communication 4.2.1 - Demonstrate healthy ways to express needs, wants, and feelings. 4.2.2 - Demonstrate listening skills to enhance health. 4.2.3 - Demonstrate ways to respond in an unwanted, threatening, or dangerous situation. Standard 7. Practicing healthy behaviors 7.2.1- Demonstrate healthy practices and behaviors to maintain or improve personal health.

English Language Arts Standards Writing Research to Build and Present Knowledge: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.K.8 With guidance and support from adults, recall information from experiences or gather information from provided sources to answer a question. Speaking & Listening Comprehension and Collaboration: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.1 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about kindergarten topics and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.1.A Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others and taking turns speaking about the topics and texts under discussion). CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.1.B Continue a conversation through multiple exchanges. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.2 Confirm understanding of a text read aloud or information presented orally or through other media by asking and answering questions about key details and requesting clarification if something is not understood. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.3 Ask and answer questions in order to seek help, get information, or clarify something that is not understood. Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.4 Describe familiar people, places, things, and events and, with prompting and support, provide additional detail. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.5 Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions as desired to provide additional detail. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.6 Speak audibly and express thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly. Language Conventions of Standard English: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.K.1 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking. CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.K.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing. Vocabulary Acquisition and Use: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.K.5.C Identify real-life connections between words and their use (e.g., note places at school that are colorful).


kindergarten unit introductionresponsible actions affect ourselves first and foremost. as the...

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