This week the students discussed good vs. weird thoughts.

They started by listening to the following:

“Each us of have any thoughts about the different people we see at school, in the community and even at home. We all have to be aware that others have thoughts about us too. This can happen even when we are not talking to people. Many of the thoughts we have about people are appropriate thoughts or good thoughts. But sometimes, we can have thoughts about other people that are weird thoughts.

Just because we have weird thoughts does not make us weird. Everyone has weird thoughts at times. These are thoughts that may be unexpected or not something we would typically think. This does not make us a bad person because at times EVERYONE experiences them.

Each one of us can make people have good thoughts and weird thoughts about us by the way we behave. But when others have too many weird thoughts about us they may think that we are not fun, safe or easy to play or work with.”- Social Thinking Curriculum.

After, the students created a list of good and weird thoughts they might have throughout the school day. As students created this list red and blue stickers were placed on their shirts. A blue sticker symbolized good thoughts or expected behavior. A red sticker symbolized a weird thought or unexpected behavior.

When the students finished creating their list they discussed what they thought the red and blue stickers meant. They had a wonderful discussion and tied good and weird thoughts back to the Zones of Regulation. On their own, they decided, if it was a good thought, they were in the green zone (good to go). If it was a weird thought they might be in the blue, yellow, or red zone.

The students continued to work on whole body listening. The students reviewed what whole body listening looks like and sounds like. We discussed how to show whole body listening when there may be distractions in the room. We also discussed how to turn our body when the speaker moves around the room. At the end, students found partners to help them give each other nonverbal cues to help each other show whole body listening in the classroom.

The students worked on whole body listening. They started the lesson by listening to the story, Whole Body Listening Larry at School. Next, the students participated in a discussion about what whole body listening looks like. Students learned that whole body listening requires that when we pay attention to others it means our hands, feet, heart, brain, fingers, eyes all pay attention to what other people or members of the group are doing. The students ended by role playing different scenarios to show examples and non examples of whole body listening. When students displayed non-examples the peers corrected their behaviors.

See Image below for Whole Body Listening Larry

Image from: ZonesofRegulation.Com

This week in social group the students started by reviewing different emotions. They were showed different picture scenarios and they needed to explain the emotion and why.

Next, we held a discussion about how everyone can have different emotions and all of our emotions do not need to be the same. We also discussed how our emotions/behavior can impact others around us. For example, if we are distracted in the classroom this may affect other students learning or our teacher's lesson plans. At home, our behaviors may impact our family members or friends. Lastly, we discussed how it is important to think about our behavior and how are hope is that our behavior will allow others around us to be in the green zone. (Green= good to go).

The students were given an exit ticket to complete and return back to class next week.

Challenge Questions: Why is it important to listen to how others feel?

This week in social group the students reviewed expected and unexpected behaviors in the classroom.

The students received their social group folders. Inside is a handout of what we worked on and a challenge to complete and return for next Tuesday.

Expected Behaviors:

What are behaviors you would expect to see of yourself or others in a group?

• Sitting with the group
• Facing the teacher
• Making comments only about what the group is talking about (staying on topic)
• Using good eye contact

Unexpected Behaviors:

What are behaviors you would NOT expect to see of yourself or others in a group?

• Lying on the floor
• Body turned around
• Saying things that have nothing to do with what the group is talking about.
• Not looking at people in the group.

Challenge Questions: List ways you can show expected behaviors in the classroom.