3rd Grade
Third Grade
I am in the 3rd Grade classrooms every other week for a 40 minute lesson. I teach 14-16 lessons total in each classroom. A summary of the lesson will be posted below.
Our conversations about mental health at school are best supported by continued conversations at home. Discussing mental health is as important as discussing physical health (in age and developmentally appropriate ways). An example of this would sound like: "I take care of my physical health in a lot of ways. I make sure that I get enough sleep, I eat foods that fuel my body, I get outside or move my body, I brush my teeth, bathe, and go to the doctor when I need to. Just like my physical health I also need to take care of my mental health. I get outside and move my body regularly because it helps me destress, I stay connected with my friends, I get enough sleep, I practice emotional regulation, and when I need to I talk to specialists or take medication." Part of the health and safety piece at home is to monitor internet usage, ensure that medications (especially prescriptions) are locked up, as well as, locking up firearms; this is imperative to our children's safety.
Lesson 1| August 28-29| Getting to know the adults in your school and what they can do for you! Today we met Mrs. Osborne our school counselor. We played a Game Show Quiz Game to answer questions about who Mrs. Osborne is and what she does at Collister. Beyond Mrs. Osborne's job duties this lesson focused on informing students about how they can request to see Mrs. Osborne individually, as well as, informed consent about confidentiality and reporting. **Students may request to see the school counselor individually with a note to the counselor outside of my office door or an online form to be filled out by the student, parent, or teacher.
Lesson 2 - 5 | September 11- Oct 31 | Conflict Resolution Unit: Kelso's Choice's Peace Wheel is the curriculum used as a foundation for conflict resolution. Students identify what is a small problem (something they are smart enough and strong enough to solve on their own. Often a conflict that is annoying or frustrating) and what is a big problem (something dangerous, unsafe, or scary) and adults they can go to for help (both at school and at home).
Lesson 6- Current | Nov 14- Current | Emotional Regulation: In Third Grade we will review the Slumberkins Curriculum, The Feels, to identify Big Emotions, that the emotion tells our body an important message, and that they are here to take care of us as we take care of them. We will then move into work with the Sources of Strength Curriculum to use the Regulation Railroad to identify the steps of self regulation. Students will also identify regulating strategies they use when experiencing Big Feelings.
Upcoming Units:
Safe and Healthy Choices: We will discuss personal safety including Physical and Emotional Well Being
Future Planning: We will explore the option of college through the book Mahalia Mouse Goes to College. We will define collegiate vocabulary words (degree, dormitory, cafeteria, etc.). in conversation we will also discuss what they might have to do well in order to be successful in college -- like study, do well in all subjects -- they thought writing, spelling, and reading would be very important, be involved in things like clubs and sports, organized, and have a passion about what they are studying for their future! Students will be given a table to fill out at home about who they know that went to college and where they went. As a class we will look at these colleges on a map and see just how wide our classroom map reaches.