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Welcome West Kearns Elementary School Family! During our time in dismissal, let's stay calm and connected. Please browse to find social and emotional activities for students as well as resources for parents.
Welcome West Kearns Elementary School Family! During our time in dismissal, let's stay calm and connected. Please browse to find social and emotional activities for students as well as resources for parents.
If you have specific needs, please email me at erroberts@graniteschools.org or you can call
385-646-8479.
April 27, 2020
Empathy
Empathy
Sometimes it hard to put yourself "in someone else's shoes", but Mrs. Peercy taught me a game to play in order make it easier for us to understand. Ask everyone in your family to trade shoes. You may be asking yourself, how is my foot supposed to fit in my little sister or brother's shoe? Or maybe your mom, dad or grandparent's shoes are just too big! Well that's all part of the fun. Once you have their shoes on, you can feel what it is like to be them. Maybe your mom or dad came home from work, had to make dinner and you and your siblings were fighting the whole time. Or I wonder if your mom or dad is able put themselves in your shoes and understand how hard it is to not see your friends and do online school.
What did it feel like to be in someone else's shoes? Talk about a time when you showed empathy to someone else. Why do you think it is important to show empathy to others?
If you try this, send me an email or leave me a message on my phone and I will bring a prize bag to your house!
erroberts@graniteschools.org or 385-646-8479
April 19, 2020
Personal Space
Personal Space
Practicing personal space not only makes people feel more comfortable but also keeps you safe! Personal Space Camp by Julia Cook is a story about a boy who thinks he is going to space camp to learn about planets and stars. What he doesn't realize is that he actually needs to learn about being respectful of others' personal space.
A hula hoop is a great tool to demonstrate your "space bubble". If you don't have a hula hoop, you can use chalk and draw a circle on the ground. First, stand inside the circle. Next ask someone who you are close with to step inside the circle. Pretend this person is someone with whom you are uncomfortable and say "Excuse me, you are in my personal space." Say it again and be empowered!
Use the picture on the left, and talk about the people in your life and where they fit. The green ring in the center, "ME", should contain the people with whom you feel the safest.. Remember this is YOUR space and you decide who fits in each circle.
Why is it important to keep personal space? What can you do if someone is in your personal space and you feel uncomfortable?
April 7, 2020
Eggceptional Emotions Activity
Eggceptional Emotions Activity
Now is the time of year to use your plastic eggs! You can use them for many different emotion activities. The first step is to use a permanent marker to draw faces with different emotions. I'm definitely not an artist, but hopefully you can guess what feeling I was trying to draw! When creating a game, make sure to first identify the emotion, then show the emotion with your face or actions. Finally share a time when you felt this emotion. The best part is that before you play your created game, stuff the eggs with treats so you can enjoy while you play! One quick and simple game is hide and seek. Hide the eggs and when you find them follow the steps above!
Now is the time of year to use your plastic eggs! You can use them for many different emotion activities. The first step is to use a permanent marker to draw faces with different emotions. I'm definitely not an artist, but hopefully you can guess what feeling I was trying to draw! When creating a game, make sure to first identify the emotion, then show the emotion with your face or actions. Finally share a time when you felt this emotion. The best part is that before you play your created game, stuff the eggs with treats so you can enjoy while you play! One quick and simple game is hide and seek. Hide the eggs and when you find them follow the steps above!
Books that I recommend about emotions.
Books that I recommend about emotions.
The Way I Feel by Janan Cain
The Color Monster by Anna Llenas
My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss
March 31, 2020
Kindness
Kindness
It was so great to see so many of your faces during our packet pick up yesterday! We miss you all so much. There are a lot of things that feel out of our control right now. But one thing that is in our control is KINDNESS!. How can we practice more kindness when we are keeping social distance? I've noticed there are many signs in the windows in my neighborhood. They say things like "We've got this!" or "Have a great day!". I challenge you to make a special sign for your window that spreads just a little more kindness.
Books that I love about kindness.
Chrystanthamum by Kevin Henkes
Enemy Pie is written by Derek Munson, illustrated by Tara Calahan King
What Kindness Mean to Be Kind by by Rana DiOrio (Author), Stephane Jorisch (Illustrator)
Have You Filled a Bucket Today by Carol McCloud (Author), David Messing (Illustrator)
March 24, 2020
Mindfulness
Mindfulness
I love this video; it immediately helps me relax. Anger, sadness and anxiety are all interconnected. Oftentimes it is hard to tell the difference between them. But if we stop and breathe, ask yourself is the amygdala or the prefrontal cortex in charge right now?
March 24, 2020
Grounding Techniques
Grounding Techniques
When we feel anxious or have extra worries, one thing that helps is a grounding activity. My favorite is using your five senses. Did you know that when you activate your senses it helps to bring you back to your physical body and not the anxious thoughts in your mind?
Try the Skittle activity with your parents. Ask them close their eyes, and hand them a skittle. Once they put it in their mouth, direct them to use all of the power of their senses to guess the flavor. Were they able to do it? You can try this with jelly beans, Starburst, and even different types of hot Cheetos or Takis!
March 24, 2020
Do you ever forget to breathe? Not actually completely stop breathing, but the big deep breaths that help our bodies relax and rejuvenate. You should all be familiar with Lazy 8 Breathing, because it is in your calm down kits! When you notice yourself taking short breaths, STOP and try tracing an 8. You can trace it in the dirt, in the air, or make your own on a piece a paper.
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