The children have been introduced to their school counselor and have learned what the school counselor role is. We used the book, "What is a Counselor?"

At-Home Extension Questions:

• How does a School Counselor help students?
• What are some reasons you may see a School Counselor?
• How can you ask for help from your school counselor?
• Whose jobs are not the school counselor's?

Materials: The Rainbow Fish and worksheet

At-Home Extension Questions:

• Who are trusted adults you can talk to?
• What is Stop, Walk, and Talk? (Not the same as stop, drop, roll)
• What can you do when approached by someone like Mean Jean?
• How can you be a good friend to someone who may be bullied?
• Is a conflict the same as bullying?

Materials: The Recess Queen, Recess Queen Handout

First grade this month are going over how to be helpful and responsible people - at home and at school. We discussed what chores, tasks, and responsibilities we take care of so that others do not do them for us.

At Home Extension Questions:

• What chores are you responsible for?
• If you take care of your chores now, does that leave you more time to play?
• What tasks/jobs do you take care of in the classroom? What jobs does your teacher give you?
• Even if you do not like the job you have, doesn't it feel good to finish it so you don't have to worry about it?
• Materials: "I did it, I'm Sorry" flipchart

For the first half of the diversity lessons, the students participated in reading I'm Gonna Like Me. We learned that not everyone is exactly the same, even if we do have some similarities. It is all right to be different and to explore the world with these differences!

At Home Extension Questions:

• What makes me, "me?"
• What makes me and my friends similar or different?
• How can I like "me" more?
• Is it all right if someone is a little bit different from me? Is it all right if someone is a little bit the same as me?

Materials: I'm Gonna Like Me, I'm a Rainbow handout

As we experience the first cold weathers of the season and part of our diversity learning, the children reviewed how snowflakes have some similarities and some differences! Just like snowflakes, we too have similarities and differences that make us each unique! Maybe you look similar or different from someone else, maybe your family speaks a second or third language, or even celebrates a different holiday!

At Home Extension Questions:

• What makes me special or unique?
• Who am I similar with or different from?
• What family celebrations or traditions do I know about?
• Do any of my friends speak another language that I know or don't know?
• How can I learn more about others?

Materials: Snowflake presentation, creating your own snowflake

For the month of January, we discussed good sportsmanship and teamwork. The students were able to describe why teamwork can be a good thing when completing multiple tasks at once. We discussed how roles given to team members can help us solve problems, get good grades, score goals, and help others.

Take Home Extension Questions:

• How does working as a team help us complete tasks?
• How can you work as a team when playing sports? When playing a board game?
• We may not always get along with someone on our team, but is it important to work together to achieve a goal?

Materials: Ant Bully team video.

This month, the first grade students were double dipping into kindness and career lessons. For kindness, the students were challenged to think about acts of kindness. We discussed how being kind to others can help make others feel good, as well as make us feel better about ourselves. The students were quite able to describe acts of kindness, and were willing to attempt acts of kindness (even on days when we don't feel our best). Several students made suggestions such as volunteering with their organizations (Girl/Boy scouts, feeding the homeless, collecting cans, etc).

Extension Questions for Home:

• Sometimes, helping others can help us feel better. On days when we don't feel our best, how can we be kind to others?
• How can we spread kindness in our community?
• How can I show kindness and respectfulness through my actions at home? What about at school?

Materials: Be Kind Read A Loud, Thinking Cloud handout.

The students began their introduction to careers. They discussed what a career was, what sort of jobs a career would include, and thought about something that interested them. As part of the discussion, the students were also challenged to think about the jobs they know and what jobs they would like to try. The students watched a video of children who expressed jobs they would like to have when they grow up.

Extension Questions for Home:

• What is a career?
• What careers do you know about? What do the people in those careers do?
• Have you thought about a career or job you would like to have when you grow up?
• Do people only stay with 1 career their whole lives?

Materials: 100 Kids - HiHo Kids video