The Kindness Curriculum Theme 3

I am so excited to be using the Kindness Curriculum from the Center for Healthy Minds. You can download this free mindfulness curriculum easily. We'll be doing this for a total of eight weeks in our Early Childhood class.

We are on Week Three, which has "HOW I FEEL ON THE INSIDE SHOWS ON THE OUTSIDE" as its theme.

Week One notes
MINDFUL BODIES AND PLANTING SEEDS OF KINDNESS

Week Two notes
I FEEL EMOTIONS ON THE INSIDE

We continued with our Songs, Verses & Movement for classroom routines.

Circle Time

#1 - "Good Morning, Dear Earth" verse

#2 - "Morning Verse"
from A Child's Seasonal Treasury, page 13

#3 - "The Sun Above is Bright" verse
from The Breathing Circle, page 58

#4 - "Stretch Me, Stretch Me, Stretch Me High!" verse
from The Breathing Circle, page 60

#5 - "Colors" song
from Learning Basic Skills Through Music, vol 1, track #1

#6 - "Pitter Patter Raindrops" finger play
from The Breathing Circle, page 67

#7 - "Pull on My Rain Boots!" verse
from The Breathing Circle, page 88

#8 - "Looking Through the Garden Gate" verse
from The Breathing Circle, page 94

#9 - "Rocks to Stones" finger play
from The Breathing Circle, page 84

Monday, February 17
Lesson 7: Emotions on the inside show on the outside

Today we read Halibut Jackson, one of my favorite books about shyness. We also read Rhymoceros and talked about which words were feelings and which words were not ("grumpy" yes, "hat" no). Then we played Charades using words from Rhymoceros, and finished up with the Growing Friendship Wish.

(If you like Rhymoceros I really recommend the other two clever word-loving books by Janik Coat, Hippopposites and LLamaphones).

Tuesday, February 18
Lesson 8: Working with emotions in a kind and friendly way

We didn't have I'm the Best! by Lucy Cousins, and I didn't really like the idea of a book about a thoughtless braggart who makes other people sad. I looked all over my shelves for a substitute and decided on "The Letter" from Frog and Toad are Friends by Arnold Lobel. This has Toad speaking from the heart and Frog being a star listener, so it was perfect. The kids also really enjoyed role playing working through problems using our new Peace Wands!

Thursday, February 20
Lesson 9: Emotions change many times each day

Today's book was Dogger by Shirley Hughes. We used our wooden carved animals from the classroom play stands instead of beanbag animals.

May You Be Happy song (3:25)

And, of course, we made Stone Soup today! Today was our last Stone Soup of the year. When we return from the two weeks of Spring Break, families will send in fruits instead of veggies and we will make juicy fresh Fruit Salads & Smoothies. Today's soup featured mushroom stock, fresh mushrooms, carrots, white potato, beets, fire-roasted tomatoes, and cannellini beans.

Thank you to everyone, as always, for all of your contributions!

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