Cool+Kids+Lesson+Re-Design

= = = Self-Esteem and Confidence =

= __Literacy Connection__ - __Stand Tall Molly Lou Mellon__ = ===Today's focus was on self-esteem and developing confidence. We spent some time reading **__Stand Tall Molly Lou Mellon__** by Patty Lovell. The message of this beautifully illustrated book is for children to be proud of who they and love what makes them unique. It is a wonderful example and perfect literacy connection on confidence and self-esteem. The children love the main character, a quirky little girl named Molly Lou Mellon, who is short, clumsy, has buckteeth and "a voice that sounds like a bullfrog being squeezed by a boa constrictor". She is confident and doesn't care what the other children say. Her grandmother always told her to "walk proud, smile big and sing loud". The wise lessons from her grandmother pay off when she moves to a new school and starts to get picked on - she holds her head up, shows the kids who she really is and handles the bully appropriately in her own way.===




 * ===Please take some time to enjoy reading __Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon__ with your child ** online ** this week at [|We GIve Books.org] . It's free to sign up and offers a wide range of children's literature. It's a wonderful site - Have fun!===

= __Calming Strategy__ - Turtling =

===** This calming strategy taken from a DBT technique called "Turtling". This is a very visual strategy that children love. As a group we explore all the qualities a turtle has to keep himself safe and happy. One quality is his hard shell used for protection and to __"take space"__. I always ask my students where their "safe place" is; where they go to take space and calm down. Some will say their bedroom, a closet, the couch, their treehouse or the cubby area in school. Another feature of the turtle's shell is that it allows things to "roll right off". We explore what we can let "roll off" of us be it a comment, annoying behavior or a disappointment. This part of the strategy is a reminder that __we are in charge__ of how we respond to others. __We have a choice__. Turtles are also slow - this is a great way to remind our students to be slow like a turtle and __"Take time to stop, think and make a plan"__. **Lastly, a turtle is __persistent__. They work hard and are determined to roll over to right themselves when on their back or when moved off their chosen path. It is a great way to remind our children to __keep trying__.===

Enjoy this YouTube video which shows a turtle righting itself - he is determined just like we want our children to be!
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= __Craft Projects__ =

This is a fun project and the kids take home something tangible that helps remind them what "Turtling" is and how to do it.
__Kindergarten__ - Paint a wooden turtle



__Grade One__ - Model Magic Turtle



__Grade Two__ - Pom Pom Turtle