Curated OER
Avoiding Reality
Eighth graders examine the trait of perseverance. In this character education lesson, 8th graders discuss how to deal with reality. Students consider how to help others facing difficult situations.
Social Skills Central
Don't Get Mad...
Pupils discover important alternatives to expressing anger and how to better manage their emotions through a collaborative discussion activity with their classmates. This resource includes nearly 100 (99, to be exact!) hypothetical...
Curated OER
“Light Force” and “Dark Force”
Designed for learners with autism, this set of worksheets prompts learners to design their own fantasy characters as a way of identifying emotional problems and solutions they might face on a daily basis.
Missouri Department of Elementary
Think Positive!
Following an attention-grabbing read-aloud, scholars brainstorm ways they can change negative thoughts into positive thoughts. Small groups plan and perform a skit that showcases one of the new ideas to uplift one's feelings....
Missouri Department of Elementary
My Conflict Shield
As an exercise in self-awareness and improvement, class members create a Conflict Shield listing 12 skills they believe are the most useful in conflict resolution. They then color the ones they have mastered while leaving uncolored those...
Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools
PSE Character Education: Respect
Every healthy classroom community is built on a foundation of respect. Through whole group discussions, shared readings, and collaborative activities this lesson teaches children how to be respectful of one another, making for a much...
ReadWriteThink
A High-Interest Novel Helps Struggling Readers Confront Bullying in Schools
Paul Langan's novel The Bully is the core text in a six-session unit plan that engages high schoolers in an in-depth examination of bullying and its effects on bullies, victims, and bystanders. The richly textured and carefully...
Teach With Movies
Title: "The Red Badge of Courage" - Topics: U.S./1860 - 1861; Literature/U.S.
Designed to be used with a showing of the 1951 version of The Red Badge of Courage staring Audie Murphy, this learning guide includes discussion questions, suggestions for activities, and topics that can be discussed with parents.
Curated OER
COMMUNICATION - LISTENING WORKSHOP 1: Values Awareness
Students in this workshop strive to be reflective listeners as Master Teachers. They focus on communication skills necessary to deal with common family problems and community problems.
Curated OER
Family Sues Over Discipline That Stinks
Learners read a brief explanation of a situation in which a family is suing a school district because a teacher made a child spray himself with Lysol in front of the class, saying this would take care of his body odor. Students write a...
Curated OER
New Beginnings
Start the year off with a few role-play scenarios focused on positive classroom interactions, respect, and expressing feelings. These scenarios are very oddly worded but pose a good way to help learners build empathy and caring when...
Nemours KidsHealth
Alcohol: Grades 6-8
To get the word out about the realities of teens and tweens drinking alcohol, class members engage in two activities. For the first, groups design highway billboards about the dangers of alcohol drinking. Class members then create a...
Curated OER
Coping With Alzheimer's
Students examine the coping skills that are necessary when dealing a loved who has Alzheimer's disease. They write using emotionally charged descriptive words after watching an associated video.
Curated OER
What Are Friends For?
Students develop an awareness of the behaviors signaling that a friend may be in trouble with alcohol or drugs of abuse. They practice ways to encourage a friend to seek out adult help by viewing a video, role-playing situations, writing...
Curated OER
Puberty
Learners investigate the concept of puberty. They examine the social and emotional changes that take place. Individual students examine the kinds of changes they will go through. They are taught some coping strategies to deal with the...
US Institute of Peace
Identifying Conflict Styles
Are you a peace-keeper or a problem-solver? Explore conflict management styles through a lesson, fourth in a 15-part series, that combines individual assessment and collaborative work. Groups learn the basic tendencies of each style,...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Expressionism: What's the Deal With These Strange Colors?
High schoolers examine and discuss examples of Expressionist artwork. They create their own expressionistic oil paintings.
Curated OER
Introduction to Poetry Part I-- The Three Pillars of Poetry
In these poetry writing worksheets, students learn the power of words and the ability of the poet to say a great deal with a few well-chosen words. Students learn the 3 pillars of poetry: Emotion (makes you feel something), Image (makes...
Curated OER
Where the Red Fern Grows: A 4th Grade Literary Focus Unit
Fourth graders explore the human and animal connection along with the idea that death is a part of the life cycle. They read "Where the Red Fern Grows." Students examine the feelings and emotions surrounding death and they discover the...
Curated OER
Understanding Depression
Learners examine depression. In this personal health lesson, students identify characteristics of depression and discuss ways that they can support those who feel helpless.
Curated OER
Understanding Suicide
Suicide is a real issue in many teens' lives. Help your upper graders cope, help, and help their friends when thoughts of suicide arise. They discuss the topic as a class, complete a worksheet, and learn what to do if someone they (or...
Curated OER
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
A viewing of Disney’s 1993 film of The Adventures of Huck Finn launches an examination of the events in and themes of Mark Twain’s story. Viewers respond to prompts on a film story worksheet, engage in full-class discussions, and select...
Teaching Children Philosophy
Tiger-Tiger, is it True?
Scholars take part in a philosophical discussion about truth, thoughts, and feelings following a reading of Tiger-Tiger is it True? by Byron Katie and Hans Wilhelm.
Department of Education (Ireland)
Assertive Communication
Assertive communication is an acquired skill. Teaching young people to ask for what they need and to believe that they have a right to ask is at the core of a unit on assertive communication. Over the course of the unit, middle and high...