The SCOOP on Personal Safety and Stranger Danger

Chilling Tales and Safety Dreams

Personal safety is a crucial topic when it comes to teaching young children. Just recently, we had a horrific situation with a young child being abducted in our community. As times change, the traditional approach of "Stranger Danger" may not be the most effective method. I wanted my students to be aware of deceptions and dangers. I wanted to give them the knowledge they need to make informed decisions in potentially dangerous situations. By focusing on identifying possible dangers, learning safety rules, and seeking help from trusted adults, I aimed to empower my young students to make smart choices and stay safe in real-life situations.

To begin, I sparked curiosity by asking students, “What does a stranger look like? How would you keep yourself safe from a stranger?” I’m sure you can imagine some of the answers I got! One of my favorites was, “If a stranger tries to hurt me, I will Karate chop them!” While I find that courageous, it also reinforced how important this lesson really is. So I quickly redirected their attention and emphasized the importance of staying safe without getting caught by tricks!

To introduce the key safety rules, I used Julia Cook's book, "Smarter than the SCOOPERS," This book teaches personal safety through an entertaining story about outsmarting tricky situations and making smart choices. 

Safety Rules to Scoop Up

"S - Smart: Be smart and confident, and trust your instincts. Listen to your 'Uh Oh' voice.” Encourage students to develop their awareness and intuition, empowering them to recognize potential dangers and trust their instincts.

"C - Call List: Always call first so that you make the right choice.” By teaching children the importance of seeking guidance from trusted adults before making decisions, we equip them with the tools to make safe choices.

"O - Zero Talking: Do not talk to grown-ups that you don’t know well. Look for the adults who can help, like moms with kids, workers with name tags, police officers, etc."

Guide children in identifying safe and trustworthy adults they can approach for help in unfamiliar situations.

"O - Out: Keep people out of your personal space.” Respecting personal boundaries is essential! Emphasize the importance of maintaining personal space to feel safe and secure. Demonstrate how getting too close puts a child in danger of being grabbed.

"P - Pair Up: Always go places with a friend.” Encourage children to have a buddy system, and never play outside or leave the house alone.

Sprinkling the Learning with Interactive and Engaging Activities

To reinforce the safety rules, we played a game called Brain Freeze. Together, we practiced identifying safe and unsafe situations, applying the personal safety tips we learned. An example of one scenario is, “You are outside playing when an adult you do not know stops their car and ask if you have seen their lost dog. They have a picture on their phone they want to show you, so you go over to the car to see the picture of the lost dog.” Students select if the child in this scenario chose the safe or unsafe response to the stranger. By discussing these situations as a class, critical thinking skills are encouraged and students internalize the safety strategies for potential deception and danger.

                                             

   

                                                                                    
To further enhance their understanding, the class was divided into small groups. Each group discussed a Sundae Fun Day Situation. One example of a Sundae Situation is, “You are outside, and a neighbor you have never spoken to invites you over for a snack.” Together students collaboratively decided on the best course of action to stay safe. Using the animated PowerPoint, we built an ice cream sundae as each group shared their scenario and how they would stay safe if ever to be in that dangerous situation. By sharing their ideas, students learned from one another's perspectives and expanded their knowledge of personal safety choices.

Sweet Reminders: Creating Page Corner Bookmarks

As a creative finale, students unleashed their artistic skills by making page-corner bookmarks. This hands-on activity served as a delightful reminder of the SCOOP safety tips they had learned. Each time they open a book and see their personalized bookmark, they will be reminded of the importance of staying vigilant and seeking help when needed!

Empowering Young Minds

Above all, it is School Counselors’ goal to empower young students to evaluate situations critically and ask for help when they feel unsafe. We emphasize that not all strangers are dangerous and encourage children to look for helpers when they need adult assistance.

Learning Outcomes

At the end of this engaging lesson, students achieve the following learning outcomes:

• Identify trusted adults
• Identify strategies to be used when in an unsafe situation
• Demonstrate personal safety skills
• Demonstrate the ability to assert oneself when necessary

Benefits for Children

• Increased Awareness: Children become more aware of personal safety and potential dangers in different situations.
• Empowered Decision Making: They gain the knowledge and tools to make smart choices when faced with unfamiliar or potentially dangerous circumstances.
• Trusting Instincts: Children learn to trust their instincts and respond appropriately to warning signs.
• Critical Thinking Skills: Engaging activities help children develop critical thinking skills to analyze and judge their safety.
• Boundaries and Personal Space: Children understand the importance of setting and respecting personal boundaries, promoting autonomy and security.

Benefits for Teachers

• Effective Teaching Approach: Engaging and interactive lessons resonate better with children, making the learning experience more effective.
• Enhanced Classroom Discussions: Discussions create a safe space for students to express their thoughts and concerns about personal safety.
• Encouraging Collaboration: Group activities foster collaboration and peer learning as students discuss and generate safety strategies.
• Creative Expression: Artistic activities reinforce safety tips while allowing students to express their creativity.
• Tangible Learning Outcomes: Teachers can assess students' ability to identify trusted adults and apply safety strategies.

Ready to Use Resource

Are you ready to safeguard your young students and empower them to make smart choices? Shop here for this resource:

Looking for more lessons on Personal Safety? Check out this one:

Nurturing Friendships and Embracing Diversity: A Blossoming Lesson in Inclusivity

Embracing Diversity by Respecting Differences

Hey everyone, I'm thrilled to share with you an amazing friendship lesson we had recently. It was time well spent learning about the magic of growing friendships and embracing diversity. 

Friendship is all about respecting each other's differences. It's about celebrating the unique qualities that make each of us special. That's why I turned to Julia Cook's fantastic book, "The Judgmental Flower" to share with my students and illustrate this concept.

To kick off our friendship adventure, I started with an engaging activity. I read out sentences and asked my students to stand up if the sentence applied to them. Here are a few examples of the sentences that got everyone on their feet:

“If you have curly hair, stand up.”

“If you like to dance, stand up.”

“If you have freckles, stand up.”

The Blossoming Book

After this lively warm-up, we listened to the story of "The Judgmental Flower” which sparked a meaningful discussion about treating others who are different from us. We talked about why it's never okay to treat someone differently or meanly based on their unique qualities. Together, we brainstormed awesome ways to be respectful towards others and explored how effective communication plays a vital role in understanding one another. It was like watering the seeds of empathy and kindness in our friendship garden.

Petal Power

We then jumped into an exciting game called "Find the Flower." I displayed a variety of vibrant flowers on the board. To add some mystery, I had a deck of cards with the same flowers. I picked a card and held it close to my heart, challenging my students to communicate with me. They had to ask clever questions about my flower, using their communication skills to guess which numbered flower I had chosen. It was like we were detectives on a mission! This game sparked a valuable discussion on how communication is more than just talking—it's about truly listening and understanding one another.

Next, it was time to find our "petal pals." I distributed flower cards to each student, and they embarked on a quest to find their partner with the matching flower. The room buzzed with excitement as they connected with their petal pals. Once they found their perfect match, they teamed up to complete a "Friendly Flower" sheet. I loved witnessing their blossoming communication and collaboration.

Sowing Seeds of Inclusivity

By the end of our lesson, my amazing students achieved many benefits:

• They became experts at identifying both the similarities and differences they have with their peers. This knowledge helped them appreciate the unique qualities that each person brings to our friendship garden.

• They understood and embraced the concept that every individual is special and unique. We celebrated our differences like a garden bursting with diverse, vibrant flowers.

• Their communication skills bloomed like never before! They discovered the power of effective communication, including listening attentively and understanding different perspectives. These skills became the secret ingredient to nurturing strong and lasting friendships.

• Most importantly, they developed a genuine appreciation for their differences. They saw firsthand how our diverse qualities make our friendship garden more beautiful and inclusive.

Bonus Blossoms

Now, here's a bonus suggestion for you to try out. Invite students to create their own friendship flower garden. Let them draw and describe their unique qualities on flower petals. They can then display their gardens in the classroom, reminding us all of the beauty that lies in our diversity.

So let's continue nurturing friendships, celebrating diversity, and sowing the seeds of inclusivity. Together, we can create a garden where every flower is valued, respected, and cherished. Keep shining brightly, my fellow gardeners of friendship!

Ready to Use Resource

Ready for your students to blossom and embrace differences?  Shop here for this resource:

Looking for more lessons on Friendship? Check this one out!

Building Positive Reputations: Empowering Elementary Students for Lasting Success Character Education Lesson

If I could go back in time and give myself a pep talk, I would remind my younger self to consider the bigger picture. It's easy for kids to get caught up in impressing their peers without realizing that the reputation they establish now can have long-lasting effects. With this in mind, I decided to have a heart-to-heart discussion with my 5th graders about the reputation they are building for themselves. It was time for them to reflect and ask themselves, "Is this 'Hoo' I want to be remembered as?"

Setting the Stage:

To kick off the lesson, I began with a thought-provoking pre-assessment question: "How do you want to be remembered?" It was fascinating to see their dreams and aspirations for the future, but what struck me was how few of them had considered their reputation. To help them understand the impact of reputation, I prompted them to think about characters from stories or fairy tales who had a bad reputation. We explored the reasons behind these reputations, the character's actions, and how their actions influenced their overall reputation. This discussion set the foundation for our exploration of reputation-building.

The Journey of Reputation Change:

One of the key points I wanted to convey to my students was that reputations can change. We explored the concept of character transformation by discussing whether the characters in question were able to change their reputations. I encouraged students to reflect on what they would need to do if they wanted to change their own reputation. Emphasizing that changing a reputation requires hard work and determination, I wanted them to understand that proving change is essential.

Engaging Activities:

To keep the lesson interactive and fun, we played two engaging games. In the first game, called the "Hush" game, each student wore a reputation word on a lanyard turned around on their back. Their classmates provided clues for them to guess their assigned reputation. However, there was a twist – the person giving the clue had a specific "Hush" word they were not allowed to use. The game created a fun and lively atmosphere while teaching students to think critically about reputations.

The second game, "Hoo" am I?, involved reading scenarios in which reputations were described. Students with corresponding reputation cards would come to the front of the classroom. If multiple students came forward, the class would vote on who they believed the description fit best and explain their reasoning. This game not only reinforced the importance of accurate judgment but also encouraged students to consider the complexities of reputations.

The Online Reputation Factor:

In today's digital age, we cannot ignore the significance of online reputations. We dedicated time to discussing the impact of online activities and how they can shape one's reputation. Students learned that what they post online never truly disappears and that future colleges and job opportunities may search their social media presence. Becoming responsible digital citizens became a focal point of our conversation.

Why Give a Hoot?

As we neared the end of the lesson, we wrapped up with a discussion on why having a positive reputation matters. We explored how people treat individuals without a good reputation and how a positive reputation affects various aspects of life, such as transitioning to middle school, making new friends, and receiving recommendations from teachers. Students were encouraged to reflect on how their reputation could impact their family and future opportunities.

Setting Personal Goals:

To conclude the lesson, I introduced a post-assessment that included a goal-setting element. Each student had to articulate how they planned to achieve a positive reputation. This exercise prompted them to think about practical steps they could take to align their actions with their desired reputation.

Teaching elementary students about the lasting effects and awesome perks of having a positive reputation was such an eye-opening experience! We had a blast with fun activities and deep discussions that made my 5th graders truly grasp the importance of building a solid reputation. They walked away from the lesson knowing that they hold the reins to shape their reputation in a positive way. I hope that as they venture into middle school and beyond, they'll make those conscious choices to be the best versions of themselves, leaving behind a lasting positive impression on everyone they meet.

Ready to use Resource:

Are you looking for a character education lesson to unlock the power of a positive reputation? Shop here for this resource:

Looking for another lesson about Respect? Check this one out!

Exploring Career interests and Finding a Just Right Job: An Elementary Career Exploration Lesson

November is National Career Development Month, making it the perfect time to teach little ones about exploring their career interests. And what better way to do that than by using the book "How Santa Got His Job"! This delightful story not only entertains but also teaches children valuable lessons about finding their passion and the journey to discovering the perfect career path.

To start the lesson, I transitioned by discussing the concept of jobs and careers with the students. We talked about how jobs are a special kind of work that helps others or keeps the world running smoothly. I asked the students to share some examples of the jobs that grownups at our school do to support our learning environment, such as teachers, principals, nurses, custodians, cafeteria workers, bus drivers, and school counselors. This discussion helped set the stage for exploring the process of choosing careers.

Next, we dove into the story "How Santa Got His Job" by Stephen Krensky. As I read the book, I encouraged the students to identify the different jobs that Santa tried before finding his "just right" job as Santa Claus. We had a lively discussion about why Santa picked each job and what interests he discovered in each one.

To further engage the students, I created a PowerPoint presentation. Each slide represented one of Santa's interests, and the students had to select the corresponding picture. When they clicked on it, the PowerPoint revealed how Santa incorporated that interest into his "just right" job. For example, Santa loved wearing his red circus costume, so now he wears his iconic red Santa suit! This activity allowed the students to see how Santa matched his interests, personality, and abilities to find a job he truly enjoyed.

In line with the ASCA standards, this lesson helped students understand the relationships between personal qualities, education and training, and the world of work. By exploring Santa's career journey, the students could make connections between their own interests and potential careers.

The next part of the lesson focused on the importance of selecting a job that aligns with personal preferences. Using the "career s-ELF-lie" challenge, I introduced Santa's elves who wanted to pursue different careers beyond toy-making. I presented descriptions of various careers and asked the students to guess which elf matched each career. This activity promoted collaborative problem-solving and effective communication skills while encouraging the students to think about their own interests and potential career paths.

To wrap up the lesson, I introduced the "Elf  Yourself" activity. I encouraged the students to think about what they liked to do and what careers they might be interested in. They were then asked to draw their own "Career s-ELF-ie" to represent their aspirations.

Teaching about careers can be a fun and engaging way to empower young minds. By incorporating interactive activities and discussions, we can help children explore their interests, set goals, and develop the confidence to pursue their dreams. Let's continue inspiring the next generation to think about their future and the exciting possibilities that lie ahead!

Ready to Use Resource

Shop here for this resource:

Looking for more Career activities? Check this one out!