Sarah Peters

Facilitate a lesson where students explore the power of communication through color-coded conversations. This activity helps young students articulate their feelings and thoughts effectively while nurturing empathy and listening skills. Audience: Grades 2-4; 1 session about 45 minutes.

In this playful, creative lesson, elementary students (grades 3–5) explore complex emotions by designing an imaginary playground that represents how different feelings feel and interact. Building emotional literacy and empathy through hands-on creation and role-play, this single 60-minute session engages students in self-expression and peer understanding.

Invite students to dive into the depths of empathy through ocean-themed storytelling and role-play. This lesson empowers students to understand and appreciate diverse perspectives, enhancing their social-emotional skills and fostering a classroom culture of compassion and understanding.

Students learn the art of friendship bracelet-making while discussing important qualities of being a good friend. This craft-based lesson strengthens classroom bonds, encourages cooperation, and highlights the importance of kindness and mutual respect.

Encourage students to create silhouette art reflecting acts of kindness. The objective is to foster empathy and appreciation for kind behaviors within the classroom. This visual arts lesson prompts reflection on personal interactions and celebrations of kindness witnessed in class.

Invite students to contribute to a 'Garden of Dreams' mural where each adds a drawing of a dream they wish to nurture. This lesson focuses on setting goals and fostering a growth mindset as students share dreams and learn from each other's aspirations.

Spark creativity with a lesson that allows students to plant "story seeds"—ideas that grow into unique tales. Emphasizing narrative structure and imagination, students collaborate to nurture their seeds into full stories, developing their storytelling skills and teamwork. This lesson serves to enhance their ability to communicate and appreciate diverse perspectives.

This lesson introduces students to the art of pattern creation as a means of fostering peace and tranquility. Students will learn about rhythm and repetition in both art and life. Through this, they'll develop mindfulness, patience, and focus, ultimately creating their own calming pattern artworks to share and discuss.

Children embark on a journey of the imagination by exploring emotions associated with different colors. The objective is to help students understand how colors affect feelings and to express their emotional experiences creatively. This lesson guides them in creating a color-emotion gallery that articulates their perceptions and emotional responses.

Organize a treasure hunt where students search for clues that lead to acts of friendship around the classroom. It enhances problem-solving, cooperation, and emphasizes the values of friendship.

Engage kindergarten students in empathy-building activities during lunch. Through simple role-play and discussion, children will learn to understand and share feelings, fostering kindness and friendship.

Explore the importance of fair play in games and how it can translate to respectful interactions in everyday life. This lesson will help students understand the values of honesty, integrity, and empathy.

This lesson introduces kindergarten students to the concept of confidence through fun stories and activities, helping them understand that confidence can be nurtured and grown. This lesson is important as it empowers young students to develop self-confidence, which is crucial for their personal and academic growth. Designed for a kindergarten lunch group, this single 20-minute session will engage students with stories and activities that make confidence relatable and attainable.

In this dynamic session, students participate in a confidence-building circuit with various stations designed to challenge and enhance their self-esteem and interpersonal skills. This lesson is important as it helps students develop crucial social skills and self-confidence, which are essential for their personal growth and success in school and beyond. Targeted at a 4th-grade group, this session lasts 40 minutes and is classified under Tier 2: Group supports.

Engage students in an activity where they create vibrant compliment cards for each classmate. This lesson encourages positive interactions and reinforcement of self-esteem, as students experience the joy of giving and receiving meaningful compliments.

In this lesson, students will create a 'Garden of Gratitude' by crafting paper flowers, each representing something they are grateful for. This activity encourages individual reflection and appreciation while visually uplifting the classroom. It helps young students develop a sense of gratitude and enhances their social-emotional learning by recognizing and appreciating the positive aspects of their lives.

This lesson engages students in role-playing scenarios to help them express and navigate different social situations or emotions. By participating in these activities, students will develop empathy, social understanding, and perspective-taking skills. This lesson is important as it fosters emotional intelligence and helps students understand diverse perspectives, which are crucial for building positive relationships and a supportive classroom environment.

This lesson introduces young children to mindfulness through a short exercise focusing on deep breathing and a calming image or sound. It helps students develop skills to center themselves when feeling overwhelmed or excited, which is particularly useful during lively times of the year. By practicing mindfulness, students can improve their emotional regulation and focus, contributing to a more peaceful classroom environment.