Younger Bullying Lesson

This month we are talking about bullying at both of my schools! I've already made a post about my bulling lesson for 4th-6th grade, which you can find HERE. I really, really want my kids to know what bullying really means. We over use that word so much, so I'm determined to help them learn when it is real bullying.

Kindergarten-1st grade
I use the book Llama Llama and the Bullygoat for my smallest babies. After reading the book, we talk about the difference between mean kids and bullies. I tell them I want them to know the difference. Mean kids aren't a big deal and they have already learned some skills to help with that in Simon's Hook and in our tattling lesson. Then I tell them bullies are a big deal that an adult needs to help with. Then I explain the difference:

A bully is someone that:

• Hurts you over and over again. They hurt you every day.
• They hurt you on purpose.
• You are not being mean back to them.

I tell them that if they are calling someone a mean name back every day that it is NOT bullying. I give them some examples of mean kids vs. bullies and ask them to help me figure out which ones are bullies and which ones are mean kids. After that I give them a coloring page. 


2nd grade and 3rd grade
For these students, I use the book The Recess Queen. However, instead of reading it to them, I use a Youtube video of someone else reading it. Why? Because while someone else is reading the book, I take a piece of paper with a heart drawn on it and rip it every time Mean Jean bullies kids on the playground.
I stop the video at about 1:53 and we talk about what happened to my heart. I tell them this is what happens when we bully our friends. 
After this discussion, we finish the video of someone reading the book. Then we talk about what Katy Sue did that no one else had. We refer back to our bucket filling lesson and the activities we did and how bullies are bucket dippers, so they have an empty bucket. Katy Sue filled Mean Jean's bucket! And then Mean Jean wasn't so mean any more.
I also give them the same info about mean kids vs. bullies, and remind them that they learned how to cope with mean kids last month with Simon's Hook. 


Click HERE to get all the resources I use for K-3!

What fun things to you do to help stop bullying and teach kids about bullying at your school?

Happy National School Counseling Week!

Happy National School Counseling Week! 

I cannot believe how fast this came up! I wanted to have big plans for this week and to make this week a big deal. The person I replaced when I took this job did not do the best job of advocating for our profession and showing and telling our teachers what school counselors do. My staff has been so welcoming to me and all the new things I have brought. I wanted to have cards made or give out candy for my amazing staff, but time just got away from me! I did take the time to make a little thank you note for them though. You can find it in my TPT store. There are three per page and can be changed and edited to meet your needs. I only have access to black and white printing, but you can make it colorful if you have access to that.

Also, to celebrate this week, my entire store will be 20% off Tuesday, Feb. 2, through Friday, Feb. 5.

Are you doing anything for National School Counseling Week? I'd love to hear ideas for next year. Next year I'd really like to do something for my students too. Throw me some ideas, please!