April 2018: Sportsmanship

This month students will be learning about and discussing the importance of good sportsmanship. Throughout the day students work in groups in the classroom, in P.E., at recess, on field day or in sports and other activities outside of school. It is important to teach students to work together and how to be a good sport. 

When thinking about good sportsmanship, students should remember to:

1. Have fun
2. Encourage others
3. Be respectful to the other team 
4. Follow the rules
5. Be kind when you lose
6. Don't argue with others

Grades K-3 

Students will be listening to the the story 

Howard B. Wigglebottom Learns to Listen

Winning Isn't Everything

By: Howard Binkow

Grades K and 1 will also be watching a short clip on sportsmanship

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JvTJchlk48

Then students will work together to discuss the difference between what good sportsmanship is and looks like and what poor sportsmanship is and looks like.  

Grades 4 and 5

4th and 5th graders will be reading the story

Sally Sore Loser

A Story About Winning and Losing

By Frank J. Sileo

Grades 2-5

OVER, UNDER, THROUGH

In addition, students in 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th grade will practice working together doing a group challenge. Using two ropes, they will need to get their whole group to the other side without touching the ropes. One student will need to go over the top rope and one student will need to go under the bottom rope. The rest of the students can go through the ropes. If anyone touches the ropes they will need to start over. This is a great exercise for students to learn to work together to reach the same goal. 

March 2018: Kindness Rocks

At Memorial School we put a tremendous effort into building a safe community where children learn and grow by building strong academic and social emotional skills.  We celebrate and create opportunities for children to demonstrate our core values; kindness, safety, respect and responsibility. In that effort, Memorial school created "Kindness in the community" project.  Each student will have an opportunity to paint and create a rock with a positive message on it. Some classrooms will be distributing the rocks as a group and other classrooms have decided to have the children share the experience with their families. Some classrooms will be placing rocks at the Burlington Police Station, St. Margret's Church, Marshall Simons Middle School, Burlington Fire Station and the Town Common. Our hope is that the kindness rocks bring a smile and comfort to people who find them. KINDNESS ROCKS!

Watch a clip on the Kindness Rock Project:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cf9-TuM5eSM

  

                                                                

February 2018: Self-control

Students will be learning about self-control this month and why it is important to maintain control over their words and their actions. We are always experiencing different feelings and sometimes it is harder to control your mind and your body.
Students were taught to STOP, THINK, and then ACT. Sometimes students will act without thinking about how their words or their actions affect other people.

First, students will have a discussion about self-control and what it means using prior knowledge and new information. Then students will practice having self-control using a bubble machine. 

1. We will turn on the machine and the students will be able to pop as many bubbles that come near them. 
2. We will turn on the machine and students will have to maintain self-control and not pop a single bubble. 

After the students practice using self-control, we will read the story 

You Get What You Get 

by Julie Gassman. 

This story is about a squirrel named Melvin who throws a fit when he doesn't get what he wants. At school, he has to follow the rule "You get what you get and you don't throw a fit". He is able to maintain his self-control at school but still thinks it is ok to throw a fit when he doesn't get what he wants at home. He quickly realizes that rule is just as important at home too when his sister gets upset when she doesn't get what she wants. 

After reading the story we will also talk about the importance of maintaining self-control with your words too. Your brain acts like a filter and your words need to go through the social filter to determine whether it is a thought that you can say out loud or a thought that should stay in your filter and you should only think it. 

Students will be given examples of thoughts they can "say" and thoughts that they should only "think".

Then students will partner up and work on a worksheet where they will have to put each "thought" in the column it belongs. 

SAY IT               or                 THINK IT

Our goal is for students to continue to practice self-control and to be more aware of their words and actions and how they impact their social settings. 

January 2018: Having the courage to be who you are

 Having the COURAGE to Be Who You Are

This month students will be reading "Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun" written by, Maria Dismondy.   This is a great story that shows how to have courage to treat others the way you want to be treated. Lucy's papa teaches her that “Not everyone likes the same things, Lucy. It doesn’t mean one person is right or wrong. We’re all different. What a boring world it would be if we were all exactly the same?” In the book, Lucy accepts herself as being different and learns to celebrate those differences.  This story empowers children to always do the right thing and find the courage to stand up for yourself when someone is being unkind.

As a class we will discuss how Lucy and Ralph are similar and different. A discussion will be about not being the same as another person doesn't mean you have to change who you are or what you enjoy. Students will learn that having the courage to be you is important and special.





Students will partner up and compile a list of traits on how they are similar and different from each other. This activity includes topics such as diversity, tolerance and acceptance while they learn more about other classmates and community.