Spicing up my room with Chalkboard Art.

A Day in the Life of Conscious Discipline

Dr. Becky Bailey Noticing

Setting up a Safe Area

Conscious Discipline basics

Morning Start-up

QUICK LINKS:

Purchase this CD: http://consciousdiscipline.com/store/pc/It-Starts-in-the-Heart-6p5.htm

Every Morning I start my circle time with standing, dancing, and singing! This is the CD  I use.  It is apart of  Conscious Discipline  by Becky Bailey. My first song I use is Track 2:  Get Ready!

 TRACK 2 Get Ready:

This song provides actions and I have added my own to keep the kids busy the whole time!

TRACK 6: My School Family

I use this track second. It also has actions provided, waving to friends, shaking hands, hugging, etc. I have again added movement to the parts that do not have actions provided by the song. I use the track to teach sign language. We sign school and family.

Signs:

School

TRACK 4: That was Helpful

I use this track as my clean up song instead of yelling over the voices during free play… I simple walk over and turn on the song and help kids pick up. Way easier!

Solution Kit

QUICK LINK:

Large Solution Kit Printable Cards

http://csefel.vanderbilt.edu/modules/2006/solutionkit.pdf

This is another amazing tool provided by CSEFEL program. I have this as a laminated book in a special spot  that the kids can grab anytime there is a conflict. This book helps children find a solution with common classroom conflicts by giving them options. It is also a time saver. When tattling is a problem and you are always sorting out interpersonal conflicts…you can teach your children to go to the solution kit first and then if they can sort out a reasonable solution there is a card just for “Get the Teacher’.

Tucker Turtle

QUICK LINKS:

Scripted Stories for Social Situations: http://csefel.vanderbilt.edu/resources/strategies.html#scriptedstories

 

Tucker Turtle is a scripted story that is part of the CSEFEL program. It is a great story to introduce self regulation and help children understand and work through the emotion of anger.  You can print the story out as is or find your own pictures and make it more personal to your classroom.

The Story

Tucker Turtle is a terrific turtle.  He likes to play with his friends at Wet Lake School.But sometimes things happen that can make Tucker really mad. When Tucker got mad, he used to hit, kick, or yell at his friends. His friends would get mad or upset when he hit, kicked, or yelled at them.Tucker now knows a new way to “think like a turtle” when he gets mad.He can stop and keep his hands, body, and yelling to himself!He can tuck inside his shell and take 3 deep breaths to calm down.Tucker can then think of a solution or a way to make it better.Tucker can then think of a solution or a way to make it better.

The Kissing Hand

 

QUICK LINKS: Read Aloud: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/u/online-storytime-books-toys/379003588/ Chester, a young raccoon, is anxious about leaving his mother, his toys, and his friends on the first day of school. Lovingly, his mother shares a secret that will help him cope with his new world. First Day of School I can’t say enough on how important this book is to me and my classroom set-up. This is the first book I introduce to kids, parents, and everyone. It has always been hard to leave home and parents. How do you know they are coming back? How do you express that you miss them? Is it okay to be sad? Provide heart stickers or a heart stamp with red ink at the table

• When the children arrive with their caregiver. Prompt the parents to stamp their child’s hand or give them a sticker. Make sure to emphasize that even if the stamp has washed off or if the sticker falls off that their parent’s love is still there. Recall this activity when reading the story. Have the children give their parent a sticker/stamp the following day and again relate this to the story.

Sign language Have parents and kids learn the sign for “I love you”!

 

Add this little gesture of love through the door or window to help kids know you are thinking about them when you leave. I have seen the most amazing light come from kids that see their parents sign “I love you” through a door or window. My First Day Hand Print Card My first day of ________________   It’s my first day of _______________ And I am thinking about you. I made this precious handprint So you would think of me, too. It’s the first day of school And ‘The Kissing Hand’ is what we read.   It’s about a raccoon Who did as his parents said. Like the raccoon’s first day of school I was scared and a little shy Because of what you said, I was brave and got by.   All through the year I’ll make things for you So as I change and learn You can witness my growth, too. Love,   Directions: Take the above poem and print it on a side of paper with room on the other side to trace and color a hand print of each child on the first day of school.

 

The Rainbow Fish

QUICK LINKS:

Support Social Emotional Development:

http://csefel.vanderbilt.edu/booknook/rainbow_fish.pdf

Read Aloud:

http://www.storylineonline.net/the-rainbow-fish/

 

Watercolor Rainbow Fish 

An art activity to follow up reading The Rainbow Fish.

Materials:

• Watercolors
• Brushes and water in cups
• Large white construction paper
• Pattern of fish
• Scissors
• Aluminum foil
• Glue

Lesson Plan:

After reading the book and discussing it, we make rainbow fish with watercolors. I have the students watercolor the whole large paper in any way that they want. After the paper is dry, we cut out a fish pattern and glue a small aluminum foil scale on it. I keep the scraps of watercolor paper for the writing center.

Rainbow Fish is the most beautiful fish in the ocean. He thinks he is very special because of his sparkling scales, and refuses to share his scales with the other fish. His friends become upset when he doesn’t share and begin to ignore him. Rainbow Fish is very lonely until he seeks advice from a wise octopus and discovers that he is much happier when he shares his beautiful scales with his friends.