Your students’ topic is, “KINDNESS.”
It’s important for educators to create a kindness culture in the classroom. After discussing kindness, random acts of kindness, compliments, respect, anti-bullying, decision making, tolerance, caring, helping others, and including others – guide your students in the brainstorming process. I love when students take inspiration from their own lives and include their favorite quotes. This is encouraged – I believe it makes for a stronger connection to their personal experiences.
Making a List
Listing means doing just what its name suggests — listing possible topics and then sublists of things you could say about each topic. For this activity, students should focus on the main topics first and then if there is room, they can add subtopics.
Their list should have at least 20 items. This can be one-to-two words, quotes, single words, lines from songs, personal reflections, current events, really anything that is relevant for today and the meaning of “to be kind.”
What Your Students Should be Doing
Students can sit together and discuss their lists that promote a kindness culture. As you facilitate the activity, reinforce the idea that the product is individual, original, and personal. Students should not fill in their list based on what their friends wrote. Kindness is going to look different for everyone based on their life experiences, and that’s ok!
Reminders
Brainstorming is an informal way of generating topics to write about, or points to make about your topic. The important point about brainstorming is that there should be no pressure to be “perfect.” You should simply open your mind to whatever pops into it.
Ready to Get Creative
Once their kindness culture list is complete, share the writing organizers. There are really nice choices –
- Hands holding the earth
- Tree with deep roots
- Sun with beams
For print – use the line art black and white copy.
Displaying Your Student’s Finished Kindness Culture Work
- Classroom bulletin board
- Media center display case
- Class collaborative book
- Create an E-Book
Personal Reflection
Your students have finished their designs. They are motivated. Using the writing paper that matches the design they’ve chosen for their design…
- Hands holding the earth
- Tree with deep roots
- Sun with beams
The next step
Each student will choose one topic from their creative designs and free-write on the topic. I encourage a free write because of the personal nature of the assignment. You want your students to express their feelings and personal experiences. You should require focus on punctuation, grammar, and spelling.
Optional – use the writing paper as a rough draft.
- Peer editing
- Publish
- Google Docs or Google Slides
- Notability
- One Note
I would love to see your students’ gorgeous and inspirational creations. Email me pictures to studyallknight@gmail.com Best wishes!
Completed examples
SPREAD THE LOVE AND DON’T FORGET…
CHOOSE TO BE KIND! A KINDNESS CULTURE MATTERS!
