Celebrating Kindness #weholdthesetruths

Hey, everybody.

Let’s talk.

This country is a big place, full of lots of people. There are many different kinds of people, with lots of different backgrounds, beliefs, and goals. We don’t always agree. 

Growing up in a time like this can be a challenge. Little people feed off the energy of big people. 

This is evidenced by conversations my students have on a daily basis. The fears of their parents become their fears. The anxiety of their teachers becomes their anxiety. The concerns of the world rest in their ten-year-old faces. 

It’s a hard life. 

So I think it’s time (and so do many other amazing Teacher-Authors) to pause and take inventory. All we really have is each other. That includes the little people. And we might be sending some mixed messages. 

But when you come right down to it, what’s the most important message? Kindness.

If we can choose one thing for our kids to learn, it’s kindness. Kindness towards themselves, kindness towards other Americans, kindness towards the rest of humanity, and kindness towards the Earth.

And that’s why I’ve teamed up with so many amazing TPT Teacher-Authors to create some free resources for you to use in sharing the message of #kindnessnation and #weholdthesetruths with your students!

Here’s my contribution: Sí, Se Puede: A Partner Play about Cesar Chavez.

What does Cesar Chavez have to do with kindness? He stood up for underprivileged Mexican Americans because he believed they deserved to be treated like people, too. Sometimes kindness takes courage, and Cesar had it. 

This Cesar Chavez partner play is a great way to introduce upper elementary students to Chavez’s life and accomplishments, while developing comprehension, vocabulary, and fluency, too! And the best part: It’s a FOREVER FREEBIE! That’s right! All of the products mentioned in this post will be forever free!

But this freebie is only one of dozens! Visit Teachers Pay Teachers and search for #kindnessnation or #weholdthesetruths to view all of the incredible freebies about these important topics:

-Understanding our Branches of US Government and the US Constitution
-Democracy
-History of civil rights movements, including suffrage
-Environmental issues including climate change
-Critical thinking and examining media bias
-Kindness, empathy, compassion
-Anti-bullying
-Equality and inclusion for all people
-Understanding and respecting of cultural differences

I’ve selected a few of my favorites for upper elementary to share with you here.

 

This 32-slide presentation guides students through the ideas of positive peace and negative peace, and includes some excellent discussion starters to get them thinking. 

These eye-catching posters include important themes and great Americans. The quotes are inspiring and serve as great discussion starters, too!