The Energy Bus for Kids-A Story About Staying Positive And Overcoming Challenges

We are coming back from a 4 day weekend and I'm hearing a lot of grumbling today!  I thought it was the perfect opportunity to introduce The Energy Bus for Kids to some of my students!  The Energy Bus for Kids is a great story for changing a negative attitude.  A great perk of using this book is that there are plenty of free resources that go along with it.  I have downloaded the posters, journal and teaching guide and am so impressed with free materials (links below).  

The Energy Bus for Kids:  The book teaches students how to overcome negativity, bullies and everyday challenges.  The story is about a boy, George, who is having a bad day until his bus driver, Joy, helps him to understand that he has the power to choose his attitude.  George learns to fuel his ride with positive energy and finds that he has the strength to overcome challenges that come  his way.  He also learns that he can pass this positive energy on to others.  I love this story but I will warn you that it is a bit lengthy for little ones.  The message is great for any age but I would definitely break it down into several lessons.  The bullying section of the book is a lesson in itself!  

Some of my favorite themes from this book are:

"If you have a vision, then you also have the power to make it happen."

"If you fuel up with positive energy, you will have the power to overcome challenges and achieve your goals."

"Make sure you keep filling your tank with positive energy."

"When you show kindness to others you attract kindness like a magnet."

Connections:

Go to the book's website, http://www.energybuskids.com/, to download free posters, a free teaching guide and an Energy Bus Journal!

Free Teaching Guide-Lesson Plans and Activities

Energy Bus Journal

Guidance Curriculum:  Ideas for 9 lessons using this book! (shared by Leslie Avery and Leslie Johnson)

Energy Bus-One Word

Energy Bus Discussion Guide-This is for the adult version of the book but I thought it was worth sharing as some of the questions would be great for Junior High/High School students. (The adult version of The Energy Bus can be purchased HERE)

Interactive Bulletin Board Idea shared by Whats "App"ening Wesleyan?

Door Decorating Idea shared by Happy School Counselor

Purchase The Energy Bus for Kids HERE.

Mindfulness Monday (It's Hard To Be A VERB!)

As I've mentioned in previous posts, Julia Cook is one of my favorite authors.  I recently used her book It's Hard To Be A VERB! to reinforce the idea of mindfulness.  It's Hard To Be A Verb! is about a boy names Louis.  Louis is constantly "doing something" and so people say that he is a verb.  Louis wants to be still but he just can't stop itching, twitching, jumping, etc...  He states that it is hard for him to sit still, it is hard for him to stay at his desk and it is hard to be a verb!  The adults in his life are constantly telling him to "sit still" and "focus".  You can purchase It's Hard To Be A VERB! HERE.

How does this relate to Minfulness?  Minfulness can improve attention, mood and socially appropriate behavior.  To download the mindfulness activities that I used along with It's Hard To Be A VERB! go to http://www.therapistaid.com and print the Mindfulness Exercises for Children.  

Session 1:  Read It's Hard to Be A VERB!

Discussion:  Why do people call Louis a VERB?

What do the adults want Louis to do?

How do they feel when Louis is doing "the wrong something"? (GRUMPY)

How does  Louis feel?

What was the consequence when Louis wiggled during his hair cute?

What was the consequence for getting out of his chair during work time?

What was the consequence for playing instead of getting ready for school?

Session 2: Brain Breaks  (Wiggle your Wiggles)

Review the Wiggle your Wiggles section in It's Hard To Be A VERB!

Practice the "Wiggle Dance" that Louis learns from his mom.

Discussion:  When is it appropriate to do a "wiggle dance"?  

How can this help you focus and sit still?

We did a few more Brain Breaks from GoNoodle.  You can see them HERE.

***I love Brain breaks and encourage teachers to use them...and many do!  However, it isn't always practical for students to get out of their seat to do the "Wiggle Dance" so I teach some seat-based strategies that students can do while at their desk.  You can find those HERE.

Session 3:  Mindfulness Excercises 

Focus:  My Body

The Feeling Exercise

The Body Squeezing Exercises

Focus:  My Breath

Ocean Breathing

Session 4:  Mindfulness Exercises

Focus:  Distration

The Seeing Game

The Power of Listening

Session 5:  Focus Squishy's

Review the "Focus Squishy" section of It's Hard To Be a VERB!

Have students make their own focus squishy's.  (They used rubber fishing worms in the book)

Some of the fidgets that I make with students include:

Worry Stones

Worry Beads or Fidget Beads

Pipecleaner and Yarn Fidgets

Stress Balls out of Balloons

Discussion:  When can you use these?  When would it be difficult to use these?  How can these help you focus?  

If you have a student who will be distracted by the squishy you can teach them to use their hand as a fidget.  They just have to put their hands together and twirl their thumbs around one another:

Session 6:  Nag Board

Review the "Nag Board" Section of It's Hard To Be A VERB!

Discussion:  

What did Louis need to do in order to be ready for school on time?

What happened?

What was the consequence?

How did everybody feel?

What are some things that you are supposed to do to get ready for school?

Do you ever get distracted?

Does anyobody have to remind you to do these things?

How would you feel if you were able to get ready for school by yourself without anybody "nagging" you?

How would your mom, dad, guardian feel?

Activity:

Have students create their own "Nag Board"

Here are some ideas:

Morning School Routine

Door Hanger with To Do and Done Clothespins

How To Make Your Own Printable Morning Routine Chart

Session 7:  Review

Students play Focus Bingo (page 21 of the Activity Guide)-Note-I play this as a regular game of bingo.  The directions in the book are better suited for a classroom teacher.

Students have time to color page 19 of the Activity Guide)

More Connections:

Coping Skills List

Classroom Calm-Down Kit

Build your own Chill Box

Toolbox

Calming Strategies

Classroom Coping Skills

Follow Counseling Connections on Facebook!

Mindfulness Monday (Test Anxiety)

I recently started an anti test-anxiety group based on the book The Anti Test-Anxiety Society by Julia Cook.  I am running this group with a group of 3rd graders as well as with a group of 5th graders.  The group will meet once a week for 5 weeks and we will be incorporating mindfulness and mindset into these lessons.  I have connected you to everything that you need to conduct this group, starting with the book that I am using:

The Anti Test-Anxiety Society

Description from Julia Cook's Website:  

Betha Billinsworth (BB for short) is basically a happy person until she has to take a test.  To her, the word test stands for Terrible Every Single Time, because that's how she does on them, TERRIBLE!  

"Whenever I see or hear the word test,

The hair on the back of my neck stands up.

My face turns as red as a beet.

I start to sweat, my stomach aches, and I can't control my feet!

What if I get every answer wrong?

And I don't get any right.

I just know I'll get a bad grade on this test, so I don't even want to try!"

BB's teacher comes to the rescue by inviting her to become a member of the Anti-Test Anxiety Society.  She tells BB that TEST stands for Think Each Situation Through!

She also ends up teaching BB the Dynamic Dozen (12 amazing test taking strategies), and convinces her to use her "GET To" brain instead of her HAVE TO' brain.

Now when BB takes a test, she is calm and focused and thanks to her teacher, the Terrible now stands for Terrific. You can purchase The Anti Test-Anxiety Society HERE.

Outline of Group Sessions:

Session 1:  

Students complete a test-anxiety assessment.  You could use either one of these:

Test Anxiety Assessment

Test Anxiety Assessment

I then read pages 3-15 in Julia Cook's The Anti-Test Anxiety Society and have a discussion about Warning Signs.  I use the second step program with grades k-2 so we applied information from the Second Step Emotional Management lessons.  We wrote BB's warning s signs on the board and talked about how your brain has trouble thinking when feelings are strong.   I then  had students complete Mindset Worksheets.  For some reason I am having a hard time getting the picture to turn...the cloud worksheet says; Instead of saying..."Terrible Every Single Time" and the sun worksheet says; Try Saying... "Think Each Situation Through".  These quotes come directly from The Anti-Test Anxiety Society.   I use mindset with all of my students in their classroom lessons so I didn't need to introduce this concept to them.  You can get the pictured worksheets for Free on TPT.  If you don't already cover mindset and warning signs in classroom lessons you may want to break this session into two sessions; one covering warning signs and how strong feelings make it difficult to think and the other session talking about mindset.  You can find some mindset materials HERE.

Session 2: 

During session 2 I read the rest of Anti-Test Anxiety Society.  We talk about how the brain works and we go over the mindfulness poster that comes with the MindUp Curriculum.  We talks about our mindfulness posters from the week before and then discuss using the GET TO part of your brain verses the HAVE To part of the brain (pages 16-17 in The Anti-Test Anxiety Society).  We review the warning signs from the previous lesson and begin a discussion on how strong feelings prevent the thinking part of the brain from working and allow the feeling part to take control. (Hand visual from Second Step).  These are some good resources that are FREE on TPT:

Reducing Test Anxiety Freebie on TPT

Test Strategies: Stop the Anxiety

Hand Visual-Flipping your Lid

Session 3:  

We review the information from sessions 1 and 2 and then focus on the "Dynamic Dozen" from Anti-Test Anxiety Society.  This is a list of 12 simple things that will lesson test anxiety.  I then have students create this foldable.  I changed mine to read T.E.S.T. on the outside ( Think Each Solution Through) and then I had students put the 12 tips from the "Dynamic Dozen" on the inside.  They did 3 tips per door.

Test Taking Tips Foldable "RELAX"

Session 4:

Session 4 is spent practicing tip # 6 (Stay relaxed).  We review our warning signs and then brainstorm ways to relax.  I use some of the strategies from Wilma Jean The Worry Machine, another book by Julia Cook, in the lesson as well as strategies from A 5 could make me lose control.  We practice the following techniques:

Breathing using the "Breathing Ball"

Visualization-Special Place

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Positive Self-Talk

Session 5:

We review the materials from previous weeks.  We discuss warning signs and each student reads the 12 tips from their foldable.  We then practice our "calming-down" strategies.  At the end of Session 5 I handed out notes of encouragement:

Notes of Encouragement for Test Takers FREEBIE

More Connections:

Test Taking Tips Freebie on TPT

7 Proven Strategies to Reduce Anxiety at School and at Home

Parent Handout-Test Anxiety

Parent Handout

Teens Health:  Test Anxiety Info

Test Anxiety Booklet

Mindset

The Big Test

Outsmart Test Anxiety-Workbook for kids

Mindfulness for Teen Anxiety: A Workbook for Overcoming Anxiety

Purchase The Anti Test-Anxiety Society HERE.

Follow Counseling Connections on Facebook!

Coping Strategies-Soda Pop Head

 

Another great book for teaching coping skills is  Soda Pop Head, by Julia Cook.  The story is about a boy named Lester, who is called "Soda Pop Head" because he blows his top when he gets upset.  Lester's dad teaches him some calming down techniques and Lester is able to manage his feelings. Once we read the story we create a T-Chart and list coping strategies.  We list negative coping strategies as well as the positive ones and then talk about the consequences of each choice.  Here are a few of the strategies my last group came up with:

My favorite coping strategy from the story is the "Push, Pull, Dangle".

You can also purchase the activity book here:  Activity and Idea Book.

Connections:  Third Grade Bookworm Freebie, Counseling Hearts, YouTube Video...soda explosion,teachers pay teachers, teachers pay teachers, teachers pay teachers 

The Grouchies-Positive Thinking

This is a great book for all ages.  I have used it with kindergarten students and I have used it with fifth graders.  The message is simple:  Negative thoughts can get in the way of having a good day.

Descriptions of book from the cover:  What can you do when the grouchies take hold?  How can you keep a bad mood at bay?  With funny rhymes and a silly chant, The Grouchies shows kids simple and fun ways to turn around grouchy moods.  But most of all, kids will understand how their mood and negativity can affect their family and frineds, and really get in the way of having a good day.

An extensive Note to Parents further explains the child’s expreience and provides parents with easy-to-apply tips and tools for helping their kids when a grumpy day comes along.

Discussion: 

What happened that made the boy feel grouchy?

What did he keep repeating in his head?

Is this an example of negative thinking or positive thinking?

Did this thought make him feel better or worse?  How can you tell?

How did his friends and family feel?

How can you keep the grouchies away?

Activity:  Use black construction paper to cut out a cloud.  I used a marker to write the grouchie’s saying on the back.  Hand out several yellow smiley faces to each student.  Prompt students to write a positive thought on each smiley face and to then use those smiley faces to cover up (beat) the grouchies.   

I have students write a few of their own positive thoughts and then we write a positive thought to replace each negative thought from story: 

Examples:

"I hate oatmeal" is replaced by "my mom must care about me since she is making me breakfast"           

"My sister is having a party without me" is replaced by "maybe my sister will let me play with her"           

"My sister took my bear without asking" is replaced with "I have more toys that I can play with"               

"This puzzle is impossible" can be replaced with "I can do this if I really try"

"I don’t want to dry the dishes" can be replaced with "I get to spend time with my dad while we do the dishes"