Counseling with Cupcakes (lessons on just about everything!)

I was organizing my bookshelves and noticed that I have quit a few counseling books with a common theme...CUPCAKES!  Who doesn't love cupcakes?!  I have books that teach lessons on self-esteem, problem-solving, coping skills, friendship, etc...

I love this lesson using the book Cupcake.  I found a worksheet companion on Marrissa's Blog and love it!  I use this book with students in K-2.  

Another favorite is Peanut Butter and Cupcake.  This is an adorable book about friendship.  The story is about Peanut Butter, a lonely piece of bread, who sets out to find a friend but ends up being rejected by hamburger, egg, cupcake and many other characters in the story.  The main message of the story is that it can be hard to make friends but that you can't let yourself feel down or give up on yourself when other kids won't play with you.

I found a Free Lesson on TPT to go along with Peanut Butter & Cupcake:

Teaching Friendship in the Classroom

There is another Free Lesson from TheHappyTeacher HERE.

This packet is also free on TPT and a few of the pages work for counseling related lessons:

This one would be cute for a discussion on Following Directions

I also have Happy Birthday Cupcake and use it to teach the "thinking of solutions" and "exploring consequences" part of Problem Solving.  Happy Birthday Cupcake is about a cupcake who is planning her own birthday part.  Cupcake runs through a list of ideas (solutions) while her best friend, Blueberry Muffin, finds reasons why they won't work (consequences).  For example, If she has a beach party some of her friends might melt in the sun!  

Happy Birthday Cupcake

I don''t have Rude Cakes but I just ordered it and can't wait for it to come in!  This book is about not-so-sweet cakes with bad manners.  The main character is an annoying pink cake who uss hurtful words, never says please or thank you, doesn't listen to its parents, doesn't share and refuses to take turns. He also bullies a small cupcake at the playground.  Rude cake ends up learning the value of being polite and the story ends with the saying "Of course, no cake is ever too rude to change".

Rude Cakes

Lesson Using  Rude Cakes HERE.

What a Cupcake Can Do! looks like a cute book about self-acceptance.  The main character is a tiny cupcake who feels insignificant in comparison to the huge, fancy wedding cake in the bakery window.  Cupcake is focused on looks verses achievements until she finds out that the great thing about being a cupcake is that cupcakes can work together to make cupcake cakes.  You don't need to be big to feel special!

More Connections:

This is a great idea for teaching coping skills:  My Cope-Cake

This download for Kid Kindness Day is too sweet!  You put ways to be kind in each of the "sprinkles".  Free download from http://lewislearninglibrary.blogspot.com/

I also found these Cupcake Conversation Cards ($3.00 on TPT)

Conversation Starters (free on TPT)

If you have a student who has a food allergy or food sensitivity Why can't I have a cupcake? looks like a good resource:

This would be a cute self-esteem activity to do with Jr. High students or with a life skills class

Cupcake Game: This looks like a cute game for pre-k or early elementary students.  The description on Amazon states that it is a simple and fun way for developing patience, learning to follow-directions, categorizing and recipe following skills.  The object of the game is to bake your recipe before the other players.  Players attempt to collect their ingredients and the fist to collect all of them wins.

Cute TEACHER APPRECIATION bulletin board idea from www.momschoolsupplies.com

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Better Than You

Today's connections are all about boasting, bragging, one-upping and acting conceited.  I have quit a few students who are having trouble in this area.  I find that these students often lack communication skills/social skills and aren't necessarily trying to make other students feel bad.  Bragging is a sure way to lose friends though so I am working hard to help some students communicate in a way that makes everyone feel good.  I am sharing three books that focus on this topic.  Better Than You is great for students in 4-5th grade (or older), Well, I Can Top That! is great for grades 2-3 and I'm the Best! is more appropriate for K-1.

Connections:

Better Than  You

Trudy Ludwig is one of my favorite authors and I think I have almost all of her books.  I really like the book Better Than You because the main characters are boys.  The main character, Tyler, has a friend who constantly brags about "being better".  I use this book to help students understand that braggaing can ruin friendships.  This book also has a section for parents and teachers to help guide discussions.

Better Than You Lesson

Better Than You Lesson plan

Well, I Can Top That

Description from Amazon:  Brad has a lot of great things going on his life or at least that's what he tells all of his classmates!  When one student wins a contest, he told about how he won an even bigger contest!  When another student broke his arm, he told about how he broke both arms AND both legs!  Children and adults will get a real kick out of Brad's tall tales as he learns the importance of being a 'pull-upper' and not a 'one-upper.'  

Well I can top that! Lesson (TPT: $1.25)

I'm the Best

Description from Amazon: "I win! I’m the best!" Dog boasts. He can run faster than Mole, dig better than Goose, swim faster than Donkey, and he’s much bigger than Ladybug. He wins! Unfortunately, Dog’s nonstop bragging is starting to make his friends feel kind of sad. But what if they mixed things up and looked at them differently? Could they teach Dog a lesson — and remind him of what it means to be a best friend?

I'm the Best Activity Sheets

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Expected and Unexpected Behaviors

Today I am connecting to resources that can be used to teach expected and unexpected behaviors.  If you don't already use Michelle Garcia Winner's vocabulary in your counseling program, I encourage you to check it out.  I have been to several workshops and have purchased many of her books.  I find her terminology to be extremely helpful in explaining social skills.  This is my favorite book of hers: You are a Social Detective.

EXPECTED BEHAVIORS -Understanding that a range of hidden rules exist in every situation and people are responsible for figuring out what those rules are and then following them. By doing so, we keep other people thinking good thoughts about us. Doing what is expected is different based on where we are and who we are with.

UNEXPECTED BEHAVIORS-Failing to follow the set of rules, hidden or stated, in the environment. People who don’t follow the rules are doing what is ‘unexpected’ and people may have “uncomfortable” or ‘weird’ thoughts about them.

I have connected you to several free materials as well as materials that you can purchase for  under $5.00.  I did not create these resources but have used most of them myself:

Free Materials:

PowerPoint for students: Explaining Expected vs. Unexpected Behaviors

Expected vs. Unexpected Behavior Sorting

The Unexpected Pirate

Code of Conduct, Expected Behaviors, School Rules

FREE Expected Behavior in the Classroom, Lunch, Recess Cut and Paste

Hallway Expectations Poster

Chevron Themed Marshmallow Toes Hallway Expectation Poster (read below this product for activity ideas)

School Behavior Expectations/Rules Posters

Cafeteria Expectations Craftivity

Expected & Unexpected Behaviors for Trick or Treating Freebie

Field Trip Behaviors: Expected or Unexpected?

Expected Behavior at the Playground for Students with Autism

Game for teaching expected and unexpected behaviors (soccer)

Expected and Unexpected Behaviors Data Collection Sheet

Expected and Unexpected Behaviors-Holiday Dinner (Thanksgiving)

Videos on YouTube

Video on YouTube


For Purchase (under $5.00)
Social Thinking: Expected and Unexpected Behaviors at School

Marshmallow Toes Craftivity Pack

In the Cafeteria Craftivity Pack

Expected & Unexpected Behavior Worksheets

Expected and Unexpected Behaviors at School

Expected and Unexpected Behaviors for Using Technology

Funny Bunnies: Expected and Unexpected Scenario Packet

Reindeer Games: Expected and Unexpected Sort Activity

Scenes From School: Identifying Expected and Unexpected Behaviors

Touchdown to Expected Behavior

Recess Rules Craftivity

Friday Freebies (Friendship Skills)

This Friday I am connecting to FREE lessons and activities for teaching friendship skills:

How to be a FRIEND! Classroom Poster Set with Strategies for School

Friendship Cards

Respect, Fairness and Friendship Activities

Autumn Character Education - Fall Friendship Good Choices

Friendship Printable Bookmarks to Color

Social Language Sampler

Good Character and Friendship Printable

Friendship Flag

Friendship Activity

Friendship Problem Solver

Friendship/My Buddy

Fuzzy Friends Awards

Free Friendship Video: Chill and Get Back to Work

Friendship Word Scenes

Positive Friendships Video

Friendship Activities

Making a Friend Reinforcer Cards

FREE Introducing Myself and Friendship Pack Posters and Activities

Friendship Fingerprint Tree

I Can Make Friends

Friendship Fun

Related Posts:

Pink Tiara Cookies for Three...A lesson on Friendship (Free Leader's Guide)

Enemy Pie...A lesson on friendship

Social Skills-Volume Control

Decibella and Her 6-Inch Voice

From the author's website:  Isabella is a spirited girl who enjoys shouting out her thoughts, ideas, and feelings.  In fact, she loves using her loud voice so much; it's earned her the nickname "Decibella!"  

This book is just so fun!  I am working with a few students who struggle with understanding the difference between their indoor voice and outdoor voice.  This book explains five different volumes as well as when they are appropriate.   I also love that the author gives an example of a silly word to practice with.  I have students use "Slurpadoodle" and practice saying it in their whisper voice, 6-inch voice, table talk voice, strong speaker voice and outside voice.

I also created a worksheet:

I have students list the places/situations that each voice should be used in.

Finally, we did a little craftivity to go along with the story:

We glued the worksheet on the back and these were sent home:)

Connections:  Voice Levels Poster, Book Companion, Volume Control Thermometer, Control-o-Meter, Voice Volume Tool, social skills central