PARTNER PROJECTS

Almost anything children do alone will be more fun with a friend. Take a look at this list and you'll probably find at least five strategies you can use in your classroom.


Read together.

Look at books or magazines together.

Retell a story. They can also discuss who, what, where, when, why, the problem, resolution, what might happen next, etc.

Whisper a prediction in each other’s ear.

Review information after a science lesson, social studies, etc.

Clean up a center or each other’s desks.

Read around the room. Give them pointers and empty glasses frames for more fun.

Write the room. Give them clipboards and ask them to write words that would reinforce a skill you are working on. For example, they could write compound words, words with the “th” diagraph, two syllable words, etc.

Sing a song or say nursery rhymes together.

Help with dressing, such a zipping coats and tying shoes.

Draw a picture together. They could draw their favorite part of a story, illustrate a poem, draw a picture of their teacher, and so forth.

Build together with blocks, Legos, etc.

Play with play dough or clay together. They can make objects that begin with a certain sound, shapes, sets, etc.

Play a computer game.

Review flashcards.


Thank You Chant
When children finish working together teach them this chant to end on a positive note.

Hand to hand (Children high five both hands with their partner.)
and feet to feet (Children touch toes of shoes with their partner.)
thank you for being partners with me. (Children smile and shake hands.)

BUDDY STICKS

Through partner activities children can develop social skills, cooperation, problem solving, independence, oral language, and creativity. Peer teaching is also a powerful teaching strategy. To avoid common behavior problems that can occur when children pick their own partner, try these buddy sticks.

Buddy Sticks
If you let children choose who they want to work with you might end up with two that shouldn't be together or someone that is left out. Buddy sticks are a great solution!
Put like stickers on the bottoms of two craft sticks. You will need as many sticks as there are children in your classroom. Place sticks in a plastic cup with stickers facing down. Children choose a stick and then find the person whose stick matches theirs. That is their partner.

Note! You can also use matching letters, shapes, numbers, etc. on the sticks.

*For small group work, put like stickers on four sticks. Remember, groups of two or four are more conducive to social interaction.

*When there is an odd number of students, let the last child chose whichever group she would like to be a part of.

Go Together
Glue pictures of things that go together like socks and shoes or dogs and bones on index cards. (You can find these on the internet.) Children match pictures to find their partner.

*Cut playing cards in half and pass out to students. When they match up their puzzle they will find their partner.

Weekly Study Buddy
To make buddy management a little simpler, have children use buddy sticks on Monday to find their "study buddy" for the week. Whenever you want them to work with a partner, just say "study buddy" and you'll be all set!


Elbow Buddies
Children extend elbows and the first person their elbow touches is their partner.

*Come back tomorrow for some interesting activities where children can learn with a partner.

R & R

Every classroom needs a quiet place where children can get away if they need a little time to calm down and center themselves.

Trip to Hawaii

Put a poster of Hawaii and a beach towel in a quiet corner of the room. When the children need to calm down invite them to take a trip to Hawaii so they can rest and relax.


Just Chillin
Create a "just chillin" center with a beanbag chair, headset, silly putty, or other fidget toys.  Invite children to take a break there when they feel stressed or anxious.


Scribble Book
Provide a spiral notebook and pencils for children to express their feelings with scribbles or drawings.


Calming Bottles
Make these bottles for children to play with in the "just chillin" center. They will give them something to hold in their hands and help them relax.

Directions: Pour 1/3 to 1/2 cup of clear corn syrup in the bottle. Add a few drops of food coloring and a teaspoon of glitter. Glue on the lid. Hold the bottle and slowly move it around to coat the inside.

*Add crayon shavings to a bottle of water to help children relax and focus.

TAKE A LOOK IN THE MIRROR!

You know how much kids love to look at themselves in a mirror. Each day put a positive word or note on your classroom mirror to remind the children how special they are!

Star Student
Tape a sheet of paper to the top of a mirror. (Only tape the top.) Tell the children that your favorite student is in the mirror. Let them take turns lifting the paper to see their teacher's "favorite child."

*If a student is upset or sad ask them to look in the mirror. You might be surprised how they will smile and change their attitude!


Happy Birthday to Me
When washing their hands, remind the children to sing "Happy Birthday" to themselves twice as they look in the mirror. (That will make sure all the germs are washed away.)

Tell the Mirror
When a child says something unkind to a friend tell them to go look in a mirror and say that to themselves. How did it make them feel?

Looking through My Magic Mirror
(Tune: “Go in and out My Window”)
I’m looking through my mirror.
I’m looking through my mirror.
I’m looking through my mirror,
And I see my friend (child’s name).

*Take an old picture frame and spray paint it gold or silver. Glue on fake “jewels." Hold it in front of your face as you sing the song. Pass it to different children as you use their name in the song.




Mirror
Children love to look at themselves in the mirror, so place a mirror above the sink where children clean up.

SELF REGULATION TOOLS

A "sitter spot" and "brain toys" are tangible tools to help children self-regulate.

Sitter Spot
Cut 8” circles out of fun foam or felt and write the children’s names on them. Arrange for circle time to give children a special place to sit. Arrange spots to disperse problems and encourage social interactions. 

*Children can also use these for their “special spot” for doing quiet activities like independent reading.


Brain Toys
Fill a shoebox or basket with stress balls or knotted socks. Suggest children get a "brain toy" when they can’t keep their hands to themselves. You'll be surprised how a knotted sock can keep little hands still and help them focus.



Stress Button
Glue the hook side of Velcro to a poker chip to make a “stress button.”

Fiddlesticks
Wrap a 20” piece of string around a jumbo craft sticks. Children keep these in their desk and get them out when their hands need to fiddle.

SELF REGULATION HUG

Self-regulation is a key ingredient in SEL. These chants will help "center" children and remind them that they are the "boss" of themselves.

Brain Hug
Children repeat each line after the teacher demonstrates.

Thumbs up. (Extend arms and stick up thumbs.)
Thumbs down. (Thumbs down.)
Cross your arms. (Cross right fist over left.)
Clasp your fingers. (Clasp fingers.)
Give yourself a brain hug. (Bring clasped fingers down and up as you hug your chest.)

Criss Cross
Children say this with the teacher as they do the movements.

Criss Cross (Demonstrate how to cross legs and sit quietly.)
Be your own boss!! (Cross arms over chest.)

Hall Hug
Cross index and middle finger and wiggle as you look at a friend.

A “hand hug” can be done by placing your palm next to a partner’s palm. Wrap your thumbs around, squeeze, look in your partner’s eyes, and smile!

Secret Hands (Melinda Ainslie)
Several years ago at a workshop Melinda shared this idea. She said that when her daughter started kindergarten she came home from school and asked, “Mama, can you keep a secret? When you put your hands together like this (cross your fingers), it’s MAGIC because you can see better and hear better!”

HEART OF GOLD

There is a song of mine that you are probably familiar with called "Katalina Matalina." It's a silly song that the kids love, but there is also a special SEL lesson in her heart of gold.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OvNvMdz7BU

Katalina Matalina
Chorus: Katalina Matalina Upsadina Walkadina
Hoca Poca Loca was her name.

Her head was shaped like a baseball bat. (Point to head.)
And right on top was a funny, old hat. (Chorus)

She had two hairs in her head. (Point to hair.)
One was alive and the other was dead. (Chorus)

She had two eyes in her head. (Point to eyes.)
One was purple and the other was red. (Chorus)

She had two teeth in her mouth. (Point to mouth.)
One pointed north and the other pointed south. (Chorus)

Her neck was as long as a ten foot pole. (Point to neck.)
And right in the middle was a big, black bow. (Chorus)

Her hips were like two ships in port. (Wiggle hips.)
One headed south and the other headed north. (Chorus)

Her feet were as flat as a bathroom mat. (Point to feet.)
How did they ever get like that? (Chorus)

But she had a heart, so I’m told. (Put hands over heart.)
That was made of purest gold. (Chorus)

*Have children discuss what it means to have a “heart of gold.” Make paper hearts from gold paper and attach a piece of string so it can be worn around the neck. When you see children being kind let them wear the heart of gold for the day.


THE BROKEN HEART

Here’s a story to remind children how words can hurt. Cut a large heart out of red construction paper and hold it in your lap as you begin to tell the story below:

This is a story about a special friend named (imaginary name). He always came to school with a smile on his face and a big heart full of love for his classmates. (Hold up the big heart.) (Name) listened to his teacher, did his best work, and helped his friends. However, some of his friends weren’t always so kind. Joe made fun of his shoes and broke a little of his heart. (Tear off a piece of the heart and let it drop to the floor.) Ann said, “I’m saving this seat and you can’t sit here” at story time and broke a little more of his heart. Sammy wouldn’t share his crayons (tear off a little of the heart) and Sara called him a mean name. What are some other things that might break his heart? (Let the children name other things that cause hurt feelings as you let the pieces fall to the floor.) By the end of the day his heart was all in pieces and it was so sad.

Who can tell me how to put his heart back together? What are some kind things you can do for your friends? As children name different acts of kindness pick the pieces of the heart off the floor. Glue the pieces together on a poster as a reminder to have a kind heart. Encourage children to write friends’ names on the poster when they are kind and helpful to them!

*Thanks to Cheri Winton Bromley for telling me this story many years ago.


Kindness Club
Make a poster that says "Kindness Club." When friends do a kind deed ask children to write their name on the poster. You could also run off "Kindness Tickets" that children to give to friends to thank them.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1SnEagA4jljaHRsT05ZYmxPZlE/view?usp=sharing