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Gratitude Rocks! Activity
There are many ways to practice gratitude with your students. “Gratitude rocks” provide a creative activity to introduce a gratitude lesson in and out of your classroom.
What Is Gratitude?
Get started by talking with students about the idea of being grateful and thankful. What do these things mean, and how does it make you feel? To go further in depth of the practice of gratitude, refer to this lesson: "Nourished by Gratitude"
Reminders – In Rock Form
To provide a reminder of what they are grateful for and the positive, happy way it makes them feel, have your students personalize their own “gratitude” rocks. Use the rocks that have been provided. 1) They can either write/design one word that expresses their gratitude or 2) Write one statement that expresses their gratitude.
On the backside of the rock, have each student write their name and the date. Some students may chose to paint them. Some may chose to keep them in their natural state.
We will be donating our gratitude rocks to the KLA rock garden on MONDAY December 4th as part of our morning circle's mindful minute. Collect your students' rocks on Friday afternoon and then on Monday morning, have your REACH students line up with you to retrieve their rock from you.
On a weekly basis, or periodically, we all can point to our rock garden, or ask students to recall where their individual gratitude rocks are, to be reminded of the gratitude, share gratitude, or use as a focal point for their practice of mindfulness.
How do KLA leaders monitor their own progress?
Quick Questions:
1) How do you think you did academically and in citizenship on your 12 week progress report?
2) What does "GPA" and "CPA" stand for?
3)Write down the steps you would take in calculating your GPA and CPA.
Warm Up:
Hand out students' progress report. Have them jot down what they know, how this makes them feel, and have them summarize their current progress.
Leadership Studies:
Monitoring Academic and Citizenship Progress
1) Hand out to students "Action Plan"
2) Have students read their progress report
3) Have students independently work on the action plans using what they learned from their progress report.
**model calculation of GPA/CPA
CLOSING/EXIT SLIP: What are you strengths and weaknesses in academics and citizenship?
REACH lesson 10/2-10/6
Lesson 1: How do KLA leaders set themselves up for a successful week?
Organization:
**Check Student Agendas
Organizing student agendas
-hand out student agenda rubric
-go over student agenda rubric with students
- give students time to self assess their student agendas according to the rubric
Leadership Studies:
Read and discuss all parts of the Weekly Bulletin
Lesson #2: How do KLA leaders set themselves up for Open House?
Quick Questions:
1) What do you now know about practicing mindfulness?
2) Give an example of how you will respect others' space, respect other people's personal belongings, and respect everyone's time for learning?
Organization:
Check student backpacks using backpack rubric
Leadership Studies:
Passports
1) Have students fill in the name, grade and REACH teacher's name
2) Have students put it away somewhere safe, somewhere they will not lose it
Open House Letter to parents
1) Explain again to students that they will be their family's guide for Open House.
2) Pass out the letter template for open house
3) Go over the template- emphasizing the importance of accompanying parents to open house
4) Have students fill in the name of the class they have for each period, the room number, and the teacher's name
5) Have students write a letter to their parents sharing:
a) A brief overview about how they think their school year is going so far.
b) An explanation of who they are as a learner so far (progress, strengths, weaknesses).
c) An explanation of what kind of leader they are so far (struggles, celebrations, the KLA Ways).
d) Things they hope their parents can do to support their success this year.
6) If students are unable to come with their parents, their parents will have to use this letter to guide them through from classroom to classroom.
**Collect these letters. Explain to students that their first room to visit should be their REACH teacher. Teachers will have these letters handy for students when they come to Open House.
Closing:
How do we use the Passports? (Review)
1) Students will need to take their passports to each class as they move through their Open House visit.
2) Each class will stamp or sticker that particular box to signify that a visit was made.
3) All Passports should be returned to their indicated REACH teacher- The REACH teacher with the highest percentage of students attending will earn a reward.
Lesson #3: How do KLA leaders monitor their own progress?
Quick Questions:
1) How do you think you did academically and in citizenship on your 6 week progress report?
2) What does "GPA" and "CPA" stand for?
3)Write down the steps you would take in calculating your GPA and CPA.
Warm Up:
Review steps to log on to Illuminate
Leadership Studies:
Monitoring Academic and Citizenship Progress
1) Hand out to students "Action Plan"
2) Have students log onto their Illuminate
3) Have students independently work on the action plans using what they learned from their Illuminate.
**model calculation of GPA/CPA
CLOSING/EXIT SLIP: What are you strengths and weaknesses in academics and citizenship?
REACH lessons week of 9/25-29
Lesson #1: How do KLA leaders set themselves up for a successful week?
Organization:
**Check Student Agendas
Organizing student agendas
-hand out student agenda rubric
-go over student agenda rubric with students
-give students time to self assess their student agendas according to the rubric
Leadership Studies:
Read and discuss all parts of the Weekly Bulletin
Lesson #2: How do KLA leaders demonstrate what they know about the KLA Way?
Organization:
**Check Backpacks
Leadership Studies:
PREVIEWING THE KLA MISSION STATEMENT:
1) Chart shared responses - What is the purpose of a mission statement?
2) What do we already know about the KLA mission statement?
3) Read mission statement
INDEPENDENT PRACTICE:
Working in pairs,chunk the mission statement into three parts:
1) create student leaders
2) value education
3) embrace their role
Have students chart what each chunk looks and sounds like
Pairs practice reciting the mission statement.
Assess:
- Recite the KLA mission statement
- Name each REACH value
- Give examples in your own words from your own thinking of what each REACH value looks and sounds like
Lesson #3: How do KLA leaders monitor their own progress?
Organization:
**Check Student Binders
Warm Up:
Review steps to log on to Illuminate
Leadership Studies:
Monitoring Academic and Citizenship Progress
1) Hand out to students "Action Plan"
2) Have students log onto their Illuminate Student Connect
3) Have students independently work on the action plans using what they learned from their Student Connect. **model calculation of GPA/CPA
Lesson #4: Assessing Brainology Intro Unit
Assessments will be distributed to REACH teachers on Friday morning
REACH lessons week of 9/18-9/22
Lesson #1: How do KLA leaders set themselves up for a successful week?
Organization:
**Check Student Agendas
Organizing student agendas
-hand out student agenda rubric
-go over student agenda rubric with students
- give students time to self assess their student agendas according to the rubric
Leadership Studies:
Read and discuss all parts of the Weekly Bulletin
Lesson #2: Brainology Intro Unit- Activity #2 (refer to curriculum implementation guide)
Organization:
1) Read page 6 of Student Agenda "7 Habits"
2) Do page 7 of Student Agenda "Build the Basics"
Lesson #3: Brainology Intro Unit- Activity #3 (refer to curriculum implementation guide)
Organization:
1) Check student binders using binder rubric
2) Do page 8 of Student Agenda "Build Good Relationships"
Lesson #4: Brainology Intro Unit- Activity #4 (refer to curriculum implementation guide)
Organization:
1) Check student backpacks using backpack rubric
2) Read page 9 of Student Agenda "Build Balance"
3) Do page 10 and page 22
REACH week of 9/11
Monday: Weekly Bulletin 9/11-9/15
Tuesday, Thursday, Friday:
Lesson #1: How do KLA leaders access their own gradebooks?
Quick Questions:
1) How do you think you are doing academically this year?
2) How do you calculate your GPA and CPA?
Organization:
**Check Student Agendas
Organizing student agendas
- hand out student agenda rubric
- go over student agenda rubric with students
- give students time to self assess their student agendas according to the rubric
Warm Up:
Review with students what a GPA and CPA mean and how to calculate them
Leadership Studies:
1) Hand out "Student Active Directory Password Handout"
2) As a class, go over the guidelines
3) Have students log on to computers; Students can either: 1) access Illuminate connect via Clever; or 2) go to mykla.org; click on "Home Connect" link under Parent drop down
4) Have students enter their User ID and Password to access their Illuminate Student Connect Portal
5) Have students navigate freely throughout their portal while jotting down things they have questions about and information they now know how to access.
Lesson #2:How do KLA leaders monitor their own progress?
Quick Questions:
1) How do you think you did academically and in citizenship on your 6 week progress report?
2) What does "GPA" and "CPA" stand for?
3)Write down the steps you would take in calculating your GPA and CPA.
Warm Up:
Review steps to log on to Illuminate
Leadership Studies:
Monitoring Academic and Citizenship Progress
1) Hand out to students "Action Plan"
2) Have students log onto their Illuminate Student Connect
3) Have students independently work on the action plans using what they learned from their Student Connect. **model calculation of GPA/CPA
CLOSING/EXIT SLIP: What are you strengths and weaknesses in academics and citizenship?
Lesson #3: Brainology Introduction Unit- Activity #1 (refer to curriculum implementation guide)
REACH lessons week of 9/4
Week of 9/4-9/8 REACH
9/5 Tuesday: Weekly Bulletin (see end of the week wrap up for download)
9/6 Wednesday: Day 2 Genius Hour (see Professional Development/Genius Hour link)
9/7-9/8: Lessons 1 & 2
Lesson #1: How do KLA leaders understand what is acceptable network use
Quick Questions:
1) On a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being an expert), how proficient are you with computers?
2) On a scale of 1 to 5 (5 being an expert), how good are you at navigating through the internet?
Organization:
Binder check using "Binder Rubric"
Leadership Studies:
"Student Network Acceptable Use Policy" Jigsaw
**this is found on page 11 of Student Agenda
1) Organize students into 8 groups
2) Assign each group one of the 8 sections (** marked sections require more work from a group-print one copy and cut into designated sections)
3) Have each group chart the important details of their assigned section using the guiding questions/directions provided
4) Prepare a presentation to the class. Each group should decide who is going to say what and have a good idea of what they expect their audience's notes to look like as they present
5) If time permits, groups begin presenting. If time does not permit, do a gallery walk of the important ideas.
Lesson #2: How do KLA leaders demonstrate that they know how to use the internet appropriately?
Quick Questions:
1) What do you now know about proper internet use at KLA?
2) List examples of things that are inappropriate to do according to the Student Network Acceptable Use Agreement.
Organization:
Check student backpacks
Warm Up:
1) Continue students presenting jigsaw from yesterday
Leadership Studies:
1) Students take Student Network Acceptable Use Quiz (quiz will be in boxes on Friday morning)
** Quiz will be placed in teacher's boxes.
2) If time permits, students can make a brochure that reflects all 8 sections