courage (kur-ij, kuhr-ij)
(noun) The quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger or pain without fear; bravery.

Of the many positive character traits addressed in a character education curriculum, courage is foundational to helping students stand up for what is right, become leaders and achieve goals. Creating, acting out, analyzing and reflecting on scenarios that require courage can help students develop skills to resist negative peer pressure, speak out against injustice and make choices based on core values. Read more: Courage Scenarios to Use in the Classroom.

After having an important discussion about book care with Ms. Eyer, our school media specialist, our class made a video about it! Listen to these first graders talk about how to take care of library books! They are amazing!

It is difficult to believe that most elementary-age children were not born when the horrific events of September 11th rocked our nation. However, as teachers and as communities we respectfully remember and learn about what happened during and after the 9/11 terrorist attacks just like we learned about the American Revolution, the Civil War and the Declaration of Independence.

The Man In Red Bandana by Honor Crowther Fagan

When Welles Crowther was a young boy, his father gave him a red bandanna, which he always carried with him. On September 11, 2001, Welles Remy Crowther saved numerous people from the upper floors of the World Trade Center South Tower. “The Man in the Red Bandanna” recounts and celebrates his heroism on that day. Welles’ story carries an inspirational message that will resonate with adults as well as young children.

September 12th: We Knew Everything Would Be All Right

Heartfelt and touching book by 1st graders at Masterson Elementary School in Kennet, Missouri, about the day after the tragic events of September 11th.

On September 11th horrific events occurred, yet through the simple text and vibrant art of first graders, we are reminded that the world continued the next day. On each page, children experience the comforts of ordinary routines, such as their teacher reading books to them, having homework and recess, and knowing that 2 + 2 still equals 4. This is a poignant message of hope that reassures us all that even after bad things happen, tomorrow always brings a new day.

Our class will be empowered to recognize their own superpowers. We do not need to wait until we make a million dollars to change lives or imagine tourselves in twenty-five years to be on the cover of Time Magazine.

Discuss in class or ask students to comment on your blog:

• What is a hero?
• What are some adjectives that describe a hero?
• Who are some heroes you can name from history?
• What did they do that makes them heroic?
• Are role models the same as heroes?
• Who are your role models?

Listen to Brave Irene. Read by Al Gore.

Use Picture Book Maker to create a short story about your role model.

op•ti•mism
[op-tuh-miz-uhm]
noun
1. a disposition or tendency to look on the more favorable side of events or conditions and to expect the most favorable outcome.
2. the belief that good ultimately predominates over evil in the world.
3. the belief that goodness pervades reality.

It seem that one of the hardest things in the world to admit we’ve made a mistake. It is equally as hard to recognize a failure and have the mindset to transform or re-shape it into something more likely to succeed.

Read This!
Good News, Bad News by Jack Mack
Good news, Rabbit and Mouse are going on a picnic. Bad news, it is starting to rain. Good news, Rabbit has an umbrella. Bad news, the stormy winds blow the umbrella (and Mouse!) into a tree.Rabbit always looks on the bright side. Mouse is a bit grouchy. Can they have a nice picnic together?

Go HERE to read more about the author Jack Mack and how he got the idea for his book, Good News, Bad News. Do you have a friend like Jack’s?

The Uncle Brothers brought their magic to William O. Schaefer.  Their music reminded out students to:

1. Get sleep,
2. Eat Healthy,
3. Exercise,
4. Work hard in school,
5. Do something you love every day, and
6. Always be kind!

 Watch the video clip below!

The word of the month is self-acceptance. In this book, I Like Myself, the main character knows she is different and special and that’s what makes her so wonderful!

Now think about what makes you special and what makes you glad to be who you are. List ten things that you like about yourself. Sometimes it is difficult to think of positive qualities about oneself. Work with others and point out positive qualities that your classmates show.

Now write three things that you like about yourself to this blog post.

May's word of the month is empathy. Empathy is the ability to recognize other people's emotions. Once you can identify the person's emotion, you develop sympathy, compassion, or understanding of the person's situation or point of view. Listen to Philip Hoose's story, Hey, Little Ant.

What would you do? Post a comment to this blog.

Try reading and acting it out with a partner using this document, Hey, Little Ant play.

Take a closer look at the recycling process with Waste Management's Mr. Cool Can. This video follows paper, plastic, glass and aluminum through the waste management material recovery facility.

Now play My Garbology is an interactive game that teaches about sorting garbage for recycling, reusing, and composting. Sort garbage into four bins according to where you think each piece of garbage should go. Click the image below.
Post one idea on how you can reuse a water bottle!

Being flexible helps us when we need to cope with changes. Flexibility helps us to think about problems in new, creative ways. Listen to It Looked Like Spilt Milk by Charles Shaw.

What does this look like to you?  Come up with three different ideas. 

From Blackberry Ink by Eve Merriam
Bella had a new umbrella
Didn't want to lose it,
So when she walked out in the rain
She didn't ever use it.
Her nose went sniff,
Her shoes went squish,
Her socks grew soggy,
Her glasses got foggy,
Her pockets filled with water
And a little green froggy.
All she could speak was a weak Kachoo!
But Bella's umbrella Stayed nice and new.
Was Bella flexible in this poem? What would you have done?

Listen to: Tom Chapin's Incredible Flexible You, Track 9.

Challenge: Suppose you were given these three objects: one flip-flop, an empty water bottle, a shoelace. Which one of the three would you give up if you had to give one back? Why? What could you do with the other two things? Could you use them together? How?