Each month at Riverdale Elementary we focus on a Scholarly Habit. It just so happens that February, the month of love, focuses on kindness. This month our school is taking practicing a Scholarly Habit to the next level. Kindness week was a celebration filled with spirit days, read aloud, and coming together with different grade levels remotely and in person.
For example, the third grade classes and kindergarteners will be joined in on one Zoom call to listen to read aloud together. Then each class used tools like SeeSaw, FlipGrid, and Google Docs to write notes to each other. Other ideas included:
- Virtual buddy reading, using breakout rooms
- Writing inspirational quotes/cards for classroom/Leave encouraging/kind sticky notes (must complete and let sit for 2 days prior to giving them to another student)
- Taking a class picture with kids holding up kind messages, pictures they drew etc. and sending it to the other classroom.
- Recording a Zoom of a silly dance or message to send to another classroom.
- Teaming up to write cards/virtual cards for health care workers, nursing homes, first responders, etc.
Spirit Week Ideas:
- Let Kindness Shine: Wear sparkles, shiny things, or neon!
- Crazy about Kindness: Crazy Hair day
- Kindness makes our hearts grow: Wear red or pink!
- Dream About Kindness: Wear your pajamas!
Our SEL Coach and team created a slide show that included class activities, discussions, etc. that each class could complete each day. This is a week that is always looked forward to and brings the school together, especially when we aren’t all in the building together.
I would love to hear other ideas you and your schools might be doing to celebrate kindness!
Colorado Education Initiative