Did you ever notice that your feelings run high at certain times? Is it hard to focus on work at the end of a long day? Do you find yourself feeling irritable in the late afternoon when your sugar level has dropped? Perhaps you need an hour to fully wake up in the morning before you want to talk to other people.
Being able to recognize one’s feelings is a part of self-awareness. Another important skill is recognizing certain triggers that can cause those uncomfortable feelings. As parents and teachers, we tend to know what kinds of situations might set off our kids. When they are frustrated with a difficult task, we help them break it down into smaller steps. When an environment is too loud or overstimulating, some kids need to retreat to a quieter space for a break.
This week, when the Puppet Pals experience some uncomfortable feelings, they first get calm, then ask the question, “What sparked that feeling?” Once the puppets identify what made them feel frustrated, they learn some strategies to help them handle similar situations in the future or even avoid them altogether.
When children watch these videos, they can try to identify some similar situations that spark uncomfortable feelings in their own lives and then proactively plan ahead. The poster is a great tool to use with kids, even if they are non-verbal. They can point to reasons they might be feeling a certain way.
This week of lessons includes four scenario videos that you can watch with your students Monday through Thursday with follow-up questions for class discussions. Kids can join Grannie for a game called “That Pushed My Button” which reinforces the target skill of the week.
This week also includes a Simple Summary video in both English and Spanish (coming soon). These are geared toward PreK students or those who are developing simple language skills while focusing on the target social-emotional skill of the week.
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