Full Description
A complete classroom toolkit for grades 3-6, this book empowers teachers to leverage high-quality children's literature to boost emotional well-being, positive self-identities, social awareness, and civic engagement. Nine thematic instructional units are built around carefully curated book sets. Teachers are guided to spark meaningful conversations and foster empathy by exploring challenging themes like friendship, bullying, racism, disability, and mental health, through read-alouds and expert-designed activities. Step-by-step lesson plans include ready-to-use scripts, activities, and discussion prompts--all aligned with current academic and social and emotional learning standards. The Appendix features 30 reproducible and downloadable worksheets and handouts; the large-size format facilitates photocopying.
Contents
1. Welcome to the Conversation: An Introduction to Using Children's Literature for Courageous Conversations
2. The Time to Start the Work Is Now: Let's Get Started
I. Supporting Children's Social and Emotional Growth Through Literature
Introduction
3. Bully or Bestie?: Talking About Getting Along
4. The Experience of Loss: Talking About Grieving
II. Supporting Children's Understanding of Communities Through Literature
Introduction
5. It's Not Fair! What Should I Do?: Talking About Civic Engagement and Taking Action
6. And Then We Had to Leave: Talking About Refugees and Communities
III. Supporting Children's Positive Identity Formation Through Literature
Introduction
7. Where Are You From?: Talking About Race, Ethnicity, and Identity
8. I'm Me!: Talking About Gender and Identity
9. My Name: Talking About Ability and Identity
IV. Supporting Children's Mental Health Through Literature
Introduction
10. Feeling Fragile: Talking About Worry and Anxiety
11. Losing Hope: Talking About Depression
Appendix of Reproducible Materials
References
Index
