cincinnati public schools -april 2020
TRANSCRIPT
Targeted grades for activity marked with a . Younger students will need adult help to complete each activity
and could enjoy activities for older students with adult guidance.
Character Strengths at Home Cincinnati Public Schools - April 2020
Do you want to show more KINDNESS, HOPE and LOVE? Is your ZEST or
LOVE OF LEARNING being underused? Are you feeling a lack of SELF-
CONTROL or PERSEVERANCE?
Thriving Learning Communities™ offers these quick, easy-to-do activities to help
each family see their own and each other's strengths while building our social
and emotional learning skills.
Enjoy completing these together and let us know what you think on
Facebook or Twitter (@MAYERSONACADEMY).
© 2020 Mayerson Academy. | All Rights Reserved.| Cincinnati, Ohio | www.mayersonacademy.org
Curious to know more? Check out more activities at
http://bit.ly/TLCathome.
TLC at Home Activity Chart
Daily Theme Activity NamePre-K to 3rd
Grade
4th to 8th
Grade
9th to 12th
Grade
Week
1
Mindfulness Monday Jumping Jacks
Top Strengths Tuesday Top Strengths BINGO
What Do You See Wednesday Secret Strengths Spotting
Think About It Thursday Flipping the Script
Friends & Family Friday Strengths: Side by Side
Week
2
Mindfulness Monday Swaying in the Breeze
Top Strengths Tuesday Top Strengths Plan
What Do You See Wednesday Strengths on a Page
Think About It Thursday Using Our Bravery to Grow
Friends & Family Friday Sharing Hope
Week
3
Mindfulness Monday Finding Myself in a Garden
Top Strengths Tuesday My Top Strengths Poster
What Do You See Wednesday Stuck at Home: Wave Your FLAG!
Think About It Thursday New Habits
Friends & Family Friday Bravery Buddies
WE HAVE ALL
24 STRENGTHS!
Character Strengths at Home
Jumping Jacks
1
2
3
4
Have your child(ren) jump up and down
or do jumping jacks for one minute.
When they’ve finished, have them sit down
and put a hand over their heart, closing
their eyes and paying attention to their
heartbeat.
Let them continue to feel their heartbeat
until it has reached a calmer level.
Support their curiosity by answering questions
about heart beats. If you don’t have the answers,
experience a learning moment together. Do a
little internet research to find the answers!
Thriving Learning Communities™: Mindfulness Monday
We can use all our 24 strengths to thrive! Use these
weekly reminders to practice spotting strengths and
flexing your unique combination of character strengths!
Adapted from: © 2019 Thriving Classroom Curriculum Guide
For additional social-emotional learning activities through the lens of character strengths, visit:
http://bit.ly/TLCathome
© 2020 Mayerson Academy. All Rights Reserved. www.mayersonacademy.org
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Top Strengths BingoThriving Learning Communities™: Top Strengths Tuesday
We can use all our 24 strengths to thrive! Use these weekly
reminders to practice spotting strengths and flexing your
unique combination of character strengths!
For additional social-emotional learning activities
through the lens of character strengths, visit:
http://bit.ly/TLCathome
Check out the 24 strengths chart on the next page and highlight your 5 top strengths.
Remember your top strengths are ones that feel energizing, effortless, and easy to
use.
After you identify your top strengths, highlight them on the bingo card below. Talk to
other people in your home about their top 5 strengths. Add their strengths to your
bingo card until you have 5 in a row horizontally, vertically or diagonally. Play along with
others in your house to see who can get bingo first! Use your creativity to print or
draw your own bingo card!
Appreciation
of Beauty and
Excellence (Awe, wonder)
Bravery
(Speaks up for
what’s right)
Teamwork (Loyal, works well
with others)
Love(Compassionate)
Forgiveness
(Doesn’t hold grudges)
Curiosity
(Asks questions,
explores)
Humility(Focuses on others)
Perseverance
(Sticks to tasks;
overcomes barriers)
Hope(Positive outlook,
expects the best)
Kindness(Caring, generous)
Creativity(Inventive, has
unique ideas)
Gratitude
(Thankful,
feels blessed)
WE HAVE
ALL 24!
FREE SPACE
Fairness(Cares about
what’s right)
Sense of
Meaning(Sense of purpose,
strong beliefs)
Perspective(Wise, gives
good advice)
Humor(Playful, sees the
funny side of things)
Honesty(Truthful, genuine)
Social
Intelligence(Understands others’
thoughts and emotions)
Prudence(Careful, practical)
Judgment
(Critical thinker,
open-minded)
Zest(Active, energized)
Leadership(Encourages others,
organizes groups)
Self-control(Disciplined,
manages thoughts
and feelings)
Love of
Learning(Enjoys building
knowledge
and skills)
© 2020 Mayerson Academy. All Rights Reserved. www.mayersonacademy.org
We can use all our 24 strengths to thrive! Use these weekly
reminders to practice spotting strengths and flexing your
unique combination of character strengths!
Character Strengths at Home
Secret Strengths Spotting
1
2
3
4
Find a partner for this activity – this could be a
family member, close friend, neighbor or someone
else! Anyone is fine as long as it’s someone you will
interact with throughout the day.
In the morning, secretly pick 2 strengths from the
chart. Don’t tell your partner what strengths you
chose!
As you go throughout your day, notice all the small
and big ways that your partner is using the secret
strengths you chose. How do they use the
strengths with you?With others?With themselves?
At the end of the day, agree on a time when you are
going to share what you saw. Make sure your partner
can hear multiple examples of how you saw them using
the secret strengths – they will definitely appreciate it!
Thriving Learning Communities™: What Do You See Wednesday
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For additional social-emotional learning activities
through the lens of character strengths, visit:
http://bit.ly/TLCathome
We can use all our 24 strengths to thrive! Use these
weekly reminders to practice spotting strengths and
flexing your unique combination of character strengths!
For additional social-emotional learning activities through the lens of character strengths, visit:
http://bit.ly/TLCathome
© 2020 Mayerson Academy. All Rights Reserved. www.mayersonacademy.org
Character Strengths at Home
We can use all our 24 strengths to thrive! Use these
weekly reminders to practice spotting strengths and
flexing your unique combination of character strengths!
CREATIVITY“I like to use my imagination.”
Often we think about using creativity to draw or
paint! How can you use creativity when you are:
▪ Cooking dinner?
▪ Telling a story?
▪ Completing a math problem?
▪ Taking a walk?
HUMOR
LOVE LOVE OF LEARNING
Flipping the ScriptThriving Learning Communities™: Think About It Thursday
Often when we think about certain strengths, we think about using them in specific
ways. Challenge yourself to think about how you might use the strength in a
different way today!
“I like to make others smile and laugh.”
Humor is not just about telling jokes! How can
you use humor when you are:
▪ Playing a game?
▪ Singing a song?
▪ Watching a television show?
“I tell people I love them. I miss them when they
are not around.”
Love can look lots of different ways and it is more
than just for our family! How do you show love
for:
▪ Your teachers?
▪ Your friends?
▪ Yourself?
“I like learning new things wherever I go.”
We can use our love of learning for both inside
and outside school subjects. What is something
new you want to learn about:
▪ Your family?
▪ Your community?
▪ Your hobbies?
For additional social-emotional learning activities
through the lens of character strengths, visit:
http://bit.ly/TLCathome
We can use all our 24 strengths to thrive! Use these weekly
reminders to practice spotting strengths and flexing your
unique combination of character strengths!
Strengths: Side by Side
CREATIVITY
HUMOR
TEAMWORK
Join forces with someone at home to use your
creativity character strength together. Find something
that was going to be thrown away or recycled, and look
at it in a new way. Could the box be a spaceship?
Could the toilet paper tube be converted to a time
travel machine? Maybe the carton sprouts wings and
turns into a butterfly? Use whatever materials you have
on hand to create something new out of something old.
Enjoy the joy of creative connection!
Laughter IS the best medicine, and even better when
shared! Pick a friend or family member and sit back and
laugh together. What’s a silly show that always brings a
chuckle? Is there a comedian or character who
guarantees a smile? Maybe the funniest material for
shared viewing are old videos of you when you looked
or acted differently than you do today. Cozy up on the
couch, make some popcorn, and get ready to enjoy the
strength of humor!
Take a look around and decide on a task that is better
done with a partner. Even if you CAN do something
alone, sometimes it’s just more fun to have someone by
your side. Make a recipe, rearrange a room, take turns
reading alternate pages in a book---anything you can
both do. Pay attention to how working together on
something ordinary can make it EXTRAordinary! Be
sure you tell your partner what strengths you see in
them while you are working!
© 2020 Mayerson Academy. All Rights Reserved. www.mayersonacademy.org
Thriving Learning Communities™: Family and Friends Friday
Swaying in the BreezeThriving Learning Communities™: Mindfulness Monday
Have your child(ren) stand up and move slightly away from all the
furniture. Ask them to stand tall with the confidence of a large tree.
Say to them: Imagine a big oak tree. This tree is very strong so its trunk is
large and the roots are deep. Now stand tall like this tree with your feet firmly
planted on the ground. While breathing in and out, repeat to yourself, “I see
myself as a tree, I feel confident and strong.”
As you breathe in, visualize yourself as that tree, as you breathe out allow
yourself to move or sway naturally. Try to stay balanced and feel your inner
strength. Notice what it feels like to sway gently. Notice your legs, arms, and
torso. Feel the strength of the tree, even while you’re swaying. Prepare to hold
on to that strength and confidence when you sit down.”
After they are seated, ask your child(ren) to take 4-5 natural breaths.
What do they notice about their breathing and bodies now? Is it
different than before they “swayed in the breeze”?
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We can use all our 24 strengths to thrive! Use these weekly
reminders to practice spotting strengths and flexing your
unique combination of character strengths!
For additional social-emotional learning activities
through the lens of character strengths, visit:
http://bit.ly/TLCathome
Adapted from: © 2019 Thriving Classroom Curriculum Guide
We can use all our 24 strengths to thrive! Use these weekly
reminders to practice spotting strengths and flexing your
unique combination of character strengths!
Character Strengths at Home
Top Strengths Plan
1
2
3
4
Plan:
Think about your top 5 strengths. Which one will you intentionally
use today? When will you use it? Here are some ideas: curiosity to
explore a new topic; forgiveness to give someone another chance, or
prudence to do your work before choosing to play or be social.
Do:
Make your plan happen! Try to use this top strength at least 5 times
during the day. Create a visual reminder (such as a poster or a
notecard) to remember to use that strength! Keep track of each time
you use your top strength and check it off as you go!
Review:
At the end of the day, think about how it went.
• Did you use the strength? How many times?
• How did it feel when you used it?
• Did it make a difference or change outcomes for you? How?
Reflect:
Think about a chore or school assignment you need to do tomorrow.
• How can you use this same top strength to complete that activity?
• Which other top strengths could you use as well?
Thriving Learning Communities™: Top Strengths Tuesday
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For additional social-emotional learning activities
through the lens of character strengths, visit:
http://bit.ly/TLCathome
We can use all our 24 strengths to thrive! Use these
weekly reminders to practice spotting strengths and
flexing your unique combination of character strengths!
Strengths on the PageThriving Learning Communities™: What Do You See Wednesday
Whether you have packets fromyour teacher or you’ve justdived deep into a new novel,there are lots of opportunitiesto spot strengths in books youare reading. As you are gettingto know the characters, ask thefollowing questions:
What strengths is this characterdemonstrating?
How do they use their strengthsto solve problems?
What strengths could they dialup (use more of) to help thembetter deal with challenges?
Strengths are everywhere!Sometimes, we just need toread between the lines.
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We can use all our 24 strengths to thrive! Use these weekly
reminders to practice spotting strengths and flexing your
unique combination of character strengths!
For additional social-emotional learning activities
through the lens of character strengths, visit:
http://bit.ly/TLCathome
Using Our Bravery to GrowThriving Learning Communities™: Think About It Thursday
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For additional social-emotional learning activities
through the lens of character strengths, visit:
http://bit.ly/TLCathome
We can use all our 24 strengths to thrive! Use these weekly
reminders to practice spotting strengths and flexing your
unique combination of character strengths!
Joseph Wang shared his story about feeling sad
and unsure when he moved to a new country and had
to learn a new language. He used bravery to dig deep
and make new friends. Hear his story online here:
The power of bravery - Joseph Wang (7:02)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LZTeQ5ngCE
In the story The Hugging Tree, a small tree learns that it
has more strength and good to offer others than many
would have thought. Using the strengths of hope and
perseverance along with bravery, the tree finds
happiness despite its difficulties. Listen to the story
online here:
The Hugging Tree - Read With Me - Story Time (5:17)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ru09pVHLX6o
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”
– Lao Tzu
After watching one or both
videos, take time to think and
write about what may be
holding you back right now.
• What fears do you want to
overcome?
• How can you use your
bravery, hope and
perseverance strengths to
address a difficult situation?
• Love to seek out support
from someone else?
• Perspective to seek
someone else’s advice?
• Creativity to try a new
approach to a problem?
Bravery involves acting and taking risks to help us grow and
learn to do more than we thought we could before.
We can use all our 24 strengths to thrive! Use these weekly
reminders to practice spotting strengths and flexing your
unique combination of character strengths!
Character Strengths at Home
Sharing Hope
1
2
3
4
Pick a family member or friend to talk with about hope. The character
strength of hope is more than optimism. It’s also about having the
confidence and motivation to get things done. Take a couple of minutes
to tell each other how you describe hope. Share examples of when you
noticed yourself using your hope strength in the last week.
What does hope sound like? Go on a listening expedition together and
decide on the best songs for inspiring hope. Try listening to genres
outside of your usual tastes and explore each other’s musical
preferences. Create a shared “hope” playlist together that you can add
to in the coming days.
What does hope smell like to each of you? What does hope feel
like? Our senses are powerful, so it’s fun to think about what scents and
textures we associate with hope. Maybe hope is the smell of baking
cookies or spring flowers; maybe it feels like the warm sun or a cool
rain.
Think about the ideas and feelings that came up when you shared your
thoughts about hope with each other. Either as a team or separately,
write a poem or draw a picture that combines all your thoughts and
ideas. Hang up your finished products so you can be reminded of your
hope strength whenever you need it.
Thriving Learning Communities™: Family and Friends Friday
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For additional social-emotional learning activities
through the lens of character strengths, visit:
http://bit.ly/TLCathome
We can use all our 24 strengths to thrive! Use these
weekly reminders to practice spotting strengths and
flexing your unique combination of character strengths!
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Mindful BreathingThriving Learning Communities™: Mindfulness Monday
We can use all our 24 strengths to thrive! Use these weekly
reminders to practice spotting strengths and flexing your
unique combination of character strengths!
Ask your child(ren) how they’re feeling right in that moment. Are they excited from playing outside? Worried about math? Angry about something that happened earlier? Happy? Give them a few moments to talk about their current feelings.
Next, to prepare them for mindful breathing, asking them to sit comfortably in a chair or on the floor. Say to them: “We’re going to practice our breathing so listen carefully as I lead our breathing. Today, we will be breathing in through our noses for a count of FOUR, and out through our noses for a count of SIX.”
If needed, ask them to count out loud to FOUR while you demonstrate breathing in, and then to SIX while you breathe out. After a couple of breath demonstrations say, “Now we will breathe mindfully together. Remember, these are not loud or forceful breaths, but instead are quiet, calming breaths. See how quiet and calm you can be as you try this breath.”
You may choose to count out loud for the first few breaths. (Breathe in, 1-2-3-4; breathe out, 1-2-3-4-5-6.) After they seem to be breathing calmly with you, move on to the next part.Say “While you continue to breathe, start to pay attention to how your body feels. Notice if your muscles seem tight or tired anywhere. Try to relax those parts. Continue your breathing...Breathe in, 1-2-3-4, breathe out, 1-2-3-4-5-6. Now, while you continue your gentle breathing, pay attention to the room around you. Notice what is on the walls.”
Allow your child(ren) a few moments to be mindful of the room around them, then say, “Now, continue with your breathing and come back to mindful attention to how your body feels. Is there tension anywhere? Allow yourself to let that tension or tightness go.”
Allow them to have about 5 more full breaths, then say: “We are about to come to the end of our mindful breathing. Pay attention to feelings inside your body. One more breath in, 1-2- 3-4. One more breath out, 1-2-3-4-5-6. Take a few minutes to think back on what this mindfulness breathing was like for you.”
Give your child(ren) a minute to “come back” to the room and say, “Notice how you’re feeling now. Is it the same or different than how you felt before our mindful breathing?”
For additional social-emotional learning activities
through the lens of character strengths, visit:
http://bit.ly/TLCathome
Adapted from: © 2019 Thriving Classroom Curriculum
My Top Strengths PosterThriving Learning Communities™: Top Strengths Tuesday
Grab your crayons, markers, or pencils! Use your creativity to make a
poster advertising your top “signature” strengths. Find a great place to
hang your poster at home. Encourage everyone in your household to
participate! The character strengths chart is a great place to go for more
information about your signature strengths.
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We can use all our 24 strengths to thrive! Use these weekly
reminders to practice spotting strengths and flexing your
unique combination of character strengths!
For additional social-emotional learning activities
through the lens of character strengths, visit:
http://bit.ly/TLCathome
Need someone to talk to?
I have perspective as a top strength and give great
advice!
~Serenity
For additional social-emotional learning activities through the lens of character strengths, visit:
http://bit.ly/TLCathome
© 2020 Mayerson Academy. All Rights Reserved. www.mayersonacademy.org
Character Strengths at Home We can use all our 24 strengths to thrive! Use these
weekly reminders to practice spotting strengths and
flexing your unique combination of character strengths!
FAIRNESS
Questions to ask:
Who do I know that always treats others fairly?
Why is it important to treat others fairly?
Things to do:
Learn about a community issue related to
fairness and write a letter to a local leader
about why it’s important.
LOVE OF LEARNING
APPRECIATION OF BEAUTY
AND EXCELLENCEGRATITUDE
Stuck at Home?
Wave Your FLAG!
Thriving Learning Communities™
What Do You See Wednesday
Questions to ask:
What do I know how to do now that I didn’t know
before? How did I learn how to do it?
Things to do:
Spend time practicing a new skill – what about
jumping rope, computer coding, or cooking?
Questions to ask:
When was the last time you were really proud
of something you did very well?
Things to do:
Find something beautiful (try looking out
your window or use Google Earth View)
and share it with someone.
Questions to ask:
When was the last time you thanked someone
for doing something for you? How did you show
your gratitude?
Things to do:
Create a note of gratitude to show your
appreciation for a helpful friend! Be sure to
explain how they helped out.
24
For additional social-emotional learning activities
through the lens of character strengths, visit:
http://bit.ly/TLCathome
We can use all our 24 strengths to thrive! Use these weekly
reminders to practice spotting strengths and flexing your
unique combination of character strengths!
Thriving Learning Communities™: Think About It Thursday
Temperance is a Virtue
Flex Your Temperance Strengths
Make a Plan
Sometimes we find ourselves lost and confused, trying to do too
many things at once. Or we find ourselves in trouble because of
bad habits. Strengths in the temperance virtue category are all
about keeping ourselves from acting in ways that could hurt us or
someone else. There’s a lot we can’t control, but we often forget
the one thing we can control – ourselves! The path to happiness
begins when we stop blaming others and start working on
changing our own habits.
Temperance strengths include:
• Forgiveness – You can let it go when a friend makes mistakes
or hurts your feelings.
• Humility – You quietly show what you can do instead of
bragging.
• Prudence –You are careful to not take too many risks.
• Self-Control –You watch what you do and say.
Dialing up these strengths can help you replace old, negative
habits with new, positive ones.
Practice your self-control! Write (or draw) about a time when you: Were angry with someone and had a hard time forgiving them.
Felt proud of yourself but forgot to notice how others were feeling.
Took action before you thought things through and it didn’t turn out
so well.
Should have managed your time better on a school project.
Now it’s time to make a plan. Name the strength you will activate
when this situation comes up again. How will you use this strength
to help you change your behavior? Find a friend or family member
that will help remind you!
© 2020 Mayerson Academy. All Rights Reserved. www.mayersonacademy.org
New Habits
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Bravery BuddiesThriving Learning Communities™: Family and Friends Friday
We can use all our 24 strengths to thrive! Use these weekly
reminders to practice spotting strengths and flexing your
unique combination of character strengths!
There is a famous quote by Fred Rogers that says…
When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my
mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find
people who are helping.’
When we see people helping during difficult times, they are often using
the character strength of bravery. Bravery can mean doing something
physical, like firefighters do. It can also mean a different kind of bravery,
like speaking out when someone is doing something wrong.
Search for a book or movie you can share with family or friends that has
a character who shows the strength of bravery during a difficult time or
situation.
Talk together afterwards, and consider these questions:
• What other strengths did you see along with bravery?
• What would you do if you were in the same position?
• What ways did the character(s) gather courage to use their bravery
strength?
• What are ways you could show bravery?
• How can you help each other use bravery?
For additional social-emotional learning activities
through the lens of character strengths, visit:
http://bit.ly/TLCathome