Life Skills

Weekly Activities for May 18th-22nd 


Time-Management Challenge

Blindfold Game

We all have days when our list of tasks is huge and the amount of time we have to complete them just isn’t. When time is tight and your agenda is packed, you’ve got to prioritize tasks and work efficiently!

Make a list of 10 tasks on chart paper, assigning a point value for each job. For example: Do 25 jumping jacks (5 points); Clean my room to avoid being ground (20pts). This helps you determine what tasks are more important and help you use your time wisely


What Makes Me Angry:

Everyone gets angry, but learning what triggers your anger – and why – can help. Write down a list of ten things that annoy them, from minor irritants such as someone clipping their fingernails in class to major disruptions. How would you react to each of these triggers? Is your reaction appropriate?  For example, is physically lashing out ever a practical solution? What about screaming or yelling? “Anger is a normal human emotion that can stimulate people to engage in constructive acts, or lead to destructive behaviours,” writes John R. Charlesworth

Honesty:

How could these people demonstrate good character by using honesty? Share your answers with me 

I gave the clerk a $10 bill and she gave me way too much money back. 

My mother asked if I finished all of the chores I was supposed to do. I didn’t get them done, but it was because I had to help my next-door neighbor. I am not sure my mother will listen to my excuses, though. 

My friend invited me to go bowling, but I already promised someone else that I would go out with him. I don’t want to hurt my friend’s feelings. 

My aunt asked me to take these boxes to the post office before noon so they could get out in today’s mail. She is gone, so she won’t know whether I did it or not. 

Some kids were throwing popcorn around in the movie theater. The usher asked me which kids were causing the problem. 

I was rushing to get my math assignment done. Carol said I could copy her paper if I wanted to.


Weekly Activities for May 11th-15th


Note Taking Skills: As you move on into 8th grade and then to high school look over this note taking guide to help succeed in future classes. Practice these tips while reading a text of your choice. 
Social Skills: Watch this TedTalk on social interaction and communication skills. As Daniel Wendler explains in his TEDx Talk, we all could benefit from learning social skills, some more than others. He talks from experience. What did you think of his experiences? Did you ever experience or know of anyone who experienced situations like him? How did it make you feel or how did you help?
Haiku: Write a Haiku about the skills you have learned from their Second Step lessons or about a topic of your choice. Maybe write one for your mom for Mothers Day! 

Remember a haiku is a poem structured in three parts, 5–7–5

Five syllables
Seven syllables
Five syllables

Here are some examples:
National Haiku Day; April 17 (With images) | Haiku poems, Haiku ... 

Weekly Activities for May 4th-8th


IF-THEN: Create 4 IF- THEN goals for the summer.
Here is an example:

Goal: Study for my math test

If–Then Plan: If it’s 3:30 p.m., then I’ll do practice problems for 30 minutes.

Goal: Stay focused in class

If–Then Plan: If kids are messing around in class, then I’ll ignore them.

Goal: Follow through on my behavior plan

If–Then Plan: If I get disappointing feedback, then I’ll try a different strategy.

Goal: Stay calm when someone makes me angry

If–Then Plan: If my hands start to clench, then I’ll take three deep breaths and relax them.


Bullying or Joking Around: Remember bullying is when one or more people repeatedly harm, harass, intimidate, or exclude others. Bullying is unfair and one-sided.Does bullying ever happen between friends?Why do you think a friend would bully others in a group of friends?  What starts out as “joking around,” “kidding,” and “messing with each other” can turn into bullying when one person feels like a line has been crossed. With out using any names or make up different names recall a situation when you have witnessed joking around between friends turn into bullying. What could you have done or what did you do to stop this situation? Share your thoughts with me. Remember not to use anybody's real name.
Coat of Arms: Create a coat of arms that represents yourself or your family. A coat of arms uses pictures, colors, and words to show what’s important to you or group of people.

Each section of the coat of arms will have a different color, picture, or set of words.

Top left section: A picture of an animal with a character trait that’s important to you or your family

Top right section: A color that means something important to you or the family

Bottom left section: A second color that means something important to you or the family

Bottom right section: A picture of a personal or family mascot

Banner: Family motto


Different Then You: Columbus is a very diverse community answer the following questions to get you thinking about your friendships and inclusion. 

Are your friends similar to you or different from you?
What can make it difficult to make friends with someone who is a different gender, race, or ethnicity?
How can you overcome these difficulties?
Tell us about a friendship you have with someone who’s different from you. 
Why is this friendship important?

Reflection
What are some benefits of being friends with people who are different from you?


Finding the Positive: For each family member (yes, include your family pet or pets) in your household create a list of positive qualities they have. Share that list with them. What were their reactions to your list? Building positive relationships is important to ones own mental health. 

Weekly Activities For April 27th- May1st 


1. The Return of the Cheesey Video: Work your way through this virtual lesson. Fair warning there is a cheesey video involved. I know how much you guys have missed them. Part of this lesson ask you to share with a partner just skip that part if you do not have anyone at home to work with.
2. Reflection: It’s easy to let a whole year go by and never take the time to reflect on what you’ve learned—and I’m not just talking about what you studied in school. Today you’re going to think about some of the things you learned over the past year, both in and out of school, and write a letter to your future self as a reminder.

~Think of three to five things you’ve learned this year that you want to remember. They can be academic or social, and they don’t have to be things students learned in school.

~Now imagine yourself one year from now. You’re going to write a short letter to that future you. Make sure you describe the things you’ve learned this year and why you want to remember them.

~Place your letter some where safe and in a year look back at your letter 


3. Getting to Know You: I am going to challenge you to get to know your family members better.   Have your family members take turns describing themselves in 30 seconds or less.
Steps
~ S
it in two rows facing each other.
~ Q
uietly think of a quick self-description. You could include things they like to do, what’s most important to them, or what makes them a good friend.
Choose one row to start.
After 30 seconds, say: Time’s up. It’s the other side’s turn now. 
Reflection
 Did you learn something new about someone in your family? What did the person say that caught your interest?


4. Bystander Poem: Write a bystander acrostic poem. List positive ways in which bystanders can be part of the solution to bullying. Here as an example of an Acrostic Poem: Acrostic Poem Examples

5.Bystanders to the Rescue: Look for news reports that mention bystanders or witnesses. Did the bystanders in these stories act in ways that were part of the solution? Share the news story and your thoughts with me.
6. Make a Pamphlet to Share: Create a colorful pamphlet called, “Ways for Kids to Help Kids with Bullying.” List resources and strategies that students can use to help their peers. 


Weekly Activities for the week of: April 20th-24th 


  1. Read the short story "The Necklace" found in the document container below and answer the following questions:
  • What was Madame Loisel's grievance with Madame Forester? 
  • When did Mme Forester become aware of Mme Loisel's grievance with her? 
  • How did Mme Loisel handle the grievance? 
  • How might her life have been different if she had handled the grievance in a timely manner?


2. Think about a grievance (a problem) you have with the Columbus Community Schools. Write         a letter to the School explaining your problem and use the skills you learned in class to suggest solutions to the grievance so both sides win. 
3. Make a list of ways that you might be able to support and show people more empathy during this unprecedented time in World History. I now challenge to try and complete one of those items on your list. 
4. Because they lack voice inflections and body language, simple electronic communications can be easily misinterpreted or seem impersonal. Brainstorm and make a list of ways you can make electronic communication more friendly and personal. Write an email, text, or instant message to a friend, family member, or teacher and add one or more of the personal touches you listed. 
5. Here is the link to video we watched in class that explains empathy well. Watch as a reminder as you do the activities listed above. 
6. Pick your favorite character from a book or T.V. show. How does that character show empathy to others? If they do not show empathy what advice could you give them to help learn what empathy looks and sounds like when interacting with another person.