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Monday, February 24 - Friday, February 28

This week was the end of our kindness unit. For lesson one of the week, students completed an activity called ‘Fears in a Hat.’ They were asked to write on fear they have and place it in a top hat. Teachers read the anonymous fears and students stood up if they also had the fear. It was great watching so many students come together and realize they are not alone and many students have the same thoughts as they do.

Kindness Video

For lesson two, students completed ‘The Compliment Project.’ We ran the project almost identical to the video. Each student was able to take a picture of their board or have a teacher take a picture for them and email it to them. Ask your student to see their board.

Compliment Project Video

Next week: Kindness Continues

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Tuesday, February 18 - Friday, February 21

For the first part of the week, students either painted a rock with kind words on it or made a kindness poster to enter into our school-wide contest. We will be placing the rocks around the outside of the school and printing the top 6 posters on canvas to display around the building.

Kindness Rocks Video

For lesson two, students completed an activity that empowered them to understand and celebrate each person’s uniqueness and differences. Class expectations were set high for this activity. Students were read a statement and walked to the front in silence if it applied to them. They stood in front of the class and then returned to their seat. They were asked 30 different statements ranging from: do you play a musical instrument, have you ever judged someone before you really knew them, something you’ve accomplished this year you’re proud of, I’ve been bullied and I’ve been the bully. This was a very powerful activity for all students.

Kindness Video (stop at 6:10)

Don’t Put People in Boxes (stop at 3:50)

Next week: Kindness Continues

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Monday, February 10 - Thursday, February 13

The focus this week is empathy and kindness. For the first part of the week, students rotated throughout 5 stations where they had to complete an activity that might be challenging for different reasons. For example, in one stations they couldn't use their dominant hand, in another they were blindfolded, in another they dealt with distractions they face in the classroom etc. It was fun to watch students learn how to show empathy to someone who has different challenges than themselves.

Empathy Video

For the second part of the week, students either painted a rock with kind words on it or made a kindness poster to enter into our school-wide contest. We will be placing the rocks around the outside of the school and printing the top 6 posters on canvas to display around the building.

Kindness Rocks Video

Next week: Kindness Continues

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Monday, February 3 - Thursday, February 6

This was a powerful week for students. We spent the first lesson focusing on social media. Students focused on what is real and what is embellished. They also looked at the purpose of social media and what it is actually being used for now. All of the students were asked to look at their screen time and challenged to cut it in a least half of the time they currently use. Students also looked at real vs. fake posts and listened to #Selfie. They found lyrics that stuck out to them, and we had a class discussion on how they can change the current culture of social media and pictures.
All of lesson one led up to our guest speaker, Collin Kartchner, on Wednesday. The all school assembly on Wednesday was powerful for all students. It focused on the use of social media, and the negative effects it has on students.
The end of the week we played Bunco and focused on teamwork and community building.

Enjoy the three day weekend!

Intro Video Selfie Song Ending Song

Next week: Kindness

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Mon., January 21 - Fri., January 24

Students worked on the start of our growth mindset unit and emotional regulation. They were introduced to the growth mindset vocabulary by completing a crossword with a partner. They also did a lesson on emotional regulation. They discussed the idea of a ‘flipped lid’ when their emotions are out of check and a ‘closed lid’ when they are functioning normally.

Emotional Regulation Video

Mon., January 27 - Fri., January 31

Students continued their unit on growth mindset. They started with a growth mindset quiz to see where they are currently at with their thinking. Then, they were asked to complete a series of games and challenge themselves to persevere through something difficult for them. They played the cool math game, OvO and tried to blow a dixie cup from the first one to the second.

Mindset of a Champion and Famous Failures

Dixie Cup Challenge

Next week: Social Media Identity and Safety

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Tues., January 7 - Fri., January 10

Lesson one this week involved getting back into routines and teamwork. Students spent time discussing their break and then worked as a team to build the tallest, most creative toothpick and marshmallow tower. It was a fun, sticky mess.

Teamwork Video

For lesson two, students were broken up into grade level classes. Each grade focused on a different lesson for digital citizenship. The entire lesson for each grade can be found in the links below.

6th Grade Lesson

7th Grade Lesson

8th Grade Lesson

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Mon., December 9 - Fri., December 16

All students are exploring careers in Naviance this week. Even though career week isn’t until April, we wanted to start exploring different options early. All students took a short survey of interests and the Naviance program pairs them with careers that match their inventory answers.

Career Path Video

Mon., December 16 - Thurs., December 19

This is the last week before Christmas Break. Students worked in groups to problem solve different puzzles in a Digital Christmas Breakout. They also watched the original 25 minute films: Charlie Brown's Christmas and Frosty the Snowman.

Problem Solving Video Clip

Have a safe and relaxing break. See you next year!

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Mon., December 2 - Fri., December 6

Lesson one welcomed students back and worked on community building. They answered questions for the number that corresponded to the dice they rolled. It described their break to peers. The second activity was a Christmas song challenge. They found the Christmas carol that matched the picture.

Lesson 1 Video

For the second half of the week, students showed their gratitude towards our military, nursing homes, and first responders. Each student created a card with a heartfelt message. They turned out AMAZING!

NEXT WEEK: Naviance

Lesson 2 Video 1 Lesson 2 Video 2

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Mon., November 10 - Fri., November 15

For the gratitude and appreciation unit, we started with character traits and values. Students filled out a character inventory and then selected their top 5. They gave examples of how they show each character trait at school, outside of school/in the community and at home. They also selected 2-3 character strengths they would like to work on improving. Students kept their inventory sheet and would be able to share that at home if they would like.

The second half of the week focused on what/who do students value. They were given 16 squares and had to write one of each of the following on each square: 3 favorite activities, 5 important people, 3 goals for your future, 3 favorite possessions, and 2 things you would like to own one day. They then listened to a made up story and had to discard certain squares. At the end they were left with one card, a activity, person, possession OR goal. Discussion questions followed: now that they know the activity, would they have selected different things to write down, was it hard discarding things, would it have been easier if someone else made the decisions, what would you do differently next time. Many kids asked for the story. The link is here.

NEXT WEEK: Continue Gratitude and Appreciation

Video 2 (start at 3:31) Video 1

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Mon., November 4 - Fri., November 8

This week we focused on conflict resolution. Students took a short survey to figure out their conflict style. They then discussed how situations are best resolved when there are people from all of the conflict styles. Students also played the traditional game of telephone using common tongue twisters. They were able to compare the game of telephone to that of rumors in school and how to avoid them. They also looked at pictures of staff members in different situations and tried to figure out only the facts of the pictures. Many students jumped to conclusions about what they ‘assumed’ was happening in each picture. They talked about how making assumptions can lead to conflict and ways to avoid it.

NEXT WEEK: Gratitude and Appreciation

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Monday, October 28 - Friday, November 1

This week we focused on making sure our words lift people up rather than tear them down. For lesson one, all students were assigned an alphabet letter. The found 20 positive words that go with their letter. For lesson two, students then created a google drawing with their words and positive quote. These will be displayed around the school with all alphabet letters in order.

Students were also given a challenge to say one positive word to someone in each of their core classes for the week.

Videos We Watched in Class:

Words Have Power

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Tuesday, October 22 - Friday, October 25

For the first lesson of the week, students rotated through 4 activities. They experienced Sing Star, Just Dance, Coloring, and a Community Outreach Project for Breast Cancer Awareness.

Lesson two for 7th Grade: Created a 3 column list of negative and hurtful words they have heard, said, or heard said in person, online or behind someone's back. They choose 6 words to write on their group heart. They used nails and put holes through the heart and discussed that once the hole is there it cannot be replaced or fixed. Be careful with the words you choose to use.

Lesson two for 8th Grade: They also created a 3 column list of negative and hurtful words they have heard, said, or heard said in person, online or behind someone's back. They then took turns writing 2-3 of their negative words on the board. We did the activity in silence and then talked about how hurtful and offensive the negative words are, and how we need to be building people up with positive words, not negative words. Many of the words on the board were curse words, slangs or negative racial words. We challenged kids to stop using these words with their friends as jokes, to start calling their friends out when they hear the words spoken, and to start encouraging students to use positive words that build their self-esteem instead of break it down. We also put holes in the heart and discussed that once these words are said you cannot take it back.

Videos We Watched in Class:

Power of Words and Think Before you Speak

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Monday, October 14 - Thursday, October 17

For the first lesson of the week, students worked on a digital citizenship escape room. They read several articles and solved several puzzles all involving safety online. Once they completed the puzzles, they tried to unlock each box. Only 6 groups were successful at completing the task. You can see the website/task here: t.ly/YyA35

For the second lesson of the week, students rotated through 4 activities. They experienced Sing Star, Just Dance, Coloring, and Community Outreach Project for breast cancer awareness.

Videos to Watch:

Digital Citizenship

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Monday, October 7 - Friday, October 11

This week, students focused on the difference between Conflict, Rude, Mean, and Bullying. They wrote scenarios that match each category.

The also filled out a “My Peeps” survey that tells us who their ‘go-to’ adult is when they need to talk. They filled in staff in the building, adults outside of school and a trusted friend.

Videos to Watch:

Bully vs. Conflict Video

Parent/Teacher conferences are October 14th and 15th from 3:30-7:30 (5:00-5:30 dinner break). Please find us in the front entrance (rotunda) to chat or answer any questions you may have.

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Monday, September 30 - Friday, October 4

For both lessons this week, Empower focused on ‘The Best Part of Me.’ Each grade level focused on a different part of them.

6th: Physical Trait
7th: Passion or Ability
8th: Character Trait

Students created a google drawing to show their writing, picture, title and added a QR code of them reading their writing.
These will be printed and displayed throughout the school by the end of next week.

Videos to Watch:

The Best Part of Me Book

Parent/Teacher conferences are October 14th and 15th from 3:30-7:30 (5:00-5:30 dinner break). Please find us in the front entrance (rotunda) to chat or answer any questions you have.

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Tuesday, September 24 - Friday, September 27

For the first lesson of the week, students solved an escape room on different social cues. They focused on posture/body language, tone of voice, facial expressions, eye contact, and gestures. The escape room consisted of 5 different puzzles where teams of students recognized different social cues to solve the puzzle together.
For the second lesson of the week, students worked on social awareness. They went on a 10 minute walk encouraged to be on their phones and visiting with friends. There were items placed around the school in hopes students would recognize them. After the walk, they had to reflect on what they noticed out of place and what they didn’t due to the distraction of their phones and friends. The goal of this walk was for students to understand that while distracted by their phones they miss important details surrounding them.

Videos to Watch:

Social Cues and Social Awareness

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So Far This Year…..

The year is off to a great start in Empower. Thus far, students have spent the majority of the time working on building a safe and positive community, and the importance of this skill in all areas of their life. Each day has consisted of a quote or video and team building activity. Ask your kids about the pool noodle challenge, jumping hula-hoops, flip the sheet, hula-hoop pass, desert survival and bunco.

Empower also hosted Sargent Barger from the Severance Police Department. She discussed the following topics: school safety, vandalism/criminal mischief, cyberbullying, and social media safety/sexting. This was very informative and interesting for all students to hear. Student’s also discussed how and when to use Safe-2- Tell and Help-A-Hawk.

Videos to watch:

What is Safe-2-Tell and Believe in Yourself

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Empower Co-Leads Contact Info:

Andrea Rolf: andrea.rolf@weldre4.org or 970-833-3211

Deb Neely: deb.neely@weldre4.org or 970-833-3210