Each Kindness: Discussion & Activities
When a new girl comes to school, no one pays much attention to her. Chloe doesn’t know why she doesn’t include Maya and doesn’t know why it bothers her that she feels that way. No matter how often Maya asks to be included, she is turned away. Maya is alone most of the time until one day she doesn’t return. In school, after a kindness lesson, Chloe is bothered that she hasn’t been kinder to Maya. She can’t help but wonder if a kind act, on her part, would have made a difference to Maya.
Grades 1-5
Thank you for the Read-Aloud, Read Right Now!
Pre Reading
- Discuss ways that kindness is shown-holding the door for others, offering help, and asking how someone is doing that day.
- Have students turn and talk-briefly tell your partner(s) about a time anyone has been kind to them.
- Point out the cover…what do they see? Look at colors. Is it a silly or serious book?
During Reading
- Tell me about Maya- what do you think she’s like?
- Tell me about Chloe (or Maya)- what are their traits?
- (Is anyone uncomfortable as this story continues?)
- How could Chloe have acted differently toward Maya?
Post Reading
- What does the ripple effect of kindness mean?
- Why did Chloe have a change of heart for how she treated Maya?
- What are some things we can do each day to include and spread kindness?
Writing Activity: A letter to Maya
Write a letter from Chloe to Maya. It could be an illustrated poem or a regular note to a classmate. Maybe you’ll tell Maya how you felt when she was here and how you feel now that she’s gone. Maybe you’ll tell her about the pebble lesson. Maybe you feel a different way.
Art Activities: Spread the Kindness
- Give each student a drawing paper square.
- Have them color/design/illustrate (With a word or two-“Be Present”) what kindness looks or feels like when you are on the giving end or receiving end.
- With a partner or on your own, design a slogan- INVITE SOMEONE TO YOUR LUNCH TABLE or borrow a phrase from a poem or a song-“All you need is love”- The Beatles…
Social Studies: Ways to Better the Community
- Start a kindness club in your grade or school
- Make a game/reward system for when you “catch each other being kind”
- Start a food drive/clothing collection
- Write letters to a local nursing home or hospital
- Facetime, call or visit with grandparents, or other family
- make posters for a local animal shelter
- Raise money to donate to your PTA to use to help a family
- promise to offer help to each person in your house once a day
- Volunteer with your grown-up
