Kindness & Happiness – Summer

School on Wheels Social and Emotional Learning

It’s easy to agree that being kind is good… but why, exactly?
Kindness helps sustain relationships and is part of how we build a trusting and cooperative society. You may have also heard that kindness makes you happier and healthier, and about how important it is to be kind to yourself as well as others. The following activities allow your student (and you!) to share experiences of kindness and happiness.

Complete all activities in order. Click the “Session” headings below to open each lesson plan.

Reminders for students and tutors:
● Listen with interest.
● Participate.
● Ask open-ended questions.
● Choose the best way for each of you to reflect and show your learning

Packet Completion Prize Information:
Your student is eligible for a prize after completing all of the activities below! You will find the link to the completion form at the end of Activity #3 – please complete it together when you’ve finished all of the activities on this page.

All About My Favorite . . .

Get ready – it’s time for the student to become the tutor!

5 min: S.E.L. Check-in activity

To begin, help your student make a list of things that make them happy such as their favorite
animal, singer, video game, places, TV shows, hobbies, etc.!

From the list, have your student choose one item. Explain that this will be used for the activity
later in the session when the student will play the role of the “tutor” to teach you (the tutor) all
about their favorite thing.

5 min: Session review & preview

Review the previous session and the School on Wheels 2024 Community Padlet.

Reminder: During your session, take a screenshot of your student’s work to add to the Padlet later. You can also summarize what you worked on if you are not comfortable taking screenshots.

Preview the plan for today.

20 min: S.E.L. Summer Program activity

As your student is teaching you about their topic, work together to create a presentation or
flyer.
You can use PowerPoint, Google Slides, BBB whiteboard slides, or paper.

To start, ask your student why they chose that topic and what happy/favorite memories they
have attached to it.

Throughout the activity, check in with your student about how sharing this topic makes them feel, what makes them feel that way, or how they think other people feel. Include drawings or images, and at least four facts about the topic.

Make sure to leave time to share with your student:

  • Three new things you learned from them today.
  • Two feelings you had while learning about the topic.
  • One question you still have.

5 min: S.E.L. Check-out activity

Each of you will answer the question below. You can answer out loud or keep your thoughts in mind and share a moment of quiet contemplation.

Question: Looking forward to a future moment of happiness can help during times of stress or unease. What is an upcoming moment of happiness that you are looking forward to? The moment can be anything! (For example: sleeping in, time to play video games, etc.)

Once you both have an answer, close your eyes (if comfortable) and visualize it. Try to feel the way you will feel that day.
Bonus: Play some happiness brain wave music while you visualize or discuss.

Submit a screenshot, or if unfamiliar with taking screenshots, you can summarize what you and your student worked on.

Random Acts of Kindness

Bring happiness to others through random acts of kindness!

Watch one or both of these videos:

Discuss the different acts of kindness. Ask your student how they felt while watching the video and if anything stood out.

Review the previous session and the School on Wheels 2024 Community Padlet.

Reminder: During your session, take a screenshot of your student’s work to add to the Padlet later. You can also summarize what you worked on if you are not comfortable taking screenshots.

Preview the plan for today.

Use the Kindness Journal worksheet to discuss moments of happiness and acts of kindness.
If possible, have your student share first to make sure they do not repeat your answers.

The worksheet provides space for you and your student to individually answer the following
prompts:

  1. What is something that made you feel happy today?
    Remind your student that happiness can be found in the small moments like getting to sleep in a few extra minutes and in the big moments like passing a test.
  2. What is one time a small act of kindness made a big difference in your day?
  3. Work together to plan “A Day of Kindness.”
    The goal is to pick one day of the week when you will each complete a few acts of kindness in your own lives before your next session. For example, you and your student can choose to compliment a family member or hold the door open for someone.

Quote reflection: “If you can’t pay it back, pay it forward.” – Catherine Ryan Hyde.

Guiding questions:

  • What is the difference between paying it back and paying it forward?
  • Why is paying it forward important?

Submit a screenshot, or if unfamiliar with taking screenshots, you can summarize what you and your student worked on.

Day of Self-Kindness and Happiness

If you had one day to only do things that made you happy, what would you do?

Start by talking about the random acts of kindness you each completed from the previous
activity.

  • Which were you able to complete?
  • How did it make you feel? Were you nervous? Excited? Happy?
  • Did you complete any acts of kindness that you didn’t plan last week?

Next, inform your student that later in the session, they will create a day of kindness and happiness for themselves!

Review the previous session and the School on Wheels 2024 Community Padlet.

Reminder: During your session, take a screenshot of your student’s work to add to the Padlet later. You can also summarize what you worked on if you are not comfortable taking screenshots.

Preview the plan for today.

Take time to discuss what your student would do if they spent the whole day on activities that spark feelings of happiness, relaxation, calm, joy, excitement, etc. Choices can be tangible (like having lunch with friends or family) or they can be goal-driven (like dinner with friends and family inside a restaurant where the student is
the head chef).

Using the My Day of Self-Kindness and Happiness worksheet: Write or have your student write different things they would like to do during their day of self-kindness and happiness. They can use the boxes to draw or write something relating to the event. For example, they can draw themselves engaging in the activity, facial expressions of how they will feel, the sign for the place they want to go, etc.

Guiding questions:

  • How will they feel while engaging in the various activities?
  • Would they prefer to be alone or with people during different activities?
  • If the event is imaginary, are there any parts that can really be done?

BONUS: If your student chooses somewhere they have never been before, take some time to explore it via Google Maps and Google Street View. Some fictional maps are available online as well through a quick search.

Today was about acts of self-kindness and happiness but sometimes we need to also think kind and happy thoughts about ourselves too. You and your student have worked hard this month. It is time to recognize your efforts!

Instead of complimenting your student, ask them to compliment themselves!

Each of you (tutor and student) should think of 3 compliments to give yourselves. You and your student can choose to share them out loud, write them on paper or type them to keep, whisper them to yourselves, etc. Your student is allowed to keep their compliments secret if they choose.

Guiding questions/prompts if your student needs support getting started:

  • Is there anything you accomplished this week that surprised you?
  • When thinking about the activities over the past 3 tutoring sessions, is there a moment that stands out?

Submit a screenshot, or if unfamiliar with taking screenshots, you can summarize what you and your student worked on.