Page 2 - Kind News, Jr. Jan/Feb 2021, Teacher Guide

COMMON CORE, NEXT GENERATION SCIENCE STANDARDS (NGSS), AND CASEL-ALIGNED ACTIVITIES

Kindergarten: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.5. Add drawings or other visual displays to descriptions as desired to provide
additional detail. CASEL Core Competencies: Self-awareness, Social awareness.
To go with Curiosity Corner, “What Does the Tail Say?”: After reading the article together, ask students
how they can tell what a person is feeling. What clues help them identify those feelings? Discuss what
body language is and how cats and dogs show their feelings in different ways using their tails. Have
students choose from the options below and draw two pictures, one showing how a cat or dog shows
the emotion listed, and one showing how a human does. If appropriate, ask students to label their
pictures to describe what is happening.

Happy cat vs. happy human | Happy dog vs. happy human | Alert dog vs. alert human | Annoyed cat vs. annoyed human

First grade: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.3. Write narratives in which they recount two or more appropriately sequenced
events, include some details regarding what happened, use temporal words to signal event order, and provide some sense
of closure. CASEL Core Competencies: Social Awareness, Responsible Decision-Making.
To go with To the Rescue, “Meet Tanooki!”: After reading the article, read Kind Question #2 with students. Ask them to think
about a time they have ever helped a person or an animal who was all alone or abandoned. If they have never had this experience,
encourage them to think of how they could help someone in this situation and what they would do. Then, ask them to write
a story about this and include details such as what happened first, next, and last. You may wish to include sentence starters
like the examples below.

“I saw _______ all alone in the/ at the _______.” “She/he looked scared/lonely/ _______.”
“First, I _______.” / “Next, I _______.” / “Finally, I _______.”
• ...asked an adult to _______.
• ...called the animal shelter to _______.
• ...invited the person to _______.
“After that, she/he seemed happy/excited/ _______.”

Second grade: NGSS 2-LS4-1. Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats.
To go with “Mice Make Faces!” and Critter Clues: After students have guessed
the answer for Critter Clues, divide students into two groups and ask each Venn diagram example:
group to re-read one of the articles listed above and underline or highlight at
least three words or phrases that show what mice or groundhogs need to be MICE
happy and healthy in their habitats. Make a Venn diagram (see example) or a GROUNDHOGS
“T-chart” together as a class and compare the animals. What is similar about
them? What is different? Then, ask them to pick one of the animals and write Social Solitary
down one thing they have in common with that animal and one thing that is Omnivores
different. Students can also include pictures to go with their statements. Do not Hibernate
Encourage them to share their writing with the group. hibernate Like eating in Winter
plants
Can be pets Are wild
Statement examples: A groundhog hibernates in the winter, but I do not.
Mice and I both eat fruit.

BOOK NOOK
Goodbye, Mousie
Written by Robie H. Harris | Recommended for ages 2-6
One morning a boy finds that his pet, Mousie, won't wake up. The truth is Mousie has died.
At first the boy doesn't believe it. He gets very mad at Mousie for dying, and then he feels
very sad. But talking about Mousie, burying Mousie in a special box, and saying goodbye
helps this boy begin to feel better about the loss of his beloved pet.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: ROBIE H. HARRIS IS AN AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR OF MORE THAN THIRTY NONFICTION AND PICTURE BOOKS
FOR CHILDREN. HER WRITING FOCUSES ON CHILDREN'S EMOTIONAL LIVES. SHE IS WELL-KNOWN FOR PORTRAYING SERIOUS TOPICS
WITH HUMOR AND HONESTY, AND FOR PRESENTING ACCURATE INFORMATION TO KIDS ABOUT WHAT THEY NEED TO BE HEALTHY
AND SAFE. OTHER BOOKS BY ROBIE H. HARRIS INCLUDE WHO’S IN MY FAMILY, WHAT’S SO YUMMY?, AND CRASH! BOOM! A MATH TALE.
LEARN MORE ABOUT HER AT WWW.ROBIEHARRIS.COM.
COPYRIGHT: GOODBYE MOUSIE. © 2004 BY ROBIE H. HARRIS. PUBLISHED BY ALADDIN BOOKS, A DIVISION OF SIMON & SCHUSTER,
NEW YORK, NY.