Page 2 - Kind News, Jr. May/June 2022 Teaching Guide

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

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.K.6 Speak audibly and express thoughts, feelings, and ideas clearly. CASEL Core Competency:
Self-Awareness, Social Awareness To go with Pet Corner, “Is Your Cat Upset?”: After reading the article, ask students to think
about the questions at the bottom of the article. “What gives you anxiety? How does your body feel? What do you do when
you feel this way?” Invite students who are comfortable to share. Ask students if they know any strategies they can use when
they are feeling anxious. Lead these fun breathing exercises from cosmickids.com:
• Balloon: Breathe in deeply through your nose, and slowly blow out through your mouth. Move your hands outward with
your exhale as if you are blowing up a balloon.
• Tongue tube or grin: Roll your tongue into a tube if you are able to. Inhale air over your tongue and breathe out through
your nose. If you can’t roll your tongue, grin widely and suck in air quickly, then exhale through your nose.
• Buzzy breaths: Sit with your legs crossed. Breathe in through your nose, put your fingers in your ears,
and hum as you exhale.
Alternatively, students could draw and write descriptions for what they do when they are anxious, and compare these with
what a cat does; “When I feel anxious, I might…” “When cats feel anxious, they might…” “I can feel better by…” “I can help my
cat feel better by….” To find examples and coloring pages of anxious cats versus friendly cats, visit KindNews.org/catbehavior.

First grade: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.1 Participate in collaborative conversations with diverse partners about grade 1 topics
and texts with peers and adults in small and larger groups. CASEL Core Competency: Social Awareness, Self-Awareness
To go with DIY, “Toad Abode”: After reading the introduction about why toads are good to invite into backyards and
neighborhoods, ask students if they’ve ever seen a toad. Why do they think they don't see toads very often? How do toads
help people or other animals? Then ask them to think of things about toads that they think are cool and things that make
them unique. To extend the activity, brainstorm animals or insects that are helpful to outdoor spaces and find out little-known
facts about them. How are those animals like toads? How are they different? Can they see any similarities between ourselves
and toads, or between humans and the other animals they thought of? Why or why not?

Second grade: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.2.5 2-LS4-1. Make observations of plants and animals to
compare the diversity of life in different habitats. CASEL Core Competencies: Social Awareness
To go with “The Secret Life of Fish”: After reading the article, ask students what fish need in
order to be happy and healthy. If possible, give students time to observe fish, such as
through an ocean webcam (see link below). Ask students to look for behaviors Balcombe
mentions in the article, such as playing. Are any of the items from the “A Better Fish Tank”
sidebar present in the ocean webcam? Then ask them what they think people need to be
happy and healthy. How are the needs of fish and people similar, and how are they
different? Give students time to design and label their “ideal” indoor fish habitat. They can
choose to draw their habitat, craft it using art supplies (construction paper cut-outs can make
for a mosaic effect; glitter glue can make shiny “rocks”), create a 3-D model, or design a digital
habitat. Designs should include:
• Space for fish to swim and play • A filter
• Rocks or plants to hide behind • A thermometer (and/or heater if their fish needs one)
Ask students to share their habitats with the class or in a small group and point out at least one thing that makes their fish
habitat special or unique. National Park Service ocean webcam link: nps.gov/subjects/watchingwildlife/webcams.htm

BOOK NOOK

What I Like About Toads

Written by Judy Hawes, Illustrated by James and
Ruth McRea, Recommended for ages 3-7
Read along as a child explains what they've learned about toads, especially the one Where’s Raja?
in their garden, and how their feelings about toads have changed over time. “I didn't
used to like toads. I thought toads would give me warts. Now I know better. I know RAJA IS HIDING ON PAGE 4!
how lucky I am to have a toad in my garden...”
Copyright: What I Like About Toads. © 1969 by Thomas Y. Crowell, New York, NY.