Cincinnati Public Schools -April 2020

Targeted grades for activity marked with a . Younger students will need adult help to complete each activity

and could enjoy activities for older students with adult guidance.

Character Strengths at Home Cincinnati Public Schools - April 2020

Do you want to show more KINDNESS, HOPE and LOVE? Is your ZEST or

LOVE OF LEARNING being underused? Are you feeling a lack of SELF-

CONTROL or PERSEVERANCE?

Thriving Learning Communities™ offers these quick, easy-to-do activities to help

each family see their own and each other's strengths while building our social

and emotional learning skills.

Enjoy completing these together and let us know what you think on

Facebook or Twitter (@MAYERSONACADEMY).

© 2020 Mayerson Academy. | All Rights Reserved.| Cincinnati, Ohio | www.mayersonacademy.org

Curious to know more? Check out more activities at

http://bit.ly/TLCathome.

TLC at Home Activity Chart

Daily Theme Activity NamePre-K to 3rd

Grade

4th to 8th

Grade

9th to 12th

Grade

Week

1

Mindfulness Monday Jumping Jacks

Top Strengths Tuesday Top Strengths BINGO

What Do You See Wednesday Secret Strengths Spotting

Think About It Thursday Flipping the Script

Friends & Family Friday Strengths: Side by Side

Week

2

Mindfulness Monday Swaying in the Breeze

Top Strengths Tuesday Top Strengths Plan

What Do You See Wednesday Strengths on a Page

Think About It Thursday Using Our Bravery to Grow

Friends & Family Friday Sharing Hope

Week

3

Mindfulness Monday Finding Myself in a Garden

Top Strengths Tuesday My Top Strengths Poster

What Do You See Wednesday Stuck at Home: Wave Your FLAG!

Think About It Thursday New Habits

Friends & Family Friday Bravery Buddies

WE HAVE ALL

24 STRENGTHS!

http://bit.ly/TLCathome

Character Strengths at Home

Jumping Jacks

1

2

3

4

Have your child(ren) jump up and down

or do jumping jacks for one minute.

When they’ve finished, have them sit down

and put a hand over their heart, closing

their eyes and paying attention to their

heartbeat.

Let them continue to feel their heartbeat

until it has reached a calmer level.

Support their curiosity by answering questions

about heart beats. If you don’t have the answers,

experience a learning moment together. Do a

little internet research to find the answers!

Thriving Learning Communities™: Mindfulness Monday

We can use all our 24 strengths to thrive! Use these

weekly reminders to practice spotting strengths and

flexing your unique combination of character strengths!

Adapted from: © 2019 Thriving Classroom Curriculum Guide

For additional social-emotional learning activities through the lens of character strengths, visit:


© 2020 Mayerson Academy. All Rights Reserved. www.mayersonacademy.org

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Top Strengths BingoThriving Learning Communities™: Top Strengths Tuesday

We can use all our 24 strengths to thrive! Use these weekly

reminders to practice spotting strengths and flexing your

unique combination of character strengths!

For additional social-emotional learning activities

through the lens of character strengths, visit:


Check out the 24 strengths chart on the next page and highlight your 5 top strengths.

Remember your top strengths are ones that feel energizing, effortless, and easy to

use.

After you identify your top strengths, highlight them on the bingo card below. Talk to

other people in your home about their top 5 strengths. Add their strengths to your

bingo card until you have 5 in a row horizontally, vertically or diagonally. Play along with

others in your house to see who can get bingo first! Use your creativity to print or

draw your own bingo card!

Appreciation

of Beauty and

Excellence (Awe, wonder)

Bravery

(Speaks up for

what’s right)

Teamwork (Loyal, works well

with others)

Love(Compassionate)

Forgiveness

(Doesn’t hold grudges)

Curiosity

(Asks questions,

explores)

Humility(Focuses on others)

Perseverance

(Sticks to tasks;

overcomes barriers)

Hope(Positive outlook,

expects the best)

Kindness(Caring, generous)

Creativity(Inventive, has

unique ideas)

Gratitude

(Thankful,

feels blessed)

WE HAVE

ALL 24!

FREE SPACE

Fairness(Cares about

what’s right)

Sense of

Meaning(Sense of purpose,

strong beliefs)

Perspective(Wise, gives

good advice)

Humor(Playful, sees the

funny side of things)

Honesty(Truthful, genuine)

Social

Intelligence(Understands others’

thoughts and emotions)

Prudence(Careful, practical)

Judgment

(Critical thinker,

open-minded)

Zest(Active, energized)

Leadership(Encourages others,

organizes groups)

Self-control(Disciplined,

manages thoughts

and feelings)

Love of

Learning(Enjoys building

knowledge

and skills)







Secret Strengths Spotting

1

2

3

4

Find a partner for this activity – this could be a

family member, close friend, neighbor or someone

else! Anyone is fine as long as it’s someone you will

interact with throughout the day.

In the morning, secretly pick 2 strengths from the

chart. Don’t tell your partner what strengths you

chose!

As you go throughout your day, notice all the small

and big ways that your partner is using the secret

strengths you chose. How do they use the

strengths with you?With others?With themselves?

At the end of the day, agree on a time when you are

going to share what you saw. Make sure your partner

can hear multiple examples of how you saw them using

the secret strengths – they will definitely appreciate it!

Thriving Learning Communities™: What Do You See Wednesday

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CREATIVITY“I like to use my imagination.”

Often we think about using creativity to draw or

paint! How can you use creativity when you are:

▪ Cooking dinner?

▪ Telling a story?

▪ Completing a math problem?

▪ Taking a walk?

HUMOR

LOVE LOVE OF LEARNING

Flipping the ScriptThriving Learning Communities™: Think About It Thursday

Often when we think about certain strengths, we think about using them in specific

ways. Challenge yourself to think about how you might use the strength in a

different way today!

“I like to make others smile and laugh.”

Humor is not just about telling jokes! How can

you use humor when you are:

▪ Playing a game?

▪ Singing a song?

▪ Watching a television show?

“I tell people I love them. I miss them when they

are not around.”

Love can look lots of different ways and it is more

than just for our family! How do you show love

for:

▪ Your teachers?

▪ Your friends?

▪ Yourself?

“I like learning new things wherever I go.”

We can use our love of learning for both inside

and outside school subjects. What is something

new you want to learn about:

▪ Your family?

▪ Your community?

▪ Your hobbies?








Strengths: Side by Side

CREATIVITY

HUMOR

TEAMWORK

Join forces with someone at home to use your

creativity character strength together. Find something

that was going to be thrown away or recycled, and look

at it in a new way. Could the box be a spaceship?

Could the toilet paper tube be converted to a time

travel machine? Maybe the carton sprouts wings and

turns into a butterfly? Use whatever materials you have

on hand to create something new out of something old.

Enjoy the joy of creative connection!

Laughter IS the best medicine, and even better when

shared! Pick a friend or family member and sit back and

laugh together. What’s a silly show that always brings a

chuckle? Is there a comedian or character who

guarantees a smile? Maybe the funniest material for

shared viewing are old videos of you when you looked

or acted differently than you do today. Cozy up on the

couch, make some popcorn, and get ready to enjoy the

strength of humor!

Take a look around and decide on a task that is better

done with a partner. Even if you CAN do something

alone, sometimes it’s just more fun to have someone by

your side. Make a recipe, rearrange a room, take turns

reading alternate pages in a book---anything you can

both do. Pay attention to how working together on

something ordinary can make it EXTRAordinary! Be

sure you tell your partner what strengths you see in

them while you are working!


Thriving Learning Communities™: Family and Friends Friday


Swaying in the BreezeThriving Learning Communities™: Mindfulness Monday

Have your child(ren) stand up and move slightly away from all the

furniture. Ask them to stand tall with the confidence of a large tree.

Say to them: Imagine a big oak tree. This tree is very strong so its trunk is

large and the roots are deep. Now stand tall like this tree with your feet firmly

planted on the ground. While breathing in and out, repeat to yourself, “I see

myself as a tree, I feel confident and strong.”

As you breathe in, visualize yourself as that tree, as you breathe out allow

yourself to move or sway naturally. Try to stay balanced and feel your inner

strength. Notice what it feels like to sway gently. Notice your legs, arms, and

torso. Feel the strength of the tree, even while you’re swaying. Prepare to hold

on to that strength and confidence when you sit down.”

After they are seated, ask your child(ren) to take 4-5 natural breaths.

What do they notice about their breathing and bodies now? Is it

different than before they “swayed in the breeze”?

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Adapted from: © 2019 Thriving Classroom Curriculum Guide






Top Strengths Plan

1

2

3

4

Plan:

Think about your top 5 strengths. Which one will you intentionally

use today? When will you use it? Here are some ideas: curiosity to

explore a new topic; forgiveness to give someone another chance, or

prudence to do your work before choosing to play or be social.

Do:

Make your plan happen! Try to use this top strength at least 5 times

during the day. Create a visual reminder (such as a poster or a

notecard) to remember to use that strength! Keep track of each time

you use your top strength and check it off as you go!

Review:

At the end of the day, think about how it went.

• Did you use the strength? How many times?

• How did it feel when you used it?

• Did it make a difference or change outcomes for you? How?

Reflect:

Think about a chore or school assignment you need to do tomorrow.

• How can you use this same top strength to complete that activity?

• Which other top strengths could you use as well?

Thriving Learning Communities™: Top Strengths Tuesday

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Strengths on the PageThriving Learning Communities™: What Do You See Wednesday

Whether you have packets fromyour teacher or you’ve justdived deep into a new novel,there are lots of opportunitiesto spot strengths in books youare reading. As you are gettingto know the characters, ask thefollowing questions:

What strengths is this characterdemonstrating?

How do they use their strengthsto solve problems?

What strengths could they dialup (use more of) to help thembetter deal with challenges?

Strengths are everywhere!Sometimes, we just need toread between the lines.

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Using Our Bravery to GrowThriving Learning Communities™: Think About It Thursday

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Joseph Wang shared his story about feeling sad

and unsure when he moved to a new country and had

to learn a new language. He used bravery to dig deep

and make new friends. Hear his story online here:

The power of bravery - Joseph Wang (7:02)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LZTeQ5ngCE

In the story The Hugging Tree, a small tree learns that it

has more strength and good to offer others than many

would have thought. Using the strengths of hope and

perseverance along with bravery, the tree finds

happiness despite its difficulties. Listen to the story

online here:

The Hugging Tree - Read With Me - Story Time (5:17)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ru09pVHLX6o

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”

– Lao Tzu

After watching one or both

videos, take time to think and

write about what may be

holding you back right now.

• What fears do you want to

overcome?

• How can you use your

bravery, hope and

perseverance strengths to

address a difficult situation?

• Love to seek out support

from someone else?

• Perspective to seek

someone else’s advice?

• Creativity to try a new

approach to a problem?

Bravery involves acting and taking risks to help us grow and

learn to do more than we thought we could before.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LZTeQ5ngCE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ru09pVHLX6o





Sharing Hope

1

2

3

4

Pick a family member or friend to talk with about hope. The character

strength of hope is more than optimism. It’s also about having the

confidence and motivation to get things done. Take a couple of minutes

to tell each other how you describe hope. Share examples of when you

noticed yourself using your hope strength in the last week.

What does hope sound like? Go on a listening expedition together and

decide on the best songs for inspiring hope. Try listening to genres

outside of your usual tastes and explore each other’s musical

preferences. Create a shared “hope” playlist together that you can add

to in the coming days.

What does hope smell like to each of you? What does hope feel

like? Our senses are powerful, so it’s fun to think about what scents and

textures we associate with hope. Maybe hope is the smell of baking

cookies or spring flowers; maybe it feels like the warm sun or a cool

rain.

Think about the ideas and feelings that came up when you shared your

thoughts about hope with each other. Either as a team or separately,

write a poem or draw a picture that combines all your thoughts and

ideas. Hang up your finished products so you can be reminded of your

hope strength whenever you need it.

Thriving Learning Communities™: Family and Friends Friday

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Mindful BreathingThriving Learning Communities™: Mindfulness Monday




Ask your child(ren) how they’re feeling right in that moment. Are they excited from playing outside? Worried about math? Angry about something that happened earlier? Happy? Give them a few moments to talk about their current feelings.

Next, to prepare them for mindful breathing, asking them to sit comfortably in a chair or on the floor. Say to them: “We’re going to practice our breathing so listen carefully as I lead our breathing. Today, we will be breathing in through our noses for a count of FOUR, and out through our noses for a count of SIX.”

If needed, ask them to count out loud to FOUR while you demonstrate breathing in, and then to SIX while you breathe out. After a couple of breath demonstrations say, “Now we will breathe mindfully together. Remember, these are not loud or forceful breaths, but instead are quiet, calming breaths. See how quiet and calm you can be as you try this breath.”

You may choose to count out loud for the first few breaths. (Breathe in, 1-2-3-4; breathe out, 1-2-3-4-5-6.) After they seem to be breathing calmly with you, move on to the next part.Say “While you continue to breathe, start to pay attention to how your body feels. Notice if your muscles seem tight or tired anywhere. Try to relax those parts. Continue your breathing...Breathe in, 1-2-3-4, breathe out, 1-2-3-4-5-6. Now, while you continue your gentle breathing, pay attention to the room around you. Notice what is on the walls.”

Allow your child(ren) a few moments to be mindful of the room around them, then say, “Now, continue with your breathing and come back to mindful attention to how your body feels. Is there tension anywhere? Allow yourself to let that tension or tightness go.”

Allow them to have about 5 more full breaths, then say: “We are about to come to the end of our mindful breathing. Pay attention to feelings inside your body. One more breath in, 1-2- 3-4. One more breath out, 1-2-3-4-5-6. Take a few minutes to think back on what this mindfulness breathing was like for you.”

Give your child(ren) a minute to “come back” to the room and say, “Notice how you’re feeling now. Is it the same or different than how you felt before our mindful breathing?”




Adapted from: © 2019 Thriving Classroom Curriculum


My Top Strengths PosterThriving Learning Communities™: Top Strengths Tuesday

Grab your crayons, markers, or pencils! Use your creativity to make a

poster advertising your top “signature” strengths. Find a great place to

hang your poster at home. Encourage everyone in your household to

participate! The character strengths chart is a great place to go for more

information about your signature strengths.

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Need someone to talk to?

I have perspective as a top strength and give great

advice!

~Serenity





Character Strengths at Home We can use all our 24 strengths to thrive! Use these



FAIRNESS

Questions to ask:

Who do I know that always treats others fairly?

Why is it important to treat others fairly?

Things to do:

Learn about a community issue related to

fairness and write a letter to a local leader

about why it’s important.

LOVE OF LEARNING

APPRECIATION OF BEAUTY

AND EXCELLENCEGRATITUDE

Stuck at Home?

Wave Your FLAG!

Thriving Learning Communities™

What Do You See Wednesday

Questions to ask:

What do I know how to do now that I didn’t know

before? How did I learn how to do it?

Things to do:

Spend time practicing a new skill – what about

jumping rope, computer coding, or cooking?

Questions to ask:

When was the last time you were really proud

of something you did very well?

Things to do:

Find something beautiful (try looking out

your window or use Google Earth View)

and share it with someone.

Questions to ask:

When was the last time you thanked someone

for doing something for you? How did you show

your gratitude?

Things to do:

Create a note of gratitude to show your

appreciation for a helpful friend! Be sure to

explain how they helped out.

24








Thriving Learning Communities™: Think About It Thursday

Temperance is a Virtue

Flex Your Temperance Strengths

Make a Plan

Sometimes we find ourselves lost and confused, trying to do too

many things at once. Or we find ourselves in trouble because of

bad habits. Strengths in the temperance virtue category are all

about keeping ourselves from acting in ways that could hurt us or

someone else. There’s a lot we can’t control, but we often forget

the one thing we can control – ourselves! The path to happiness

begins when we stop blaming others and start working on

changing our own habits.

Temperance strengths include:

• Forgiveness – You can let it go when a friend makes mistakes

or hurts your feelings.

• Humility – You quietly show what you can do instead of

bragging.

• Prudence –You are careful to not take too many risks.

• Self-Control –You watch what you do and say.

Dialing up these strengths can help you replace old, negative

habits with new, positive ones.

Practice your self-control! Write (or draw) about a time when you: Were angry with someone and had a hard time forgiving them.

Felt proud of yourself but forgot to notice how others were feeling.

Took action before you thought things through and it didn’t turn out

so well.

Should have managed your time better on a school project.

Now it’s time to make a plan. Name the strength you will activate

when this situation comes up again. How will you use this strength

to help you change your behavior? Find a friend or family member

that will help remind you!


New Habits


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Bravery BuddiesThriving Learning Communities™: Family and Friends Friday




There is a famous quote by Fred Rogers that says…

When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my

mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find

people who are helping.’

When we see people helping during difficult times, they are often using

the character strength of bravery. Bravery can mean doing something

physical, like firefighters do. It can also mean a different kind of bravery,

like speaking out when someone is doing something wrong.

Search for a book or movie you can share with family or friends that has

a character who shows the strength of bravery during a difficult time or

situation.

Talk together afterwards, and consider these questions:

• What other strengths did you see along with bravery?

• What would you do if you were in the same position?

• What ways did the character(s) gather courage to use their bravery

strength?

• What are ways you could show bravery?

• How can you help each other use bravery?





Documents

Cincinnati Public Schools -April 2020