This timely book provides concrete and useful strategies to help students get in touch with the effects of stress in their lives, and more importantly, helps students learn what they can do about it. Stress has an enormous impact on the ability of students to learn. The body's defense system is built for short-term physical stressors, not long-term psychological and emotional stress, which can lead to health problems, memory loss, severe learning difficulties, and angry outbursts. Less Stress = More Success includes meaningful activities and impactful student "experience sheets" designed to help students understand what causes stress, identify sources of personal stress, and learn strategies for managing stress. Activities cover relaxation techniques; the roles of nutrition and exercise; success strategies such as goal setting, time management; and positive self-talk; and tips for dealing with anger, worry, and high-stakes testing. The relevant introduction covers current learning theory and brain science basics.

This timely book provides concrete and useful strategies to help children get in touch with the effects of stress in their lives, and more importantly, helps them learn what they can do about it. Stress has an enormous impact on the ability of children to learn and be happy. The body's defense system is built for short-term physical stressors, not long-term psychological and emotional stress, which can lead to health problems, memory loss, severe learning difficulties, and angry outbursts. Less Student Stress = More Success includes meaningful activities and impactful "experience sheets" designed to help children understand what causes stress, identify sources of personal stress, and learn strategies for managing stress. Activities cover relaxation techniques; the roles of nutrition and exercise; success strategies such as problem solving, time management; and positive self-talk; and tips for dealing with anger, worry, and high-stakes testing. The relevant introduction covers current learning theory and brain science basics.

This innovative resource integrates counseling and guidance with classroom instruction. Many of the engaging, counselor-led activities also include suggestions for counselor/teacher collaboration. Designed to foster empathy as well as creative and critical thinking abilities, the book covers topics such as understanding others' feelings, communication skills, friendship, peer pressure, cooperation, bullying, safety, stress management, ethics, setting goals, self-esteem, problem solving, anger management, and test anxiety. Each activity of 30 to 60 minutes includes a statement of purpose, materials needed, detailed directions and discussion questions. Includes reproducible student worksheets. Grades 2-8. Illustrated.

There is still much for teens to learn about life and how to manage its challenges, achieve their ambitions, and get along with others. This straight forward, delightfully illustrated, fully reproducible book gets teens to stop, focus, and consider issues valuable to their growth and life success. Each topic is presented as a group of engaging, individual worksheets, which can also easily be used as the basis for discussion and group work. This impactful book of over 100 activity pages provides "hands-on" practice with topics such as health and fitness, stress management, managing feelings, handling hostility, self control, time management, taking stock of success, learning from failure, communicating effectively, friendship behaviors, developing a personal vision, setting attainable goals, making wise decisions, solving problems, working cooperatively with others, leadership, being a good team member, assertiveness, handling peer pressure, managing anger and conflict, and much more.

These ready-to-use lessons recognize that making wise choices is a teachable process and that learning the skills and habits of wise choice making reduce the incidence of risky behavior and leads to more success in school and in life. Focusing on developing key areas like self-concept, personal strengths, and supportive, healthy relationships these activities cover essential health and safety information while teaching vital decision-making skills. Fun and engaging, yet packed with plenty of important information and skill practice to help kids learn to make good choices, develop healthy friendships, identify positive support groups, recognize and affirm their positive qualities and develop good decision-making and problem-solving abilities. Use these interactive lessons, discussion questions and reproducible worksheets to put kids on a speedy path to wise choice making. Topic areas include: Assertiveness OTC Drugs, Smoking & Marijuana Stress Management Peer and Gang Pressure Self-Esteem Resistance and Refusal Skills Decision Making and Problem Solving Media Influences Anger Management Health and Safety Friendship Role Models and Support Systems

This valuable career resource introduces teens to the skills and attributes needed for success in all aspects of life and work.

You'll find dozens of high-interest activities, discussions, role plays, simulations, and reproducible handouts that develop self-motivation, positive attitudes, effective communication, decision-making, problem-solving and planning skills, reasonable self-expectations and a personal vision. This book helps you demonstrate to your students that the gap between dreams and accomplishments is filled, not with luck and more dreaming, but with planning and action. Teach your students how to develop written goals, make deliberate, considered decisions, create step-by-step plans of action, understand and effectively use self-talk and affirmations to control their attitudes

Current research is establishing the importance of teaching such social and emotional skills as kindness, tolerance, respect, empathy, responsibility, self-control, and cooperation. We now know that repeated experiences impact the brain and shape the person. The more children are exposed to these concepts and practice these skills, the stronger the underlying mental circuits become. It is through this development that kids become caring and capable.The group activities, short stories, songs, reproducible activity sheets, Sharing Circles, and thought-provoking discussion questions provided in this award-winning book address qualities inherent in caring people. The skills that develop are those that make children capable. They include: Keeping agreements Developing responsible habits Effectively solving problems Demonstrating respect for self and others Being loyal, trustworthy, and honest Following rules Demonstrating kindness, consideration, and empathy Peacefully resolving conflicts Developing self-management skills, and Learning to be a team member

You'll find this rich and ready resource to be a complete and creative collection of after-school activities that engage kids in learning and having fun at the same time. This valuable resource is packed cover-to-cover with inviting, kid-friendly games, arts and crafts, science projects, environmental lessons and more. Every activity comes with step-by-step directions and complete guidance for getting the most out of each lesson. All activities are readily adaptable to a variety of situations and skill levels.An ideal resource for every after-school or other out-of-school venue. The activities help all children to: cultivate self-awareness and positive self-esteem learn to value family and community connections and develop a sense of belonging work collaboratively, with consideration for others focus on listening, speaking, reading, and writing - important aspects of literacy and communication develop effective problem-solving and decision-making skills engage their feelings of wonder and appreciation for the natural world

The lessons in this easy-to-use activity book are designed to develop in your students the skills, behaviors, attitudes, and perspectives that lead to emotional literacy. Social competence, self-management abilities, and respectful, responsible living are all vital aspects of healthy social and emotional development. As such these skills and behaviors support learning, positive behavior, personal development and well-being. The carefully designed activities in this book will engage your student's minds in learning and their heart's in embracing such valuable life lessons as: Respecting Self and Others Encouraging Trust and Honesty Expressing Gratitude Developing Empathy and Compassion Being Responsible and Dependable Cooperating with Others Controlling Anger Managing Conflict Overcoming Harmful Peer Pressure Reducing Prejudice and Stereotyping Valuing Differences Practicing Non-Violent Communication Exploring Win-Win Strategies Making Friends Speaking Up Against Bullying Eliminating Put-Downs and Gossip

Teach teens how to handle important life issues and concerns with these easy-to-use, entirely reproducible worksheets. Understanding Me contains more than 85 relevant activity pages all designed to promote student insight and understanding around significant life skill areas. These relevant activity sheets are also designed to provide suggestions for generating discussion and background for teacher/counselor led presentations. Topic areas include: Decision-makingManaging time Problem-solving Managing conflict Communication Trust Listening Justice Leadership Money Goal setting Creativity Friendship Values Careers Initiative Responsibility Packed with meaningful information for teens to learn new ideas, attitudes, behaviors, perspectives, and skills while promoting self-awareness and self-esteem these flexible worksheets can be used by anyone working with teens - teachers, counselors, youth group and after-school leaders, homeschoolers, and parents.

This timely and practical book provides a variety of engaging activities, group discussions, reproducible handouts, and Sharing Circles all designed to help teens develop the knowledge, skills and techniques necessary for effective conflict resolution. In addition, students are given meaningful experiences and information to help them improve their own behaviors while giving them the abilities to deal effectively with others. Use these high-impact activities to provide students with guidance and help in: handling confrontations learning the language of conflict de-escalation coping with anger managing moods and dealing with criticism understanding the rules for fighting fair exploring alternatives to conflict developing the power of listening improving social skills effectively solving problems and making decisions learning the factors that trigger conflict controlling behaviors that lead to misunderstandings and conflict

These Immediately usable and highly impactful activities naturally draw out the best in students and inspire the development of universally valued character traits. Virtues, Values, and the Very Best You uses proven strategies that engage students in meaningful interactions and self-reflection that teach the real-life benefit of "doing the right thing'. Unit themes include: Trustworthiness, Respect, Responsibility, Justice and Fairness, Caring, Citizenship, Moral Decision-making, and Service Learning. Specific activities teach such learning as: The consequences of cheating and lying, How to develop healthy friendships, How to respond respectfully to others, The qualities and characteristics of our heroes and stars, The value in responsible behavior, How to accept responsibility and not blame others, Identifying justice and fairness in real life, Practicing tolerant behavior, Respecting individual differences, How rules and laws help people live and work together, How prejudice hurts both self and others, Demonstrating concrete caring behaviors, Recognizing and acknowledging positive attributes in self and others. This book is a valuable and practical resource for classroom, counseling, and youth group instructors interested in enhancing character and virtue in their students.

Research indicates that IQ contributes only about 20 percent to the factors that determine success. The other 80 percent of the factors are related to EQ-emotional intelligence. Emotional intelligence impacts every area of life-health, learning, behavior and relationships. Teaching children and youth to understand, manage, and productively express their emotional intelligence pays big dividends in all areas of their lives and yours. In response to the growing EQ movement these activity guides have been developed based on the ground-breaking brain and behavioral research on emotional intelligence. The result is a complete emotional literacy program. Each book contains a comprehensive overview of emotional intelligence theory-what it is, why it has become such a hot topic in education, and its scientific basis in brain research, plus concrete suggestions for "schooling" the emotions. Each unit includes a thematic overview, stimulating age-appropriate activities and lively discussion topics.

Teach your students the vital skills of successful social interaction that will last a lifetime. Included are scores of concrete, instantly usable activities, discussions, games, simulations, worksheets, and Sharing Circles that engage students in learning specific pro-social skills in an enjoyable fashion. The activities in Getting Along are designed to address these skills in a deliberate manner and in the process elevate the awareness of students to the responsibility that each has to make the classroom, school, or youth development group into a cooperative, inclusive place where healthy friendships develop and conflict is dealt with productively.Focus areas include: Appreciating differences Communicating clearly and effectively Developing healthy friendships Helping others Including others Resolving conflicts Team building

100 social-emotional learnings games that children should play. Grab the attention of your students with something that's fun and important to them-games. This enjoyable, eclectic, collection of kid-friendly games focuses on a win-win approach while teaching valuable skills of cooperation, inclusion, full participation and creativity. Everyone plays, learns, has fun, and no one loses. Written with easy to follow step-by-step instructions, the wide variety of games offer hours of activities. Everything from physical action games to brain games to creating games, and more. If you're working with kids in any capacity, you need this book. Designed for you to be able to develop positive interations that involve all kids-especially important for the shy and socially neglected child.

The high-impact activities in this best-selling book are organized to focus on the critical skills and awareness necessary to help students prevent conflict and to successfully manage and resolve conflict when it does occur. To achieve its goals Teaching The Skills Of Conflict Resolution incorporates a variety of proven instructional strategies. Activities include simulations, role-plays, reproducible experience sheets for students to complete, a host of engaging small and large group activities and discussions, and Sharing Circles. Your students are learning while participating in these multi-experiential hands-on learning experiences designed to help them understand how their thoughts and feelings affect their behavior and what to do to have more self-control.Teaching the Skills of Conflict Resolution is dedicated to the premise that children can adopt a win/win spirit and can learn to effectively manage and resolve conflicts, and that the pro-social attitudes and skills required are transferable to every part of their lives for as long as they live.Areas of focus include: Respecting Similarities and Differences Understanding and Controlling Feelings Communicating Effectively Cooperation and Team Building Strategies for Resolving Conflict