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Real talk: Sometimes, kids can be mean. I’m cringing as I write this because it feels so harsh. But it’s true, and we all know it even if we don’t want to say it aloud. And the pandemic did nothing to help the situation… it seems to have made it worse.
As teachers, we have the ability to encourage random acts of kindness in school and help students understand the importance of being kind.
In this blog post, we will explore how teachers can use a book called The Gnome in Your Home to launch a unit on kindness. Students will reflect on their own experiences with kindness, make connections to texts, and plan out projects that will help them carry out acts of kindness both big and small.
The Gnome in Your Home by Susan S. Johnston and Uma Sharma
I was thrilled when I discovered The Gnome in Your Home. It tells the story of a group of gnomes who question their ability to make a difference due to their small stature and lack of magic. They eventually discover that they have the gift of kindness and come to realize that small acts can make a HUGE impact. They then set out to visit the homes of children around the world to encourage kindness.
The book comes with an adorable stuffed gnome. Think Elf on the Shelf minus the ridiculous expectations and elaborate setups. (You love it already, right?)
You can read the story to your class and discuss how small acts of kindness can make a big difference. Have the stuffed gnome “visit” your class to encourage random acts of kindness in school or even just use it as a visual reminder.
Personal Experiences and Connections
Have students share about times they were kind to someone or someone was kind to them. Create an anchor chart titled “KIND KIDS”. As students share, write down their examples of acts of kindness on post-its or writing paper and add them to the chart. Discuss how it feels when someone is kind or they are kind to someone. Display the chart in your classroom.
Grab my free kindness resource for some writing activities you can have your students do to reflect on acts of kindness they’ve experienced, along with a list of suggested picture books and YouTube videos you can use to add to your unit.
Book Display
There are many other wonderful picture books about kindness that can be used to encourage random acts of kindness in school. Look for books at your library and set up a display in your classroom. Read the books to your class and/or allow students to book shop and read the books on their own.
Some great pictures books about kindness are:
- The Kindness Quilt by Nancy Elizabeth Wallace
- Be Kind by Pat Zietlow Miller
- Most People by Michael Leannah
- The Big Umbrella by Amy June Bates
- The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney
- I Walk With Vanessa: A Story About A Simple Act of Kindness by Kerascoet
- The Jelly Donut Difference: Sharing Kindness With The World by Maria Dismondy
- Last Stop on Market Street by Matt de la Pena
- Under the Lemon Moon by Edith Hope Fine
- Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts
- The Invisible Boy by Trudy Ludwig
You can find these titles easily by visiting my Amazon Store. If you want even more great suggestions, be sure to grab my FREE kindness activities resource sample! It includes a list of suggested picture books for teaching about kindness, links to YouTube videos related to kindness, and writing activities.
After reading these books, encourage students to think about how they can be kinder in their own lives. What are some things they can do for others? How can they make a difference? Display the books in your classroom as a reminder to be kind and to encourage random acts of kindness in school, at home, and in the community.
Curate a List of Youtube Videos Related to Kindness
There are many great videos about kindness on Youtube. Create a playlist and play one of the videos during snack time or as part of your morning meeting.
For a list of some great videos, you can check out, grab my kindness freebie here.
After watching these videos, encourage students to think about how they can be kinder in their own lives. What are some things they can do for others? How can they make a difference? Use the videos as a springboard for discussion and encourage students to perform their own random acts of kindness in school and elsewhere!
Initiate Random Acts of Kindness
One of the best ways to encourage acts of kindness is to model it yourself! As the teacher, you can be the one to initiate random acts of kindness in school. For example, you could secretly leave a positive note on a student’s desk. Or you could bring in treats for the class and encourage everyone to share. By modeling kindness, you will encourage your students to be kind as well.
Text Connections
Encourage students to look for ways different characters show kindness in picture books. Have them reflect on the actions and what it says about the character. Also, have them think about the effects the kind actions had and how they influenced the overall story. This is an easy way to integrate social-emotional learning into your regular ELA instruction while also encouraging students to think critically about the texts they are reading.
This activity is one of many included in my Kindness Activities resource. Click the link to check it out and see how you could use it to encourage random acts of kindness in school.
Kindness Jar
Encourage random acts of kindness in school on a regular basis. Ask students to be mindful of the acts of kindness that they see others performing. Create a “kindness jar” where students can anonymously write down kind things they see happening in and out of the classroom.
You could also have a “kindness of the day” where students share one act of kindness they performed that day. These small acts of kindness will add up and make a big difference in your classroom!
Doing this will help students to realize that acts of kindness are happening all around them, even when they aren’t looking for them. It will also encourage them to continue being on the lookout for opportunities to perform acts of kindness themselves.
Encourage Students to Plan and Carry Out Acts of Kindness
After reading The Gnome in Your Home and discussing acts of kindness, encourage your students to plan and carry out their own acts of kindness. They can work individually or in small groups. Brainstorm a list of ideas together and then have students choose one or two to focus on. Encourage students to think about ways to be kind that go beyond simply saying “please” and “thank you.”
Once students have brainstormed their ideas, encourage them to choose one or two that they would like to focus on. Help them plan out how they will carry out their acts of kindness. For example, if they choose to help a classmate who is struggling with their work, they will need to decide how best to help them (e.g., by explaining a concept that they are having trouble with, by offering to do a practice problem with them, etc.).
If you want some great ideas for big and small acts of kindness your students can do in school, at home, or within their community, check out my Kindness Activities resource. It includes a set of kindness cards with ideas.
After they have completed their act, encourage them to reflect on the experience. What did they learn? How did it feel? This is also a great opportunity for students to practice writing.
Kindness Bulletin Board
As students work on their acts of kindness, create a bulletin board to display their project plans, reflections, and/or connections to texts. This will serve as a reminder of the importance of kindness and encourage other students to get involved! You can display your students’ kindness project plans, reflections, or text connections.
A fun bulletin board idea is to have each student create a gnome craft and write an act of kindness they plan to do on the beard. You could display the gnomes alone or pair them with the kindness project pages.
This adorable craft is part of my Kindness Activities resource.
By creating a bulletin board, you will create a visual reminder of the kindness that is happening in your classroom and encourage other students to get involved!
You Can Encourage Random Acts of Kindness in School
Encouraging random acts of kindness in school is a great way to make your classroom a more positive and inclusive place. By modeling kindness, encouraging small acts of kindness on a regular basis, and having students reflect on their experiences, you can help your students to develop into caring and compassionate people.
Do you have another way to encourage kindness in school? Tell me about it in the comments!
