PPBF: Lefty

Today I'm thinking about pizza.

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PPBF: My Friend John

This month, I'm on a crusade to celebrate Christmas peace.

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PPBF: Carla's Glasses

Today, I'm feeling grateful for this review on Amazon of Birdie & Mipps.

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PPBF: ABBS - Ability, Brave, Beautiful, Smart

Today I'm excited to debut my first 2024 PPBF pick.

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What Grief Looks Like

Recently I got a glimpse at what grief looks like,

through the lens of one of my 8th-grade friends.

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PPBF: Turning Cartwheels

Today I'm excited because our PPBF has my heart turning cartwheels. 

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PPBF: A Place For Pluto

Happy PPBF; today's title is an intergalactic treasure.

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PPBF: The Day You Begin

Happy Friday; this week was a somber one, 
with the seventeen-year mark of 9/11 globally
and the ten-year anniversary of hurricane Ike locally,

a time for reflection and gratitude, for sure.

And we've had some bumps in the road on the home front,

but nothing that we can't hurdle together

with a little bit of grace and a whole lot of love.

Today I'm grateful for this incredible PPBF find.

Title: The Day You Begin

Author: Jacqueline Woodson

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Out of the Darkness

Yesterday I was in a Darkness to Light training,

and one of my takeaways was this:

I mess up. You mess up.

Your friends and family are going to mess up.

They are going to be unkind.

They might even be mean.

They'll disappoint you.

They'll let you down.

They'll frustrate you.

They'll anger you.

They'll lie to you,

steal from you,

break promises.

They'll embarrass you.

The best gift you can give yourself when this stuff {or worse} happens is to forgive them.

Got five minutes? 

Listen to what Leo Buscaglia has to say about this. 

I've heard it said that holding a grudge against someone

is like letting them live rent-free in your head.

What do you need to let go of,

and whom do you need to forgive 

to come out of the darkness

and give yourself that gift of peace?

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That's Enough!

Have you ever asked yourself when enough is really enough? 

And is there a point when enough is really too much?

Yep, that's what I woke up wondering this morning.

I think it's because of this book:

I've been on a cleaning spree and I couldn't decide about this book.

Do I keep it or donate it?

Obviously I purchased it for a reason;

I'm always very intentional when I buy a book.

So I decided to try it out on a first-grade boy who

periodically has invited himself to my office

just to check in with me and, if he gets I get lucky,

he stays long enough to read a story.

This Jules Feiffer thinker is an imaginative first-person narrative from the boy in the top left about the boy in the bottom right.

The boy across the street.

Someone he doesn't even know.

Someone he wishes he did.

Someone he envies a great deal.

And as we were reading, my friend (whom I'll call Collin 'cause that's his name) is saying things like, "Wow, that kid's greedy" and "Stuff isn't really that important, is it, Mrs. Gruener?" and "Who would really want a piranha for a pet anyway?"

In the end, however, we realize that the kid across the street

probably doesn't really have all of this stuff and that the lonely

boy probably wouldn't even want all of that stuff anyway ...

what he really wants ... in the end ... is a friend.

So Collin asks if he can take the book back to his first-grade class to see what they think. As he hands it to his teacher, I hear him tell her that "it's weird!" and ask politely if she could find some time for them to read it together because he wants to know what she and his classmates think. Of course, she does ...

Flash forward to recess. I see Collin and his classmates through the fence on the playground as I'm returning from lunch. As they invite me to jump the fence and come play, one sincere little girl asks me a question I won't quickly forget: 

What can I do about jealousy, Mrs. Gruener?  

Oh, no, have you been visited by the big green jealousy monster? I hear myself reply, to which Collin chimes in that he gets visits from that little green guy all the time when he's around his little brother. I just love that kid! Anyway, we have this brief counseling chat about being green with envy in a group of about six firsties who've gathered to watch and see if I actually will jump the fence or not (while they visit with me about jealousy) ... and I'm still thinking about it this morning.

Because of that book.

What can you do when the jealousy monster pays a visit?

When is enough ... enough?

I think that's a valid question ... 

and there's probably a really good answer

that varies person by person, day by day.

So I've created an I Quit card to try.

Download Frame/Border by Tracee Orman {here}

I'm going to complete these with students who want to

quit a behavior, thought or feeling that they've had enough of:

Feeling jealous

Boasting or bragging

Interrupting

Exaggerating

Stealing

Lying

Spreading rumors

Gossiping

Excluding others

Insert your poison {-----here-----}

It may sounds waaaaaaay too simple,

but the first step simply has to be saying,

"That's Enough!"

Stop.

No more.

Cease and desist.

Make a plan together with students detailing how.

Then, encourage them do it.

With intention.

On purpose.

Every minute of every day.

Suggest posting it on the bathroom mirror

so it's a daily reminder of their goal. 

Or by their calendar so they can check off days.

Remember, only 21 days to break a bad habit

and replace it with a healthier, happier one! 

With a little help if they need it.

From a family member, a friend,

or an accountability group of critical friends.

They can do it.

And, when the behavior or feeling they've had enough of is gone,

they'll be glad they did ... 

and their stakeholders will celebrate with them.

What ideas have you used with success

to help students combat that big green jealousy monster?

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PPBF: Something Else

Today's PPBF, one of my all-time favorite books to read aloud, is

 Something Else.

Title: Something Else

Author: Kathryn Cave

Illustrator: Chris Riddell

Publisher: Mondo Pub

Date: April 5, 1998

Suitable for: ages 6 and up

Fiction

Themes: Celebrating differences, empathy, acceptance

Brief Synopsis: Try as he might, this little blue creature named Something Else just doesn't quite fit in. But when an orange Something shows up on his doorstep, will Something Else recognize him as an opportunity for companionship knocking?

Opening page:  On a windy hill alone with nothing to be friends with lived Something Else.

Resources:

A previous post at the Corner called It's Golden {here}.

Find some activities from Schools Linking Network {here}.

Engage with a Same and Different Lesson {here}.

Try these activities from Stonewall {here}.

In peace class, we used a ball of yarn to set up the story with an object lesson about differences. We brought a volunteer up and listed all of the ways she was different from us. With every difference, we wrapped her up with another round of the string. When we'd finished, she was stuck! I asked what her life would be like if each of these differences was something she worried about. They didn't know how she'd eat, open a door, write, or play. We all agreed that focusing on differences as bad or something to worry or stress about definitely ties people up ... but embracing and, yes, celebrating differences sets us free.

We also used this problem poster ... it fit right in with Patch, my pirate puppet, who wants to fit in but is quite different from us.

It's interesting to use this poster across four grade levels ... K students say that the problem is that the one zebra is too small, a first grader noticed that there wasn't any water for them, and by second and third they're able to notice that his stripes don't go the same way. Such a great picture for a "not good, not bad, just different" discussion.

Then a read-aloud of Something Else and our lesson on not only accepting but celebrating differences is complete!

Why I like this book:  

Not only is it a fun read-aloud with rich food for thought about differences, but it's got amazing illustrations, like this one:

I use this page to ask my students to put themselves in Something Else's shoes. How is he feeling? How can they tell? What would they need if they were to switch places? When they answer "a friend," sure enough, Something Else gets his chance at a true friendship on the very next page. But he doesn't see it like that right away.

Check out this book to see how your students react when Something Else tells Something that he is most definitely NOT his "sort of something else."

Note: In preK peace class, we played a fun rendition of London Bridge Is Falling Down using these lyrics that I wrote:

Everyone is dif-fer-ent, dif-fer-ent, dif-fer-ent.
Everyone is dif-fer-ent; we respect that.

And they went home with a unifying song in their heart!

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PPBF: It's Not Easy Being A Bunny

Happy Friday and congratulations to Lisa, who has a copy of Maria Dismondy's Spoonful of Sweetness coming her way.

And welcome back to PPBF. 

Today I've chosen a classic from my children's childhood.

Title: It's Not Easy Being A Bunny

Author: Marilyn Sadler

Illustrator: Roger Bollen

Publisher: Random House Books For Young Readers

Date: September 12, 1983

Suitable for ages: 3 - 7 years/preK - 2nd grade

Themes: acceptance, knowing yourself, empathy

Brief Synopsis: P. J. Funnybunny is sick so many things, like cooked carrots, putting up with so many siblings, and having long ears. In fact, he doesn't want to be a bunny anymore. So he packs himself up and heads out to trade places with a host of furry friends.

Opening pages:  P. J. Funnybunny was very sad. He did not like being a bunny.

Resources:  Click {here} to visit the author's site and find out more about the Funnybunny series.

Read a review at BreeniBooks {here}.

Mrs. Schmelzer's Bunny Business post {here}.
Using Puppets to tell an adaptation of the story on You Tube:

Why I like this book:  This book has such great memories for me because we read it over and over and over again when our children were in their formative years. Young children especially love its repetition. Its theme has to do with being okay with, accepting, and yes, even celebrating who you are. P. J. runs away from being a bunny but ends up finding that the grass isn't always greener, 
that sometimes it's just grass.

Ask students how, if at all, the expression 

Home Sweet Home

connects with this story.

For an empathy-elevation piece, find out what animal a student might be willing to trade places with and why. Then ask them to write an "It's not easy being a ___ " about that animal. Ask them what they think P. J. might need and how he might feel as he goes to live with each of these different animals. 

Weave the story into a study of each animal's habitat.
Older learners can make a list of pros and cons of being the age they are, being in the grade they're in, being the gender they are, or being in the family they're in.

I'm taking it into a preK class this morning and I can't wait!

Check out the other two books in this series that our children adored: 

The Very Bad Bunny and P. J., The Spoiled Bunny.

Then head over to Susanna's blog to read her review of Goldy Luck and the Three Pandas and see what other books have been recommended today.

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PPBF: Oddrey

In our gratitude challenge, the word for the first day was sufficiency.
I love that word.
What are you grateful for that's sufficient in your life?

Today I'm grateful because PPBF is back ... and I'm a little embarrassed to say that I forgot that we weren't doing it last week and posted a PPBF review anyway ... so, in case you missed it, here's the link to Stand In My Shoes by Bob Sornson. 
It's got empathy written all over it and is such a worthwhile read!

And now, get ready to walk in Oddrey's shoes for a spell.

Title: Oddrey

Author & Illustrator: Dave Whamond

Publisher: Owlkids Books

Date:  October 16, 2012

Suitable for ages: 4 - 7
Themes: self-esteem, differences, acceptance
Fiction
Brief synopsis: Oddrey doesn't mind marching to the beat of a different drummer even though not everyone appreciates her differences. What will happen when she has to be a tree in her school play and ends up branching out to "save the show"?
Opening page:  Oddrey had always known she wasn't like everybody else.

Resources:

*Read a Quill & Quire review of Oddrey {here}.
*Download Oddrey activity pages from the publisher {here}.
*Find out more about Oddrey from CanLit {here}.
*Shining Willow award page and activity suggestions {here}.
*Compare and contrast it with Odd Velvet by Mary Whitcomb. 
*Ask students if Oddrey is a good name for this child
and let them support their answer in writing.

Why I like this book:  What's not to like. There's an adorable little odd-bird child with a smile that takes up her whole face who doesn't mind standing out in a crowd. In fact, she embraces it and actually revels in it a bit, even when it isn't necessarily applauded, appreciated or accepted. And though sometimes it left her feeling lonely and left out, Oddrey's ability to think for herself and "make the best of any situation" comes in handy. A lot. And then there's the play - The Wizard of Odd! Isn't that clever? When there's a problem at showtime, it's a resourceful, brave Oddrey (dressed as a tree) who not only roots for her friends but branches out to help them when they're struggling on stage. That's what friends are for, right? Here are my Wizard of Oz friends after our presentation at the 
2009 CEP Forum, just before we accepted our NSOC award. 
What, if anything, connects Dorothy and Oddrey?

Oddly enough, we just did our Self-Esteem Shields last week in small group feelings class. There aren't many parameters; basically students draw about what makes them unique. Here are a few of my faves:

This second grader drew a vase that tipped over and, even though the water spilled out, the flowers continue to thrive. Love this one,

 especially since she lost her father recently.

 This third-grade girl decided to draw a C for character and her flowers growing out of character soil. She explained that all of the fruit she drew represents to good stuff in her life because of her character choices. Yay! 

This one tugs at me because she included me in her family (MG)!
Is my heart swelling or what?

Have I mentioned there's a new Oddrey book - Oddrey and The New Kid - on the market now? But that's another review for another time.

Let's hear it for those cool, courageous kids 
who have healthy self-esteem and who celebrate standing out.

To see today's other PPBF picks, 
head to Susanna Leonard Hill's blog next.

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