This is the perfect time to remind them how to be good friends too.
You may know her book Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun: Having the Courage to Be Who You Are
, which is always a hit with the kiddos! Her new book, The Potato Chip Champ, is just as outstanding!This book tells the story of Champ and Walter. Champ, who loves baseball and potato chips, doesn't love Walter. In fact, he doesn't like him at all... and he can't figure out why anyone else likes him either. However, at the end, Walter's kindness changes Champ's mind!
This is a great book about friendship in the face of adversity, walking a mile in someone else's shoes, and, as the cover says, "Discovering Why Kindness Counts"!
I love Maria's books because her true and ultimate goal is to help build character in her readers- truly.
I hope you will check out her book on Amazon by clicking the picture below.
But... here's the best part... you can WIN a free, autographed copy of the book!!!!!!!!!!! Please leave me a comment with your e-mail address and tell me a way that you help teach character in your classroom. I'll choose a winner on Monday. What a great way to start a week!
If you have a second, check out the trailer for the book. I L-O-V-E that there are book trailers these days!
Giving class jobs to each of my kiddos to foster responsibility!
ReplyDeletecheriemae@gmail.com
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWe create a "respect web" that displays ways that we can show respect. Also, when talking about their actions we always discuss how those actions show respect to ourself and others.
ReplyDeletesmiddendorf21@gmail.com
I love that book trailer! This year we have been a part of Rachel's Challenge. So we have character lessons that we teach every single week! It has made a big difference in my kids this year!
ReplyDeleteadventuresinthird@gmail.com
Adventures of a Third Grade Teacher
This looks like a wonderful book! As a teacher I foster good character traits by modeling them as well as reading good quality storybooks that display traits that we all want to have.
ReplyDeletegrace2u {at} rogers {dot} com
Each of my students have a unique role in the classroom. The best part about roles is they can use them to their full potential and they can also reflect on to their peers. This allows my students to become strong, independent learners and leaders. Building character in the classroom means giving my students the opportunity to build confidence, self esteem and the ability to meet expectations for not only me but themselves as well. In my class, we build character as a team. We work together to be leaders. My students encourage each other daily and I love watching from the sidelines as they learn how to be successful and responsible learners and communicators.
ReplyDeletemegnbegn@yahoo.com
I'd love a copy of this book. I follow her blog. This book would help my 2nd graders with lessons on how to be unselfish and to think of others.
ReplyDeleteSusan in NC
susanlulu@yahoo.com
I like to do an activity called "Talking Behind Your Back." We discuss what that phrase means and the negativity associated with it. Then, I tape a piece of paper to everyone's back, and we go around writing NICE comments "behind" each other's backs! This activity really bonded everyone together and helped teach kindness.
ReplyDeleteRebecca
rebeccahallock@yahoo.com
I have an ASD classroom and we are constantly working on social skills, interactions, friendship, feelings, perspective taking, taking ownership of your behavior, how actions and behaviors affect what people think of you and almost any other skill you can think of that matters in the way people act, react, think, and feel each day. My kiddos love quality picture books and are always engaged in lessons that use them. I'd love to have a copy of this book to be able to incorporate into our lessons and activities as well as our general classroom library for them to refer to and read over and over.
ReplyDeleteLis
elisabeth.a.moriarty@gmail.com
Such a cute trailer! I do lots of role modeling in my classroom to help show students ways to treat others or handle problems. So far it has improved how they get along with one another.
ReplyDeletekellybrown28021@gmail.com
I, too, tary to model and recognize behavior that promotes kindness and respect. Sometimes, though, we all need an extra lesson.
ReplyDeleteI take a small tube of toothpaste. I have one or two children squeeze most of it out on a paper plate. Next I ask for a volunteer. I ask that student to put all of the toothpaste back into the tube. They can't! I explain that it it the same with our words to others. Even if we apologize, we can't really take back the hurtful words.
Barb
bjknerem@gmail.com
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIn my ESL room I do a lot of community building activities to try and combat the cultural tensions that come with my students from home. I am always looking for new team building and character-ed activities! Recently I had them stand in a circle and say one nice thing to the person to the right of them- that was a simple 5 minute activity that made a huge difference for the rest of the week.
ReplyDeleteMaria
maria.montroni@gmail.com
I've never heard of these books but they sound awesome! I have several boys who just won't come out of their shell and the Spaghetti in a Hot Dog bun sounds just perfect!
ReplyDeleteBridget
We read all sorts of books about being different and accepting others like Odd Velvet. It's important to do that all through the year not just in the beginning. And as a teacher you set the tone of respecting others.
ReplyDeletePeggy
meunier27@yahoo.com
We do role playing to learn about different ways to react to a variety of situations.
ReplyDeleteTania
Mysecondsense@gmail.com
We have class jobs & one of them is our "cheerleader" and celebrates other classmates for making good choices, being a friend, etc. This book sounds great!
ReplyDelete~Sara
sweetsarabowling@gmail.com
In our school we do a monthly activity with groups of each grade level. Each month focuses on a different character trait. Then, throughout the month, we discuss and reinforce each trait.
ReplyDeleteThese books look like a perfect fit!
Anne
kenney.anne@oakwoodschools.org
Lots of community building activities and putting ourselves in the other person's shoes when we're upset about something. This sounds like a great book!
ReplyDeletemelissa.schettler@gmail.com
I will have to check out this book. I am always looking for new books that will help my students learn how to treat each other (and themselves) nicely and with respect! I teach first grade and this is a difficult thing for them to understand at this age and it seems to get more difficult each year! We just started bucket filling again. I have used this in years past and I am starting it up again (I don't know why I fell away from it). So far, it has gotten a great response from the kids! The other day I came home and decided that if one more child hugged me or told me I was pretty or that they liked my shirt I was going to combust! LOL But at least they were trying to fill my bucket!
ReplyDeleteI also use a lot of character books. One of my favorites is Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon. Have you heard of it? Fabulous! And the kids love it because the pictures are so great!
Thank you for sharing!
Jessica
Hanging Out in First!
Every month we go over a different theme focusing on character education. We also use the bucket filling program with drops for students caught doing good. I would love to use this book during our celebration of capabilities week.
ReplyDeleteThanks.
Tracey V.
traceyv423@AOL.COM
This is my first year in 2nd grade, so I do not have any suggestions - yet! I will certainly welcome Maria's book as a starting point for me! Yes, I have do have "getting along" issues, and I need all the guidance I can find!!
ReplyDeleteThank you,
piccolal@bellsouth.net
I try to teach my students to live by the Golden Rule. We also do a program called Steps to Respect that helps teach character.
ReplyDeleteAimee
aimee@vanmiddlesworth.org
Pencils, Books, and Dirty Looks
I teach character in my classroom through the bucket filler books. I'm always looking for other kiddy lit books that build and teach character. Before the bucket filler books, I would type out scenarios that we would classify as helpful/hurtful, which is the terminology we use in our school-wide positive behavior plan. My email is aew204@gmail.com :)
ReplyDeletePicture books are the foundation for character in my room. "Hooway for Wodney Wat" is the first one we read at the beginning of the year. We make webs of the two main characters and ask the question, "Who do you want to be?" niketam@msn.com
ReplyDelete❀ Tammy
Forever in First
We have a word of the month that the kids write about. I also talk about respecting each other and what that could mean and entail. I use picture books to talk about things that are currently occurring in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteWe started learning about character with our Gingerbread Boy study. Grade 1's are so funny because they all decide everything should be a character - the oven, the river, etc. etc.! Would love to win.
ReplyDeleteI love the spaghetti book and cant wait to get this one!
ReplyDeleteWe take a few minutes at each meeting to give compliments to each other. We also took advantage of the Kindness Cub packet from TPT. It's ongoing, daily work in our first grade class!
So cute!
ReplyDeleteAt Christmas we hang up a Grinch and write random acts of kindness we see. We also write positive descriptive adjectives on our classmates' name posters. To foster responsibility I give each student a classroom job.
We have a monthly character trait that we talk about and teachers as well as students can recognize those who are displaying that trait. At the end of the month our class votes for the person they think exemplifies that trait and they win an award! I would love to have this book!!
ReplyDeleteAmy
theresourcefulroom@gmail.com
I would love a copy. As a school we do PBIS - positive behavior intervention supports. We focus on positive rather than negative behavior.
ReplyDeleteMegan
Skill514@aol.com
This book looks awesome! To teach character, I (try to) focus on students' positive behaviors and build them up when they are doing a good job. I also try to emphasize other students' feelings in situations to get students to relate how it feels when someone does something.
ReplyDeleteLiz
Teaching in the Valley
teachinginthevalley@gmail.com
We first read a book demonstrating the virtues then creating a book of what it looks like and then what it looks like to them :) Then we talk about how our room is like a family. It actually works :) We alsp use The bucket filler. Love it
ReplyDeleteMy rmail address is teacherndoc@live.com :)
DeleteIn my class we learn a poem every month. The first one is called Good Character Rules. This book sounds like a terrific addition for my classroom!
ReplyDeleteChrissy
First Grade Found Me
In my school we use the Great Expectations program, which is all about character development. Each week there is a school-wide focus life principle. We look for it in the stories we read in my class, the activities we do, and the stories I read to my class. These really stick with the kids, and they can readily recognize not only the one we're working on for the week, but previous ones too. This program makes a big difference.
ReplyDeleteJill
a.little.red.wagon123@gmail.com
We teach Character using literature and our Second Step program. Some of our favorite books include My Mouth is a Volcano and Personal Space Camp. This book would be a wonderful addition to our program.
ReplyDeleteNadine
nsnyder.k1@gmail.com
We have a compliment jar. Whenever we get a compliment from another teacher, the principal, etc. we put a "warm fuzzie" in the jar. When it is filled we have a small reward to celebrate all of our respectful behavior!
ReplyDeleteœKaryn
A is for Apple B is for Blog
Kideducator@comcast.net
One way I teach character in the classroom is actually by reading Spaghetti in a Hot Dog Bun and discussing how the children treat in other in the book.
ReplyDeleteMegan Hart
meg919@gmail.com
We are implementing Rachel's Challenge. Students write good deeds and we make a chain.
ReplyDeleteWe are implementing Rachel's Challenge. Students write good deeds and we make a chain.
ReplyDeleteSince my school is located on the university campus, I introduce "college words" each day during snack. These words are character traits that I hope my students will demonstrate. Each time I see one of the kiddos exhibiting the "college word" I make an announcement and they get to put a sticker on the word that is located on our special college word wall. The kids strive to exhibit their new college words.
ReplyDeletejwalker@acsd1.org
I would LOVE a copy of this book! Besides the daily morning meeting and community building, We JUST implemented Bucket Fillers last week whole-school, which has been super fun. I also do Second Step in my classroom on a weekly basis.
ReplyDeleteAngela :)
Hippo Hooray for Second Grade!
We use a whole school program based on the Champs PD. I would love to use more literature to teach character development though. ayeo@dowagiacschools.org
ReplyDeleteThis would be awesome to win! We do PBIS in our school and we talk a lot about the Respecting yourself, respecting others, and respecting others. This helps the kids be better people and to take pride in what they do and how they act. This book looks like it would fit in perfect with all of this.
ReplyDeleteMegan
meganhorman@gmail.com