Kiptown School • Standards • Books • Websites • Off-Screen Activities

The Kiptown School focuses on social-emotional skills. Practicing these skills helps children understand themselves, form constructive social relationships and relate to the larger world. The activities at the Kiptown School allow children to practice making choices, completing a challenging task, resolving conflicts, and taking responsibility.

 

Standards

School Main Screen

Standard: Social-Emotional Strand 4: Approaches to Learning Concept 1: Curiosity The child is inquisitive about new experiences. b. Shows interest in learning new things and trying new experiences. Back to top

School Activity 1

The child practices making choices.

Standard: Social-Emotional Strand 4: Approaches to Learning Concept 1: Curiosity The child is inquisitive about new experiences. a. Selects an activity when choices are provided. Back to top

School Activity 2

The child practices pursuing challenges.

Standard: Social-Emotional Strand 4: Approaches to Learning Concept 3: Persistence The child demonstrates the ability to maintain and sustain a challenging task. b. Pursues challenges. Back to top

School Activity 3

The child practices cooperative behavior.

Standard: Social-Emotional Strand 2: Social Interactions with Others Concept 2: Cooperation The child demonstrates the ability to give and take during social interactions. b. Demonstrates positive ways to resolve conflict. Back to top

School Activity 4

The child practicesresponsible behavior.

Standard: Social-Emotional Strand 3: Responsibility for Self and Others Concept 2: Respect The child acknowledges the rights and property of self and others. d. Participates in cleaning up the learning environment. Back to top

Books

Klise, Kate. Why Do You Cry? Not a Sob Story New York: Henry Holt and Company, 2006.

Kraus, R. Leo the Late Bloomer. New York: Windmill Books, 1971.

McPhail, David. Pig Pig Grows Up. New York: Penguin Young Readers Group, 1980.

Viorst, Judith. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1987.
Websites

Carle, Eric. The Very Lonely Firefly. New York: Penguin Young Readers Group, 1999.

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Websites

• Talaris Institute

• PBS Parents "The Secrets of Your Child's Social Life"

• Mr. Roger's Neighborhood "Brave & Strong: Activities for Parents"

• PBS Parents "Guide to Creativity"

• A Place of Our Own "Getting Kids to Share"
  

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Off-Screen Activities

School house Role play

It is important for children to develop the ability to cooperate with their peers and other adults in varied settings. To help your child develop these skills, you may wish to do role-playing activities where you act out a variety of scenarios your child might encounter in school. First, model the behaviors yourself by role-playing with another adult or older child. Then invite your child to role-play with you. Possible scenarios include what to do when someone won't share, what to do when someone takes something from you, name-calling, waiting your turn, standing in a line, and listening to a teacher. Practice specific things to say such as "I'm using it. You can have it when I'm done," "I'd like to have a turn," "Please give that back to me," "I don't like when you say that," or "Can I help you put that puzzle together?"

It is my job!

As children interact with others, they begin to learn about the boundaries of acceptable behavior. An important part of this development is developing a sense of ownership in the school environment. Sit down with your child and make a list of all the jobs that are done by the people living in your household. Write down all the jobs on a large piece of chart paper. When you visit different places in your neighborhood and community, encourage your child to notice the jobs that people are doing. You may wish to visit places similar to those in Kiptown such as a grocery store, park, restaurant, firehouse and school. When you return from each place, talk about the different jobs that people do. Discuss the person and what he or she is responsible for doing. Add the different jobs to your list. Engage in conversations about what people do, and what they are responsible for. Help your child make the connection between these jobs, a sense of responsibility, and the jobs kindergarten children are expected to do in the classroom.

Ten block towers: How many times will you try?

In both home and school settings, your child will encounter many tasks that require persistence. The ability to keep working at a challenging task is an important part of learning. One way to practice this skill is by playing a game called "Ten Block Towers." Set up building blocks with your child. Stack the blocks to build a tall tower. Tell your child you are going to try to build a tower with 10 blocks. When you get close to the end, place the last block in a position that you know will cause the tower to fall. Ask your child how many times he or she thinks you are going to try to build the tower again. Set a goal for how many times you will try to accomplish this task. Then ask your child to choose how many times he or she will attempt to build a ten-block tower.

It's my choice!

Children often have much of their daily lives planned for them, but it is important to develop the ability to make choices. One way to do this is to declare an "It's My Choice Day!" event in your home. Give your child a day where he or she makes choices about what to do. Provide a variety of options that are new to your child. For example, provide three new breakfast choices, three new places to explore (parks, museums, pet store, etc.), three new art activities, or three songs to listen to. Celebrate your child's choices by talking about how important it is to choose something that you are curious about, and to try new experiences.

Let's laugh!

It is important to develop the ability to express one's unique way of seeing the world. Humor is an important part of this ability. A creative child has a sense of humor and is able to appreciate silly things. You can help your child appreciate humor by reading humorous books or by sharing humorous stories and jokes. You may wish to host a family fun night. Each family member might share a joke, tell a story, recite a poem, or sing a silly song. Your local library contains books that contain jokes and silly stories if you need ideas. A wonderful book with a collection of humorous poems about mammals is Douglas Florian's Mammalabilia.

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