National School Counseling Week 2024 presents a unique opportunity for school counselors to emphasize the importance of kindness in elementary schools. Fostering a culture of kindness not only creates a welcoming environment but also encourages positive peer interactions and promotes empathy. This blog post introduces the “100 Acts of Kindness” bulletin board activity, a simple yet powerful tool for school counselors to implement in their schools or guidance lessons.

Creating a Culture of Kindness

1. Objective: To encourage elementary students to perform and recognize acts of kindness, thereby fostering a culture of empathy and care within the classroom and beyond.
2. Materials Needed: “100 Acts of Kindness” printable PDF bulletin board kit; tape or staples.
3. Preparation:
   • Print all pages of the “100 Acts of Kindness” bulletin board kit.
   • Cut out the provided pictures, letters/words, and text box cutouts.

Lesson Execution

1. Introduction to Kindness (10 minutes): Start with a classroom discussion on what kindness means and the different ways we can show kindness to others. Highlight the importance of being kind to friends, peers, adults in the school, and community members.
2. Setting Up the Bulletin Board (10 minutes): Explain the “100 Acts of Kindness” bulletin board. Each time a student performs an act of kindness noticed by you or their classmates, they will fill out a heart and add it to the bulletin board. The collective goal is to reach 100 acts of kindness by the month’s end.
3. Recognizing Acts of Kindness (Throughout the month): Encourage students to look for opportunities to be kind and acknowledge when they see acts of kindness around them. As acts are recognized, have students fill out hearts and add them to the bulletin board.

Benefits of the “100 Acts of Kindness” Activity

• Fosters Empathy: By actively participating in acts of kindness, students learn to understand and share the feelings of others.
• Boosts Self-Esteem: Being recognized for kindness helps increase students’ self-esteem and sense of belonging.
• Promotes a Positive Classroom Environment: A focus on kindness helps create a more inclusive and welcoming classroom atmosphere.

Conclusion

The “100 Acts of Kindness” bulletin board activity is more than just a school project; it’s a movement towards creating a more empathetic, caring, and inclusive school environment. As school counselors, you have the ability to guide and nurture these values in your students. With that in mind, let’s use National School Counseling Week 2024 as a springboard to spread kindness like never before.

Remember, every act of kindness, no matter how small, is a step towards a better world. By implementing this simple, no-prep activity in your classroom, you’re not only reaching a goal of 100 acts of kindness but also instilling lifelong values in your students.

Sample Video

Students learn best from watching real students their own age model skills. Try out this sample video lesson below from our fifth-grade SEL curriculum. We offer our entire Social-Emotional Learning platform free for 30 days here!

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