CHARACTER COUNTS! Kindness 101

Joy – Little Boy Shares His Love for Vacuum Cleaners

Sometimes the simplest things can bring us joy and fulfillment.

Joy
Grade Level: K-12
 
Character Skills
  • Fairness
  • Caring
SEL Skills
  • Self-Awareness
  • Self-Management
Academic Skills
  • Curiosity and Passion

Definitions

Fairness
  • Play by the rules.
  • Take turns and share.
  • Be open-minded. Listen to others.
  • Don’t take advantage of others.
Caring
  • Do what you are supposed to do. Try your best.
  • Persevere. Keep on trying.
  • Be self-disciplined.
  • Think before you act. Consider the consequences.
  • Be accountable for your words, actions, and attitudes.
Self-Awareness

Identify and understand emotions, values, attitudes, motivations, mindsets, and personal attributes.

Self-Management 

Regulate emotions, attitudes, and actions and resist negative emotions and impulses. 

Curiosity and Passion

Enthusiastic to understand more about themselves, others, and the world around them.

Learn more about our character, SEL, and academic outcomes.
Share This Activity
The Ray Center at Drake University
CBS News

Students will learn about the power of joy from a young boy who has found his passion.

Download Google Slides
activiate prior knowledge

Activate Prior Knowledge

  • What makes you happy?
  • What is the definition of joy?
    • Joy is a feeling of happiness.
Kindness 101

Kindness 101 Video

discussion

Discussion Prompts

  • In the video, Kyle found great joy in vacuum cleaners. What are some things that bring you joy that others may not initially find joyful? 
  • How can you encourage a friend to lean into their joy? Why is this important?
  • How do you maintain joy as you grow up?
  • Why is joy important?
materials

Activity Materials

  • Magazines and newspapers (to create a collage) or access to Google Slides or PowerPoint. 
  • Glue
  • Paper
activity

Activity: Collage of Joy

  • Students will create a collage of things that bring them joy. Collages can be created using magazine and newspaper clippings or Google Slides/PowerPoint.
  • Instruct students to find a collection of images that represent things that bring them happiness.
  • Give students the opportunity to share their collages. Encourage them to highlight a few specific things that bring them joy.
  • Follow-up questions:
    •  How many of you found another classmate with similar interests that bring them joy?
    • What are some new interests that you learned that your classmates have?
journal prompts

Journal Prompts

K-5

  • How do you express joy?
  • Describe someone or something that makes you feel joyful.

6-12

  • What are some things that brought you joy as a young kid that still bring you joy today?
  • Is feeling joy constant, or is it something that comes and goes? Explain your answer.
family connection

Family Connection

Educators: Copy the Family Connection and email it to parents, or click here to download a PDF version to email or print.

Watch
Watch the video as a family: https://youtu.be/7J9-ZAvuaSc.

Discuss
Use these questions to start meaningful conversations about joy.

  • What does joy mean to you?
  • What about our family brings you joy?
  • How can we encourage each other to lean into joy?

More Kindness 101

CHARACTER COUNTS! Lessons and Activities

 

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