Learning Guide to Accompany Kindness - The Children's Hour
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
Learning Guide to Accompany
Kindness
The Children’s Hour radio show podcast
https://www.childrenshour.org/kindness/
the quality of being friendly, generous, and
considerate; a kind act.
— English Oxford Living Dictionaries
We hope you enjoyed listening to our interview with guest artist Lindsay Munroe. Check out her website
here: https://www.lindsaymunroemusic.com/
This guide will help you to understand and practice kindness. Also, it will link you to some resources
where you can learn more. Connect to Curriculum here.
Kindness – Learning Guide – Jan 2022 1
About Us
The Children’s Hour Inc is a New Mexico-based non-profit organization that produces an award-winning
children’s radio program that is educational, entertaining, and engaging, and includes kids who
participate in its creation. The program is internationally syndicated broadcasting on more than 120
public radio stations worldwide. Program themes focus on civics, STEM, culture, and music education,
featuring New Mexico children as co-hosts and lead interviewers. Katie Stone has been the executive
producer of The Children’s Hour for 20 years.
For more information, contact: Katie Stone | (505) 850-3751 | katie@childrenshour.org
©2022 The Children’s Hour Inc
Tell us about you!
We at the Children’s Hour would like to know:
1. How old are you?
2. Was this your first time listening to a radio show or podcast for kids?
3. Was this radio show less fun or more fun compared to other things you do for fun, like playing
video games or watching TV?
Less fun More fun
4. Would you listen to a radio show again if you could?
5. Of everything you heard in the radio show, what will you remember most?
If you would like to draw a picture about anything you learned on the radio show, you can do so below,
or on a blank page. Scan and email it to us, and we may display it on our online space.
If you would like to tell the creators of this radio show
something in your own voice, you can send a voice message
to The Children’s Hour here: https://www.childrenshour.org.
Look for the orange button and click to record.
Kindness – Learning Guide – Jan 2022 2
What We Know About Kindness Watch this short video The Science of Kindness: https://youtu.be/O9UByLyOjBM The science of kindness is a rapidly evolving field encompassing several disciplines. We are finding that kindness can be taught, learned, and practiced daily for some amazing health benefits. And it’s not just the recipients of kindness who benefit. People who practice kindness also experience many advantages. Here’s what we know: Studies have shown that when you perform an act of kindness, it will flood your body with hormones that give you a rush of good feelings. You feel calmer, more connected, and happier. And the person you’re being kind to feels the same way. You’ll both be more energized, feel fewer aches and pains, and get a boost in confidence. Some evidence even shows that kindness affects our DNA in a way that may help us live longer. Neuroscience confirms that the “warm glow” feeling is because when we are kind to others it activates the reward areas of our brain, so we get the same feeling as when we eat yummy food or get a pleasant surprise. Kindness can cause more kindness. Both the doer and the recipient of kindness experience a rush of good feelings. If that act of kindness is observed by a third person, that person experiences good feelings, too, and they will be motivated to be kind to someone else. In fact, just hearing that someone else has behaved kindly can motivate us to do the same. Temper tantrums aside, research shows that children of all ages have the capacity to act kindly, to help another person. Kindness – Learning Guide – Jan 2022 3
The Bio-molecules of Kindness
Being kind causes your brain to release molecules that make your body feel good:
is produced in the brain. It is sometimes called the cuddle hormone*
because it is released when people snuggle up or bond socially. Even playing
with your dog can cause an oxytocin surge. It reduces blood pressure, and
makes you feel more trusting, more loving and loved.
is known as the feel-good neurotransmitter**. The brain releases it to
create feelings of pleasure and satisfaction. It boosts your mood,
motivation, and attention.
is a neurotransmitter that regulates mood. It heals your wounds, calms you
down, and makes you feel good. Serotonin also helps with sleeping, eating,
and digestion.
are the body's natural painkillers. Endorphins are group of peptide
hormones released by the brain in response to pain or stress. These
biochemicals both relieve your pain and create a general feeling of well-
being.
*hormone a biological molecule that functions in the control of cells and tissues in the
body. A hormone fits to a receptor on a target cell.
**neurotransmitter a chemical messenger that that carries information between nerve cells.
The good news is that a simple act of kindness can reward our bodies with these feel-good biochemicals.
However, the effect doesn't last. A single act of kindness boosts oxytocin for only about 3 to 4 minutes.
So, kindness should be a practice — something we do habitually every day.
Watch psychologist Dacher Keltner, professor and founding director of the Greater Good Science Center
at UC Berkeley, talk about his research and define empathy as a brain process: We Are Built to be Kind:
https://youtu.be/SsWs6bf7tvI
Kindness – Learning Guide – Jan 2022 4
is a sometimes difficult decision
to show another person friendship,
to give to others,
or to consider how
another person might be feeling.
It’s rarely a “random” act.
We must be intentional
about kindness.
Kindness requires
real bravery
and strength
of character.
Kindness – Learning Guide – Jan 2022 5
Kindness – Learning Guide – Jan 2022 6
100 Kind Things You Can Do
We have compiled a list of kind things that kids can do (with adult guidance). Which ones would you like
to do?
1. After you visit a local business, write a 36. Hold the door open for someone.
positive review online. 37. Hold the elevator for someone.
2. Ask a senior person to talk about old times. 38. If you’re getting a new pet, adopt a homeless
And listen. one, rather than buying one from a breeder.
3. Before you post something on social media, 39. Keep a coin bank and when it’s full, donate
check that you can “yes” for three criteria: Is the cash to a good cause.
it true? Is it kind? Is it necessary? 40. Leave a gift for your mail carrier; take a gift
4. Bring cookies for the custodians. to your post office clerk.
5. Buy lemonade from a stand and let the kids 41. Leave coins at the laundromat.
selling it know how delicious it is. 42. Leave refreshments for the delivery worker.
6. Buy raw, local honey. 43. Leave the closer parking space for someone
7. Buy something second hand or used. else.
8. Call someone you haven’t spoken to in a 44. Lend your umbrella to someone without one
while. Talk with them. when it’s raining.
9. Carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer in your 45. Let someone go ahead you.
pocket; use it and share it. 46. Link a charity to your family’s Amazon Smile
10. Carve or paint positive messages on your (smile.amazon.com) account.
Halloween pumpkins. 47. Make an original bookmark for your librarian
11. Clean up a mess, even if you didn’t make it. or bookseller.
12. Define empathy and list some examples. 48. Make your bed.
13. Donate a book to a library. 49. Organize a fundraiser/collection for
14. Donate a toy to charity. someone in need.
15. Donate food to a food bank. 50. Pass out stickers to kids waiting in line.
16. Donate new school supplies. 51. Pay for someone else.
17. Donate pet food to an animal shelter. 52. Pick up litter.
18. Donate your clean used towels and/or 53. Plant a tree.
blankets to a shelter. 54. Post inspirational quotes on your social
19. Donate your outgrown clothes. media.
20. Eat foods that were grown/raised locally. 55. Rake leaves or shovel snow for a neighbor.
21. Feed someone else’s parking meter. 56. Read to a young person (or an old person).
22. Feed the birds. 57. Reminisce. Talk with a friend or family
23. Find out something new about a classmate member about times you have shared
or coworker; get to know someone. together.
24. Gift a book to someone. 58. Replace older light bulbs with energy
25. Give food and/or drink to someone. efficient ones.
26. Give someone a coupon for a free hug. 59. Return found items to the owner.
27. Go for a walk outside. 60. Reuse or repurpose gift wrapping.
28. Hang clothes out to dry instead of using a 61. Ride your bike or walk, instead of going by
machine to dry. car.
29. Have a vegetarian day; eat meat-free for 24 62. Run errands in clusters, to reduce your use
hours. of fuel.
30. Help clear the table after the meal. 63. Say kind words to someone. (See page 10.)
31. Help prepare a meal. 64. Send a “get well” card.
32. Help someone study/do homework. 65. Send a (handmade) card of appreciation.
33. Help to carry things. 66. Send a care package to the troops.
34. Help with laundry. 67. Share a favorite recipe.
35. Help with yard work. 68. Share your lunch or candy.
Kindness – Learning Guide – Jan 2022 769. Sing a song for someone. 85. Tip your server generously.
70. Stop yourself from complaining. 86. Turn off the water while brushing your teeth.
71. Stop yourself from judging someone. 87. Use a (reusable) travel coffee mug or water
72. Take treats to the fire station. bottle.
73. Talk about a thing that brings you joy or 88. Use an e-ticket instead of paper.
makes you happy. 89. Use chalk to create positive drawings and/or
74. Talk about a thing that made you feel angry. messages on sidewalks.
75. Talk about a time when your actions affected 90. Visit with your elders.
someone else’s feelings. 91. Walk the shopping cart all the way back to
76. Talk about your feelings. the store.
77. Talk with the new person. 92. Walk/run for a charity.
78. Tell a joke or funny story or clown around – 93. When you wear a face mask, be sure it is
spread laughter. always covering both your nose and mouth.
79. Tell police and military workers: “Thank you 94. Work in a community garden.
for your service.” 95. Write a poem for someone.
80. Tell someone how much they mean to you. 96. Write a thank you note.
81. Tell the principal how great your teacher is. 97. Write an encouraging note to someone.
82. Text someone “Good Morning” or “Sweet 98. Write out someone’s best qualities and give
Dreams” or a special emoji, to let them know it to them.
you’re thinking about them. 99. Write someone a handwritten letter.
83. Tidy up your room. 100. Do any of these things without expecting
84. Tip a busker. anything in return.
Honeycomb: A Game of Kind Acts
The potential for kind acts is everywhere, but it’s not always easy to know what to do or how to do it.
We know that your own body will reward you for being kind, just as it does when you exercise. So
what if you practice building your “kindness muscle” by playing this game…
How to play:
1. First, complete your game board (on page 9). In each blank cell, write a number 1 through 99
that matches to a kind act on the list on pages 7 & 8. Some have already been filled in for you.
2. How to advance: Place your marker on the BEGIN cell. Then choose an adjacent cell to move
your marker into. You must then accomplish the kind act that matches that number. Once the
act is done, you may move to another cell and do the next kind act. You may only move your
marker to an adjacent cell.
3. It may take you a several days to reach the GOAL. Try to accomplish at least one act of
kindness per day.
4. There are two PRIZE cells. If you land on these cells, you win a prize! (Maybe your parent or
teacher will state the prize ahead of time. Maybe it’s an act of kindness you do for yourself –
also called “self-care”.)
5. If there are two or more players, it’s okay for two or more markers to occupy the same cell.
6. You may take the shortest route to the GOAL, or you may try to visit as many cells as possible.
You decide how to win the game!
Kindness – Learning Guide – Jan 2022 899
76
31
Kindness – Learning Guide – Jan 2022 9Kind Words
“Imagine what our neighborhoods would be like if
Before you say it, ask yourself…
each of us offered, as a matter of course, just one
kind word to another person.” – Mr. Rogers
Has anyone ever said something unkind
to you?
What were those words, and how did
they make you feel?
Why do people say unkind things?
Do you choose your words carefully?
Before you say something to someone,
are you thinking about how it will affect
their feelings?
Do you use words that raise people up?
Look at the phrases below. Have someone read each phrase aloud to you:
1. “Go away, I don’t want you here.”
2. “Will you please leave me alone for a minute, I need some time to myself right now.”
3. “I like spending time with you.”
4. “You’re a loser.”
5. “I am never going to play with you again.”
How do those words make you feel? Draw a picture to show your feelings. Or describe your
feelings using words.
Why did the speaker say that? What must they be feeling?
Are the words kind? If that phrase is not kind, could it be re-worded to say the same thing
but in a kind way?
“Words are powerful little things that add up to big consequences. When we stop and think
before we speak, we can change someone’s day… When we speak encouraging words, we are
giving people around us an emotional boost of hope, support, and confidence. We are building
stronger relationships.” – Shanna
These online blogs give examples of kind words:
100 Kind Things to Say: https://embraceenthusiasm.net/2018/12/11/100-kind-things-to-say/
601 Incredibly Nice Things to Say to People Every Day: https://www.thegrowthreactor.com/nice-things-
to-say-to-people/
Kindness – Learning Guide – Jan 2022 10Kindness Meditation for Kids Metta meditation is a type of Buddhist meditation to encourage positive energy and kindness toward others. The practice is also known as loving-kindness meditation. The goal of this type of meditation is to cultivate kindness for all beings, including yourself, family, friends, neighbors, acquaintances, difficult people in your life, and even animals. This meditation involves reciting positive phrases toward yourself and other beings. Like other types of meditation, the practice is beneficial for mental, emotional, and physical health. Its benefits include increased self-compassion, decreased stress and anxiety, and decreased physical pain. Follow this guided meditation to create feelings of kindness and warmth toward yourself and others: https://insighttimer.com/mindfullittles/guided-meditations/kind-wishes-for-the-world Kindness in America Filmmaker John Hoffman looks for evidence of kindness by asking: • How do we raise our children? • How do we live and work together? • How do we teach our children? • How do we welcome the stranger? • How do we take care of the sick and the dying? • How do we lead? These questions are explored in The Antidote: Stories of Kindness, Decency and the Power of Community in America, a documentary film by Kahane Cooperman and John Hoffman that weaves together stories of kindness, decency, and the power of community in America. It's about everyday people who make the intentional choice to lift others up. Watch it at: https://theantidotemovie.com/ Kindness – Learning Guide – Jan 2022 11
Resources for Parents and Teachers
What we do and don't know about kindness: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210921-what-we-
do-and-dont-know-about-kindness
Random Acts of Kindness Day® is Thursday February 17, 2022
Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) Foundation: kindness resources including videos, school curricula, a
kindness challenge journal, and a kindness calendar: https://www.randomactsofkindness.org
Won’t You Be My Neighbor? is a documentary film that reflects on Fred Rogers’ legacy of kindness, and
the profound and lasting effect his innovative approach to television had on millions of children. Mister
Rogers offered a calm and stable presence, tackling life’s weightiest issues in a simple, direct way. Watch
the documentary: https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/documentaries/wont-you-be-my-neighbor/
In the new book How to Raise Kids Who Aren’t Assholes: Science-Based Strategies for Better Parenting
– from Tots to Teens, author Melinda Wenner Moyer describes ways for parents to encourage kindness
in the home environment:
1. Talk about and validate feelings – yours, other peoples, and your children’s. Tie your kids’
actions to their effects on other people. (We have included some prompts about feelings in our
100 Kind Things on pages 7 & 8.)
2. Let your kids help around the house and encourage them to donate time and resources to
meaningful causes. (We have included some prompts about helping in our 100 Kind Acts on
pages 7 & 8.)
3. Make the
expectations you
have for your
children’s
behavior explicit.
Discuss them as a
family. Create
house rules and
post them on the
fridge.
4. Model kindness
and generosity
yourself.
Kindness – Learning Guide – Jan 2022 12Connect to Curriculum
http://www.corestandards.org
https://www.nextgenscience.org/
https://www.positiveaction.net/blog/sel-competencies
https://artinaction.org/standards/
Information/Activity Core Idea Learning Standards
p.3 What We Know Read and comprehend informational texts, including Common Core ELA RI
About Kindness history/social studies, science, and technical texts... 10
p.4 The Bio- Read and comprehend informational texts, including Common Core ELA RI
molecules of history/social studies, science, and technical texts... 10
Kindness
Each sense receptor responds to different inputs Next Gen Science
(electromagnetic, mechanical, chemical), transmitting them
MS-LS1-8
as signals that travel along nerve cells to the brain. The
signals are then processed in the brain, resulting in
immediate behaviors or memories.
p.5&6 Coloring Create art that represents natural and constructed NCAS
environments.
Creating #2 K
Describe what an image represents.
Responding #7 K
p.7,8,9 100 Kind Consider and understand your own emotions, thoughts, SEL: Self Awareness
Things Board Game values, and experiences, and how these can influence your
actions.
Improving skills like your ability to empathize with others, SEL: Social Awareness
your ability to take the perspective of those in different
situations to you, your awareness of other diverse
individuals and groups, and your ability to make sure you are
treating others fairly.
p.10 Kind Words Consider and understand your own emotions, thoughts, SEL: Self Awareness
values, and experiences, and how these can influence your
actions.
Make positive and constructive choices based on individual SEL: Responsible
and social factors like personal and academic goals, ethical Decision Making
standards, safety concerns and social norms.
p.11 Kindness Improving skills like your ability to empathize with others, SEL: Social Awareness
Meditation your ability to take the perspective of those in different
situations to you, your awareness of other diverse
individuals and groups, and your ability to make sure you are
treating others fairly.
p.11 The Antidote Being part of a group helps animals obtain food, defend Next Gen Science
movie watching themselves, and cope with changes. Groups may serve
3-LS2-1
different functions and vary dramatically in size.
Kindness – Learning Guide – Jan 2022 13You can also read
