Counselor Story

Hello there, friend! Today, I'm going to share a story about making choices. That means every time we decide to do something, it can change how we feel or how others feel. Are you ready to listen?

Meet Alex

This is Alex. Alex is a lot like you – learning every day how to make good choices. Can you say, “Hi, Alex!”? Great job!

A Big Choice

One sunny day, Alex was in class and saw a brand new toy. It was shiny and fun! But Alex had a big decision to make. Alex could share the toy with friends or keep it all for themselves.

Now, let’s think together: What do you think Alex should do?

Sharing is Caring

Alex chose to share the toy with classmates. When Alex shared, everyone smiled, and all the friends felt happy playing together. How do you think Alex’s friend felt when they got to play? Excellent thinking!

Not Sharing

Imagine if Alex had decided not to share. What might have happened? Maybe friends would feel sad and lonely because they didn’t get to play. Can you tell me how you would feel if you were left out?

Our Choice Today

So, in our story, every choice had an impact. Alex's decision to share made the day wonderful for everyone!

Remember, you have choices every day. What are some choices you can make that help you and your friends feel happy?

Let’s think about it together and share our ideas. You're all doing such a great job making positive choices. Thank you for listening to Alex’s story, and I can’t wait to hear about the good choices you will make today!

My Choices Tracker

Today, we are going to think about the choices we made. Did we choose to share? Were we kind to our friends? Let's draw or mark our choices below.

My Good Choice

Draw a picture of one good choice you made today, like sharing, helping, or being kind.

What did I do?

My Not-So-Good Choice

Sometimes we make choices that might not be very kind. Draw a picture of one choice you made today that could be better.

What could I do differently next time?

Reflection

Think about both choices. What did you learn about making good choices?

Remember, every day is a new chance to make choices that help you and your friends feel happy!

Write or draw one more time about how you can make a positive choice tomorrow:

Emotion Charades Activity

This fun activity is designed to help you explore different emotions and understand how they can influence the choices we make. It’s a playful way to build emotional awareness and empathy!

Instructions:

1. Choose an Emotion:

   • Pick a card or have your teacher select an emotion for you. The card might say emotions like happy, sad, angry, surprised, or calm.

2. Act It Out:

   • Without using words, act out the emotion. Use your face, body, or gestures to show how the emotion feels.
     
     
     

3. Guess the Emotion:

   • If you’re acting the emotion, ask your friends to guess which emotion you are showing. When it's your turn to guess, listen closely and watch their actions.
     
     
     

4. Discuss Your Choice:

   • After each turn, talk about how that emotion might affect the choices we make. For example, you might say, "When I feel angry, I sometimes make choices that might upset others," or "When I’m happy, I choose to share my smiles and toys."
     
     
     

5. Reflect:

   • Think about one time you felt one of these emotions. How did it affect the choice you made? Share your thoughts with your teacher or a friend.
     
     
     

Follow-Up Questions:

• What did you enjoy about the activity?
  
  
  
• Was it easy or hard to show or guess an emotion? Why do you think that is?
  
  
  
• How can understanding our emotions help us make better choices around our friends?
  
  
  

Have fun and remember: every emotion is an important part of who you are, and understanding them helps you make choices that are good for you and your friends!

Game: Decision Pathway

Welcome to the Decision Pathway game! This interactive game is designed to help you choose your path and see the outcomes of your decisions. Here’s how to play:

How to Play:

1. Scenario Selection:
   

   • You will be given a simple scenario that you might encounter at school. Each scenario presents you with different choices.

2. Make a Choice:
   

   • Click on the option you think is best. Each choice affects the story differently!

3. See the Outcome:
   

   • After you make your choice, you will see how it affects you and your friends. Did your choice make everyone happy, or was there a lesson to learn?

4. Learn from Decisions:
   

   • Reflect on why the choice was good or not-so-good. Think about how different choices can change the outcome.

Game Benefits:

• Interactive Learning: See real-time consequences of the choices you make.
• Critical Thinking: Understand how each decision affects both you and others around you.
• Fun Engagement: Enjoy making choices in a game format while learning important lessons about personal accountability and self-regulation.

Ready to play and see where your decisions lead you? Let’s get started on your Journey of Choices!

(Teacher: Use this game to reinforce the lesson from our session. Allow the student to experience different scenarios and discuss the outcomes.)

My Choice Tree Project

This project invites you to create a tree that shows the different choices you can make and what might happen as a result of those choices. It’s a creative way to see how one decision can lead to many different outcomes!

Instructions:

1. Draw Your Tree:

   • Start by drawing a large tree with a sturdy trunk and many branches. This tree represents your journey of making choices.

2. The Trunk:

   • Write your name or a word like "Me" at the base of the tree to show where your choices come from.
     
     
     

3. Branches for Choices:

   • Draw branches coming out of the trunk. Each branch represents a different choice you might make. Label each branch with a word or picture (e.g., "Share", "Help", "Keep to Myself").
     
     
     

4. Leaves for Outcomes:

   • At the end of each branch, draw leaves that show what might happen as a result of that choice. For example, if you choose to share, draw happy faces or pictures of friends playing together. If you choose to keep to yourself, think about what might change—how might others feel?
     
     
     

5. Color Your Tree:

   • Use your favorite colors to bring your tree to life. Make the choices and outcomes bright so that you remember the good lessons about each one.
     
     
     

6. Share Your Tree:

   • When you’re finished, tell your teacher or friends about your tree. Explain why you made each choice and what you learned from the outcomes.
     
     
     

Reflection:

• What did you learn about making choices from creating your tree?
  
  
  
• How can you use what you learned to make even better decisions tomorrow?
  
  
  

Remember, every choice you plant can grow into something wonderful or something that needs care. This is your chance to see how you can make your day, and your world, a happier place!

Choices Quiz Answer Key

Below are the correct answers along with explanations to help guide the teacher in providing feedback to the student.

Question 1

Prompt: Imagine you have a toy and your friend sees it. What does it mean to share?

Correct Answer: B) Let your friend play with it

Explanation: Sharing means allowing someone else to enjoy the toy along with you. It is a way of showing kindness and consideration for your friend.

Question 2

Prompt: What might happen if you choose not to share a toy with your friend?

Correct Answer: A) Your friend might feel lonely

Explanation: When you don’t share, your friend might feel left out or lonely because they cannot join in the fun. It helps to share so everyone can enjoy the activity together.

Question 3

Prompt: How do you feel when you share your toys with your friends? (Likert scale question)

Note: This is a self-assessment question. Teachers should listen to the student's response and encourage discussion about the feelings associated with sharing. There is no single correct answer here; rather, it’s a way for the student to reflect on their emotions.

Question 4

Prompt: In your own words, what can you do to help a friend feel included when they are alone?

Note: This is an open-ended question meant to gauge the student’s understanding of inclusion and kindness. There is no one correct answer. Teachers should look for responses that mention inviting the friend to join in, playing with them, or doing something kind to make them feel welcome.

Question 5

Prompt: If you see a friend playing alone, what is a good choice you can make?

Correct Answer: B) Invite them to join your game

Explanation: Inviting a friend who is alone to join your game is a kind gesture that helps everyone feel included. This promotes positive social interactions and makes sure no one feels left out.

Feedback Suggestions

• For multiple-choice and Likert scale questions, be sure to review why sharing is important and how it affects everyone’s feelings.
• For open-response questions, encourage detailed answers and praise thoughtful responses that demonstrate empathy and understanding.
• Use these explanations as discussion points to further reinforce the concepts of sharing and inclusion.

This answer key provides the teacher with clear guidance on each question's purpose and expected understanding. Use it to facilitate a supportive review session with the student.

Feelings Flashcards

This warm-up activity is designed to introduce you to different emotions using flashcards. Look at each flashcard and name the feeling you see.

Activity Instructions:

• Step 1: Your teacher will show you a series of flashcards with pictures depicting different emotions (happy, sad, angry, surprised, calm, etc.).
• Step 2: As you see each flashcard, say the emotion out loud. If you're not sure, try to guess and your teacher will help you.
  
  
  

Reflection:

• Think about a time when you felt each emotion. How did it feel?
  
  
  

Let's get started and have fun with our flashcards!