Posts Tagged ‘life skills’

Don’t Hand Those Germs to Me!

Thursday, June 16th, 2016

Miss Pat noticed that Hector came in from recess with dirty hands and an open snack, which he continued to eat with his dirty hands. Oh no, thought Miss Pat, all those germs going into his mouth!

Before Miss Pat could speak to him, he scooped some snack with his hands and gave it to Willie, who put it in his mouth.

UGH, thought Miss Pat. No matter how many times I talk to them about when and why it is important to wash their hands…they forget. They forget about how germs are spread.

I know, she thought, it is time to visit the US Center for Disease Control, CDC, website that has a great graphic showing children how germs are spread.

Miss Pat called the class to order and asked everyone to focus on the White Board. Then she clicked on:

Dont Hand Those Germs to Me

The “Can Dos” stared at the graphic from the CDC. They couldn’t believe their eyes! It was so easy just to hand germs to others! It was also so easy to get germs from others who did wash their hands often.

The class got quiet. Then Hector and a few others raised their hands and asked to go wash their hands.

Great, thought Miss Pat. They got the message from the CDC graphic…it is so easy to spread germs!

Pocket

Tags: Can Do Kids, CDC, germs, Good Choices, hand washing, Hector, life skills, miss pat, Willie
Posted in germs | No Comments »

Flag Day!

Wednesday, June 8th, 2016

June 14-Flag Day! Let’s celebrate our flag flying 239 years!

Our flag is one of our most important national symbols.

On June 14, 1777, the Second Continental Congress passed the Flag Resolution, which said that the flag would be made up of thirteen alternating red and white stripes and thirteen white, five-pointed stars on a blue field. Stars have been added to the flag as new states join the Union.

The flag has 13 horizontal stripes that stand for the 13 original colonies; seven are red, and six are white. In the upper left corner there are 50 white stars on a blue background; these stand for the 50 states in our United States. The 50-star flag we use today dates from July 4, 1960, after Hawaii became the fiftieth state, but stars were added in the past as new states joined the Union.

Images of the United States flag can be seen in many places: flying from flagpoles of public buildings, flown from private homes during Flag Day and Federal holidays such as Independence Day, and worn as a lapel pin, among many others. The flag is also referred to by other names including the Stars and Stripes, Old Glory, and the Star-Spangled Banner.

Since 1916, Flag Day in the United States has been officially celebrated on June 14. Title 4, Section 6 of the United States Code (4 U.S.C. 6) has the official information on the flag, including the standard proportions, rules to observe when displaying the flag, and how to treat this national symbol properly.

American Flag Facts and Figures:

When Kentucky and Vermont were admitted to the Union, the flag expanded to 15 stars and 15 stripes, but was later changed back to 13 when it became clear that adding a stripe for each state would make the flag unmanageable.
The official first flag to have the present design with 50 stars was flown at Fort McHenry National Monument at 12:01 a.m in Baltimore, Maryland, on July 4, 1960.

Source: Kids.gov

Pocket

Tags: Can Do Kids, community center, Congress, Flag Day, Fort McHenry, life skills, Nellie, Old Glory, Stars and Stripes, United States Flag, Willie
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Do You Know Why Grandmas Have Wrinkles?

Wednesday, May 25th, 2016

Hector looked at Grandma Hattie and asked, “Grandma Hattie, why do grandmas have wrinkles?”

Willie glared at Hector and said, “That’s not a nice question to ask, Hector.” Hector got red in the face and answered, “I didn’t mean anything by it, Willie. It’s just that every grandma I know has wrinkles on her face.”

Grandma Hattie smiled and said, “It’s okay Willie. I don’t mind answering Hector’s question. It’s a fair question.”

“Well, said Grandma Hattie, There is the answer that talks about our skin aging as we get older, but I’d rather tell you my way of thinking about wrinkles. I think wrinkles are actually wisdom lines that appear in our faces as we grow older and get wiser and wiser.”

Orrie asked, “What kind of wisdom makes lines”? Grandma smiled and said, “Well, there is the wisdom that comes from learning about living through hard work, raising children, loving family and friends, and getting through tough times.”

Hector looked thoughtful and asked, “How come I don’t have any wrinkles”? Everyone laughed and grandma answered, “You are still very young. You are just learning about life. Your wrinkles will come when you get older.”

Everyone grew quiet. Then Willie asked,”Grandma, do you mind having wrinkles?’

Grandma Hattie gave her big grandma grin and answered, “No, I don’t. My wrinkles say that I am a wise woman, a woman that can help younger people, like you three, to live well and that’s my gift to share”

Pocket

Tags: Can Do Kids, Good Choices, Grandma Hattie, grandmas, life skills, wisdom, wrinkles
Posted in Do You Know? | No Comments »

The Vegetable Garden

Thursday, May 12th, 2016

Grandma Hattie is known all over “Can Do” Street for having the best vegetable garden.

Since the school was starting a vegetable garden, some of the “Can Dos” wanted to know just how Grandma Hattie takes care of her vegetable garden every year. They went to visit her after school to get some advice on what vegetables to plant and when to plant them. Most of all, they needed to know how to take care of the vegetable garden.

Grandma Hattie was pleased to see the boys and invited them into her kitchen. She had taken chocolate chip cookies out of the oven just before the boys arrived. They smelled so good!

While they all sat around the kitchen table eating cookies and drinking milk, Grandma Hattie shared the secrets of a good vegetable garden.The boys listened carefully. They nodded, took notes, and asked questions.

Then Orrie asked, “What should we grow?” Grandma Hattie smiled and opened a folder next to her on the table. She took out a word jumble and said,”Whatever vegetables you can find in the jumble, I have seeds for and you may have them.”

The boys all began working on the jumble. When they finished, Grandma Hattie gave them the packages of seeds for the vegetables they found.

Why don’t you try the jumble and see if you can find a vegetable or two or three or more? Just print out the page and try to see how many vegetables you find.

Here is a list of some vegetables you may find in the jumble: corn, carrots, peas, lettuce, onions and tomatoes.

Pocket

Tags: Can Do Kids, Good Choices, Grandma Hattie, jumble, life skills, plant, vegetables, word jumble
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Joining a Team for the 1st Time

Tuesday, May 3rd, 2016

In this story, Coach Campbell helps Bobby overcome his concerns about joining a team for the first time.

Hey Coach!

Hey there Bobby. What’s up? How ya’ doing?

Oh, not much…but, well, you know how you were talking to us last week about joining a team?

Sure do!

Well, there is a team I want to join, but I am kinda’ nervous about it.

Well, that is totally understandable.

It is?

Sure it is. I mean, you have never been on a team before. So many new things to deal with, like meeting new kids, new adults, going to practices, the list goes on. But, none of these things are too big for you to handle. In fact, you have already done these things before.

I have?

Yes, you have. Maybe you don’t remember your first time here at the Can Do Rec Center, but I sure do. You were a real wall-flower. You came in, quiet as a church mouse, not getting too far from the nearest wall, and just watching everything with real big eyes. I could tell you were a bit nervous, but that didn’t stop you from coming in, and taking a look around.

Oh yeah, I remember. Yeah, I was nervous. Everyone knew everybody, and you were pretty scary. Biggest person I ever saw up close.

Coach Campbell laughs….

Yeah, well…look at you now. You walk around this place like you own it. You know everybody, everybody knows you, and you are so over being nervous around me! If you could do it then, you can do it now. Now, here are some tips to help you out. First, be sure to listen to your coach. Be coachable.

Coachable?

Yeah, that means being able to listen to your coaches, and try your hardest to do what they are trying to teach you, the way they are teaching you to do it. It is probably the most important key to being successful on a team. Believe me, I am a coach a long time now, and there is nothing I like better than a kid who listens and works hard.

What if I am not that good at what they want me to do?

Don’t worry; most kids aren’t very good at first. Yeah, there will be some kids that are better than you right now, but don’t let that discourage you. You just keep doing the work, and you will get there. The coaches will recognize that effort, and appreciate it. I say it all the time as a coach, hard work beats talent that doesn’t work. It will take some time, but it is true. Hard work is what it takes to get better.

OK, but what if I don’t make any friends?

Oh, I am not worried about that, not at all. You will make friends, just like you did here. Don’t get me wrong, you may not become friends with every kid on the team. Heck, you might not even like every kid on the team. But, you don’t have to. You will make friends though, and I bet you some of them will be your friends for a real long time.

Remember, you are not the only one that is a bit nervous, and wants to make friends. In the time before, and after practice, you will get to know some kids. You will get to talking, and well, before you know it, you have some new friends.

So, you gonna’ go out for that team?

YEAH! I am going to go there today.

Super deal; let me know how it goes, OK?

You bet Coach. Thanks.

Story by: Ned Campbell, coach and teacher in Brooklyn, NY. He is the voice of Coach Campbell in the “Can Do” Street programs.

Parent Note: Coach Campbell has a post for parents on this same subject at http://candostreet.com/blog-parents/

Pocket

Tags: 3-8 yrs., bobby, Can Do Kids, Coach Campbell, coachable, coaches, games, Good Choices, kid 's story, life skills, sport, team, team player, team sport
Posted in team | No Comments »

Posts Tagged ‘life skills’

Don’t Hand Those Germs to Me!

Miss Pat noticed that Hector came in from recess with dirty hands and an open snack, which he continued to eat with his dirty hands. Oh no, thought Miss Pat, all those germs going into his mouth!

I know, she thought, it is time to visit the US Center for Disease Control, CDC, website that has a great graphic showing children how germs are spread.

Great, thought Miss Pat. They got the message from the CDC graphic…it is so easy to spread germs!

Flag Day!

June 14-Flag Day! Let’s celebrate our flag flying 239 years!

American Flag Facts and Figures:

Do You Know Why Grandmas Have Wrinkles?

Hector looked at Grandma Hattie and asked, “Grandma Hattie, why do grandmas have wrinkles?”

“Well, said Grandma Hattie, There is the answer that talks about our skin aging as we get older, but I’d rather tell you my way of thinking about wrinkles. I think wrinkles are actually wisdom lines that appear in our faces as we grow older and get wiser and wiser.”

Grandma Hattie gave her big grandma grin and answered, “No, I don’t. My wrinkles say that I am a wise woman, a woman that can help younger people, like you three, to live well and that’s my gift to share”

The Vegetable Garden

Grandma Hattie is known all over “Can Do” Street for having the best vegetable garden.

While they all sat around the kitchen table eating cookies and drinking milk, Grandma Hattie shared the secrets of a good vegetable garden.The boys listened carefully. They nodded, took notes, and asked questions.

Why don’t you try the jumble and see if you can find a vegetable or two or three or more? Just print out the page and try to see how many vegetables you find.

Joining a Team for the 1st Time

In this story, Coach Campbell helps Bobby overcome his concerns about joining a team for the first time.

Sure it is. I mean, you have never been on a team before. So many new things to deal with, like meeting new kids, new adults, going to practices, the list goes on. But, none of these things are too big for you to handle. In fact, you have already done these things before.

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