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< PreviousSeason 4 : Big Kids EditionLeadership and Empowerment for All Ages 10 Strategy Spotlight: Stop, Drop, and Roll Aliyah Cook, a youth development activist, has three steps you can take as an ELO provider to connect with and empower the children in your program. She calls these steps Stop, Drop, and Roll. It is important that children have a place in society. Children should be heard when they speak up. As an ELO provider, you can form this empowering relationship with children in your program. Listening with the intent of understanding, and using the privilege you have as an adult to get youth voices to places they normally couldn’t access, is key to moving towards a just, equitable society. Empowering children and making their voices heard uplifts entire programs, communities, and societies. “I hope that kids can really have a place in our society and that they are really heard and can speak up.” - Aliyah Cook Check Out Some Two-Minute Tips About Leadership and Empowering Youth STOP: “Stands for stop. Think about yourself as a person, as an adult, as an educator. Are you warm and welcoming to children?” Evaluate yourself as an adult and regularly reflect on if you have created a safe, welcoming space for children. DROP: “Drop to the level of youth to better understand them. Look children in the eye and treat them as human beings that they are. Take the time to listen and understand them.” It is important to really listen to children and hear what they are passionate about. ROLL: “Once you have an understanding of your children, you can help them with the conflicts in their lives. Keep rolling with youth.” Be supportive, and provide resources and guidance to help students make changes that they identify. Pause and Reflect • How do you plan to “drop” down and get to know the children in your program today? • How do you “roll” with the interests of the children in your program? Two-Minute Tips are quick, simple, research-based strategies for ELO and Early Childhood Education (ECE) professionals. Each tip contains a short introduction, links the strategy to research-based outcomes, provides short practice tips for implementation, and shows a video of the strategy in action. Take a look at these Two-Minute Tips about leadership and empowering youth: Integrating Youth Voice and Developing Leaders. 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We’re going to paint our pots, learn how to pot plants, and take care of our herbs.” Preparation Prepare your indoor garden space by identifying a sunny place ideally near a widow. Each child will need a terra-cotta pot. You can paint these in advance and use plastic lids or trays for drainage. Gardening can get messy, so find an easy-to-clean space or outdoor area when potting your plants. Materials Needed 1. Small 4.5-inch or larger terra-cotta pots (one per participant). Make sure the pot has a drainage hole in the bottom. 2. Pots have a drainage hole (this is important for plant health), you will want a way to protect the surface the pot is on. Use a clean plastic lid from any yogurt or nut butter container, or purchase a thin plastic tray. 3. (Optional) Assorted acrylic paint, paint brushes, paint trays/plates. 4. Potting soil (an 8- or 16-quart bag should be plenty). 5. Plants: 3-ounce basil and/or mint plant (one per participant). • Plant “starts” are small plants that you can purchase at any garden or home improvement store. Ensure the plant starts are smaller than the terra-cotta pots. For example: If you buy a 3-ounce basil plant, you’ll want to buy a 4.5-inch or larger terra-cotta pot for it. • Alternatively, you can purchase seeds. Look up information online or talk to your local garden store about how to best take care of the specific seeds you purchase. Specific Steps of the Activity Talk about the plant(s) you’ll be growing. Ask children if they know what herbs are. Have them list herbs they cook with or like to eat. For example: Pho generally has mint in it, and pizza sauce has basil in it. Tell children they will get to grow and take care of their own herbs. Explain that they will plant their own herb and will be responsible for watering it. Share that once the plants are established, the group will be able to make things with their herbs. 1. Optional: Have children paint their terra-cotta pots prior to potting plants. 2. Find a sunny spot inside for your garden, and place drainage collection on the surface. 3. Prepare your potting space. Open the potting soil bag in an to an easy-to-clean area. 4. To pot a plant: • Put a little bit of soil in the bottom of the terra-cotta pot. The goal is for the plant start to be level with the top of the pot when placed on top of the soil. • Gently squeeze the bottom of the plastic container the plant is in. Then tip the plant on its side and gently shake or wiggle the plant out of the plastic container. • Place the plant in the center of the pot, and add soil around the sides of the plant to fill in the pot. The soil should be level with the top of the pot. Brush off extra dirt and soil. • Water the plant until there is water coming out of the bottom of the pot drainage hole. • Consider having a regular watering schedule for the children and their plants. For example, remind children to water their plants on Mondays and Thursdays. If the soil is moist, don’t water the plant. Grouping Strategy This can be an individual, paired, or group activity. If using larger outdoor garden spaces, we suggest assigning groups of children to specific areas of the garden. Additional Notes and Considerations Children can paint their terra-cotta pots before planting their herbs. This can help easily identify which plant belongs to which child. Give the plants a week or two to get “established.” After they are established, you can have children pick herbs to make many things: mint water, herb sachets, or herb butter. You can have older children do research about their herbs. Ask them to research where the herbs come from and find recipes that use the herb. Reflection and Discussion Questions What did you think about potting the plants? How do you feel about being responsible for your plant? Lesson Plan: Indoor Herb GardenSeason 4 : Big Kids EditionLeadership and Empowerment for All Ages 14 Specific Learning or Skill-Building Focus Tell children: “Today we’re going to make our own board game(s). We’re going to practice our planning and teamwork skills to make a board game everyone in your group agrees on.” Preparation Gather all materials. Consider pre-cutting construction paper squares. Materials Needed Roll of paper — paper (butcher, kraft, or wrapping), construction paper, scissors, tape, glue, markers or pens, dice, game pieces, such as pieces repurposed from another board game, coins, small toys, etc. Specific Steps of the Activity 1. Have children decide on a “story” for their board game. Ask them to spend a few minutes sketching out a plan. Their plan should include: • Story of the game—What are the players trying to accomplish? For example, in Candy Land the players are trying to get to the Chocolate Palace. • Player structure—Is this game played individually? In pairs? With a team? 2. Roll out paper to cover your table. 3. Cut construction paper into 4-inch by 4-inch squares. You’ll want to cut enough to make two sets—one to cover the board and one to use as game cards. 4. Have children create a path with the squares. Then glue the squares to the paper to create a game board. 5. Write down activities on the stack of blank game cards. Work with children to identify different card activities. Here are some ideas: • Math facts (count by threes, do times tables) • Movement (do 10 jumping jacks, do yoga poses) • Language (practice spelling words, find pairs of words that rhyme) 6. Leave most of the squares on the game board blank. Add a few spaces that redirect players forward or backward. You want enough challenge to keep things interesting, but not enough to make it impossible to win. 7. As a group, lay some ground rules. Who gets to go first? Who gets to go next? What happens if you aren’t able to perform the activity on the card? Can you ask for help? Can you pass turns? 8. After the group agrees to the rules, it’s time to play. 9. Each player takes a turn rolling the die. 10. When a player lands on a color, choose a corresponding playing card. Perform the task on the card. If the player can’t, refer to your group rules. 11. The first player who makes it to the end wins. Grouping Strategy Depending on your program’s size, you may decide to do this activity as a large group. If you have a large program, we suggest breaking into smaller groups to make and play the board games. Additional Notes and Considerations Alternative: Let one child make the board game and rules. Then have that child teach a group of other children how to play the board game. Extension: If you have more than one group making a board game, consider rotating children through the completed board game groups. Have one child stay at the board game they helped create and teach other children who rotate through the games. Alternative: Have children build the game board out of blocks or LEGOs instead of paper for a 3D game-play experience. Remember that this activity will take several program sessions. Reflection and Discussion Questions How did it feel to make a board game with a group? What went well? What would you try differently next time? Lesson Plan: Make a Board Game • Adapted from https://www.pbs.org/parents/crafts-and-experiments/create-your-own-board-gameSeason 4 : Big Kids EditionLeadership and Empowerment for All Ages 15 Lesson Plan: Community Mapping Specific Learning Goal or Skill-Building Focus Tell children: “Today we’re going to make community maps. We’re going to learn about where different resources and people are in our community. We’ll also learn about different parts of a map.” Preparation Collect many different kinds of maps. Consider drawing or creating your own community map to share at the start of the lesson. Gather map-making materials. Materials Needed Map examples Map-making materials, such as: • Paper • Pencils and erasers • Building blocks • LEGOs • Clay Specific Steps of the Activity Share the learning objective with children. Share various examples of maps. You can print out satellite maps, maps from navigation services, bring in an atlas from the library, and/or use digital maps like Google Earth. Let children explore these maps. Point out common elements such as a title, compass rose, and scale. Define those elements and discuss why they’re important. Next, talk about what is nearby in the community. Ask children what the word community means to them. Point out that your program is part of their community. Brainstorm important community locations like family and friend’s houses, parks, libraries, and community centers. Tell children they’re going to make a map of their community. Provide many different ways to do this. Children can draw a map on paper, use the computer, or use building toys like blocks or LEGOs. Let children decide what exactly to focus their maps on. Some children may only draw their family’s home, while others may make detailed, technical maps. All these options are valid ways to engage with map making. Let children share about their maps with the group. You can ask them why they included different locations and what the significance of those places is. Encourage respect for the many different kinds of maps that may be created and how different people interpret the idea of community. Grouping Strategy This project can be done through individual work and/or a large group discussion. Additional Notes and Considerations The underlying purpose of this activity is to give children time to think about their broader community. Children will have a huge variety in their understanding of the community or neighborhood, depending on many factors such as age, transportation, and sense of safety in public space. We encourage you to let children exercise their creativity. It doesn’t need to be a “correct” map of the area. Allow them to think about the spaces they are in, who else is there, and what resources might be available to them. Reflection and Discussion Questions Did you learn anything about your community from making your map? If you were going to make a map again, what would you keep the same? What would you change? Season 4 : Big Kids EditionLeadership and Empowerment for All Ages 16 Name: Lesson Title: Day you want to teach this lesson: Adult who will be your helper: Materials Needed Lesson Goal Today I want to teach you… We’re going to learn … Specific Steps of the Lesson Child-Led Activity Reflection - For Child Leader and Adult Helper What went well during the lesson? What could be changed or done differently next time? How did you like leading an activity? What is one thing you learned? Child-Led Activity Planning and Reflection Sheet Season 4 : Big Kids EditionLeadership and Empowerment for All Ages 17 These suggestions assume typical neurological and physical development. They also assume you are actively fostering a safe space through positive relationships with, and between, children. Consider the following suggestions and think about how you might tailor them to fit the children you work with. 5–8-year-olds: Ask younger children for their preference between activities, and then provide the activity they ask for. Activity: Vote on games to play Asking young people how they want to spend their time and letting them make choices about activities helps you better adapt your program to the specific young people in your care. Giving young children choice builds important decision-making skills that lay the foundation for fostering a strong sense of personal responsibility. When young people get to choose between activities, they are more likely to stay engaged, which reduces challenging behavior. Over time you’ll build a sense of the activities your young people are most likely to be interested in, which will make your program even more effective and engaging. Example: During free play, offer two games you’d be willing to facilitate. Before free play starts, tell the young people, “Okay, you can all vote and pick which game I’ll be leading during free play. Today’s choices are basketball or kickball. Raise your hand if you’d like to play basketball. Raise your hand if you’d like to play kickball.” 9–12-year-olds: Kids in this age bracket can begin taking on larger leadership roles. Activity: Lead activitiesGiving individuals an opportunity to lead an activity builds self-confidence and leadership skills. Leadership opportunities will need to look different, depending on the individual. Some young people will be more comfortable and practiced with these skills than others. Young people can start small. They could pick an activity to lead with you, then gradually move to leading an activity by themselves. It is best practice to create a system that ensures everyone gets to lead an activity. Additionally, each person should be able to influence or exert some control over the activity they are leading. Example: Everyone writes their name on a popsicle stick that goes into a jar. Each day, you pick a name out of the jar. This person leads the icebreaker activity that day, picking and leading a short game or check-in question for the group. Practical Strategies Promoting Agency and Autonomy in ELO programs Season 4 : Big Kids EditionLeadership and Empowerment for All Ages 18 Dive Into Books We love sharing books at Circle Time Magazine. Books are a powerful tool to enhance our learning and expose ourselves to new perspectives. Here are some recommendations for further reading on leadership and empowerment. Keep in mind that subject matter that is appropriate for older elementary and middle school children is not necessarily appropriate for younger children. We suggest that you keep chapter books for older children in a separate area that only they can access. This helps preserve the books for many readers to come, and ensures age-appropriate access. Books for grown-ups: • Dare to Lead by Brene Brown Resumen Completo: Atrevete A Liderar (Spanish) • Teen Advisory Council Guidebook by the David P. Weikart Center for Youth Program Quality and the Neutral Zone Teen Center • Sing a Rhythm, Dance a Blues: Education for the Liberation of Black and Brown Girls by Monique W. Morris Books for kids: Read aloud: • Sofia Valdez, Future Prez by Andrea Beathy Sofía Valdez, presidenta tal vez (Spanish) • We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom • Sharice’s Big Voice: A Native Kid Becomes a Congresswoman by Sharice Davids • Meet Yasmin! by Saadia Faruqi • The Magical Yet by Angela Diterlizzi Chapter books for readers 9 years and older: • The Stars Beneath Our Feet by David Barclay Moore Estrellas bajo los pies (Spanish) • A Good Kind of Trouble by Lisa Moore Ramee • The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba • Strange Birds: A Field Guide to Ruffling Feathers by Celia C. Perez • Front Desk by Kelly Yang Cozy Corner: Featured Books Sofia Valdez, Future Prez by Andrea Beathy This empowering story is about a child who takes on a leadership role in her community. Sofia encounters a problem and makes a plan for change. Throughout this story you will see themes of leadership, empowerment, bravery, problem-solving, and collaboration. The fun rhyming and beautiful illustrations will captivate readers while teaching them that children can take on important tasks and change the world around them. The Stars Beneath Our Feet by David Barclay Moore This poignant chapter book about grief, friendship, and empowerment is recommended for older elementary students and middle schoolers. The Stars Beneath Our Feet shows how healthy friendships with adults and peers can lift us up and empower us to make safe, productive choices. This book also shows how important after- school programs are. Lolly, the main character, is able to navigate his grief through sharing his passion for LEGOs and architecture at his after-school program. Season 4 : Big Kids EditionLeadership and Empowerment for All Ages 19 Library Time Discussion questions for Sofia Valdez, Future Prez Use the following discussion questions to help children think critically about being a leader and identify the characteristics of the characters in the story. • When was a time that you may have been overlooked, and what did you do about it? • What would you like to help change in your community? Who could you go to for help? • How can you be helpful in your community? • Have you ever helped your neighbors? What did you do to help someone else? • Have you ever had to do something alone? How did that make you feel? • Sofia’s idea was big and required lots of big steps to be accomplished. What are some big ideas you have? • What are some small things you could do to make a difference right away? (Ideas: rake leaves, leave a kind note for a neighbor, help carry groceries, pick up trash) • What are characteristics of a “good” leader? Ideas in Action Activity After reading Sofia Valdez, Future Prez, ask children to think about something they could create or fix in their community. Use the discussion questions above to start a discussion to help children think about ways they can be leaders and create change. Break children into small groups of 3–5 and ask them to come up with a plan. Tell children the objective is to come up with an idea of what to fix. They will draw their plan and share with the other groups, and then put it on display in the classroom for others to see. They will need to create a list of people who will help them, as well as materials and resources they may need to get to their end goal. Next, children can use large paper to draw out their plan. Encourage children to be creative and have fun. After all groups have completed their project and plans, they can take turns presenting to the rest of the class or put their drawings on display. Discussion Questions for The Stars Beneath Our Feet Use the following discussion questions to help children think critically about forming positive, empowering relationships and making safe choices. • What did you like about this story? How did you feel? • In the book, Mr. Ali helps Lolly process his grief. Who could you talk to when you need help? • What character did you relate to most in this story? • What kind of activity helps you escape and think? How could you teach others about that activity? • If you could give Lolly some advice, what would you say to him? • Identify a relationship Lolly had with another character. How did that relationship impact Lolly? • Name an emotion that this book made you feel? Why do you feel this way?Next >