3 Caring L2 Caring Comic

Kindness in the Classroom® — Caring

3rd Grade • Lesson 2

Caring Comic

This lesson focuses on caring through helpfulness and gratitude. Small groups will

create a comic strip illustrating both of these concepts as they have observed them in

the classroom. Students will have access to both paper-based and online comic strip

templates/generators to assist them.

Caring Sub-Concept(s)

Caring, Helpfulness, Gratitude, Kindness

Lesson Timeframe

45 minutes

Required Materials

❏ Comic Strip Template

❏ Basic art supplies

❏ Optional: Computers and Internet

Access

❏ Comic Strip Generator:

https://www.storyboardthat.com/story

board-creator

Standards Map

This lesson aligns with CASEL

Competencies, National Health

Education Standards, and Common

Core State Standards. Please refer to

the Standards Map for more information.

DESIGNATED BY CASEL

AS A RECOMMENDED PROGRAM

FOR SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING.

See last page for details.

Lesson Objective

Students will:

● Explain how each person’s helpfulness contributes to the eﬃcient

classroom.

● Illustrate how to show gratitude for the helpful actions of others.

● Create a comic strip documenting a helpful deed and the subsequent

gratitude it evokes.

Teacher Connection/Self-Care

Helpfulness. The word alone can bring both positive and negative images to

mind. Are you the type to help with everything? Or are you one that avoids

helping because you can’t seem to ﬁnd the time? Finding a balance when it

comes to helpfulness is vital for self preservation in this profession.

Establishing and maintaining clear boundaries with your team, your school,

and yes, even your own family will help you better organize your time, thus

allowing you to either pair down on the help you are providing or ﬁnd time to

actually pitch in on more occasions. Helpfulness is a terriﬁc character trait, but

can often be over-expected with teachers. Speak up when you are taxed. No

one likes a grumpy helper! Need ideas on HOW to say no? Check out this

resource: http://teacherhabits.com/eﬀective-way-teachers-say-no/

Tips for Diverse Learners

● Create diverse small groups of 3-4 to increase participation.

● Assign tasks within each group that allow students to use their

natural skill set.

3-5 minutes

Have everyone take out their aﬃrmation stones. Use the following to guide a

conversation:

● Raise your hand if you have a picture of an animal on your stone.

● Stand up if you have at least one picture of a special place on your

stone.

● Squat down if you have a feeling word on your stone.

● If you could add one extra word or phrase on your aﬃrmation stone

what would it be? Why?

● Are there any words or pictures on your stone that show people

helping? Tell me about it!

● If you could add a picture of someone who helps you, who would it be

and why?

Inspire

5-7 minutes

Explain that helpfulness can mean helping others without being asked and

without expecting anything in return. When you pitch in and help out, you are

caring for others. Your kind words and respectful actions show helpfulness

and inspire others to want to be around you. It does not take much eﬀort to be

helpful.

When others are helpful or caring to us we can feel a sense of gratitude or

thankfulness. We are grateful for their kind words, caring actions, and

generous oﬀers of help. They have helped make our day a little easier or

happier and we are thankful for all they do. What is one thing you are grateful

for here at school? What is one thing you are grateful for at home? Did you

show gratitude for these things by telling your friend or family member how

happy they made you feel?

How do we show Helpfulness and Gratitude in our classroom?

10 minutes

Create a T-chart on a large piece of paper or whiteboard. Write the headings

HELPFULNESS and GRATITUDE on either side. Starting on the Helpfulness

side, ask for examples of ways students can help others in the class. After

each helpful example, have the class brainstorm a way to show gratitude for

that kind action. Encourage the class to come up with a diﬀerent form of

gratitude after each example of helpfulness. How can we show caring and

help others at home and school?

● Write the answers down and hang the chart up for use during the comic

strip activity.

Empower

30 minutes

Explain that the class will break up into small groups to create a comic strip

that incorporates both acts of helpfulness and responses of gratitude. Refer to

the T-chart if groups are struggling to come up with a story for their comic

strip.

● If using the paper-based comic strip format, see below for the

template. Explain that comics go from left to right, top to bottom. Both

words and illustrations are needed in each section. Each group must

use at least 4 boxes to explain their scenario.

● If desired, you can combine this activity with your computer time and

incorporate the following comic strip generator as a technology

based option. www.powtoon.com

Reﬂect

5-7 minutes

Have every group share their comic strip with the class. NOTE: it is important

to expect some duplication at this age and given the large classroom setting.

Encourage all students to present and explain, even if another group has

already discussed their option. They may have a diﬀerent explanation on

HOW helpfulness and gratitude are expressed.

Extension Ideas

● At Home Extension: Send home a blank comic strip template for

students to complete with their families, focusing on how helpfulness

and gratitude are demonstrated at their house. Read them aloud with

the class as they come back to school.

RAK Notebook Prompt (See RAK Notebook Project in the Respect unit for

more details):

● You will need upbeat music for this extension.

● Write down the word GRATITUDE at the top of your paper. As your

teacher plays upbeat music, allow yourself to free draw/write what

you think of when you hear the word gratitude.

DESIGNATED BY CASEL

AS A RECOMMENDED

PROGRAM FOR SOCIAL

AND EMOTIONAL

LEARNING.

The Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) has been

reviewing evidence-based SEL programs since 2003. Kindness in the Classroom® meets

CASEL’s SELect Program and is included in the CASEL Guide to Eﬀective Social and

Emotional Learning Programs.

Kindness in the Classroom® met or exceeded all of CASEL's criteria for high-quality SEL

programming. Kindness in the Classroom® received CASEL’s highest designation for

high-quality SEL programming.

https://casel.org/guide/kindness-in-the-classroom/