A Hurt Heart

Hi, I am Teresa from Fun in K/1.  I am starting to get my stuff together for next year and thought I would share a great lesson and freebie I use every year to help teach about hurt feelings.

I read a typical beginning of they year story like Chrysanthemum.   The first time we read it together for enjoyment and discuss the book together.  Then the next day I re-read the story with the class.  This time I pass out a paper heart to each student.  I also have a larger paper heart.    (Click here to download one to print out.) 

I tell the students that each time someone says something mean or hurtful to make Chrysanthemum feel sad we will crinkle the paper heart; just like it hurt Chrysanthemum's heart. Towards the end of the story we all have our hearts wadded up.  When they apologize for the hurtful things, I have them smooth their hearts out.  The hearts look better, but you can still see the wrinkles from the hurtful things that were said.  Just like when you say or do hurtful things an apology helps make it better, but you still hurt that person's heart.  I have the students take their hearts home and hang my wrinkled heart up by our class rules as a reminder for the year.