Courage

Creepy Carrots

Creepy Carrots! is a beautifully illustrated book about a rabbit who starts to imagine that the carrots he loves to snack on are starting to follow him around. His parents tell him that it's all in his head, but the rabbit can't stop worrying about creepy carrots. Finally, he decides to build a fence around the garden, which helps him relax and get over his fears. The book ends with the reader discovering that the carrots were, in fact, alive. I chose to skip that page because ending with the rabbit feeling better helped my lesson. Students drew their own calming strategies on carrots and put them in the garden (see pictures below).
Header (PDF)
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Carrots (PDF)
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Cloudette

Cloudette is an adorable picture book about a tiny cloud who wants to do something important. One day, a big storm hits and she is blown far from her home to a new, unfamiliar place. Cloudette has to find the courage to make friends and show those friends what's special about her.

Here is the activity I did with my kindergarten students after reading the book. They loved it!
Cloudette Header (PDF)
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Clouds and Raindrops (PDF)
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A Bug's Life

For younger students, I show a clip from A Bug's Life to start a discussion about courage. The complete lesson is described in the PDF document below.
Lesson Plan
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"How I Can Show Courage" Worksheet
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Bright Stanley

I begin by reading Bright Stanley and the Cave Monster. To reflect, I use story wands, which keep the students' attention. Then, each student completes a courage card (how to show courage at school) and shares with the class. We post the cards in the hallway as an extra reminder.
Courage Cards
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"Counselors with Character" Winner

Lesson by: Barbara Gruener
Title: "What Are You Afraid Of?"
Target Group:  2nd Grade
Courage: The ability to do something that frightens you; Strength in the face of pain or grief.

Talk about courage by first asking students what scares them, frightens them, or makes them feel afraid. Make a list of the things that they say cause fear. Then find out what strategies they have to combat fear and uncover courage.
Read the book Some Things Are Scary by Florence Parry Heide.

This isn’t a story, but a list of things that the narrator finds scary. As you read, students will have fun parroting the “is scary!” pattern: Watching your best friend move away . . . . is scary.  Some of the pages will hit close to home and be VERY real; others will be a ridiculous exaggeration and prompt laughs. Stop at each page and find out from your courageous kids which of the scenarios or situations they connect with.
Talk with your students about their anxieties and brainstorm ways to manage their fears.  See if they connect with putting their fears into a worry box, drawing out their worries, making friends with their worries. Find out what or who helps your students be brave when they feel frightened.

As a follow-up activity, have students make a two-door foldable.  On the left, it can say and show, “I used to be afraid of ____________.” On the right it can say and show, “But then I tried _____________.”  On the inside, say and show “Now I am courageous!”

Enrichment:  Other books with this theme that students could use to compare and contrast with a double-bubble thinking map are: 
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