Character Education and Character Counts are wonderful programs that help teach children respect and responsibility. These are big words for 3, 4, and 5 year olds but are very important virtues to learn at any age. It is also important to teach children a sense of community in the classroom. Picking a theme for the year like “working together” or “caring and sharing throughout the year” or “'Teaching Peace' in work and play” are just some examples of keeping character education in the classroom all year long. Celebrate the theme by making a banner for the classroom.
Materials
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Felt to make a classroom banner
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“Teaching Peace” from the recording “Teaching Peace”
Activity
1. Play the song “Teaching Peace.” Go over what it means by “we are teaching peace by what we do and what we say.”
2. Discuss ways of keeping peace in the classroom..
3. Have students trace one of their hands on felt or regular paper.
4. You could have students draw a picture on their hands or put their name on the hand. You could even research different symbols for pieace and have students draw them on their hands.
5. Make a banner with the sun on the bottom of the banner.
6. Have students march to the song “Teaching Peace” with their hands
7. When the song reaches the part where Red says “Sound off 1, 2, 3, 4,” have students march up to the banner of the sun and attach their hands to the sun. Line them up so that they look like rays shooting out of the sun.
8. The banner is a reminder to students that their hands will be there to help others all year long in the classroom.
