In this activity, students will practice goal setting, which can be a difficult task for some. Often times, students only see the problems in their life and not the opportunities for growth and development. As adults, we need to encourage them to look...

The purpose of this activity is for students to recognize and identify how to alter one's environment to improve a situation.  Students will review qualities that some people have that make it easier for them to overcome obstacles or challenges, and...

Baditude vs. Gratitude There are two types of attitudes that define people in the world... balcony attitudes and basement attitudes. People with balcony attitudes view the world through positive, hopeful, optimistic eyes. These people tend to attract...

The goal of this activity is to show how zest and enthusiasm are decreased by our lack of organization and the ability to maintain a sense of order. Energy is wasted when we spend our valuable time searching for items that we need. Frustration mounts and...

Being told what we Need To do all of the time is like taking orders. A better option is thinking about what we Get To Do. A Get To is an opportunity! A Need To is similar to a Have To - which feels like an order. Get Tos are easier to get done! Then they...

Combine a history lesson of the Olympic torch with the social skill of "rewarding yourself" for students in grades 5 through 10. The purpose of this activity is that students will learn to adopt and practice a new good habit that displays grit,...

One way to avoid Zest Zappers is to be proactive instead of reactive. Being proactive leads to positive emotions while being reactive can generate negative emotions. In this activity, students will recognize the moods of others and use self-monitoring...

Secondary students have one thing in common... DRAMA is part of their everyday lives! Taken from the book Take Two: Skill-Building Skits You Have Time to Do!, written by educator Cindi Dodd, this short and straightforward skit will keep your...

Winner of the Counselor's Choice Award! I Lost My BFF is the third title in Jennifer Licate's Navigating Friendships book series - a quick read chapter book for students in grades 4 through 7 that focuses on the evolution of friendships that happen over...

Winner of the Counselor's Choice Award! Am I Weird? is the second title in Jennifer Licate's Navigating Friendships book series - a quick read chapter book for students in grades 4 through 7 which focuses on helping students learn and accept that not...

Winner of the Counselor's Choice Award! He's Not Just Teasing! is the first title in Jennifer Licate's Navigating Friendships book series – a quick read chapter book for students in grades 4 through 7 that examines the differences...

Winner of the Counselor's Choice Award! The students at Chicorée Elementary are back and this time Emelia is feeling stressed. She has some big tests and is nervous about having time to finish. So imagine her reaction when Sammy gets an extra few...

It's natural for young children to get excited and then behave in ways that might seem rude. Teaching children how to look at situations from the point of view of others, or to have empathy, is one way to help kids better understand how their behaviors...

2021 IndieReader Book Cover Contest Winner!!  Mr. Smith is the green thumb of the neighborhood, and his colorful garden and perfectly manicured lawn are his pride and joy. So, when he eyes the neighborhood kids traipsing through his yard and...

Rhymes, lyrics, mnemonic devices and graphic illustrations made this series a Mom’s Choice Awards Gold winner! Each story is written in an attention-grabbing, comic-book style that tackles an issue that touches every child—bullying, negative...

From standing up to a bully to speaking up when you're struggling in school to sharing concerns with a partner when you're an adult to advocating for what you need or want in a job, self-advocacy has many benefits. But it takes practice! Award-winning...