This flexible resource combines character education with analogies to powerful stories from nature. The heart of each of the book’s twenty-five lessons is an engaging story, written to kids, describing a particular animal or plant and its distinctive qualities. Busy classroom teachers will like this book’s accessibility and flexibility. Kids can read a story individually or in groups, or follow along as the teacher reads it aloud. Accompanying each story, teachers will find several activities—most of them quick, easy, and requiring few supplies—that further investigate animals or plants and the connections between their qualities and human behaviors. Every lesson examines several main character traits, providing starting points and sample questions for discussing and exploring analogies between events in nature and human acts of character. Features include a chart cross-referencing lessons to specific character traits and a list of further resources. Digital content contains all of the book’s reproducible forms, including a color photo of each plant and animal, plus a complete bonus lesson.

Building Character is written for leaders who understand their responsibility to develop authentic leaders within their organizations. Without presenting an overarching moral code or a prescriptive code of behavior, this book offers leaders and managers a practical model complete with the tools, information, and processes to develop character in leaders at all levels. The author explains the role character plays in leadership success and effectiveness and outlines how character can be developed through the Five E's—Example, Education, Experience, Evaluation, and Environment.

From an early age, author Tom Ufert can remember his grandmother proclaiming that adversity builds character. At the time, he didn't completely understand what it meant or know that he would actually live it. In Adversity Builds Character, Ufert shares the events that altered and shaped his life and shows how, with God's help, he was able to survive, thrive, and inspire others. In this memoir, he narrates his life story and tells about the adversity he has faced his mother's early divorces; the breakdown of his relationship with his sister; his adoption by family friends; his mother's illness and murder; his contact with a predatory pedophile; his questioning of his own sexuality, bisexuality, and eventual acceptance of being gay; alcoholism and sexual addiction; diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis and HIV; and paralysis from a car accident. Revealing, honest, painful, and tender, Adversity Builds Character communicates the power of the human spirit to overcome the trials of modern life. It shows how Ufert's suffering paved the way for a deep appreciation for life and God's role in the world.

The touching and nuanced portrait of the rise and fall of Nazi Germany through the eyes of a resourceful German boy. Ludwig is an odd and introverted child, growing up in Hitler’s Germany. While Ludwig’s father, Wilhelm, is a senior Nazi and a true believer, Ludwig escapes the unfolding catastrophe by withdrawing into nature and books. Eventually, when the Allied bombing campaign intensifies, Ludwig is sent to a Hitler Youth camp, where his oddness makes him a target for bullying. As the war turns against Germany, the Hitler Youth camp becomes ever more severe and militaristic, and the atmosphere spirals towards chaos. After the Nazis abandon the camp, Ludwig returns home, and his father is presumed dead. With Ludwig’s mother descending into depression, the 11-year-old bears increasing responsibility for the survival of the family as starvation sets in under Russian occupation. Soon, it will be impossible to leave the Russian zone, so Ludwig decides that he must rally his despondent mother and lead her and his three younger siblings in an escape attempt to the west. Based on a true story, The Willow Wren is a unique, touching exploration of extremism, resilience, and the triumph of the small.

A guide for busy elementary educators on how to easily incorporate mindfulness activities into existing curriculum Teaching students how to focus and self-regulate at a young age can provide them with skills that will help throughout their schooling and adult lives. Like anyone, they need easy-to remember tools and strategies to calm their minds and focus on the moment. This interactive, research based curriculum helps preK and elementary teachers integrate simple, ready-to use stretching, breathing, and reflective exercises as well as other mindfulness practices into their daily routines. Includes digital content with reproducible handouts from the book.

Make social emotional learning fun and engaging with 24 ready-to-use lessons about phenomenal plants and astonishing animals. Storytelling is a learning device used by humans for centuries, and for good reason: storytelling is one of the best ways to increase critical thinking skills and social emotional learning (SEL). The award-winning Social Emotional Stories combines storytelling with thought-provoking lessons and activities to help elementary students improve their self-esteem, increase their engagement with school, and give them a sense of empowerment. The book contains 24 individual lessons that include: An SEL objective with specific keywords like “inner strength,” “problem solving,” and “responsibility” An engaging story that focuses on a distinctive quality of either a plant (like the inner strength of bamboo) or an animal (like the courage of a pig) Multiple activities that are quick, easy, and require few supplies to help kids identify and dive deeper into the specific SEL concepts represented Educators can use these lessons individually with students, in small groups, or with an entire class. The lessons are interdisciplinary and flexible, with only minimal prep time required, allowing educators to adapt them for their situation. Extensive digital content supports the lessons with reproducible forms and a full-color photo of each plant and animal.

These proven, practical early childhood teaching strategies and techniques help teachers identify young gifted children, differentiate and extend the curriculum, assess and document students’ development, and build partnerships with parents. Individual chapters focus on early identification, curriculum compacting, social studies, language arts, math and science, cluster grouping, social-emotional development, and finding and supporting giftedness in diverse populations. The text includes current information on brain research and learning; rigor and complexity; and integrating creativity, the arts, and higher-level thinking in accordance with learning goals. Scenarios and vignettes take readers into teachers’ classrooms. The book includes extensive references and resources to explore. Digital content includes customizable forms from the book.