Kindness Tools Reference Sheet My Kindness Tools
Building Bridges with Words
Friendly Joke
Everyone is laughing. No one is hurt.
✅ Happy Faces ✅ Just Friends
Mean Joke
Someone feels sad or small. Only one person laughs.
⚠️ Hurt Feelings ⚠️ One-time
Bullying
Happens over and over. One person has all the power.
🚫 Repeated 🚫 Scary
Be a Bridge Builder!
If someone isn't laughing, it's time to stop and apologize.
Kindness Construction Teacher Guide Teacher Lesson Plan
Kindness Construction: 3rd Grade (20 Min)
Behavior & IEP Support Tips
Non-Verbal Cues: Use a hand signal for "Build a Bridge" to stop arguments quickly.
Visual Scaffolding: Point to the Stoplight Colors (Green/Yellow/Red) constantly.
Chunking: Keep talk segments under 3 minutes to maintain focus.
Read Aloud: Read all cards and quiz questions aloud for students with reading plans.
Gear Needed
Visual Slide Deck (3rd Grade Version)
Symbol Reference Sheet (Stoplight Colors)
Sort Cards with Icons
Emoji Checkup Quiz
20-Minute Timer
Warm-up4 Min
Big Ideas (Slides)8 Min
Sorting Game5 Min
Emoji Exit3 Min
1. The Wrinkled Heart (4 Min)
Hold a paper heart. Ask for examples of "mean jokes." For each one, crumble the heart. Attempt to smooth it. Explain: "Mean words leave marks we can't always see. We are going to learn how to keep hearts smooth."
Prompt: Show me with your hands how a mean word makes a heart feel.
2. The 3 Stoplight Colors (8 Min)
Green: Friendly Jokes
Script: "Green means go! Everyone is laughing. No one is sad. Give me a thumbs up if you have a friend you laugh with!"
Yellow: Mean Jokes
Script: "Yellow means caution. One person thinks it's funny, but the other person feels small. This is a Mean Joke. We need to stop these."
Red: Bullying
Script: "Red means STOP. This is mean stuff that happens every single day. It makes school feel scary. We always tell a teacher about Red behavior."
3. Word Sorters (5 Min)
Groups of 2-3. Give them the icon-based cards. Teacher Tip: Walk to groups with high behavior needs first. Help them read the first card together.
Check: "Is everyone laughing in this picture? If not, is it Green or Yellow?"
4. Bridge Building (3 Min)
Script: "Every word you say is a brick. You can build a bridge to a friend, or a wall to keep them out. Let's build bridges today." Distribute Emoji Exit Tickets.
Kindness Construction Slides Kindness Construction
Building Bridges with Our Words
3rd Grade Project
The Laugh Test
With You
Everyone is happy. It feels like a hug.
😊😊
At You
Someone feels sad or small. It feels like a push.
😢😞
Which T are you?
Teasing
Friendly and fun for everyone!
Taunting
Mean words that hurt one time.
Targeted
Bullying that happens over and over.
Is someone NOT laughing?
STOP AND APOLOGIZE.
Be a Bridge Builder!
Walls (Mean)
"You're so slow!"
"I was just joking!"
Bridges (Kind)
"Great try! Keep going."
"I am sorry I hurt you."
Sort Time!
Use your symbols to help you sort the word bricks.
Kindness Construction Sort Cards Word Bricks Sorter
Cut and sort the cards using the Stoplight Colors.
Friendly
Joke
Mean
Joke
Bullying
(Repeated)
You and a friend laugh at a silly face you both make.
You say "Nice shot!" when a friend misses, and they smile.
You give your friend a silly name that they like.
A student trips, and you laugh at them in front of others.
You call someone a "loser" for getting a math problem wrong.
You tell a classmate their new haircut looks "weird."
A group tells a student EVERY DAY they can't sit at lunch.
Every time a student talks, others whisper and giggle.
Someone takes and breaks a student's pencil every morning.
Cut Here
Kindness Checkup Quiz Kindness Check
Word Building Project
Name:
1. Is a joke friendly if my friend feels sad? 😢
Yes (True)
No (False)
2. Bullying happens over and over. 🛑
Yes (True)
No (False)
3. Circle the person who is being a Bridge Builder: 🏗️
Someone saying "I am sorry."
Someone laughing at a haircut.
Teacher: Cut Here
Kindness Check
Word Building Project
Name:
1. Is a joke friendly if my friend feels sad? 😢
Yes (True)
No (False)
2. Bullying happens over and over. 🛑
Yes (True)
No (False)
3. Circle the person who is being a Bridge Builder: 🏗️
Someone saying "I am sorry."
Someone laughing at a haircut.
Kindness Construction Exit Ticket Exit Ticket
Worker Name:
1. Someone is NOT laughing. Is this a Friendly Joke? 😢
YES
NO
2. Pick your Bridge Builder goal: 🏗️
Say "Great job!"
Say "I am sorry."
How did I do today?
Cut Here
Exit Ticket
Worker Name:
1. Someone is NOT laughing. Is this a Friendly Joke? 😢
YES
NO
2. Pick your Bridge Builder goal: 🏗️
Say "Great job!"
Say "I am sorry."
How did I do today?
Kindness Checkup Quiz Kindness Check
Word Building Project
Name:
1. Is a joke friendly if my friend feels sad? 😢
Yes (True)
No (False)
2. Bullying happens over and over. 🛑
Yes (True)
No (False)
3. Which one is a Bridge Builder? 🏗️
Saying "I am sorry."
Laughing at someone.
Teacher: Cut Here
Kindness Check
Word Building Project
Name:
1. Is a joke friendly if my friend feels sad? 😢
Yes (True)
No (False)
2. Bullying happens over and over. 🛑
Yes (True)
No (False)
3. Which one is a Bridge Builder? 🏗️
Saying "I am sorry."
Laughing at someone.