Joy Catchers Lesson Plan K-2 SEL Lesson Plan
Joy Catchers
Creating a Mental Bridge for a Happy, Safe Summer Break
Duration: 45-60 Mins
Core Focus
Social-Emotional Learning, Coping Skills, Safe Adult Identification, Emotional Safety
Objective
Identify 4 key personal sources of joy, activities, and supportive people to build emotional resilience for the summer break.
Materials Needed
Joy Catchers Slides, Sunbeam Tokens Activity sheets, My Sunbeam Jar Worksheets, scissors, glue, crayons/markers.
Essential Questions
• How do we carry happy thoughts, feelings, and memories with us when we are away from school?
• Who are the people, what are the activities, and where are the places that make us feel safe and happy?
CASEL SEL Competencies
Self-Awareness: Identifying personal emotions, strengths, and supports.
Relationship Skills: Identifying supportive relationships and safe adults.
Teacher Preparation Checklist
Queue up the Joy Catchers Slide Deck .
Print one My Sunbeam Jar Worksheet per student.
Print one Sunbeam Tokens Activity sheet per student.
Prepare visual examples of completed sunbeam tokens.
Step-by-Step Instruction Guide
1
Warm-up: The Summer Transition (10 Mins)
Slides 1-3
Gather students in a circle. Introduce the idea that summer is exciting, but it's also normal to feel sad or nervous about leaving classroom routines.
Teacher Script: "Raise your hand if you are excited for play! Now raise your hand if you will miss school. Both feelings are welcome! Today, we are going to become Joy Catchers . We'll make a special jar of happy things to take home with us!"
2
Exploration: Spotting the Sunbeams (15 Mins)
Slides 4-7
"Sunbeams" are things that warm our hearts. Define the 4 main categories of Sunbeams using the slides:
1. Helpful Hearts (People) Safe friends, family, or teachers who make us feel loved and secure.
2. Summer Smiles (Activities) Hobbies we love: drawing, playing tag, swimming, reading, or playing.
3. Safe Havens (Places) Cozy places where we feel secure: a bed corner, library, or sunny playground.
4. Warm Memories (Thoughts) Happy school moments that make us smile inside just by remembering.
3
Hands-on: Harvesting Sunbeams (20 Mins)
Activity Sheets
Pass out the Sunbeam Tokens Activity and My Sunbeam Jar Worksheet . Students color, draw on, cut out, and glue their tokens into their jar outline.
Scaffolding for Different Grade Levels:
Kindergarten: Focus heavily on drawing answers inside the sunbeam shapes. Teachers and aides can write brief labels nearby.
1st Grade: Draw and write single phonetic words. Encourage coloring tokens using vibrant summer colors.
2nd Grade: Write short sentences inside the tokens and add extra decorations in their jar background.
4
Closing: Sharing the Warmth (10 Mins)
Slides 8-10
Students hold up their completed Jars and share one token with a partner.
Debrief Prompt: "Whenever you are having a lonely day this summer, look at your Sunbeam Jar on your wall or close your eyes. It will bring our classroom sunshine straight back to your heart!"
Differentiation & Safety Guidelines
Trauma-Informed Care
Summer can lack school structure and nutritional security. We use this lesson to anchor safety.
No Forced Selections: Allow drawing pets, books, or a local playground instead of human caretakers if desired.
Support Dual Feelings: Welcome both school-sickness and summer excitement.
Extension Strategies
For classes with additional time or early finishers:
Sunbeam Garland: Tape student jars on a yarn line across the ceiling as a warm canopy.
Yearbook Sign-off: Allow classmate signatures/drawings on the back of the jars.
Classroom Troubleshooting
Student "Stuck" on Ideas:
Suggest highly concrete sensations: "Do you like the color yellow?", "Does petting a dog make you smile?", "Think of ice cream."
Cutting Assistance:
For younger kindergarteners, have them cut simple squares/rectangles around the circles instead of cutting perfectly round paths.
Joy Catchers Slides Summer SEL Presentation
Joy Catchers
Gathering sunshine to keep our hearts happy, safe, and connected all summer long!
Let's become Joy Catchers! K-2 Lesson Guide
What is a Sunbeam?
Explore
A physical sunbeam warms our skin on a sunny day.
An emotional sunbeam is a thought, memory, person, or place that warms our hearts and makes us feel safe!
"Warm Heart" Feelings
Love, comfort, smiles, safety, and cozy thoughts.
Think of something that makes you smile right now! Slide 2
Checking Our Weather
Emotion Check-in
As summer comes closer, it is normal to have two feelings at the same time !
🌞
Excited Sunshine
Ready to play outside, stay up later, and swim!
☁️
Gentle Rainclouds
Missing school friends, teacher smiles, and routine.
We can hold both feelings with care.
Both excitement and worry are okay to feel! Slide 3
Sunbeam #1: Helpful Hearts
People
Our Safe Connections
Who are the people in your life who make you feel completely safe, loved, and happy?
These are people you can talk to when you are happy, or when you are having a difficult day.
🏡
Family
🎒
Friends
🍎
Teachers
🐾
Pets
Who is one helper in your circle? Slide 4
Sunbeam #2: Summer Smiles
Activities
🎨
Creating Art
🏃♂️
Playing Tag
📚
Reading
🌳
Exploring Nature
Our Joyful Play
What are your absolute favorite hobbies or activities?
Doing things we love makes our bodies produce internal joy and physical relaxation.
What is your favorite way to play? Slide 5
Sunbeam #3: Safe Havens
Places
Our Cozy Corners
Where is a physical space where you feel completely comfortable and quiet inside?
It could be outside under a big leafy tree, inside a reading corner, or wrapped up in blankets on your bed!
🌳 The Local Park or Playground
🛏️ A Cozy Bed or Blanket Fort
📖 The Library Reading Corner
Sunbeam Tokens Activity My Sunbeam Tokens
Color, draw, or write your answers, then carefully cut them out!
Name:
Date:
Joy Catcher Instructions: 1. Draw or write your answer inside each white circle.
2. Color your tokens with bright summer colors.
3. Cut along the outer dashed lines and paste them inside your Sunbeam Jar!
Sunbeam #1: People
Helpful Heart
A safe adult or friend who loves & protects me
Cut along dashed line
Sunbeam #2: Activity
Summer Smile
Something I love to do that makes me happy
Cut along dashed line
Sunbeam #3: Place
Safe Haven
A cozy spot where I feel safe, calm, and quiet
Cut along dashed line
Sunbeam #4: Thought
Warm Memory
A happy school memory that makes me laugh
Cut along dashed line
Joy Catchers Summer SEL Activity • Classroom-Safe Resource
My Sunbeam Jar Worksheet My Sunbeam Jar
Paste your sunbeam tokens inside to keep your heart warm and safe all summer!
Name:
Date:
Joy Catchers Seal
☀️ Sunshine Inside ☀️
GLUE YOUR 4 TOKENS HERE
#1
#2
#3
#4
MY MENTAL BRIDGE TO A HAPPY SUMMER
My Summer Sunshine Promise:
"Whenever I miss school, I can look at this jar and remember..."