The parent and child will:
Read Mistake’s story 'LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE' (PreK-2 read aloud with a parent. 3-5 silent read independently).
Have your child describe how the story made them feel, then you share how it made you feel.
Have your child identify the story’s main idea (tell in their own words what the story was about.)
Discuss the importance of Susy’s character in the story. Ask your child: What made Susy such a good friend? Discuss the difference between laughing it out verses laughing at others.
Ask your child to tell you about how Mistake felt when they fell off the scooter in front of their class and how it relates to an experience when your child felt the same way.
Discuss the 5 vocabulary words above with you child.
Have your child re-tell the definitions of the five vocabolary words (page 6) in their own words.
Have your child write make a list of all of the different words for “laugh”: chuckle, giggle, guffaw, snicker, chortle, snort and so on. Talk about how each of these words conveys a slightly different meaning. Then challenge your child to write a poem or short story using as many of the different words for laugh that they can. Once the poem or story is complete, have your child illustrate their work.
Vocabulary:
Humor - a comic, absurd, or incongruous quality causing amusement: the humor of a situation.
Laughter- an expression or appearance of merriment or amusement.
Embarrassed - to be confused and shamed; to be uncomfortable and self-conscious:
Gasped - a sudden, short intake of breath, as in shock or surprise.
Infirmary - a place for the care of the infirm, sick, or injured; hospital or facility serving as a hospital: a school infirmary (nurse.)
Follow-up/Enrichment Activities:
Crazy Collages
Provide your child with poster board, scissors, glue and old magazines and newspapers. Instruct them to cut out funny pictures and/or headlines that make them laugh and glue them to the poster board to make crazy collages. For an extra challenge (3-5) have your child pair headlines with different photos to make funny statements.
Laugh Journals
To help yout child (and yourself) appreciate all the humorous moments that happen at school, at home, or wherever, have them (and you and the rest of your family members) keep laugh journals. In your journals, you can write down or draw pictures of any events of the day or things people said that made you laugh. Periodically during the month, (maybe a weekly dinner time activity) everyone can share what they wrote with each other that week.
Create Your Own Stand up
Make a list of things that frustrate you.
Write down things that make you laugh
Think back to conversation you have had with others and what made them laugh.
Present your stand up.
CASEL COMPETENCIES
Self-Awareness:
Identifying one’s emotions
Having a growth mindset
Self-Management:
Managing one’s emotions
Identifying and using stress-management strategies
Social Awareness:
Taking others’ perspectives
Demonstrating empathy and compassion
Showing concern for the feelings of others
Relationship Skills:
Communicating effectively
Seeking or offering support and help when needed
Responsible Decision-Making:
Demonstrating curiosity and open-mindedness
Identifying solutions for personal and social problems
ELA COMPETENCIES
Reading:
The student reads grade-appropriate texts independently.
Fluency:
The student is expected to use appropriate fluency (rate, accuracy, and prosody) when reading grade-level text.
Comprehension:
(E) make connections to personal experiences, ideas in other texts, and society with adult assistance;
(G) evaluate det
ails to determine what is most important with adult assistance;
(H) synthesize information to create new understanding with adult assistance;
Response Skills:
(A) describe personal connections to a variety of sources;
(D) retell texts in ways that maintain meaning;
(F) respond using newly acquired vocabulary as appropriate.
Composition:
(A) dictate or compose literary texts, including personal narratives and poetry;
