Today, I read the students Dr. Seuss’, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas!”. This story was read not only to work on reading strategies but also to start a character building unit on random acts of kindness.

We have a big Grinch in our classroom whose heart is two sizes too small. Over the next few weeks, we will work towards filling him with love by showing him how to care. When a student in our classroom is spotted doing something nice for someone else, he/she will add a heart inside the Grinch. If we fill the Grinch with hearts, we will have a Grinch-themed Christmas Party on Friday, December 21st.

In a time when children can get wrapped up in gifts and what Santa will bring, I think this reminds them to think about what Christmas is truly about- Jesus and living like He did.

We will read another story called, “Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed”, and we will do writing activities around the concept of doing random acts of kindness for others over the next few weeks.