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Little Bravehearts

Book Judd

Introduction

Little Bravehearts Program, part of the Sterling The Knight (STK) organization, is designed to help young children in kindergarten through second grade understand and express their emotions, focusing on social-emotional skills like empathy, kindness, and connection. The program involves interactive activities that encourage children to identify and embody core values through the creation of a coat of arms.

Program Objectives

  • Emotional Literacy: Teach children to recognize and articulate their emotions.
  • Social-Emotional Skills: Develop empathy, kindness, and connection among students.
  • Values Identification: Help children identify and understand important personal values.
  • Creative Expression: Allow children to express their values and emotions through creative activities.
Judd and a family

Program Structure

1. Book Reading Session:

  • A facilitator reads a book from the Sterling The Knight series to the class or grade.
  • Children are encouraged to share how they think the characters feel at different points in the story.
  • Each participating child is addressed as a knight and given a sticker with a character from the book series or the tagline “Bravery starts in the heart.”

2. Coat of Arms Creation:

  • In their classrooms, children create a coat of arms representing their core values.
  • Each child identifies 3 values important to them, each represented by a symbol (e.g., a dolphin for kindness).
  • Children cut out and decorate their shields and bring them home to share with their parents.

3. Family and Community Engagement:

  • Families are encouraged to discuss their child’s coat or arms and create a family coat or arms based on shared values.
  • Teachers, caregivers, and therapists can download the activity materials for free from the STK Braveheart website in exchange for email contact information.

4. Braveheart Circle:

  • An online community where teachers, caregivers, parents, and therapists can share how they are implementing and teaching Little Bravehearts in their environments.
  • Participants can exchange ideas, success stories, and best practices.

Implementation Plan

  • Duration: The program can be conducted over a single day or spread across several sessions.
  • Materials Needed: Sterling The Knight book, stickers, shield templates, coloring materials, and symbols chart.
  • Facilitators: Trained volunteers or teachers can lead the sessions using the free downloadable resources, including the Facilitator’s Guide to Little Bravehearts.
  • Follow-up: Participants can join the Little Bravehearts Circle online to continue sharing and learning.
Emotional Exploration

emotion Exploration

Through interactive discussions and emotion enactment, students will learn to identify and express various emotions depicted in the story and understand different characters’ perspectives. You’ll also roleplay various emotions to reinforce how to “read the room.”

Shield Crafting

Shield crafting

Educators and therapists, you’ll receive directions and materials for a guided activity you may lead afterward. With two pieces of paper—one with a shield outline and another with various heraldic symbols representing values like courage, friendship, and love—students can personalize their shields by choosing four symbols that resonate most with their values. Then, they can cut out and decorate their coat of arms with their chosen symbols to reflect their unique personalities and value systems.

Become a Little Braveheart

Little Bravehearts Program aims to foster emotional intelligence and social-emotional skills in young children, laying a strong foundation for their future development. By integrating the program into schools and community settings, we can create a network of empowered and empathetic young individuals.

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