Teacher Education Lesson Plan Template

Teacher: Ms. Elrod Date: 10/19/18

Title of Lesson: Kindness Fills Buckets Grade: 2nd

Core Components
Subject, Content Area, or Topic
Social Skill - Kindness
Virginia Essential Knowledge and Skills (SOL)
N/A

Lesson objectives
Students will learn what compliments do to their classmates and how to use kind and loving words. They
will be able to explain the concept of “bucket filling” and compliment their classmates.

Materials/Resources
Compliment Bucket
Notecards
“Have you Filled a Bucket Today?” By Carol McCloud
http://www.easton.k12.ma.us/document_center/moreau/Have_You_Filled_a_Bucket_Today.pdf

Safety (if applicable)

N/A

Time
(min.) Process Components
2-3 *Anticipatory Set
min. The students will pair up and be asked to give their partner three compliments. After they have
completed this task, they will sit back down, and we will discuss how those compliments made
them feel.
*State the Objectives (grade-level terms). The student should be able to say:
I can…compliment my classmates.
1 to 2 I can…use kind and loving words when talking to my peers.
min. I can…be a “bucket filler”

6 min. *Instructional Input or Procedure

TTW play or read the book, “Have You Filled a Bucket Today?” by Carol McCloud. The students
will learn that a “bucket” refers to our emotional self, and that we have to fill each other’s buckets
in order to be happy. If a person’s bucket is empty, then they are sad. This will help students
understand the importance of kindness as a social skill that is essential to make people happy and
keep their buckets full.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EuemNAo6XE

McDonald’s Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers.
Revised August 2015
1-2 *Modeling
min. TTW demonstrate what a compliment looks like by complimenting a few of the students in class.
This demonstrates the importance of compliments. TTW also describe that kindness is not only in
the form of compliments, but can also be praise, spoken words, as well as actions.
1-2 *Check for Understanding
min. Demonstrate to students the difference between a compliment of outward appearance, and a
compliment of character. Describe that compliments of character can be more uplifting than just
complimenting a person’s shoes or clothes.
1-2 *Independent Practice
min. After reading the book, student’s will find a new partner and give compliments to that person not
based on outward appearance, but on their inner character.
1 min. Assessment (formal or informal)
Students will have the opportunity to fill out a “Bucket Card” and put it in the class bucket. The
teacher will read these aloud as class time allows to see if students understand what “filling a
person’s bucket” means.
1 min. *Closure
TTW explain to the students that using kind words can affect a person’s emotions and will improve
the outcome of their daily life. If we can practice using kind words on a regular basis, it will
improve how the students interact with one another.

Differentiation Strategies (enrichment, accommodations, remediation, or by learning style).

Give struggling students a sentence template they can use to make their own compliments, such as “I think
you are ________ because ________.”
Classroom Management Issues (optional)
Keeping the students on task could be an issue for this lesson, but making sure they stay engaged
by making it as interactive as possible will help improve the class management of this lesson.
Lesson Critique. To be completed following the lesson. Did your students meet the objective(s)? What part
of the lesson would you change? Why?

*Denotes Madeline Hunter lesson plan elements.

This will be used during practicum and student teaching. Leave blank for this assignment.

Intern Signature Cooperating Teacher Signature Date

McDonald’s Draft (2010). Modified by Kreassig and Gould (2014) for use with student teachers.
Revised August 2015