Filling a bucket- a classroom guidance lesson on being kind.

Talking about Filling a Bucket is something I do with my students at the beginning of every school year. When students learn this concept, it helps build a positive school community and set the year off on the right track!

Both books, Have You Filled A Bucket Today and Fill a Bucket, will teach your students how to to be kind to others by filling their bucket. When I go into my teachers classroom for guidance, I have students sit on the carpet and get them to tell me what they know about being kind. Then, I will get them to tell me how to be kind to others. While my students are sharing I’ll document their responses on a piece of chart paper or on the board as a visual. Next, I will either read the story aloud or play a clip of the read aloud and pause to ask or answer questions.

If you choose to play a clip of the read aloud, I’ve added them for you below..

Some questions I like to ask from the story, Have You Filled A Bucket Today, are..

• What do you think a full bucket represents or shows?
• What do you think an empty bucket represents or shows?
• Is your bucket full or empty? Explain.
• What is a bucket filler?
• What is a bucket dipper?
• Why do you think bucket dippers have empty buckets?
• How do you think you can fill someone’s bucket? Give some examples.

Some questions I like to ask from the story, Fill A Bucket, are..

• What are some things others can do to fill your bucket?
• Does your bucket fill up when you fill other people’s buckets? If so, why do you think this happens?
• How would you explain bucket filling to someone?

If you decide to read both stories to students, here are a few questions you can ask them..

• How are both stories alike?
• How are both stories different?
• Which story do you like the most? Explain

I like to end the lesson with an activity. I have created a fun and interactive activity that allows student a chance to cut, paste, draw, write and work together or individually on filling a bucket.

You can find this activity in my TeacherspayTeachers store. Click here to access the resource.

** If you want to fill an adults bucket, this free resource will help you do just that: Bucket Filling Letter

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