'Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.'

—Martin Luther King, Jr.

As a teacher, you have the unique opportunity to teach and inspire your students to be goal-oriented, compassionate, confident, and ambitious. Anna Unkovich, a former teacher of thirty-five years, made a difference in her students' lives through the daily use of stories from the bestselling series Chicken Soup for the Soul.

For many years, Unkovich read these stories to her students and noticed remarkable changes in them, both academically and personally. Recognizing that today's teenagers have more challenges in finding positive role models, she teamed up with bestselling author Mark Victor Hansen and veteran teacher, inspirational speaker, and bestselling author Jack Canfield to create an unprecedented educational curriculum for teachers to use to empower their students in the same way that they have. Unkovich chose the most inspirational stories from the more than one hundred Chicken Soup books published. These stories, activities, and plans will enhance your existing curriculum. Designed to be read aloud to students, each story is accompanied by thought-provoking questions and exercises specifically designed and used by the authors.

Your students will identify with each of the powerful stories and will be encouraged to apply the lesson plans to their own lives, challenges, and situations, and at the same time improve their critical thinking and writing skills. More important, unlike other curriculums, Chicken Soup for the Soul in the Classroom educates and provides opportunities for open dialogue on real-life issues, including character building and self-esteem.

Chicken Soup for the Kid's Soul,
Kindness Is Contagious

MIDDLE SCHOOL:

Pre-questions:
Do you ever open doors for others?
      • Why, or why not?
What are your feelings about 'old people?'
      • Explain.

Read Story

Post-questions:
Where did the $50 come from?
Why did this kid choose to stop reading and to ride the elevator up with these elderly strangers?
When, if ever, have you helped an older person with something?
      • What, if anything, did you do?
      • How did it feel?

Student Activities:
Draw a time-line of your life from birth to death.
      • (See Appendix, page 382 for sample)
      • 'Decide' on a potential age of death.
      • -Pay particular attention to the items that you put on your time-line between now, and your proposed age of 'death.'
      • Discuss the importance of the things on your list.
Start an 'Adopt-A-Grandparent' program with a nearby nursing home or assisted living facility.
      • Schedule a day each week to read to the elderly.
      • Celebrate monthly birthdays with them.
      • Or, just listen to their personal histories.
Notes to teacher:
Students can rotate schedules so they don't have to go every week, but share the responsibility for quality time with the elderly.

Kindness Is Contagious
The place to improve the world is first
in one's own heart and head and hands . . .

Robert M. Pirsig

When I was through with my doctor's appointment, I made my way down to the lobby. My mom was going to pick me up, but knowing how she was always late, I realized I had some time to spare. I took a seat in the lobby and smiled politely at the three elderly people sitting near me. There were two women and one old man. Then I dug into my backpack for my library book.

Just as I started to read, one of the women struck up a loud conversation with anyone who would listen. She relayed her adventures purchasing her new eyeglasses. I smiled and listened to her tale; she had a lot to say. When her husband pulled up in front of the big glass doors, her story ended abruptly. She was gone.

The old man's ride arrived just as quickly. His daughter pulled up in a station wagon filled with kids. She burst through the doors, saying, 'Pop, are you ready?' That left just me and a beautiful gray-haired woman in the lobby.

I looked directly at her. She appeared dignified, serious, and stern. I thought she might be a former English teacher because she impressed me as a person with knowledge and confidence. She intentionally avoided my direct glance, but as I lifted my book to read, I could feel her eyes carefully gazing in my direction.
Concentrating on reading was impossible. My thoughts kept shifting from the beautiful gray-haired woman to thoughts of school.

Everyone was talking about graduation. The other kids had been discussing what presents to buy for each other. My face turned red at the thought. It had never occurred to me that kids bought presents for graduation. In our home, relatives bought the graduate presents, not friends. I had no money. And I couldn't ask my parents; they hadn't any money either. Yet I longed to be able to share with my best friends something that would help them remember our friendships, even if it was just something little.

I prayed, Oh God, help. What am I going to do?
My mind was still deep in thought when suddenly I heard a commotion at the entrance doors. There was an elderly woman in a wheelchair and another older woman trying to push her along. They were struggling with the heavy glass door. A bustling crowd too busy to help sidestepped them to get by, leaving them to struggle alone.

I jumped up to help them. It was only then that I realized the woman pushing the wheelchair could barely walk. I eased them through both sets of doors and helped them to the elevator. They thanked me, but I could see that they still had a monumental struggle ahead. They still needed to get on and off of the elevator, and into their doctor's office safely.

I decided to ride with them on the elevator. I asked them which floor they needed, and then I made sure they found the correct office. They thanked me again. I told them it was my pleasure, and I really meant it. I was truly happy to help them.

I was on my way down in the elevator when I realized that I had left my backpack on the lobby chair. My backpack had nothing of value in it, just a wallet with fifty-nine cents in change, a small mirror, a comb, and some tissues. But then I remembered that my precious library book was also on the chair.
The elevator could not go fast enough. As the doors opened, I held my breath, hoping against all hope that my backpack and library book were still there. I rushed into the lobby.

They were both safely on the chair, just as I had left them.
As I sat down, I could feel the beautiful gray-haired woman's smiling eyes on me. She seemed proud for some reason. Then her taxi arrived, and, without a word, she was gone.

I decided to pick through my pennies to see if I had enough money to buy a package of peanuts at the little pharmacy. I opened my backpack. To my surprise, tucked neatly inside my wallet was a fifty dollar bill!

My mind flashed to the beautiful woman with the proud look in her eye. I had been kind to a stranger, and in turn, a stranger had been kind to me. I knew that God had answered my prayer.

Kristin Seuntjens

©2008.  Kristin Seuntjens. All rights reserved. Reprinted from Chicken Soup for the Soul in the Classroom - Middle School Edition by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Anna Unkovich. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the written permission of the publisher. Publisher: Health Communications, Inc., 3201 SW 15th Street , Deerfield Beach , FL 33442.