Making life better.
Given the current state of affairs prompted by COVID-19, the way we teach PK-12 students is rapidly changing. In response, we have developed a list of activities based our CPR Support for Students and Teachers Framework. These are not intended to replace the regular curriculum required by individual schools or states. Rather, these are activities intended to help students develop their various capacities and pursue passions in ways that are relevant to them. We also focus on developing what we call "presence," which is sometimes referred as "mindfulness." During these critical times, we believe it is imperative to consider the whole learner and look for ways to make learning meaningful.
CPR Activities for Holistic Learning
- Measure the area and perimeter of each room in your home
- Graph the types of birds that frequent your yard or windows
- Using household materials, build a working rain gauge, barometer, and wind vane
- Learn ten new big words. Write them in marker on your bathroom mirror
- Design and build puppets that perform a show about multiplication
- Learn, practice, and perform a magic trick
- Write a book review
- Learn, practice, and tell three new jokes
- Use household materials to make and play stringed, percussion, and wind instruments
- Design a new game
- Produce a movie using smart phone
- Design Timelines
- Collect leaves from ten different (non-harmful) plants. Sort them by size, color, and texture
- Shape Shift (pretend to be someone else). This can be accomplished through play, theater, or even video games
Passion Activities
- Put your favorite book, toy, and keepsake on a small table in sunlight. Draw or paint a full color still life
- Interview a family member about their hobbies
- Interview a friend about their hobbies
- Build a "fable fort" out of blankets and chairs. Camp in it all day while you create stories to tell your family over dinner
- List your top 10 favorite songs of movies
Relevance Activities
- Interview a family member
- Help with a chore
- Construct a family tree
- Create a Venn Diagram that compares and contrasts two people in your family, your neighborhood, or your church, mosque, or temple
Presence Activities
- Garden (if appropriate)
- Listen to music a pay careful attention to what you hear
- Be completely silent for 20 minutes (suggested), then write about the experience
- Stay up late and stargaze
- Paint a picture using water colors
- Sit silently for 15 minutes while you write down every sound you hear. When you are done, classify the sounds (high/low pitch, high/low volume, manmade v. naturally occurring, etc.)
- Eat a meal and try to notice your taste buds
- Play chess or checkers
- Smell a plant
- Watch wildlife, like birds and squirrels
- Say a prayer
- Perform yoga
- Practice guided meditation using a meditation app
CPR Activity Planning and Reflection
The purpose of this form is to provide teachers, parents, and students with a template for planning and reflecting on activities that may support their holistic development. The form includes space to describe how an individual plans to support their development in each CPR area and what they actually did to support their development in each area during a specified duration (daily, weekly, other). When planning how to support their development in each area, it may be helpful to review the activities in the lists above. Click the button below to access the form.
Contribute to the Dialogue
Click the button below to submit your ideas for learning activities that support the holistic development of students in environments that span beyond traditional classrooms.