Body in the Group

Book excerpt: NOTE: This storybook includes a read-aloud option that is accessible on Google and IOS devices. Jesse, Evan, Ellie, and Molly explore the ocean bottom, learn what it means to have your body in the group, and discover why it’s a key element of successful social interactions. In storybook 4 of the We Thinkers! Vol. 1 social emotional learning curriculum for ages 4-7, the four friends observe how some sea creatures like fish, sea turtles, and jellyfish swim in groups—and others, like a big toothy shark—are not in a group. They discover how to find just the right distance between each other to feel comfortable and happy, and when they each keep their bodies in the group, it sends a silent message that they’re interested in the others and are following the same group plan. Yikes! Finding a big shark in a dark cave is definitely not part of the group plan! Continue building on this important social concept with the fundamental concepts taught in storybooks 5-10, which align with the corresponding teaching units within the related curriculum. Best practice: teach these concepts in order, starting with storybook 1 of 10 while using the corresponding curriculum.