Kindness is Everything

To kick off the school year, the fifth graders participated in many activities to get to know their classmates and teammates. They were also tasked with working together as a team throughout many of these activities.  One specific activity revolved around a tube of toothpaste. Each team of students was given a tube and asked to squeeze every bit of toothpaste out of it. Once that was done, they were given a popsicle stick and toothpicks to put all of the toothpaste back into the tube. The students worked feverishly to get as much back in as they possibly could. All groups worked very well together, even when they quickly realized the task was impossible.

Many students began to wonder the purpose of this impossible activity. Once the students admitted that they could not put the toothpaste back into the tube, I asked them a very important question.

“Can you completely undo the act of emptying the tube of toothpaste?”

Once that question was released, I could literally see the realization on the students’ faces. This activity had nothing to do with toothpaste and everything to do with an important life lesson. The toothpaste represented words and actions, that once released, can never fully be undone or taken back. This catapulted us into a discussion of what will be the focal point of fifth grade: the importance of kindness.

My hope is that my students learned a very valuable lesson on their first day of fifth grade. One that will leave an impression on them forever.