Kindness
Middle School
December 2014
Introduction
Kindness is described as being helpful, thoughtful, caring, compassionate, and considerate. December is the perfect
month to show kindness to others, as well as all of the animals, plants, and natural resources on our planet.
This is the last month to submit for our very popular annual poster contest. This year, the poster contest theme is
Broward 100: Celebrating 100 Years of Environmental Protection. Please see announcements below for more
information.
Activity 1: Have an Environmentally-Kind Party
For the month of December, thoughts of holiday parties and New Year events are on our minds. It is a time to share the
warmth we feel toward others and to celebrate with people whose company we enjoy. Before the winter break, have a
kindness party to celebrate your success, hard work, and accomplishments throughout the year. With some planning,
you can make it a waste-free event, where nothing gets thrown away.
Each student should bring a fork, spoon, cup, and plate from home. That way, everything can be washed and used again!
Decorate your party headquarters with paper, plants, or other things you have hanging around. Be creative! If
purchasing napkins or paper towels make sure they are made from recycled paper. These items are readily available in
most grocery stores today. Do not use balloons to decorate. Balloons are not environmentally friendly and can end up
harming animals when found in the outdoors.
An environmentally-kind party can be enjoyed anywhere. It fits just as nicely in any office, park, beach, or home. At an
office or work party, ask coworkers to do the same as above. Ask them to also bring in a fork, spoon, cup or mug, and
plate from home to use at the party.
Activity 2: Positive “Presents”
This is a fantastic activity which involves all students, including those who cannot afford a couple dollars for a "Secret
Santa" gift or who do not celebrate the holidays. Instead of exchanging gifts, the students exchange compliments! Each
year, Mike Millard, a math teacher at South Middle School in Liberal, Kansas prepares for this self-esteem-boosting
activity by typing all the students' names on a sheet of paper. Two lines accompany each name. "I give students a day
to come up with a positive comment about each person on the list," explained Millard. "Then I collect the papers and
type up one page for each student, listing all the positive things their peers said about them." Comments include
sentiments such as, "You always have a smile," "You were nice to help me with my math homework," and other upbeat
messages. "Of course I add a positive comment of my own for each student," he said. "I like this activity because it
encourages students to focus on the most positive aspects of their peers." Nobody feels left out because the end-ofterm party doesn't focus on one holiday celebration or another and the kids have no worries about whether or not their
gifts will measure up. "The activity gives students' self-confidence a huge boost," Millard added. "It's really great to see
their faces brighten when they read the positive things their peers have to say about them."
Resource: Education World
POSTER CONTEST ANNOUNCEMENT!
Theme: Broward 100: Celebrating 100 Years of Environmental Protection
For this poster contest, students should design a poster (winners will be featured in the 2016 calendar) showcasing
environmental protection in Broward County through the past 100 years. Examples can include saving our air quality,
trees and mangroves, animals (panthers, sea turtles, and coral reefs), beaches, recycling and also highlight how climate
change issues have grown in the past 100 years. On the back of the poster the students should describe their
environmental protection concept and what changes have taken place over the past 100 years, especially here in
Broward County.
For complete contest rule and more information, please visit the Kids Club Contests page.
Spread the Word!
Subscribe to our FREE electronic Environmental Character Education Newsletters Today!
The monthly edition of this newsletter is distributed only through a FREE electronic e-mail subscriber list. E-mail the
Broward County Air Quality program at airoutreach@broward.org to receive this valuable curriculum resource. The
newsletters are also available on our Environmental Kids Club web site at www.broward.org/kids.
Broward Air Quality Index School Flag Program (FREE)
The Broward Air Quality Index (AQI) School Flag Program helps children, parents, the community and school personnel
become aware of daily outdoor air quality conditions using brightly colored flags. Each day, a flag is raised at
participating schools that signals the level of air pollution for that day and will be followed up with a mention during the
school’s morning announcements. The flag colors correspond to the colors used in the Environmental Protection
Agency’s (EPA) Air Quality Index, which tells how clean or polluted the air is for that day. When members of the school
and the surrounding community know what the daily air quality is, they can adjust their activities to reduce their
exposure to air pollution. Visit our website for more information on the Broward AQI School Flag Program.
South FL Audubon Society: Bird Walk at Tall Cypress Natural Area in Coral Springs
Sunday, December 14 - Tall Cypress has become one of Broward’s major bird hotspots, with 150 different species
recorded in and around the park. This is due to the diversity of habitats within this small (66 acre) patch, along with its
location along major migration routes. Year-round and winter residents include Painted Buntings, five species of
Woodpecker, Great Horned Owl, Red-Tailed Hawk, Summer Tanager, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Spot-breasted Oriole, Monk
and Nanday Parakeets. During migration, almost anything is possible!
The Bird Walks will be held on the second Sunday of each month, beginning at 7:30am and will be split into two parts:
The first part of the walk will include the Boardwalk and parking lot area, which are easily accessible to people of all ages
and abilities and will take 1 – 1 1/2 hrs. The total length is a little over half a mile.
The second part of the walk will include areas along Turtle Run Boulevard and then along the northern and western
perimeter of the park to explore the ponds and some of the less-visited parts of Tall Cypress. This part of the walk is
quite a bit longer (about 1.5 miles) and requires walking on soft dirt trails and is not appropriate for very young children
or for anyone who might have trouble with either the distance or the uneven surfaces.
For more information, visit the South FL Audubon Calendar of Events page.
Energy Star Lighting
Many of us have heard about the outstanding energy efficiency provided by LED lighting. But LED bulbs are not all the
same when it comes to performance. To get the energy efficiency and performance you expect, look for the ENERGY
STAR label. LED bulbs that earn the label are independently certified to ensure they deliver on brightness and color, and
shine light where you want it.
ENERGY STAR LED lighting comes in a variety of shapes, sizes, and styles for all your home needs, including light strings
for the holidays.
Important Links

Environmental Character Education Newsletters

Broward County Air Quality Program

Broward County Environmental Kids Club

NatureScape Broward

STEM and Instructional Resources, Broward County Public Schools

Broward County Public Schools Environmental Stewardship

Facebook: Broward Environment

YouTube: Broward Environment
This year’s newsletters support the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards for Science
Grade 6 – Big Idea 1: The Practice of Science; Big Idea 2: The Characteristics of Scientific Knowledge; Big Idea 3: The
Role of Theories, Laws, Hypotheses & Models
Grade 7 – Big Idea 1: The Practice of Science; Big Idea 2: The Characteristics of Scientific Knowledge; Big Idea 3: The
Role of Theories, Laws, Hypotheses & Models; Big Idea 6: Earth Structures
Grade 8 - Big Idea 1: The Practice of Science; Big Idea 2: The Characteristics of Scientific Knowledge; Big Idea 3: The
Role of Theories, Laws, Hypotheses & Models
Common Core State Standards for Literacy & Mathematics embedded throughout.