The BOOST Cafe Resource Center is a collection of FREE resources curated by BOOST and sorted by grade level and category.
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GRADE LEVELS
RESOURCE CATEGORIES
Thanks! A Strength-Based Gratitude Curriculum for Teens & Tweens
Community-Based, Curriculum & Enrichment, Family Engagement
The Greater Good Science Center launched the Youth Gratitude Project (YGP) as part of the broader Expanding the Science and Practice of Gratitude, a multiyear project funded by the John Templeton Foundation. In addition to advancing the knowledge of how to measure and develop gratitude in children, the YGP created and tested a new gratitude curriculum for middle and high schoolers. The main idea of the YGP curriculum is that varied gratitude practices should help students feel more socially competent and connected, be more satisfied with school, have better mental health and emotional well-being, and be more motivated about school and their future. Preliminary evidence for the effects of the gratitude curriculum indicate that it is helping to decrease depression, anxiety, and antisocial behavior and increase hope, emotional regulation, and search for purpose. This curriculum features four lessons to help students understand the meaning of gratitude and how to cultivate it in their everyday lives.
Gratitude in Youth: Past, Present, and Future Applications
Community-Based, Family Engagement, Youth Development
Gratitude is a disposition or mood that enables people to responds positively for the benefits they receive from people, nature, or a moment of peaceful bliss. Past research has recognized gratitude as one of the most important virtues a person can have. It has been demonstrated that there are psychological, interpersonal, personality, and physical benefits to being grateful. Only recently has present research begun to actively explore gratitude in children and adolescents. Recent research with children and adolescents shows the benefits of gratitude on youth are very similar to that of adults. Specifically, grateful youth are more optimistic, have a better life and school satisfaction, engage in more prosocial behavior, and experience fewer negative emotions. Hence, gratitude has the potential to promote psychological well-being and positive adjustment in youth.
Learning to Give: Voting and Civic Participation
Other
Learning to Give has created a toolkit that offers resources for educators to create meaningful voting and civic participation lessons for students. The toolkit guides participants to investigate issues surrounding engagement and includes definitions, key questions, lessons, activities, and community resources while offering project ideas/guides to service-learning. Additional resources for literature guides are suggested for further reading.
Lysol® Minilabs Science Kits
COVID-19, Health Care Resources for Youth, Physical & Mental Health, Project-Based Learning, Safety
The GIANT Room in collaboration with Lysol® has created a free digital-resource series of Minilab Science Kits accessible to educators, co-designed by teachers, families, and students. The HERE for Healthy Schools program is intended to promote healthy learning about microbes and germs to reduce school absenteeism. Activities are designed for children in grades 1 and 2.
Rise Vote 2024 Toolkit
Advocacy & Policy, History/Social Studies Curriculum
Generation Citizen has created a resource designed to inform, support, and empower youth voices in the act of civic engagement and voter registration. Specific state-by-state information is also provided for the following locations: California; Kentucky; New York; Massachusetts; Pennsylvania; Rhode Island; Oklahoma; Texas; and Washington. A mini-lesson plan on voter registration is included.
Mahogany Mermaids: Aquatic Education Tools
Advocacy & Policy, Diversity, Equality, Cultural Competency, Environmental Education, STEM Curriculum
Created in August of 2016 by CEO Aliyah Griffith, Mahogany Mermaids promotes awareness and advocacy that create opportunities for children and youth of color to explore and join the aquatic sciences. A primary goal of Mahogany Mermaids is to connect, impact, and outreach to as many students and youth as possible. To achieve this, they have offered education tools via their website to build ocean awareness and conservation efforts for students 4th – 12th grade. Their resource page also offers uniquely created activities connected to national aquariums as well as links to outside resources.
2024 Play Equity Report
Advocacy & Policy, Nutrition, Obesity Prevention, Physical & Mental Health, Physical Activity Curriculum
In response to questions and concerns surrounding California youth activity and play, LA84 commissioned research to address these conversations. One of its kind, the 2024 California Play Equity Report offers insight to access gaps and barriers that communities and youth face. Visit 2024report.la84.org for more information.
Teaching Democracy in the Classroom Resources
Advocacy & Policy, Curriculum & Enrichment
A healthy democracy requires active participation and prepares its people to self-govern by providing a practical understanding of how the government works, how power is leveraged and the skills to exercise their rights and represent their interests. Rock the Vote’s Democracy Class is a free, nonpartisan curriculum that educates high school students about the importance and history of voting and pre-registers and registers them to vote.
Afterschool Alliance Election Toolkit
Advocacy & Policy, Social Justice
Election season presents an important opportunity to put afterschool on the radar of policy makers and the public in a visible and meaningful way. The resources in this toolkit will help you spark conversations about afterschool with candidates for office in your local community or state. Included are talking points, sample materials, and information on how your non-profit organization can participate in the electoral process.
iCivics Election Lesson Plans, Games, Videos, Activities for Youth
Advocacy & Policy, Curriculum & Enrichment, Social Justice
From iCivics Election Headquarters: The best way to strengthen our democracy is to teach it. Presidential elections provide one of the most visible teachable moments for civic education. By discussing the election, the processes surrounding it, and the role of the people, we have the opportunity to build young people’s confidence in our country. With free election-focused games and nonpartisan teaching resources specific to high school, middle school, and elementary students, you can help young people understand the power of their voice and vote, learn about state, local, and federal election processes, and become informed and engaged participants.