Worry, WoRRy, WORRY

What's your favorite Kevin Henkes book? The character coach in me is partial to Chester's Way, but the counselor in me adores Wemberly Worried. While I typically save this gem for the beginning of the school year, worries can certainly surface at any time. Just what do I do when a student's worry monster strikes? I've got several techniques that work well. The first is to let the student pick a worry rock from my collection of river rocks. We draw a face on one side and write a name on the other, then tuck it away in a pocket or a pencil case and use it as a touchstone to help students rub their worries away. A second option is the worry box or jar. Students name their worries by writing about them on a slip of paper, then deposit them into the box or jar. The act of giving the worry away can be quite empowering. A third and somewhat similar strategy is to have students draw the worry. What does it look like? Sound like? Feel like? Smell like? Once they've finished, allow students to decide what they want to do with the drawing. Some want to put it in the worry box, others want to crumple it up and throw it away, still others let me lock it up in my filing cabinet.  

I found this chart hanging outside Mrs. Moffitt's second-grade classroom.

Want to do an author study? How does Wemberly Worried stack up against Henkes' other titles? Have students compare and contrast the characters, setting, and plot of this author's books by searching for similarities and differences. Finally, ask students to select their favorite two (Don't worry; they'll know!) and complete a double-bubble thinking map. Click here to learn about another book that I use with students who are wracked with worry.