School Counselor Connection
Kelso the frog is introduced to all students at School Street Elementary School. These problem-solving classroom lessons teach students how to solve small problems using nine choices on the Kelso chart. Students also learn that BIG problems, such as dangerous situations (stranger safety), are only for trusting adults to take care of. Kelso charts are posted in all of the classrooms for students to utilize whenever they have a small problem to solve on their own.
Kelso's Choices Parent Web Site
Kelso teaches us nine choices to solve small problems:
Apologize
Walk Away
Ignore It
Tell Them To Stop
Make A Deal
Wait and Cool Off
Go To Another Game
Talk It Out
Share and Take Turns
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ASCA (American School Counselor Association) National Standards for Students: Personal/Social Development:
PS:B1.1 Use a decision-making and problem-solving model
PS:C1.5 Differentiate between situations requiring peer support and situations requiring adult professional help
PS:C1.6 Identify resource people in the school and community, and know how to seek their help
PS:C1.7 Apply effective problem-solving and decision-making skills to make safe and healthy choices
Standards for Student Interpersonal Skills 16.2.5A, 16.2.5D, 16.2.5E
Kelso Choices Sessions and Activities
Session One:
KelsosChoice Workbook Lessons.pdf
Click on the Kelso's Choice Workbook link above. Scroll down the pdf workbook to pages 13--16, Lesson One. You are welcome to print these pages out, if it is easier for you. Complete Lesson One of the workbook with a family member as an Introduction to solving small and big problems with Kelso's Choices.
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Session Two:
KelsosChoice Workbook Lessons.pdf
Click on the Kelso's Choice Workbook link above. Scroll down the pdf workbook to pages 17--22, Lesson Two. You are welcome to print these pages out, if it is easier for you. Complete Lesson Two of the workbook with a family member as an Introduction to solving small and big problems with Kelso's Choices.
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Session Three:
KelsosChoice Workbook Lessons.pdf
Click on the Kelso's Choice Workbook link above. Scroll down the pdf workbook to pages 27--31, Lesson Four. You are welcome to print these pages out, if it is easier for you. Complete Lesson Four of the workbook with a family member to focus on safety skills with Kelso's Choices program.
Click on the Kelso's Choice Workbook link above. Scroll down the pdf workbook to pages 65, 66, and 67. Print the activity sheets and complete them with scissors, blank piece of paper, glue or tape, markers/crayons/colored pencils.
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Session Four:
KelsosChoice Workbook Lessons.pdf
Click on the Kelso's Choice Workbook link above. Scroll down the pdf workbook to pages 41--42, Lesson Eight. You are welcome to print these pages out, if it is easier for you. Complete Lesson Eight of the workbook with a family member to review Kelso's Choices.
Click on the Kelso's Choice Workbook link above. Scroll down the pdf workbook to pages 68, 69, and 70. You are welcome to print these pages out, if it is easier for you. With a family member, sing or rap to a Kelso's Choice song from the pages. Sing your heart out and try to make hand or body movements to the songs as you sing!
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Session Five:
Listen to the Kelso Song: “Try an Alternate Way” by clicking on the links below.
A song adaptation of “Try a Better Way” song was created and recorded by Susie Carrell, School Counselor for the Davis Joint Unified School District in Davis, California. Count how many Kelso Choices you hear in the song. How many Kelso Choices did you hear?
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Open up the Kelso Choices Chart and pick your favorite Kelso Choices you like to use to solve small problems on your own. Share your answers with a family member.
Listen to a Kelso Book, Kelso Conflict-Story One Willow Pond: CLICK HERE
Try to answer the following book discussion questions and share with a family member:
1) What was the small problem Lilly had in the story?
2) Who did Lily talk to about the small problem?
3) What is a Kelso Chart and how can it help you?
4) How did Lilly feel about the small problem?
5) At the end of the story, what Kelso Choices do you think Lilly tried to solve the small problem on her own?
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Click on this KELSO CHOICE LINK for examples of how to use each Kelso Choice. Find the Kelso Choice, Walk Away & Wait and Cool Off. Read or have a family member read the Kelso Choice examples of how to do each Kelso Choice and practice each one.
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Learn about small problems and big problems in this Kelso Video: CLICK HERE
Session Six:
Watch "I'm A Kelso Wheel Believer" Song: CLICK HERE
Open up the Kelso Choices Power-point and read about small and big problems: CLICK HERE
Listen to a Kelso Book, Kelso Conflict-Story Two A Visitor: CLICK HERE
Try to answer the following book discussion questions and share with a family member:
1) What was the big problem in the story?
2) Who was the visitor in the story?
3) Who alerted the Willow Pond animals of danger?
4) What could the hawk do to the Willow Pond animals and Kelso?
5) What did the Willow Pond animals do when they saw danger coming to the pond?
6) Who are TRUSTING ADULTS you have at home?
7) Who are TRUSTING ADULTS you have at school?
8) Who will you talk to the next time you have a big problem?
Click on this KELSO CHOICE LINK for examples of how to use each Kelso Choice. Find the Kelso Choice, Apologize. Read or have a family member read the Kelso Choice examples of how to do each Kelso Choice and practice each one.
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Learn about Small Problems and Big Problems in the Kelso In Action K-3rd Video: CLICK HERE
Session Seven:
Do a Crazy Frog Wiggle Break and Dance to this Video: CLICK HERE
Watch this Clay-animated Kelso Choice Student Video about a Small Problem: CLICK HERE
Listen to a Kelso Book, Kelso Conflict-Story Three The Fly Boys: CLICK HERE
Try to answer the following book discussion questions and share with a family member:
1) What was the small problem in the story?
2) What were the dragon flies good at doing?
3) What Kelso Choice did Tex and Rex, the turtles, do for 2 months (or 8 weeks)?
4) Did the Kelso Choice, Ignore It, solve the turtles small problem? 5) After Lilly talked with the turtles, what Kelso Choices did the turtles try next?
6) Did Tex and Rex solve their small problem on their own?
7) What will you do when someone makes noises and you are trying to get your work done?
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Click on this KELSO CHOICE LINK for examples of how to use each Kelso Choice. Find the Kelso Choice, Ignore It and Tell Them To Stop. Read or have a family member read the Kelso Choice examples of how to do each Kelso Choice and practice each one.
Session Eight:
Do a FUN Crazy Frog Wiggle Break and Dance to this Song: CLICK HERE
Watch a "Kelso Wheel FROZEN" Song: CLICK HERE
Listen to a Kelso Book, Kelso Conflict-Story Four The Benson Blues: CLICK HERE
Try to answer the following book discussion questions and share with a family member:
1) Who had a small problem in the story?
2) What was the small problem?
3) How did Benson, the toad, want to play lily-pad-leap frog game?
4) How many jumps could the little frogs jump in the game?
5) If the toads and frogs played the game of leaping 2 at a time, what was most likely going to happen?
6) Could the animals get hurt playing the toads way?
7) What Kelso Choices did Lily try to solve the small problem?
8) What will you do when someone changes the rules of a game and you do not like it?
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Click on this KELSO CHOICE LINK for examples of how to use each Kelso Choice. Find the Kelso Choice, Go To Another Game & Share and Take Turns. Read or have a family member read the Kelso Choice examples of how to do each Kelso Choice and practice each one.
Session Nine:
Review the Kelso Choices. Do a FUN Wiggle Break and Dance to this Kelso Choice Rap Song: CLICK HERE
Watch a "Kelso Wheel HAPPY" Song: CLICK HERE
Listen to a Kelso Book, Kelso Conflict-Story Five The Houseboat: CLICK HERE
Try to answer the following book discussion questions and share with a family member:
1) What came to Willow Pond and destroyed the pond?
2) What was the small problem Lilly had in the story?
3) What did Lilly's friends offer to do to help her?
4) Lilly did not want her friends to argue with each other. What did Lilly do to solve the problem and work it out with all of her friends?
5) What did Lilly make as her new home?
6) Was Lilly able to visit each of her friends and take turns?
7) What Kelso Choices can you do, if your friends are arguing or not sharing playing with each other?
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Click on this KELSO CHOICE LINK for examples of how to use each Kelso Choice. Find the Kelso Choice, Talk It Out and Make a Deal. Read or have a family member read the Kelso Choice examples of how to do each Kelso Choice and practice each one.
Session Ten:
Review the Kelso Choices on the Kelso Chart. Print out the following pages: Frog Head, Frog Limbs, Kelso Chart.
Gather together scissors, glue, markers/crayons/colored pencils, lunch-sized paper bag. Color the Kelso Chart and put a star(s) next to the Kelso Choices you have used before to help you solve small problems on your own. Color the Kelso bag puppet sheets with the markers, crayons, or colored pencils. With scissors, cut out the frog head and frog limbs. Throw away the scraps of paper. Glue the frog head and frog limbs pieces on the flap side of the paper bag. Enjoy talking about your favorite Kelso Choices with the bag puppet to your family members.
Session Eleven:
Let's play KELSO BINGO! Print out the two different Kelso BINGO cards below. Find pennies or markers to mark each box during the game. Before the game begins, all players put a marker/penny in the middle of their bingo card in the FREE space. Select one player to call out a Kelso Choice during each turn. Players put a marker/penny on the Kelso Choice boxes for the Kelso Choice that is called-out. The player that has all markers/pennies in the Kelso boxes in the directions of straight-across (diagonal row) or up & down (column), calls out KELSO! because he/she won the game. Enjoy playing KELSO BINGO with your family members! Remember, to show good sportsmanship and say, "Good Game!" after each game ends.
