When a bully in a chaotic classroom encounters an ant named Jim she learns that tolerance and diversity are necessary for any social community to function well. Help promote the youngest students' emotional well-being and mental health as the classroom develops cohesion, trust, and team identity. Take back the playground and the classroom by focusing on:

-anti-bullying

-diversity

-teamwork

-tolerance

-cooperation

-respect

Learn to interpret media messages.

In the tradition of the Straight Talk series, practical ways for students to gain media literacy are outlined in this timely new video. Analyzing the purposes of media messages and interpreting hidden agendas is a vital skill for young teens under barrage from high-pressure marketing. FromStraight Talk About Sex, Gender, and Media, students will begin to develop a healthy critical approach to the many different forms the media takes, and to make more informed decisions regarding their own choices with regard to sexuality. This video raises the awareness of young people and promotes abstinence from risky behavior.

A dramatically different approach to puberty education. Please note that the working title for this video was Straight Talk about Mental Health. In this second Straight Talk program, hosts Lisa and Jason tackle issues that affect the mental well-being of young people:

• More about hormones and emotions
• Interacting responsibly with others
• Developing a healthy body image
• Making decisions based on facts
• Recognizing and resisting commercial pressures • Identifying, understanding, and expressing emotions
• Constructing a strong personal identity The question and answer format will help students sort out their conflicting thoughts, beliefs, and emotions and come to terms with themselves and their bodies. Straight Talk About Self-Image and Identity will help boys and girls approach maturity with grace and confidence.

Help students identify and maintain healthy relationships.

Early adolescence is a time of rapid and dramatic changes. Navigating the social and emotional complexities presented by daily life can be especially challenging during the teen years. Introducing this Straight Talk program, hosts Melissa and Randy present the concept of Self-Confidence, and show a group of students at a nearby junior high school talking about self-confidence and self-esteem with their guidance counselor.

Identifying seven basic concepts, the members of the group detail their personal experiences with a keener understanding of self-confidence. Providing guidance along the path to emotional maturity Straight Talk About Self-Confidence can help boys and girls improve personal insight and the ways they relate to others.

Learn to deal with social pressures.

Adolescent peer groups bridge the gap between childhood and adulthood, and friends can often facilitate what is sometimes a difficult stage of development. However, peer pressure can also be detrimental and lead teens into trouble. Straight Talk About Peer Pressure helps middle school students learn how to navigate through peer situations which conflict with feelings and values. Practical tips for self-reflection, coping mechanisms for maintaining friendships, and developing refusal skills are featured in this constructive presentation.

Learn to address conflict in appropriate ways.
Early adolescence is a time of rapid and dramatic changes. Navigating the social and emotional complexities presented by daily life can be especially challenging during the teen years. Introducing this "call in" program, hosts Melissa and Randy discuss the emotion of anger and the complications that can arise when reacting to this powerful feeling. 

Managing anger is a skill that can be learned, and getting in touch with underlying unmet needs is at the core of this process. In the variety of scenarios presented, young teens find ideas that resonate with their own lives and learn techniques to developing a healthy approach to controlling anger. Providing guidance along the path to emotional maturity Straight Talk About Anger can help boys and girls improve personal insight and the ways they relate to others.

A herd of Spanish sheep is badly in need of guidance. Everyone knows that sheep are followers. They are perfectly content to trail along behind whomever happens to be a few steps ahead. This is exactly the case with a flock of sheep living outside a tiny village in the heart of Spain. One day Isabella begins to wonder if there isn't another way. "Must we always be wandering about willy-nilly, nobody knowing where we are going?" But recognizing the need for a leader and accepting the responsibility of being one are two different things. It will require a bolt of lightning — literally — to transform the reluctant Isabella into the leader she must be. From crumbling stone farm buildings and rugged grazing land to the pinnacled Alcazar, once home of Queen Isabella, this story captures the drama of the Spanish landscape, the perfect backdrop for the exciting events that lead to our Isabella's transformation. 

Following Isabella will help you:

• Consider leadership as a service to one's community
• Investigate different kinds of leadership
• Present information about sheep and sheep farming
• Explore the geography and culture of Spain

"A story about leadership, confidence, initiative and cooperation. Particularly useful for studies in social skills and character education. [Isabella] will be appreciated by general viewers as well." — School Library Journal

Author Linda Talley

Illustrator Andra Chase

Key Concept: Becoming a leader

Age Group: Grades K-4

Friends are particularly important to a young person with special needs and having the right skills can make all the difference. I Know How to Act is a play within a play, featuring both students with special needs and typically developing peers acting out different social behaviors. This program takes an original and unique approach to conveying social and leadership skills in a way kids can easily understand. It is also an especially good representation of inclusion. Key points are marked throughout the program where the teacher can stop the DVD for supplemental class discussion.

Topics include: cognitive challenges, dating, friendship, inclusion, and other social and leadership skills.