Kids on the Block

Kids on the Block offers a series of age-appropriate and interactive programs for students in grades K-6.   I've included information on their Nashville program, but you can also explore programs offered in  your area at their national site.

Sticks and Stones (Kindergarten - 25 minutes) - This program was developed for younger audiences to educate, as well as hold their attention. The presentation is a short puppet show on teasing and name-calling followed by a visual and interactive session between the puppeteers and children dealing with how painful anf unforgettable bullying can be.

Problem Solving (1st grade - 25 minutes) - This program features two friends who are fighting over who actually owns a video that they purchased together. With the help of an older brother and the audience, the characters are able to figure out a solution by using the problem-solving process. The program helps children understand there are many ways to solve a problem. It also teaches a simple technique to calm down and get control so that they can make smart and safe decisions.

Divorce (1st or 2nd grade) - From a child's perspective, this program is about an 11 year old girl whose parents have recently divorced. She talks about all of her feelings with her friend as well as with her mother. She's even able to talk to her mother about feeling caught in the middle.

Awareness of Differences (2nd grade) - The goal of this program is to promote understanding and acceptance of every individual regardless of their differences. The presentation shows that everyone is different. It teaches children to embrace differences rather than to bully someone because of them. This presentation includes visual differences such as cerebral palsy, blindness and deafness. New in 2009, KOB is now offering a program on Autism as an alternative to one of the other 3 subjects currently presented.

Awareness of Differences (3rd grade) - This program deals with differences of all kinds: medical, mental, cultural, and physical.
Child Abuse Prevention (3rd grade) - This program empowers students to identify child abuse and neglect, to learn what to do in an abusive situation, and to learn how to say "No!" It also provides guidance and emotional support to children who have been abused.

Growing Up Healthy (3rd or 4th grade) - This topic was developed to educate children about the relationship between food and physical movement; and how they affect weight and health. The program promotes sensitivity, understanding and acceptance of differences in all body types.

Gift of Life (4th grade) - This program explains organ and tissue donation and discusses coping with death in a family. It identifies the stages of grieving letting children know it is alright to talk about their feelings.

Bullying Prevention (4th grade) - The focus of this presenation is conflict resolution and problem solving. This educational curriculum has been designed to explain and define bullying, introduce problem solving techniques, and encourage children to talk about their feelings as well as voice their concerns in unjust situations. The program challenges bystanders to speak up for their fellow classmates.

Prejudice Prevention (5th grade) - Prevention of stereotyping and prejudice is the focus of this program. The curriculum is designed to increase awareness and acceptance of human similarities and differences, encourage students to reject unacceptable bullying behavior in others, and suggest ways for students to work together to stop bullying and prejudice.

HIV/AIDS Prevention (5th grade) - This abstinence-based program includes a description of the disease, defines high risk behaviors including drug and alcohol use, discusses myths about the spread of AIDS, describes values and choices, and demonstrates compassion for a person who is dying.

Teen Pregnancy and Substance Abuse Prevention (6th grade) - This is an abstinence-based program teaching that sex is a responsible adult choice. The presentation educates students on substance abuse and how a person who is using drugs could make choices that they wouldn't normally make. It introduces students to critical thinking, problem solving, and negotiation skills.