Mateo's Helping Hands, Happy Heart

Mateo's Helping Hands, Happy Heart

by

Patches the Story Dog

Patches the Story Dog

for your 1st Grader

1st Grader Helping Hands, Happy Hearts Social-Emotional Learning

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Mateo stands in a bright, colorful classroom at a wooden table, smiling wide with his arms raised in excitement, surrounded by a tall block tower, a cardboard rocket, and a cup-and-tape castle he has built. In the background, a cheerful elementary school classroom with colorful posters on the walls, cubbies, and a sunny window.

Mateo loved to build things with his hands. He built towers with blocks. He built rockets with boxes. He built castles with cups and tape. If Mateo could stack it, snap it, or glue it — he would build it!

Mateo walks through the school hallway with a big smile, giving a high-five to a classmate while waving with his other hand. In the background, a bright elementary school hallway with colorful artwork hanging on the walls and cubbies lined up along one side.

Every morning, Mateo walked into school with a big smile. He waved to his teacher. He high-fived his friends. He could not wait to learn and play. "Today is going to be a great day!" said Mateo.

The block girl stands at a low table in the cozy art corner, looking down sadly at a pile of scattered colorful blocks that have just tumbled over. In the background, shelves stacked with glue bottles, craft supplies, and bins of blocks in the cozy art corner.

In the cozy art corner, Mateo's friend was building a block tower. She stacked one block, two blocks, three blocks high. But then — CRASH! The tower fell down. "Oh no!" she said. Her lip began to wobble.

Mateo and the block girl stand together at the low table in the cozy art corner, both smiling proudly as they place blocks on top of a tall, colorful six-block tower. In the background, shelves of craft supplies and bins of blocks in the cozy art corner.

Mateo hurried over. "Don't worry! I can help," he said. Together, they stacked one block, two blocks, three blocks — and then four, five, six! The tower stood tall and strong. "We did it!" she cheered. Mateo smiled. Helping felt good.

The paint boy stands at the painting table, looking upset with paint-covered hands, as a puddle of bright red paint spreads across the table near a tipped-over paint cup and a wet painting. In the background, a colorful classroom with easels, paper, and jars of paint on nearby shelves.

At the painting table, another friend was working on a picture. He dipped his brush in bright red paint. But his cup tipped over! Red paint spilled across the table. "Oh no! My painting is ruined!" he cried.

Mateo and the paint boy stand side by side at the painting table, both smiling as Mateo holds paper towels and the paint boy holds up a fresh, colorful new painting. In the background, a bright classroom with easels and shelves of art supplies.

Mateo grabbed some paper towels. "It's okay! Let's clean it up," he said. They wiped and wiped until the table was clean. Then Mateo helped his friend start a brand-new painting. "This one is even better!" his friend said with a grin.

The bench girl sits alone on a wooden bench at the edge of the sunny playground, looking down at her shoes with a sad expression. In the background, a sunny playground with swings, slides, and other children playing.

At recess, Mateo ran out to the sunny playground. He loved the swings and slides! But then he saw someone sitting alone on a bench. She looked sad. She looked down at her shoes. She did not run. She did not play.

Mateo and the bench girl run together across the sunny playground toward the swings, holding hands and laughing with big joyful smiles. In the background, a bright blue sky, the playground swings, and a tall slide.

Mateo walked over and sat down beside her. "Hi! Do you want to play?" he asked. She looked up. "Really?" she said. "Really!" said Mateo. He held out his hand. She took it, and they ran to the swings together, laughing all the way.

Mateo stands at a large table in the cozy art corner, carefully placing a craft stick on top of a tall, elaborate bridge made of colorful blocks, glue, and craft sticks. In the background, shelves of craft supplies, glue bottles, and bins of blocks in the cozy art corner.

After recess, Mateo went back to the cozy art corner. He had been working on a big, special project all week — a bridge made of blocks, glue, and craft sticks. It was his biggest build yet! He carefully added one more piece to the very top.

Mateo sits on the floor in the cozy art corner, looking down sadly with watery eyes, surrounded by a scattered pile of colorful blocks, craft sticks, and glue pieces from his broken bridge. In the background, the shelves and table of the cozy art corner.

But then — CRASH! The bridge wobbled, tipped, and tumbled down into a big heap. Mateo's heart sank. He sat down on the floor and felt his eyes sting with tears. "All my work is gone," he whispered. For the first time all day, Mateo did not smile.

Mateo sits on the floor surrounded by the scattered bridge pieces while the block girl, the paint boy, and the bench girl all gather around him with warm smiles, reaching out their hands to help him up. In the background, the cozy art corner with its colorful shelves of supplies.

Then Mateo heard footsteps. The block girl came first. "You helped me. Now I'll help you!" she said. The paint boy came next. "Let's fix it together!" he said. The bench girl came last. "You made my day brighter. Now it's our turn," she said with a warm smile.

Mateo, the block girl, the paint boy, and the bench girl all stand together around the table in the cozy art corner, smiling and cheering with their hands raised, behind them a magnificent, tall bridge built from colorful blocks, craft sticks, and glue. In the background, warm golden sunlight streaming through the classroom window into the cozy art corner.

Together, they stacked and glued and built. The new bridge was even bigger and stronger than before! Mateo looked at his friends and grinned the biggest grin. "Thank you," he said. Every act of kindness — big or small — comes back around and makes the world a brighter place.

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1st Grader Helping Hands, Happy Hearts Social-Emotional Learning