Introducing: Jump Start Units
The Nora Project team is proud to introduce a new set of programs designed to offer schools a taste of what TNP has to offer: our Jump Start Units!
Named for the catalyst we envision them to be, the Jump Start units include content and ideas from our popular Lifecycle Suite of year-long programs in a shorter format of 8-10 lessons each. All 3 units, available for a one-time purchase, will give schools the chance to flexibly integrate Nora Project content, themes, and ideas into classrooms at their own pace. Schools can decide when during the school year and school day this content fits into their existing curriculum, integrating it into social/emotional learning time or weaving it into the content areas like English/Language Arts and Social Studies. We know that time is tight for so many schools, and the pandemic has forced many schools to renegotiate the time they spend on social/emotional learning programs. The Jump Start units will provide schools with high quality materials that will help develop students’ Ability Inclusive Mindset, all in a smaller package.
Each unit includes basic training modules to prepare teachers to use the materials and to improve their comfort level with the content. Materials lists, teaching tips, and suggestions for how to adapt or modify to meet a range of students’ needs will also be included. Teachers will also have access to our Inclusion Specialist to assist with adapting or modifying the curriculum to meet students’ needs.
Our initial Jump Start Unit collection includes three units,
and we plan to continue to add to this collection as the years go on.
D.E.A.R Discussions
Designed for younger students, this series of lessons is based around a “Drop Everything and Read” format. Every lesson is based on a children’s book that will stimulate discussion, reflection and practice. Lessons address emotional literacy and regulation, empathy skills, and celebrating disability as a part of human diversity. These simple lessons can be adapted for students in preschool through third grade, or even beyond! The beauty of children’s literature is that it can be captivating for students of all ages.
Empathy and Friendship
The lessons in this unit target older elementary students in grades 3-5, and provide essential instruction in empathy and friendship skills. While a lot of curricula focus on anti-bullying, few provide students with explicit instruction in how to be a good friend. In this Jump Start unit, students explore how to manage their own emotions, how to practice empathy, how to behave like an includer, and why it’s important to be a good friend to everyone.
Disability 101
This unit takes a deep dive into disability awareness education, disability history, and the disability justice movement. The content was designed for students in grades 4-8, but could easily be adapted for High School students. It meets the standards set forth in many state laws, including Illinois Public Act 096-0191, which requires school districts to “provide instruction on disability history, people with disabilities, and the disability rights movement.” Designed in collaboration with subject-matter experts with lived disability experience, the lessons delve into disability as a natural and expected form of human diversity, provide ways for students to take informed action and show up as an aspiring ally, and how to live out an Ability Inclusive Mindset.