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Just Kidding by Trudy Ludwig SEL Companion Lesson

Companion lesson for Just Kidding by Trudy Ludwig: students rotate through stations where they sort friendly from hurtful teasing, decide how to respond to scenarios and solve themed puzzles.
Grades
Grades 3–5, Elementary
Pages
14
File type
Microsoft PowerPoint
Answer key
Included

Updated Oct 26, 2026

Subject
Special Resources, Social Emotional Learning (SEL), Social Skills, Special Education Needs (SEN)
Topic
Just Kidding by Trudy Ludwig, Companion Lessons
Resource types
Worksheets & Printables, Worksheets
Answer key
Included

About this resource

What's inside this resource

In this resource, students will read a book (or listen to the book) titled Just Kidding by Trudy Ludwig, Illustrated by Adam Gustavson. Then they will be able to do 5 different engaging activities. Teachers can plan this for 5 different centers or partner work with packets or even homework. It is up to the teacher or school counselor how they would like to conduct this resource. The key concepts are knowing the difference between hurtful and friendly teasing. This is a very important concept to teach early on as students try out different types of humor. Unintentionally or not, student may hurt other students' feelings based on their words, tone, and topic of teasing. It is also important to teach about "off limit" topics such as appearance, grades, athleticism, family members, etc. In this resource there are five different extension activities. They are; a word search with a secret message, a What Would You Do? questionnaire, a sign language secret message, a Find 10 Differences related to sports (I have added this because many teasing scenarios-friendly or hurtful-are often around sports activities and athleticism, a sorting activity about friendly or hurtful teasing,

This activity can be used as a 5 centers activity whereas groups rotate from one center to another every 5 minutes (or as your time allows) or you can staple the activities (handouts) together to have partners complete and work together or you could send as homework after reading the story in class. Regardless, the extension activities will enhance the students' perspective of this very important concept of knowing the difference between hurtful and friendly teasing. If you enjoy this product and would like to access other book companion products, please check out these resources:

https://teachsimple.com/product/better-than-you-by-trudy-ludwig-sel-companion-lesson (From Better Than You by Trudy Ludwig)

https://teachsimple.com/product/my-secret-bully-by-trudy-ludwig-an-sel-companion-lesson (From My Secret Bully by Trudy Ludwig)

https://teachsimple.com/product/do-you-speak-fish-an-sel-book-extension-activity (From Do You Speak Fish by DJ Corchin)

https://teachsimple.com/product/hands-off-harry-by-rosemary-wells-book-extension-game-and-handout (From Hands Off Harry by Rosemary Wells)

In the classroom

Teaching tips & learning objectives

Learning objectives

  • Distinguish friendly teasing from hurtful teasing
  • Choose a respectful response to a teasing scenario

Teaching tips

  • Read or play Just Kidding before the stations, since the activities assume students know the story.

Skills covered

  • Discussion — talking through the response options for each What Would You Do? scenario

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