10 Reasons “Why Habits of Mind Animations?”

1. Students in K to 6 Classrooms Relate to Animated Characters. Research has proven that the relationship students develop with the Habits of Mind animated characters can be cultivated and used to help them refine their problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

2. Animations make transitions easier. Transitioning between activities in elementary classrooms can be one of the most chaotic times of the day. When students are shown a Habits of Mind animation during transitions, they remain calm and focused on a teaching tool that models vital critical thinking skills.

3. Animated Stories Can Teach Empathy. Though empathy is a crucial skill for classroom culture, it can be hard to teach to young children. When students view empathy in a story and relate to an animated character, they can transfer that empathy to their actions and utilize empathy in their personal relationships.

4. Animations are a Multi-Sensory Teaching Tool. In an animated lesson, students can see their favorite characters in tough situations, hear them responding respectfully to other characters, and talk about the viewing experience with peers and teachers. When teachers extend each lesson with the printable extension lessons, there are also opportunities to involve other senses like touch. 

5. Animations Help Separate a Child’s Behavior from their Person. Priming students with regular viewings of the Habits of Mind animations can give context to refer to that makes behavior corrections non-threatening. By reminding students what the character did in an animated lesson, there is a non-threatening opportunity to explore the present situation.

6. Students Imitate the Characters’ Behavior. Children naturally imitate what they see in cartoons. Our animations provide a model for critical thinking designed to be imitated by kids in everyday situations.

7. Animations are a way to “Hook” the Students. In the Habits of Mind animated stories, content serves as the hook, making the experience not only enjoyable but in alignment with how students learn best. The recurring characters are immediately recognized and trusted, allowing kids to focus on the social-emotional or critical thinking skill being portrayed.

8. Stories Create a Shared Viewing Experience. Animations in the classroom provide students with a shared experience. Kids absorb pro-social behaviors from educational programs more effectively when they watch them in a group setting.

9. Animations are a Powerful Social-Emotional Learning Platform. There is no need to give up content instruction time to use the Habits of Mind animated stories! Each animation comes with 21 printable content-area extension lessons that can be adjusted for all student levels.

10. Animations Provide a 3-Minute Opportunity for a Breather. The 3-minute length of the Habits of Mind animated stories provides the perfect amount of time for a teacher to prepare for the next task. By the time the animation ends, the students have calmly watched a critical thinking skill brought to life with their favorite characters.