Dhima classroom lab · Ages 5–11

Small actions.
Big character.

A friendly starting point for teachers, caregivers, librarians and children. Read, talk, try something, then reflect. No scores. No rankings. Just practice.

Choose a lesson

For adults facilitating learning. There is no student account, child data collection, or online submission.

Children seated in a real classroom reading their school booksEditorial image · Yustinus Tjiuwanda / Unsplash · Not an ASOFI event photo
New activities · Ages 5–11

Keep the conversation going at home.

Earth Keepers

Six environmental choices to explore together, with age-appropriate safety cues.

Play the game

Heritage Quest

Eight verified historical facts with direct links to museum, park and science sources.

Explore the facts

Print & share

A seven-day family learning sheet for the school bag or library desk.

Open printable guide
Ready-to-adapt mini lessons

Choose a grade band.

K–2
20–25 minutes

The promise I can keep

Goal: name one age-appropriate responsibility and describe what to do if a promise becomes difficult.

  • Read (5 min): A classmate forgets to put shared crayons back. How can we help without embarrassment?
  • Talk (7 min): Who is affected? What is a fair solution?
  • Practice (8 min): Draw a two-frame picture: “I will…” and “If I forget, I can…”
  • Close (3 min): Say one kind way to ask for help.
3–5
35–40 minutes

Who carries the work?

Goal: notice unfair workloads, practice shared decision-making, and define what accountability looks like after a mistake.

  • Read (7 min): Four children plan a class project; one does most of the work.
  • Discuss (10 min): What would a fair plan look like if people have different abilities and time?
  • Design (15 min): Make a roles chart; include ways to ask for assistance and celebrate contributions.
  • Reflect (5 min): Write: “What I can do / What support I may need / How I will check in.”
Teacher note: introduce Kwanzaa accurately as a cultural observance, without assuming every student celebrates it. Dhima is ASOFI’s accompanying educational framework, not an eighth Nguzo Saba principle.
Try it together · Classroom practice

What would you do?

Choose a response to this scenario. Every option opens a conversation; the goal is to think it through, not to score children.

Scenario 01 / At school

Your group made a poster. One person had to do almost all the work.

What could you say or do next?

Choose a response.
Talk with a teacher, caregiver, or classmate about the impact of that choice.
Print & take home

My Dhima promise this week.

Use this as an invitation, not a reward chart. Adults can help children pick a promise that is realistic and respectful.

Student page · copy or print

I can show up for my community.

One way I will help this week:

If I need help, I can ask:

If I make a mistake, I can try to repair it by:

We learn responsibility together.

For facilitators

Five everyday Dhima choices

  1. Return something you borrowed.
  2. Invite someone who was left out.
  3. Help with a shared task.
  4. Apologize and make a repair.
  5. Ask an elder for a story about helping others.

Ask after each: What happened? How did it feel? What would you do differently?

Share with families