Peanut’s Wild Imagination: A Free SEL Teaching Guide for Grades K–3
Peanut’s Wild Imagination: A Free SEL Teaching Guide for Grades K–3
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Sometimes a big imagination can make the unknown seem a whole lot scarier than it is.
That’s certainly true for Peanut.
In Cowboy Up, Peanut, a young ranch horse is convinced the "Crazy-Eyes Cow Beasts” are every bit as terrifying as he imagines. But as readers soon discover, Peanut’s imagination is galloping wild!
And that makes his story a fun way to start a conversation with kids about feelings & imagination.
We’ve created a fun, free Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) teaching guide for grades K–3 to accompany Cowboy Up, Peanut.
Designed for classrooms, libraries and home use, Peanut’s Wild Imagination uses the humor of the story to explore one simple idea:
While feelings may be real, what we imagine will happen doesn’t always turn out to be true.
A Story-Based Approach to SEL
A Story-Based Approach to SEL
Kids will laugh at Peanut’s increasingly wild ideas about the Cow Beasts while noticing something important along the way:
What Peanut thinks is happening and what is actually happening aren’t always the same thing.
After enjoying Cowboy Up, Peanut, educators can return to some of the funniest moments in the story to explore Peanut’s feelings & his runaway imagination.
Through simple discussion prompts and grade-level activities, students can also consider another important idea:
Two characters can experience the same situation in very different ways.
Peanut may think the cows are terrifying “Cow Beasts,” but Myrtle has some ideas of her own about that “Crazy-Eyed Horse Beast!”
What’s Included in the Free Teaching Guide
What’s Included in the Free Teaching Guide
The downloadable guide includes a complete 30 minute SEL read-aloud lesson, discussion prompts tied directly to moments in Cowboy Up, Peanut, teacher notes, and three FREE printable student activities designed for different elementary grade levels.
The activities grow along with students:
Kindergarten — Peanut’s Wild Imagination
Young learners get to use their own imaginations and draw the wildest Cow Beast they can dream up.
1st Grade — Peanut’s Thoughts
Students visually compare what Peanut thought was happening with what was really happening.
Grades 2–3 — Peanut’s Imagination Runs Wild
Older students write about one of Peanut’s wild imaginings, compare it with what actually happened, consider what Peanut learned about the Cow Beasts, and predict how he might do on his next cattle drive.
Aligned with Elementary SEL Standards
Aligned with Elementary SEL Standards
Peanut’s Wild Imagination primarily supports two CASEL Core Competencies: Self-Awareness and Social Awareness.
Students identify Peanut’s feelings, notice connections between his feelings, thoughts, and imagination, and explore how two characters can experience the same situation differently.
For Washington educators, the guide also includes alignment with the Washington State Social Emotional Learning Standards for Early Elementary (K–3), particularly Standard 1: Self-Awareness, Benchmark 1A — Emotions & Behavior and Standard 4: Social Awareness, Benchmark 4A — Emotions & Perspectives.
Bring Peanut Into Your Classroom
Bring Peanut Into Your Classroom
Whether you’re planning an elementary SEL lesson, looking for a picture-book read-aloud with meaningful discussion opportunities, or simply want to spend some extra time laughing about Peanut and his Cow Beasts, we hope this guide gives you an easy way to bring the story into your classroom.
Don’t have the book yet?
Cowboy Up, Peanut: A Horse’s Tale a’ Courage is available from Gallop Books and major online booksellers.
Don’t have the book yet?
Cowboy Up, Peanut: A Horse’s Tale a’ Courage is available from Gallop Books and major online booksellers.
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