"How do I teach my students a lockdown drill without fear?" As a kindergarten teacher I struggled with teaching my students the procedures of a lockdown drill. I knew they needed to react quickly and quietly , but I worried about frightening them. Being prepared is essential, but it wasn't necessary to put terrifying images into their minds for them to take the drills seriously. I became frustrated at the lack of materials available that would protect my students from being traumatized by the implications of a lockdown drill. As a teacher, that reality was difficult enough , but it felt wrong to place that emotional burden on my students. I decided to write my own lockdown story . It worked like a charm! My story created a sense of urgency , without creating a sense of fear. The Elephant in the Room: A Lockdown Story is a frolicking tale of circus animals, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and a fun-loving teacher. In this book children are protected from the harsh realities of lockdown drills while learning life-saving procedures. Teachers can use this book to teach and practice lockdown procedures without putting frightening images into the minds of their students. Parents and grandparents can use this book to reinforce lockdown procedures learned at school. The Elephant in the Room: A Lockdown Story is a light-hearted story about a serious subject for children ages 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 Pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, second grade Visit aliciastenard.com to get FAQs and instructions for using this book.