“If you have a choice between being right and being kind, choose kind.” It’s this idea that is at the heart of the new movie “Wonder,” based on the young-adult book of the same name by R.J. Palacio. The “Choose Kind” theme was embraced by the 5th-graders at PS 117 in Briarwood, Queens, when they read the book in December in anticipation of the movie’s opening. “We talk all the time about the ‘golden rule,’ but the book was on their level and truly opened their eyes to the importance of what it means to be kind,” said Erica Oliver, a 5th-grade teacher. “Wonder” tells the story of a New York City 5th-grade boy with facial deformities who grapples with the challenges of attending school for the first time. “We had a lot of meaningful conversations about the struggles kids go through,” said Sue Kissin, another 5th-grade teacher. To participate in the “Choose Kind” campaign around the book and the movie, students at PS 117 designed their own T-shirts to wear to the movie theater. They brainstormed slogans that would encourage others, like “Kindness Begins With Me” and “Throw Kindness Like Confetti.” Teachers supplied stencils, fabric markers and spray paint for the project. “They got to come up with their own slogans that would help them internalize what was important to them,” said Oliver. “Making the shirts brought an awareness to the idea that it’s important to be mindful of what it means to be kind.” On Dec. 5, all the 5th-graders at PS 117 wore their new shirts to the movie theater, where “Wonder” was a big hit. “They were so excited and really proud to wear their shirts,” said Kissin. “The book, the movie and the experience has really had an impact on their thinking about being kind.”