Lesson Overview

Developmental Learning Target

Students will be able to describe the ways that people are similar and different.

Lesson Topic(s)

Recognizing strengths in others and myself.

Relevance of Lesson

It is important for students to recognize that we all have different and similar strengths. When students are able to see that other people have strengths they will see value in others and work together better.

Learning Intention

I am learning to identify strengths in myself so that I can recognize others’ strengths.

Success Criteria

I will know I am successful when I can identify at least one strength in myself and one strength in someone else.

UT Portrait of a Graduate Purpose Competency

• Respect
• Collaboration & Teamwork, Respect

CSD Strategic Initiative Tie-In

Human-Centered Supports: CSD will implement tiered systems to support the social, emotional, and mental well-being of students, and that foster honesty, integrity, responsibility, hard work, resilience, lifelong learning, personal growth, service and respect.

Essential Vocabulary

Strengths - Positive traits or skills/abilities

This could include a person’s knowledge, attributes, skills, and talents.

Materials

Strengths List Handout  

The Reflection in Me video

Sticky Notes, or squares/strips of paper for students to write on.

Teaching Notes

Write the words Our Class Strengths in large letters on your board, bulletin board, or piece of butcher paper, with the definition of Strengths underneath.

Lesson

Greeting

5 minutes

Little Known Fact greeting.

Give students a minute or two to think of a fact about themselves that others may not know (if needed, a possible scaffold is to provide students with some ideas such as favorite hobbies, family traditions, places they have been, etc.)

Starting with the teacher as a model, each individual introduces themselves, then shares something about themselves that others may not know.

Example: “Good morning. My name is ______ and what you may not know about me is _______.”

Group responds, “Good morning ______.”

Continue until everyone has been greeted.

Ask students to raise their hand if they learned something new about some of their classmates. Explain that learning about others helps to build community.

Sharing

3 minutes

Partner students. Provide students one minute to share with a partner about their dream pet. Switch turns and repeat.

Learning Activity

11 minutes

Watch The Reflection in Me Fablevision video (3:42). As the class is watching the video, list all the strengths that the little girl points out about herself. Talk about how everyone has strengths.

Echo Read (you read they repeat after you) the vocabulary word Strengths, and its definition from the Our Class Strengths board.

Display the Strengths List Handout (i.e. character, social, literacy, math, study skill, etc.) As a class you can add these categories to the Our Class Strengths board or leave it as is, time allowing.

Teacher shares an example of one of their strengths. For example, “One of my strengths is that I love to learn!”. Add this to the Our Class Strengths board.

Have students identify one strength they have from the list. Ask students to write it on their sticky note. Instruct students to share their strength with their elbow partners, then stick their post-it on the Our Class Strengths board.

Message

1 minute

Everyone has different strengths. Some strengths are easy to identify, like when someone is good at drawing or playing basketball. Other strengths can be harder to notice, like when someone is a good listener or is kind to others. Notice how different and similar the strengths everyone in our class has across the board. This helps us see value in each other and work together even better.

Daily Connection

Practice & Reinforce

Students can add to the Our Class Strengths board throughout the week and share additional strengths they identified in themselves or others.

Application

Have students identify the strengths of the characters in the stories you are reading this week.  

Reflection

Have students reflect on where they can best use or show their own strengths. What helps them use their strengths? What makes it harder?