I Am Who I Am

Subjects

Health
--Mental Health

Grade

3-5
6-8
9-12

Brief Description

Students learn the importance of the traits that make them who they are.

Objectives

Students will

consider the traits that make them who they are;
rank those traits in order of importance;
think about who they would be without those traits;
develop a more positive self imsge.

Keywords

Self image, confidence, character traits

Materials Needed

paper
pens or pencils

Lesson Plan

Provide each student with a piece of paper and a pen or pencil. Have each student tear his or her paper into ten strips. Ask students to write on each strip of paper a word or phrase to describe themselves. Explain to students that no one will see what they have written, so they should be extremely honest.

Invite students to arrange the traits in order from the trait they most like about themselves to the trait they least like. When theyre done, say: "Do you like what you see? Do you want to keep all those traits? Now give up one trait. How does the lack of that trait affect you? Now give up another trait. Give up three. Now what kind of person are you? Do you still like what you see?"

After they each give up six traits, have students replace the traits, one by one. Encourage them to share how they feel as traits are returned to them. After the session, encourage students to write in their journals what traits were most important to them and what they learned about themselves from the experience.

Extension Activity: Encourage students to create a self collage." Students create a collage using pictures, words, or symbols cut from magazines that represent things they enjoy, places they've been, people they admire, and so on. Post the collages and invite other students to guess which collage belongs to whom.

Assessment

None

Lesson Plan Source

EducationWorld.com

Submitted By

Glori Chaika

National Standards

PHYSICAL EDUCATION AND HEALTH: Health
GRADES K - 4
NPH-H.K-4.1 Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
NPH-H.K-4.5 Using Communication Skills to Promote Health
GRADES 5 - 8
NPH-H.5-8.1 Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
NPH-H.5-8.5 Using Communication Skills to Promote Health
GRADES 9 - 12
NPH-H.9-12.1 Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
NPH-H.9-12.5 Using Communication Skills to Promote Health