This lesson is focused on how liabilities can be transformed into assets, fostering a growth mindset. It begins by defining liabilities as obstacles or difficulties and assets as skills or qualities that help overcome adversity. Through the story of Thomas Edison—who turned his struggles with traditional learning into innovative thinking—students explore how persistence and resilience lead to success. Younger students reflect on personal liabilities, while older students (grades 6-8) conduct interviews with people they know, gathering real-life stories of overcoming obstacles. This lesson encourages self-reflection and inspires students to reframe setbacks as opportunities for growth and achievement. Time Required: 25 – 30 minutes.
Objectives:
This session explores the concept of empathy, focusing on the ability to recognize, understand, and share the emotions of others. Using Edward Titchener’s foundational ideas and the dual-system model by Cuff et al., we will examine empathy’s affective and cognitive components, which play a crucial role in moral development, interpersonal relationships, and social interactions. Students will develop skills in identifying emotions and practicing empathy in everyday situations through engaging activities, such as Emotion Charades and reflective discussions. By the end of this session, participants will gain a deeper understanding of empathy and its importance in building positive connections with others. Let’s begin our exploration of this essential life skill together! Setup: Printable in lesson plan, a container. Time Required: 35 minutes.
Objectives:
The Understanding Gratitude module helps students deepen their understanding of gratitude, explore its impact on emotional well-being, and learn meaningful ways to express appreciation. Structured to align with different developmental levels, this module builds upon foundational concepts, encouraging deeper self-reflection and critical analysis of gratitude’s role in personal and social development. Students examine gratitude through a philosophical lens, discussing its influence on resilience, well-being, and community relationships. Engaging activity “Share Your Gratitude Stories” prompts students to analyze common themes and participate in structured discussions about the long-term effects of a grateful mindset. The session concludes with reflections on how practicing gratitude can positively shape their interactions and emotional growth. Time Required: 35 – 45 minutes.
Objectives:
This module introduces 6th to 8th-grade students to the concept of motivation, focusing on the differences between intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Students will learn that intrinsic motivation stems from personal satisfaction, while external rewards like money or recognition drive extrinsic motivation. The lesson explores examples of both, using real-life scenarios to help students identify motivators and understand their impact. Through discussions and interactive activities, students will reflect on how motivation influences their behavior and how it applies in different contexts. The module concludes with an exit ticket where students write their own scenarios, identifying motivators and the type of motivation.Time required: 35 minutes.
Objectives:
This module introduces students to the concept of motivation, focusing on the “over-justification effect,” where external rewards can decrease intrinsic motivation. The lesson explores extrinsic and intrinsic motivation, discussing how both forms influence behavior and learning. Through interactive activities, students are encouraged to understand how external rewards can sometimes overshadow internal enjoyment and how motivation can be rekindled after experiencing the over-justification effect. The lesson includes class discussions, real-life scenarios, and reflection activities that engage students in critical thinking and personal application. The module ends with an exit ticket where students reflect on a time their motivation was affected by rewards and how they can regain that motivation. Time Required: 60 minutes.
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