1. Helpful vs. Hurtful - Have students look at magazines or at social media posts
and talk about which words can inspire and which words can be hurtful.
2. Strength Finders - Help students identify their strengths and identify how those
qualities can help them become a "mentor"' in the classroom who can help
others.
3. TED Talks – Either pull up some favorite inspirational speeches that emphasize good
character traits or have students plan their own TED Talks to share their stories about
perseverance and hard work.
4. Make It Mine - Let kids define character traits in their own words and share an example
of someone they know who displays that positive characteristic.
5. Puppet Role Play - Use puppets to have students act out a conflict and
resolution. This can also give insight into the interpersonal issues your students
are facing.
6. 1. Write about the kinds of pressures you feel:
a) as a student
b) as a friend
c) as a son or daughter or family member.
How do you deal with those pressures? Are you satisfied with the
way you deal with them, or are there any ways to handle those
pressures better?
7. Write about the kinds of pressures you feel about your future.
8. Write about a time when you were under a lot of pressure and
somebody helped you through it.
9. For one week keep a “Pressure Journal.” Before you go to bed
each night, write a description of the biggest pressures you felt that
day. What caused them? How did they make you feel? How did you
handle them? How will you handle them next time?
10. When you’re with a group of kids, what things might other people
do or say that make you feel good? What things make you feel
bad?
11.