Career & College Readiness Lesson Plans
How to Succeed in Life
Self-knowledge
Grade Level 8
Overview
Students will develop awareness of the six “success traits” and apply them to their own
life and the life of historical figures by completing the collage and handouts (“Six Steps
to Success” and “Character Traits”).
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

Identify the six success traits and explain how others have exhibited these traits.

Offer opinions and define six traits of success and their importance orally in
partners/quads.

Justify their arguments of why a certain historical figures exhibited one of the six
success traits as they create their word collage and present it.
Language Objectives
At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

Verbally communicate their understanding of character traits precisely to others.

Use clear definitions in discussion with others and in their own reasoning.
Standards Alignment
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California Common Core State Standards: College & Career Readiness
Anchor Standards:
o RI. 7, 10; W. 4, 6, 10; SL. 1, 3, 4, 6; L. 1, 2, 3, 4, 6
California Career Technical Education Anchor Standards:
o 2, 7, 9
California Standards for Career Ready Practice:
o 1, 2, 5, 9, 10
National Career Development Guidelines:
o PS1, PS2, PS3, ED1, ED2, CM1, CM2
California Career Resource Network, California Department of Education
Self-knowledge
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How to Succeed in Life
International Society for Technology in Education Standards:
o 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
English Language Development Standards:
o Part I: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 12
o Part II: 1, 2, 3-5, 6-7
Materials
1. Poster board or butcher paper
2. Markers, colored pencils
3. Glue
4. Handouts

Six Steps to Success (p. 5)

Success Traits Writing Exercise (p. 6)
Academic Vocabulary

Commitment: is a pledge or promise; an obligation.

Confidence: is belief in oneself and one's powers or abilities; self-confidence;
self-reliance; assurance.

Courage: is the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty,
danger, pain, etc., without fear; bravery.

Creativity: is the use of the imagination or original ideas, especially in the
production of an artistic work.

Determination: is a fixed purpose or intention.

Integrity: is adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral
character; honesty.

Success traits: are distinguishing characteristics or qualities that foster the
favorable or prosperous termination of attempts or endeavors; the
accomplishment of one's goals.
Activity
Students will complete a group six-trait collage, a “Six Steps to Success” handout, then
complete the writing exercise with the “Success Traits Writing Exercise” handout.
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Self-knowledge
How to Succeed in Life
Lesson Procedures
1. Introduce the six “success traits”. Write these words on the board: Commitment,
Confidence, Courage, Creativity, Determination, and Integrity. What do they mean?
Why are they important?
Model how to use the frame with one word. Use frame: ________ means ______
and is important because______________. Then have students work in A-B pairs to
predict meanings and importance. Provide ample time for partners to discuss
predictions. Ask a few students either all the A’s or B’s to share their predictions.
Add any needed clarifications.
2. Then provide examples of a historical figure that has demonstrated one of the six
traits. For example, Rosa Parks demonstrated courage when she refused to give up
a bus seat to a white passenger in Montgomery, Alabama.
Have students work in quads, assign each quad one of the six words ask students to
brainstorm some historical figures to illustrate each trait. They must be able to justify
why they chose their historical figure. Have each quad create a word collage
illustrating word meaning with words, drawings, etc. Quads present their word
collages using following frame: _____demonstrated/exhibited _________
by/when____________.
3. Collages can serve as classroom posters for the remainder of the year.
4. Next class session, begin by having groups review their six “success traits” collages.
Help students discuss why they are important traits to exhibit at school and why they
might be important traits on the job. Do students value these traits in themselves?
Why or why not? Model connections from yesterday’s lesson to today. Jot ideas
down on the board or chart paper.
5. Distribute the “Six Steps to Success” handout and ask students to work in small
groups to complete it as a review. Assign each group the traits they had the previous
class session so they can answer the final two questions on the handout. Let them
discuss their answers in their small groups, then bring the discussion back to the
whole class.
6. Begin the writing exercise. “The Success Traits Writing Exercise” helps students
explore their values and the character traits necessary to succeed in their careers.
Use your remaining time during this lesson to assign the writing exercise or partner
with a Language Arts teacher to extend this lesson in a Language Arts class. It may
help students if you complete the exercise and share it with the class as a modeling
activity.
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Self-knowledge
How to Succeed in Life
Estimated Time
Two to three class sessions
Adaptations

Do this lesson in reverse by having students identify traits that can block their
success.

Select groups of historical figures (artists, politicians, scientists, etc.) and have
students identify three or four traits of each group. Then have students compare
their group's traits with other group's traits and see how those traits are similar or
different. The idea is to get students to see that success traits may vary from one
occupation to another.
Evaluation
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Each student will complete and submit for review the “Six Steps to Success”
handout and the “Success Traits Writing Exercise” handout.
Attribution
Adapted from Knowing Yourself: Six Steps to Success [PDF], Sparking the Future
Curriculum: Lesson Plans for Grades 7–12. The Web address is
http://www.k12.wa.us/SecondaryEducation/CareerCollegeReadiness/SparkCurriculu
m/Grades7-9/STF_Gr7-9_Lesson04.pdf.
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Six Steps to Success
What Are The Six “Success Traits”?
Name _____________________________
Following your group discussion, write a definition for each of the six “success traits”.
Commitment
Confidence
Courage
Creativity
Determination
Integrity
Circle the trait above that was assigned to your group to report on. Answer the following
questions based on this character trait.
Explain why this trait is important to have as a student. How does it help you at school?
How would it help you at work?
How would you demonstrate this trait? Describe one example.
California Career Resource Network, California Department of Education
Self-knowledge
How to Succeed in Life
Success Traits Writing Exercise
Describe Your Path to Success
Name _____________________________
Use the space provided below to write down your thoughts on ONE of the following
writing prompts. Use the back of this sheet or a computer to write your final response.
Write four words that describe something good about you. Explain how one of those
words relates to the six success traits and how that trait applies to you. Describe how
you have exhibited this trait.
Do you have a hero? Who is that person and what success traits make you look up to
him or her? Describe how this person has modeled at least one of the six success traits
discussed during this lesson.
California Career Resource Network, California Department of Education