Self-Esteem Lesson: My Positive Traits

Subjects
-Health/Character Development
-Technology/Digital Literacy
Grade
5-12

115.23 (11) Personal/interpersonal skills. The student understands, analyzes, and

applies healthy ways to communicate consideration and respect for self, family,
friends, and others. The student is expected to:
Brief Description
Students gain digital literacy skills and build self-esteem by expressing via social media the positive traits that best define
their character.
Objectives
Students will:

Express positive feelings about themselves; build self-esteem

Strengthen their own identity

Appreciate positive traits in others

Practice appropriate use of social media and mobile tech tools

Keywords
Positive, bullying prevention, self-esteem, self-concept, character, traits, icebreaker, social emotional learning, emotional
intelligence, social media, digital literacy, Instagram, photo
Materials Needed

Mobile device with camera and Internet access

Pencils and bold markers

8.5 x 11 printing paper

Lesson Plan

Preparation
Instagram is perfect for enhancing students ability to use mobile tech tools for academic purposes. (This project can be
done without Instagram, but will lose some elements of positive social engagement.)
Start a class Instagram account with a designated mobile device. (Make sure to set the account settings to private. Only
people you choose to follow will be able to see material posted to this account.) Then find other educators and classes at a
similar grade level with whom you can connect. Make sure you have at least some simple photos on your account when you
get startedthese can include a selfie, classroom pics, and/or an image of your desk. You also could include a video
introduction explaining how your Instagram account is an educational tool.
Student Activities
Opening discussion
At the beginning of class, have students watch the 13-minute TED Talk video How Do YOU Define Yourself:
- See more at: http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/self-esteem-positive-character-traits.shtml#sthash.sHMS7Chx.dpuf
In the video, Lizzie Velasquez discusses how she suffers from a rare disorder which prevents her from gaining weight and
has caused blindness in her right eye. Once cyberbullied and labeled the worlds ugliest woman, she decided to turn things
around and create her own definitions of beauty and happiness.
Lizzie asks the audience to consider what defines them. Is it their backgrounds? Friends? Families? She reminds us that if
we can find happiness within, and be the drivers of our own lives, bullies will always lose.
After they experience Velasquezs explanation of her journey, have your class briefly reflect.

What difficulties did she face in life? How was she treated in school?
What are some of Lizzies positive traits (perseverance, resilience, positive attitude, focus on what is important in
life, etc.) that contribute to her positive self-concept?

What about her do you most admire?

How might her positive traits inspire and help others?

How does Lizzie demonstrate that beauty is on the inside?

Who in her life supported her, and how did this help build her self-esteem?

If she were a student at this school, how could the school community support her?

Activity
Students should already be familiar with positive traits linked to good character. It also would be a good idea to have
students check out this list (or print copies of it), with a reminder to focus on the positive and neutral traits on the list. (The
list also provides an opportunity for vocabulary building!)
Have students get in a circle either by standing or rearranging the desks. Give them a few minutes to jot down the following
with pen and paper:
1.

Three characteristics or traits they like about themselves. Rather than listing interests and talents, they should
share core elements of their personalities. Offer examples such as kind, creative and determined to get
students going, and maybe list of few of your own favorite traits. Encourage sharing of traits that are perhaps
less common or are somewhat unique to themselves.

2.

A characteristic or trait they like about the classmate sitting to their left or right (or a classmate whose name
theyve picked out of a hat).

Have the class go around the circle once, with each student saying, My three favorite positive traits are _________,
_________ and ________ and One of [classmate name]s positive traits is ___________.
Return the classroom to its original arrangement. Pass out one sheet of paper and one bold marker to each student. Have
each identify the one characteristic or trait (out of the three they shared and the one a classmate shared about them) that
s/he likes best.
Ask students to write a statement expressing this positive trait (they can choose a word, a few words or a short sentence
and can even incorporate graphic elements). Have them write the statement in pencil, using large letters and holding their
paper horizontally. After youve approved each, give students the okay to go over their statements in marker.
Once the class has finished their signs, ask them to volunteer to share. The order doesnt matter, but everyone must present
his/her characteristic in front of the class and express it verbally. Right before or after a student shares, take a photo or video
of him/her affirming the statement aloud or simply holding up the sign.
Post the photos and/or videos to the class Instagram account. You might also choose to share with your Instagram audience
video of your class process and/or individual character testimonials. Use hashtags, when appropriate, for engagement
purposes. To gain traction for your posts, be sure to like and comment on other photos and videos posted by users whom
you follow.

Assessment

At the end of the lesson, have students discuss how their moments of sharing felt, and whether the experience
affirmed something positive about them. Were they surprised by the traits that classmates identified for them? Were
these also traits they identified in themselves? How will these positive traits help promote their personal well-being? How
will these traits positively impact others?
Use a bulletin board to display students signs. If desired, have students add their names to their signs.
Every day for a week following the lesson, check the class Instagram account (possibly projecting it for all to see)
and start class on a positive note by sharing the positive comments and number of post likes that students have
received.
- See more at: http://www.educationworld.com/a_lesson/self-esteem-positive-character-traits.shtml#sthash.sHMS7Chx.dpuf