Title: Academic Success Small Group

Grade: 7 and 8
Length of Session: 45 minutes
Session Number: 4/6
Domain: Social Emotional
Learning Objective: Help students identify self-defeating thoughts and feelings, challenge the
rationality of those feelings, and replace them with healthier, more productive beliefs.
Materials: paper, colored pencils/markers, balloon
Opening (10min): Check in about goals. What steps have they taken to accomplish their goals? What
have been some obstacles that they did not plan for?

Balloon Activity – directions: Start with the balloon not blown up, have everyone say some kind of
negative self talk they have said to themselves recently. As each person gives an example of this negative
self talk, blow the balloon up a little more each time. What are ways to stop negative self talk? (IN
BETWEEN BLOWING AND DEFLATING) Go back around the circle and have everyone combat
that negative self talk with an example of positive self talk. As you go around let some air out each time
with the positive statements. Example: When I was rock climbing the other day with my sister, I was half
way up the wall when I didn't think I could go any further. In my head, I said “I can’t do this” over and
over to myself until I realized that was not helping. I then started saying I can do this and I actually made
it to the top of the wall. I couldn’t believe how much positive self talk helped me up the wall.
Follow up: Imagine you are the balloon, how does it feel when you keep piling on negative self
talk? How does it feel when that balloon deflates?
Activity (16min): Circle Activity
- Draw a big circle on a sheet of paper. Draw a horizontal line across the entire paper. On the top
half of the circle write
o I am most happy when…
o I like myself because…
o Something I do well is…
o I like the way I feel about myself when I…
o The one person who always makes me feel good about myself is…
o One positive trait I have is…
- On the bottom half of the circle write
o I am most unhappy when…
o I don’t like myself because…
o Something I don’t do well is…
o I don’t like the way I feel about myself when I…
o The one person who doesn’t make me feel good about myself is…
o One negative trait I have is…
Processing (12min): Go around the circle and have each student share one of their statements.
- How did it feel to write those positive statements about yourself? (It was weird, it felt good, I
liked it, etc.)
- How did it feel to write the negative statements about yourself (It was sad, it brought me down,
made me angry)
- How do you think this sheet could help you the next time you use negative self-talk? (It reminds
you of the things you do well, gives you a place to start with positive self-talk.) 
- Does it feel better to say the positive sentences or the negative sentences?
 - Why do you think we did this exercise? (learn ways to reword negative things we say or think
into positives)
 So, as a group we came up with a bunch of statements and thoughts that may not make us feel great, and
then we came up with some more positive thoughts that make us feel better. When we do have those
negative thoughts, which is very normal and we all have them, it is helpful to try and think of the
positives, so keep this paper as a resource to help you when you have these thoughts that don’t make you
feel great.
Closing (5min):
Roses: something good that happened this week or a success
Thorns: a challenge you have faced this week
Buds: something you are looking forward to