I'm always looking for guidance lessons that will engage students, keeping their interest throughout. I absolutely LOVE incorporating books into my guidance lessons. One of my favorite books to use is "I'm Gonna Like Me: Letting Off a Little Self-Esteem" by Jamie Lee Curtis & Laura Cornell. This is a book I have used for the past two years to cover my county objective(s) KC.1/KP.1: Identify areas of interest and one's unique abilities. This lesson also meets Virginia Standard EC1 and ASCA Standards C:A1.3, PS:A1.1 and PS:A1.10. You can access my lesson plan via google docs by clicking on the following link:
Lesson Plan for "I'm Gonna Like Me"
In the past I had the students cut out a paper necktie and write things they are good at on the tie. Then I would punch holes at the top and loop and tie yarn so they could wear it. This year I decided to switch things up. The first reason was because it was very time consuming to go around punching holes and tying the yarn. The second reason is because I wanted to do something different from past years. I decided to have the students write down the things they are good at on flowers. I found a template at the following website:
Flower template
When I printed the flower it cut off the side, so I just went over the entire flower with a black marker and then copied enough for each kindergarten student at my school.
After reading the book, I had each student close their eyes and think about one thing they are good at. I then told everyone to open their eyes, but keep the thing they are good at in their head. I told them I was going to call on each one of them to share one thing they are good at. I reminded them that just because someone else says the same thing, doesn't mean they are copying them. (VERY IMPORTANT TO SAY THIS WHEN IN A KINDERGARTEN CLASS :-))
After each student shared I called them up to the front to pick up a paper. Instead of just calling them all up, I made a little game out of it. I called up all student wearing short-sleeves...then I called up any students wearing black, etc. This was good way to keep their attention, while keeping order in the room.
The students were instructed to write one thing on each flower petal that they are good at. I also told them to write their name in the center of the flower. I reminded them to use pencil (and then trace over in crayon if they wished). After writing and coloring their flower they were instructed to cut them out. I then went around and taped a pipe cleaner (they got to choose their own color) to the back of the flower. Luckily I have a TON of pipe cleaners that have been sitting in a drawer for the past 4 years, ordered by the previous school counselor.
At the end I thanked them for sharing with me and suggested that they take their flowers home to share with their family.
NOTE: This is a lesson that is much more effective towards the end of the school year. Many students enter kindergarten unable to write or only able to write their first name. It was wonderful to see how far the students have come throughout the school year as they wrote things they are good at on each petal.
