Art Activity: My Strengths Shield

Welcome to your personal Strengths Shield activity! This is your chance to create a visual representation of all the amazing qualities and strengths you possess. There's no right or wrong way to do this, just express yourself!

What is a Strengths Shield?

Imagine a shield that protects you and shows the world (or just yourself!) what makes you strong, unique, and capable. Your Strengths Shield will highlight your inner powers.

Materials Needed:

• White paper or cardstock
• Colored pencils, markers, or crayons

Instructions:

1. Design Your Shield Shape: Start by drawing the outline of your shield on the paper. It can be any shape you like – traditional, modern, abstract – whatever feels right to you.

2. Divide Your Shield: Divide your shield into several sections (3-5 sections are a good start). Each section will represent a different type of strength or quality.

3. Brainstorm Your Strengths: Think about the following questions. You don't have to answer all of them, just choose what resonates with you.

   • What are you good at?
   • What do you enjoy doing?
   • What makes you feel proud?
   • What challenges have you overcome?
   • What positive things do people say about you?
   • What are your best personality traits (e.g., kind, funny, brave, curious, persistent)?
   • What skills do you have (e.g., listening, problem-solving, creative, organized, a good friend)?

4. Fill Each Section with Art: For each section of your shield, choose one strength or quality and represent it visually. You can:

   • Draw a symbol: (e.g., a lightbulb for ideas, a heart for kindness, a mountain for resilience).
   • Use colors: (e.g., bright yellow for joy, cool blue for calmness, strong red for courage).
   • Write a word or short phrase: (e.g.,

Strengths Shield Session Script

I. Introduction & Warm-Up (5 minutes)

Teacher: "Hi [Student's Name], thanks for coming today. I'm really glad you're here. This is a safe space for you to express yourself, and everything we discuss is confidential, just between us."

Teacher: "Today, we're going to try something a little different. We're going to use art as a way to explore some really cool things about you. There's no pressure to be an amazing artist, and there's definitely no right or wrong way to do this. It's all about expressing yourself."

Teacher: "Before we dive into the art, how are you feeling about using art today? Just a quick check-in."

II. My Strengths Shield Activity (15 minutes)

Teacher: "Fantastic! So, for our activity today, we're going to create something called a 'Strengths Shield.' Have you ever thought about what makes you strong? Not just physically, but emotionally, mentally, and in your character?"

Teacher: "Your Strengths Shield will be a visual representation of all those amazing qualities and strengths you have inside you. It's like a personal emblem of what makes you, YOU."

Teacher: "I have this Art Activity: My Strengths Shield Guide here for you, and we have plenty of art supplies: paper, colored pencils, markers, crayons. You can pick what you like. Take a look at the guide, it has some ideas to get you started on thinking about your strengths and how to divide your shield."

Teacher: "You can divide your shield into different sections, and in each section, you can draw a symbol, use a specific color, or write a word or short phrase that represents a strength. For example, if you're a really kind person, you might draw a heart, or use a soft, warm color. If you're super resilient, maybe a strong tree or a mountain."

(Allow the student to work. Observe, offer encouraging glances, and only engage if the student asks a question or seems stuck. Play calming music if desired.)

III. Reflection & Connection (10 minutes)

Teacher: "Wow, that looks really interesting! You've put a lot of thought into this. Would you be willing to share a little bit about your Strengths Shield, if you feel comfortable?"

(If the student shares, use open-ended questions and active listening.)

Teacher: "What did you choose to put on your shield?"

Teacher: "Which part feels most important to you today, or tells a story you want to share?"

Teacher: "How does it feel to see your strengths visually represented like this?"

(After the student shares, offer a genuine reflection.)

Teacher: "I really appreciate you sharing that with me. It's clear you have [mention a specific strength they highlighted, e.g., 'a strong sense of empathy,' 'a creative spirit,' 'great determination']. It's powerful to see how you've captured that. It also helps me understand you better, and I really value that."

Teacher: "Your Strengths Shield is a fantastic reminder of all the amazing qualities you bring. You can keep this shield as a personal reminder, or if you prefer, you can leave it here with me, and we can revisit it next time. Just let me know what feels best for you."

Teacher: "Thank you again for engaging with this activity today. It was wonderful to see your creativity and learn about your strengths. We can explore more art activities in future sessions if you'd like." Gay

Strength Reflection Cool Down

Take a moment to reflect on the activity we just completed. Think about your Strengths Shield and what you learned or felt during the process.

1. One word to describe how you feel after creating your Strengths Shield:
   
   
   

2. One new thing you noticed or appreciated about yourself today:
   
   
   
   
   
   

3. If you could add one more thing to your shield, what would it be?